C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 85
March 31, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight Mermaids #sale #99¢
Shines On
The ever-engaging Joanne Guidoccio who brings us her latest books on sale. Be sure to get your copies today!
People want to believe in the magic of mermaids.
When the television channel Animal Planet aired Mermaids: The Body Found in 2012, over 3.5 million viewers watched as scientists discussed the existence of these aquatic creatures. The interviews and phone-camera footage were so convincing that many of the viewers were disappointed when a brief disclaimer flashed in the end credits noting that the “documentary” was a work of fiction. Later, producer Charlie Foley revealed the “scientists” were really paid actors. He did, however, admit to believing in possibilities and the power of the imagination, concluding that we haven’t found everything out there yet.
So, it is not surprising that young girls (and older ones) are fascinated by the original Hans Christian Andersen mermaid tale and the Disney version. Often dismissed as fluff, the fairy tale and the movie contain valuable life lessons.
Prepare to Take Action
While Ariel enjoyed many privileges in her father’s kingdom, she craved more excitement and adventure. Whenever she had any free time, she would swim up to the surface and collect human artefacts. She would often dream about living among the “barbaric humans” her father detested. When she finally met Eric, she was ready to leave the kingdom.
We don’t have to wait for a prince or the right circumstances. If we feel any stirrings or restlessness, we need to take action, any action, however small that will move us closer to what we truly desire. And it doesn’t have to be dramatic or life changing. We can start by reading and journaling about the life we desire, taking courses, or approaching possible mentors.
Guard Your Voice
Ariel had to learn this lesson the hard way. From the start, we know that she has the most beautiful voice in the kingdom. When she rescued Eric from drowning, her voice is what he heard first, even before opening his eyes. But Ariel takes that wonderful gift for granted and does not hesitate to exchange it for human legs.
This lesson can be interpreted on several levels. We need to use our voices to express our emotions and our desires, and sometimes, we may need to raise our voices to be heard. Also, we should not ignore or dismiss inner beauty and focus entirely on outer looks.
Swim in the Deep End
In the opening scenes, Ariel is fearless as she skilfully navigates the deep waters of the kingdom. Intent on surfacing and interacting with humans, she swims boldly and effortlessly while avoiding encounters with sharks.
It is advisable to take baby steps when trying out a new venture, but it is important not to stay small for too long. At some point, it is necessary to take risks and go beyond our comfort zones. Avoiding challenging situations will not ensure our safety. Annoying and troublesome creatures can be found at all water levels.
Don’t Be Afraid to Change the Script
In the original fairy tale, the mute ex-mermaid could only smile when the handsome prince married someone else. Knowing that the prince’s wedding would only bring heartache and seal her fate as “foam on the crest of waves” saddened many readers who wanted a happily-ever-after ending for the little mermaid and the prince.
When Walt Disney Productions decided to produce an animated film based on The Little Mermaid, they also decided to change the ending. There was some backlash but the executives were not deterred. The worldwide response was an overwhelming one. Since 1989, the film has grossed over $200 million worldwide and has been credited with beginning the Disney Renaissance, an era that breathed life back into the animated feature film genre.
Blurb – Between Land and Sea[image error]
After giving up her tail for an international banker, Isabella of the Mediterranean kingdom is aged, weathered, and abandoned on the fog-drenched shores of southwest England. She faces her human journey as a plain and practically destitute fifty-three-year-old woman.
With the help of a magic tablet and online mermaid support, she reinvents herself as a career counselor, motivational speaker, and writer of self-help books. Along the way, she encounters a cast of unforgettable characters, among them former mermaids, supportive and not-so-supportive women, deserving and undeserving men, and several New Agers. As Isabella evolves into Barbara Davies, she embraces her middle-aged body, heals her bruised heart, and learns to love again.
This contemporary version of The Little Mermaid offers hope and inspiration to anyone who has been dumped, deceived, or demoted. It will also appeal to mermaid enthusiasts.
