C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 79
August 18, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight Southern Gothic book from YA author Leigh Goff
Shines On
An exciting Southern Gothic book from creative YA author Leigh Goff who brings us a sneak peek. Be sure to get your copy today!
Koush Hollow:
Where bayou magic abounds and all that glitters…is deadly.
After her father’s untimely death, Jenna Ashby moves to Koush Hollow, a bayou town outside of New Orleans, dreading life with her wealthy mother.
As the sixteen-year-old eco-warrior is introduced to the Diamonds & Pearls, her mother’s exclusive social club, she comes to the troubling realization that secrets are a way of life in Koush Hollow.
How do the Diamonds & Pearls look so young, where does their money come from, and why is life along the bayou disappearing?
As Jenna is drawn into their seductive world, her curiosity and concerns beg her to uncover the truth. However, in this town where mysticism abounds and secrets are deadly, the truth is not what Jenna could have ever imagined.
Preorder at The Parliament House
or
Amazon
Leigh Goff writes young adult fiction. She is a graduate from the University of Maryland and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).
Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area’s great history and culture.
Her third young adult novel, Koush Hollow, a Southern gothic set in New Orleans, will release on September 1, 2020 from The Parliament House.
Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
August 17, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Revising your manuscript how to via @lorraineambers
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
How to Revise your Manuscript Using a Reverse Outline – Review of Jeni Chappelle’s webinar.
By Lorraine Ambers
Hello my fellow writers and welcome! This week I’ve completed my fourth manuscript; a speculative fiction called Entangled of around 90’000 words. Finishing the first draft is a fantastic moment, but it’s also only the beginning of a novels journey to completion. I’m currently in an odd position where I have three novels all at different phases of the revision process. I must admit the task of tackling a first revision is still as daunting as it was the first time. I recently attended a webinar by editor Jeni Chappelle who has a wealth of experience, so I thought I’d share it with you.
The first part of editing may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s vital: Put the MS down and forget about it. Leave it . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
August 13, 2020
Friday Feature Meals to Make together from @SloaneTaylor2
Guest talks about
Meals to Make Together
by
Sloane Taylor
Introducing the latest in her
Meals to Make Together series!
Romance meets Outdoor Dining
Why not share a summer night with someone special?
What better than a sizzling romantic dinner, candles, wine and music?
Create 45 delicious and complete dinners for two that can be cooked on your grill or stove. No exotic or expensive ingredients needed. These 103 recipes use everyday products already in your kitchen cabinets. Increasing the dinners is a snap for those fun nights friends or family join you.
You’ll love Date Night Dinners Sizzling Summer, Book 2 in the Meals to Make Together series, because great food is the doorway to infinite possibilities.
Here’s one of the recipes to whet your appetite.
Add a little romance to a starry evening with a delicious dinner perfect for two. Uncork the wine and enjoy!
Serve with Avocado Salad and Baked Potatoes on the Grill. These recipes are found under Salad and Veggies in the book’s Index.
BEEF KABOBS
1 – 1½ lbs. (500 – 750g) sirloin steak, trimmed of fat
1 lg. onion, quartered
1 med. yellow pepper, seeded and ribs removed
1½ cups (350ml) garlic infused olive oil* (recipe in Extras section)
½ cup (125ml) dry red wine
2 rosemary sprigs or 1½ tsp. (7.5ml) dried
6 parsley sprigs or 1½ tsp. (7.5ml) dried
Freshly ground pepper to taste
10 – 16 cherry tomatoes
10 – 16 baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
Vegetable oil for grill
Cut beef into 1½ in. (3.8cm) pieces and then place into a plastic bag or bowl. Separate onion sections, add to meat. Slice yellow pepper into 1 in. (2.54cm) pieces and add to meat.
Add remaining ingredients, except tomatoes and mushrooms, to the meat mixture. Marinate 6 – 20 hours in fridge. Sirloin requires a long marinate to make it super tender. Filet, porterhouse, and rib eye work well in this recipe. Only marinate them for 3 – 4 hours as they are tender cuts.
Coat grill lightly with olive oil. Set grill to medium.
Thread steak and veggies onto skewers, e.g.: sirloin, onion, sirloin, yellow pepper, sirloin, tomato, sirloin, mushroom, and so on. Make sure all the pieces touch but aren’t jammed against one another. Discard remaining marinade.
Grill 10 – 15 minutes. Turn skewers frequently so meat cooks evenly.
No skewers? No problem.
Drain sirloin mixture in a colander. Heat a skillet on the grill or stove. Add beef mixture, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Sauté 10 – 15 minutes, stirring and turning frequently.
*If you use regular olive oil add 3 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped fine.
Grab your copy today.
Amazon Buy Link
May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!
Sloane
Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning romance author with a passion that consumes her day and night. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.
Learn more about Taylor’s cookbooks, Date Night Dinners and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire on Amazon.
Excerpts from her romance books and free reads can be found on her website, blog, and her Amazon Author Page. Connect with Taylor on Facebook and Twitter.
August 11, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight Congratulations to Tina Ruiz on the release of her 30th children’s book!
Congratulates
Tina Ruiz
On the release of her 30th children’s book! Be sure to get your copy today!
The story is about Peppa Roni and her twin brother, Reece A. Roni, who are having their 9th birthday party in the neighborhood restaurant. What makes this story different from any other children’s book, are the names which the author has given to her characters. Example: Tess Ding, Chris P. Bacon, Mr. Noah Lott, Harry Pitts, Miss Turi, Walter Melon, Judge Mental and his wife, Judy, etc…
The storyline is quite charming, and because you will try to figure out the double meaning of the fun names while you read, this is bound to become your child’s favorite book.
This delightful paperback book is another wonderful collaboration from writer Tina Nykulak Ruiz and illustrator Ishika Sharma. This creative duo knows how to put life and fun into children’s books to encourage young people to read. As with all of Tina’s children’s stories, there’s a moral at the end.
AMAZON BUY LINK
Tina Ruiz was born in Germany, but her family moved to Canada when she was in grammar school. She began writing children’s stories when her own were little. Through the years Ruiz wrote twenty-seven books. Most of those stories went into readers for the Canada Board of Education. Two did not. Mayor Shadoe Markley is a story about a ten-year-old girl who becomes Mayor for a Day through a contest at school.
Little did Ruiz know that story would “change the world.” The book came out at early January 1988. By the end of that same month, everyone was calling the mayor’s office at City Hall, trying to get the forms to fill out so their children could participate in the contest. Thirty years later that same contest is still runs at full speed. And not only in Calgary, but all across Canada. The Mayor’s Youth Council is now in charge of the celebrated contest and invites Ruiz to attend and meet the lucky winner. It’s usually followed by a hand-written thank you card from the mayor himself. Recently Ruiz was invited to be part of the Grand Opening of Calgary’s New Library where the mayor shook her hand and introduced her to the attendees.
Tina has worked in television and radio as well as being a professional clown at the Children’s Hospital. She lives in Calgary with her husband who encourages her to write her passion be it high-quality children’s books or intriguing romance.
Stay connected with Tina Ruiz on her Facebook group Tina Speaks Out.
August 10, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Characters that come into your life via @Blondewritemore
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
People Come Into Your Life For A Reason, A Season or A Lifetime. Why I Believe the Same About Characters #Writers
By Lucy Mitchell
I read a good blog post which talked about the following:
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
August 6, 2020
Friday Feature Augolemono Soupa #recipe from Eris Field
Guest shares Mediterranean #recipe for
Augolemono Soupa
for a hot summer day
by Eris Field
My husband was Turkish. As a young bride I learned to make many of his favorite dishes to both our delight. This is one that is perfect for a hot summer day. If you like Augolemono Soupa (Greek lemon chicken soup. Get the recipe here.) you will enjoy this salad. Make it a complete meal by adding chopped, cooked chicken breast and a bottle of crisp white wine.
Orzo Lemon Salad
1 cup orzo
½ cup onion, red, Vidalia, or scallions, chopped fine
⅓ cup green olives with pimento, sliced
½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
½ lemon, juiced
3 tbsp. mayonnaise, or to taste
Lemon zest
Small mixture of lettuce leaves, torn into bitesize pieces
Bring eggs to boil in a covered pan and then turn off the heat when water boils. Let stand in pan with cover on for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and peal. Set on paper towel todry.
Cook orzo, rinse with cold water and drain well. When the orzo has cooled, add other ingredients.
Mix lemon juice with mayonnaise. Add mayonnaise to other ingredients.
Sprinkle lemon zest over the top of the salad. Serve on bed of crunchy greens.
Here’s a little from my latest multicultural romance for your reading pleasure.