On sale for 99 cents
Amazon (US) – https://www.amazon.com/Between-Land-Sea-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B00F9U5Q50
Amazon (UK) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Between-Land-Sea-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B00F9U5Q50
Blurb – The Coming of Arabella[image error]
On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. While Barbara is not the first mermaid from the Mediterranean kingdom to settle in small town Ontario, she has yet to reveal her origins to her fiancé. So, when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.
Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown after her fiancé leaves Canada for a teaching job in Vermont, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes. A stronger and wiser Barbara rises up to face these new challenges and embrace the best parts of her mermaid heritage.
On sale for 99 cents
Amazon (US) – https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Arabella-Mediterrean-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B0147VXEPU
Amazon (UK) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Arabella-Mediterranean-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B0147VXEPU/
Bio[image error]
A member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime, Joanne Guidoccio writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Website – https://joanneguidoccio.com
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG/
March 30, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Writing is a real hazard for a writer who likes their own characters
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Fun With Old Friends
By M. L. Buchman
Okay, I have a real problem with old friends…they cost me an immense amount of time.
Maybe not as much as new friends.
But…sheesh!
Let me give you an example from yesterday.
There I was, happily working along, building a new collection of short stories. Actually, three of them but two aren’t out yet.
So, there I was looking over fifteen different stories . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
March 26, 2020
Friday Feature @YasminePhoenix What’s good, what’s bad.
Guest talks about
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times
by
Yasmine Phoenix
Photo coutesy of Vinay Tadepalli Unsplash
For years I got up, showered, dressed, drove the kids to school, and then joined the masses riding the electric train to Chicago to work. Sweltering summers and below zero wind chill I walked to my office. Of course, I enjoyed city events during lunch time being in downtown Chicago was great. Then at the end of the day reverse commute back on the train, pick up kids, and then home to cook dinner. Friday was family pizza night.
Now I work from home, I don’t have to get all dressed up and drive in the insane Atlantic traffic. And my kids are grown. I’m also an author so sometimes I go to a local café or Starbucks. It’s an opportunity to get out of my four walls and interact on a somewhat personal level with people. In other words, listen in on random conversations.
Technology. ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ to paraphrase Captain Kirk in Star Trek, Wrath of Khan who stole it from Charles Dickens. Writers are introverts and today’s technology is for us the best of times and the worst of times. We don’t have to leave our homes – almost ever. Everything we need is an App away from our finger. We can live our total existence – At. Home.
Want to move? You can sell your home online, buy another one online, and have a service pack and deliver your possessions to the new home. Online, folks.
We write, research, submit, publish, and promote our books from our desks. Gone are the days of submitting via snail mail, traipsing to the post office to mail synopsis, first three chapters, and query. We submit everything online.
It gets even better. Think about everything you can do from the comfort of your home, your bed, your car. Shopping malls are having a difficult time competing with online shopping and many stores are closing. When in Chicago, I go to Water Tower, sit, drink Starbucks, and watch shoppers, mostly young people, tourists, or city residents’ shop. I ride the CTA. Everyone is praying, their heads bowed, nope they’re staring down at their phones. It’s not just the young, older riders are playing games or are on Facebook.
How about attending a basketball or football game? Tickets are sky high, You have to be searched to get in. And it’s damn cold. Why not watch with friends? At. Home. The line to the bathroom is shorter. And of course – order food to be delivered. There’s Apps for that.
Hungry? Grocery shop? I hate walking down every aisle often impulse buying. Now I put together my Kroger grocery list, pay, and schedule a pick up day and time. And I don’t have to get out of my car. Whole Foods, Instacart deliver groceries as well. If I still lived in Chicago, I’d surely take advantage of this in the winter. At. Home.