AMAZON BUY LINK
Eris Field was born in the Green Mountains of Vermont—Jericho, Vermont to be precise—close by the home of Wilson Bentley (aka Snowflake Bentley), the first person in the world to photograph snowflakes. She learned from her Vermont neighbors that pursuit of one’s dream is a worthwhile life goal.
As a seventeen year old student nurse at Albany Hospital, Eris met a Turkish surgical intern who told her fascinating stories about the history of Turkey, the loss of the Ottoman Empire, and forced population exchanges. After they married and moved to Buffalo, Eris worked as a nurse at Children’s Hospital and at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
After taking time off to raise five children and amassing rejection letters for her short stories, Eris earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the University at Buffalo. Later, she taught psychiatric nursing at the University and wrote a textbook for psychiatric nurse practitioners—a wonderful rewarding but never to be repeated experience.
Eris now writes novels, usually international, contemporary romances. Her interest in history and her experience in psychiatry often play a part in her stories. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Western New York Romance Writers. In addition to writing, Eris’s interests include: Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders; Eradicating Honor Killings, supporting the Crossroads Springs Orphanage in Kenya for children orphaned by AIDS, and learning more about Turkey, Cyprus, and Kurdistan.
Learn more about Eris Field on her website. Stay connected on Facebook.
August 4, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight #new book release A Haunting Birthday Party
Shines On a
Halloween children’s book from Tina Ruiz. Release August 1st. Be sure to get your copy today!
This delightful book is another wonderful collaboration from writer Tina Nykulak Ruiz and illustrator Ishika Sharma. This creative duo knows how to put life and fun into children’s books to encourage young people to read. As with all of Tina’s children’s stories, there’s a moral at the end.
Find on Amazon at Tina Ruiz.
Tina Ruiz was born in Germany, but her family moved to Canada when she was in grammar school. She began writing children’s stories when her own were little. Through the years Ruiz wrote twenty-seven books. Most of those stories went into readers for the Canada Board of Education. Two did not. Mayor Shadoe Markley is a story about a ten-year-old girl who becomes Mayor for a Day through a contest at school.
Little did Ruiz know that story would “change the world.” The book came out at early January 1988. By the end of that same month, everyone was calling the mayor’s office at City Hall, trying to get the forms to fill out so their children could participate in the contest. Thirty years later that same contest is still runs at full speed. And not only in Calgary, but all across Canada. The Mayor’s Youth Council is now in charge of the celebrated contest and invites Ruiz to attend and meet the lucky winner. It’s usually followed by a hand-written thank you card from the mayor himself. Recently Ruiz was invited to be part of the Grand Opening of Calgary’s New Library where the mayor shook her hand and introduced her to the attendees.
Tina has worked in television and radio as well as being a professional clown at the Children’s Hospital. She lives in Calgary with her husband who encourages her to write her passion be it high-quality children’s books or intriguing romance.
Stay connected with Tina Ruiz on her Facebook group Tina Speaks Out.
August 3, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Dress Code @Blondewritemore
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
How to Dress Like a Writer
– 5 Key Writer Looks
By Lucy Mitchell
This is the perfect activity for lockdown. If you’ve ever dreamed about becoming a writer and want to master that writer look or you might be a fully fledged writer but don’t feel you are owning that creative look, read on.
Here are 5 key looks for writers which could be easily created during lockdown: . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
July 30, 2020
Friday Feature mouth watering #recipe from @SharonLedwith
Guest talks about
Savory, sautéed chicken
by
Sharon Ledwith
Picture this – savory, sautéed chicken cooked in a cheesy, creamy sauce with Roma tomatoes, served atop a bed of fettuccini pasta. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is. One of my go-to meals I order at a restaurant includes this classic pasta dish. So, I thought I’d bring this Italian favorite from the restaurant into your kitchen to enjoy with 8 of your family or friends wherever and whenever you choose to get-together.
With a prep time of 30 minutes, and a cook time of 30 minutes, you can divvy up the duties and make it a culinary collaboration. Wine, of course, is optional, but encouraged.
Classic Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves, cut into cubes
6 tbsp. butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 lb. (454 g) fettuccini pasta
1 onion, diced
1 – 8 oz. (227 g) package sliced mushrooms
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground white pepper
3 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ozs. (227 g) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
½ cup sour cream
In a large skillet set over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in the skillet. Sauté onion, remaining garlic, and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Blend in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses. Continue to stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes, and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.