Order out? Pick up or delivery. Restaurants, including McDonald’s, Taco Bell deliver. And we once believed the drive-thru was awesome. Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Jenny Craig, online meal services that setup meals according to your dietary requirements and then delivered to your home. Even comes with cooking directions. Kroger and Publix have started meal service programs. Grub Hub, Door Dash are utilized by restaurants to deliver from a variety of restaurants. You can order Chinese, Thai, American, whatever and have it all delivered. Wait sixty minutes for a table? Late from work? Your family’s dinner can be timed to meet you at the front door. At. Home. And once we thought pizza delivery was a big thing.
Need a doctor? You can arrange – with an App a consultation with a physician via your smartphone. Your medication can be delivered. At. Home.
Need a car? In case you want to venture out of your home. There’s an App. When I lived in Chicago, I used Zipcar. I’d set up a location, day and time for a car. Car came with a gas card and a special parking space. I drove the Prius across the street from where I lived. I had a choice of vehicles luxury, compact. I test drove different makes in case I wanted to buy a car. Did you know you can purchase a car online and have it delivered? At. Home.
Don’t need a car? Lyft and Uber. I used both when I first moved to Atlanta because I had no idea where the hell anything was. Still don’t know, but being driven around gave me the opportunity to learn where places were and sightsee at the same time.
Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayInstagram.
March 23, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Does your book need air?
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
World Building: Air
By Cindy Tomamichel
The air we breathe is not something we think a lot about until something goes wrong. Gas, dust, particulates, and the balance of gases all affect both our breathing – or lack thereof! – and also play a big factor in . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
March 19, 2020
Friday Features #Newrelease Saunders’ Choice by @BrigantiGina
Guest talks about
Saunders’ Choice
by
Gina Briganti
Saunders’ Choice is a standalone novella in the enchanting Natural Gifts fantasy romance series. If you like irresistible attraction, mystery, and love against the odds, then you will adore Gina Briganti’s tale of the deep.
She lives life below the waves. What will a man sacrifice to discover it’s not a dream?
Mermaid Velvet has always had a special fascination with the World. And studying its two-legged humans has given the aspiring comedian unique skills to make her audiences laugh. But when she saves a human who believes he’s drowning; she’s stunned by the magic that flows between them.
Saunders is trapped between two realities with no memory of his past. Lost in a strange, underwater domain, he comes face-to-face with an alluring goddess of the sea. When he disappears from her realm, he’s desperate to reunite with the entrancing beauty.
As Velvet continues to bring Saunders out of the darkness, her love for him grows along with her fear that his next disappearance might be his last. And as his memories slowly return, Saunders must decide if he is willing to leave the World permanently for a chance to be with the mermaid he desires.
Can Velvet and Saunders overcome his terrible fate and sink into each other’s perfect arms?
Buy Saunders’ Choice to dive into an ocean of passion today!
EXCERPT
Swimming along, Velvet continued to send a friendly wave to every creature she saw. She rounded the corner of a huge coral reef and saw a murky, shaded part of the coral ahead. If she had a middle name, it would be Curious. Velvet thought nothing of swimming into the darkened water.
A naked man was swimming furiously to the surface, struggling and thrashing in a panic.
He thinks he’s drowning.
If his panic didn’t give him away as a visitor to the Dreaming, his energy did. She didn’t know many visitors, but she had met more than anyone else she knew. Why did she find visitors so compelling? She often wondered about that.
Once, she had shared a romance with a visitor. His name was Joe, and he was sixteen years old at the time. For one whole summer, that was what he called it, they spent all of his time in the Dreaming together. Then Joe admitted to her that he felt weird about having an invisible girlfriend, and they stopped seeing one another in that way. They were friends now. He’d long since grown up and was happily married to a new visitor to the Dreaming. A woman named Dana.
Velvet stopped her reverie and flashed into action, quickly pushing the stranger to what would appear to be a surface to him. She held him while he gulped air, and spurted water from his mouth at the same time.
The stranger turned wild eyes to Velvet. He scanned her from head to tail, and then started racing away from her.
Velvet called out sarcastically, “Was it something I said? Most people have to know me awhile before they swim away at high speed.” As soon as she said it, she felt terrible and her compassion kicked her butt. She called out, “I’m sorry. I hope you’re okay.”