IF by any chance you have leftovers, the Alfredo mixture freezes well.
Has all this cooking made you ‘stir’ crazy? After your guest have departed, may I suggest settling in with a good book and a glass of wine? How about 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 dirty dishes and messy pots.
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.
AMAZON BUY LINK
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.
July 28, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight asking for Raven Award Votes for Sally Brandle The Hitman’s Mistake #Vote
Shines On
The author Sally Brandle who visits today with a request that anyone can fulfil. Here’s Sally.
Catherine and Donald generously offered an opportunity to share my wonderful news, and I am grateful to them. The first book I wrote (at 61), The Hitman’s Mistake, finaled in Uncaged Book Reviews Raven Awards in the Mystery/Suspense category. To qualify for the semifinals of this neat award, my novel had to garner 4/5 Stars from their review team, then receive enough votes to land in the finals. To win, I am up against an Amazon Bestseller and a NYT Bestseller.
I’d really appreciate your vote. The final poll runs through Friday, August 1st. I write clean (sensual without intimate scenes) stories weaving slow-burning romance into edgy suspense, motivating women to trust their inner gifts. To vote, simply click on the link below, scroll to the circle next to The Hitman’s Mistake in the fifth category and click. Then click on the ‘Vote’ button below the group. Reader support provides the motivation for me to keep writing. I’m at eight books, with three published in this series. Thank you for your love of reading.
Raven Award Voting Link: http://uncagedbooks.com/raven-awards-final-voting/.
Thanks Sally for that clear explanation. The Raven Award is something many authors hope to be honored with as we were several years ago. Now how about clicking the link above and giving Sally your vote.
Not sure? Then here’s an excerpt from her book that might help or you may just enjoy reading.
Setting: Our heroine’s pruning indoor plants in the lobby of Seattle’s Justice Building after hours. Her elderly friend, Judge Ike Gilson, was working in his chambers earlier. 
***
Soft taps came from a few feet behind her. She tilted her head.
Footsteps? From the stairwell? Miranda released her grip, and the tree limb sprang free. She swung her head and watched the branch skim the fly of the trousers on the man now towering over her right shoulder.
Not Ike. She froze.
“What in the hell? Oh, didn’t see you there—” he sidestepped, and her cup scrunched in protest under his big boot. The lid popped off and the double shot of Kona glugged into a mocha-scented pool.
He jumped to avoid the puddle. “Damn energy conservation put you in the shadows. Sorry, I nailed your coffee.” His swinging backpack missed her nose by inches.
She twisted her body and scooted her butt until her shoulder jammed against a carved pot.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“It’s okay,” she mumbled, keeping her head lowered to avoid further contact with the bag-wielding klutz wearing black trousers. Must’ve been him she’d glimpsed a few minutes ago, while the elevator doors had closed on the floor below Ike’s.
“I’ve never been attacked by a branch. Must say, you deployed it well,” the deep voice announced. He stopped directly in front of her.
His hiking boots made her size-nine high-tops appear dainty.
Not the shoes of a snobby lawyer or a lost, post-trial pimp trying to find his way out of the building. Still, the flailing branch served him right for sneaking up on her. “I didn’t hear you.”
“And I shouldn’t text and walk,” he said in a lighter, almost sexy tone. “I’m Grant.” He dropped his pack and stuck out his hand.
An FBI tag printed ‘GRANT MORLEY’ hung from the bag.
She peered from under her cap’s brim and gulped.
Him.
Agent of Interest. Her heart took off at a gallop.
Okay that sounds like a book that will be interesting to read. Here’s the link to get a copy on Amazon.
Now you have you copy give Sally a vote for the Raven Award: http://uncagedbooks.com/raven-awards-final-voting/.
A little bit about Sally:
Sally Brandle weaves slow-burning romance into edgy suspense. Growing up in a tightly knit, multi-generational community, Sally’s core values reflect those of the village where she was raised. Her stories motivate women to connect with their inner gifts.
When she gets time away from her functional engineer husband and spirited sons, Sally hunkers down in her office. Her trusty Aussie, Tallulah, waits patiently at her feet for belly rubs as adventures unfold. For a head-clearing ride in fresh air, Sally saddles her Quarter Horse, Lance, and trots along wooded trails in the Pacific Northwest.
Find her on: Facebook – Twitter