The visitor never looked back.
AMAZON BUY LINKS
PAPERBACK – E-BOOK
A few days ago Gina Briganti had a poll website asking which of four tattoos readers thought this lovely mermaid would wear. Here’s the winner.
Gina Briganti right here.
March 17, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight The Magic of Pasta and the Magic Soul Mate Tree
Shines On
Our book Can’t Stop the Music that opens at Woodstock and is filled with musical references of the era and food.
Today we’re talking about love, food, and magic. Love was plentiful at Woodstock. Magic mushrooms were probably plentiful, also, but food not so much. The producers didn’t expect the overwhelming crowd that should up and the vendors ran out of food in a very short time.
But you don’t have to worry about that, because we’ve got a special treat for you today.
As writers, we know that love and food go together like romance and a happily-ever-after ending. Maybe that’s why in most of our novels the hero and heroine share a meal of some sort. There’s just something magical about a special dinner with the one you love. Don’t you remember that special dinner, or dinners, with your honey? On the first dinner Catherine made for Donald she accidently fed him a toothpick—which he unwittingly ate. Trust us, we remember that!
Like most humans, we like to eat, and food works its way into our stories. In Blood Brothers it was a steak dinner. In Son of the Moonless Night exotic fish was on the table. And in all of The Turning Stone Chronicles books the immortal Scottish Keeper of the Stone has an ever-present cup of tea and scones on the kitchen table.
In our book, Can’t Stop the Music (The Soul Mate Tree Book 2) the hero cooks an Italian meal for the heroine that is positively orgasmic. Can’t Stop the Music is a nostalgic romance set in Woodstock 1969 and contains a paranormal element. The paranormal involves a magic Soul Mate Tree that grants soul mates to deserving persons.
The Soul Mate tree is
An ancient legend spanning eras, continents, and worlds.
To some, it’s nothing more than a dream.
To others, a pretty fairy tale handed down through the generations.
For those in critical need of their own happy ending, a gift.
And our heroine and hero are in definitely in need of a happy ending.
Speaking of happy, who doesn’t love a delicious pasta dish? We do, but pasta is something we don’t eat a lot of anymore because of the high carb content. Recently, we’ve begun experimenting with ways to make high-carb pasta meals friendlier, because we do miss our pasta. In the process, we’ve discovered things like lentil and soybean pastas that are great substitutes for wheat pasta. They have a high fiber to carb ratio, which not only puts more fiber in the diet, but slows the release of sugars into the blood stream, both which are great boons to people with insulin resistance issues. The soybean pasta is fantastic and has become our go-to pasta for spaghetti.
Unfortunately, we haven’t found a soybean lasagna. So, Catherine got creative and made a meatless version of lasagna that uses a smaller amount of lasagna on the bottom of the dish and substitutes sliced zucchini for the pasta in the other layers. Putting a single layer of pasta on the bottom provides the traditional taste of lasagna and helps the servings come out of the dish better, without the added high-glycemic carbohydrates. We made this lasagna recipe meatless, but you could use a meat sauce if you prefer. Bon appétit!
Mushroom Zucchini Lasagna[image error]
Serves four
Ingredients:
2 sheets oven-ready lasagna pasta
½ jar (1 1/3 cups) spaghetti or marina sauce (any flavor you prefer)
2-3 ounces fresh baby spinach (2-3 handfuls)
One 8-ounce box sliced mushrooms
2 small zucchinis, sliced into scant 1/8 inch thick ribbons
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 tablespoons low-fat ricotta cheese[image error]
Directions:
Trim ends of zucchinis until they fit inside a square 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Then slice zucchinis into scant 1/8 inch thick ribbons. Place on a plate and salt liberally both sides. Let stand about an hour to draw out the excess moisture. Rinse off salt and pat slices dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
Rinse mushrooms and place in a skillet or large saucepan. Using 2 sharp-bladed spatulas, coarsely chop mushrooms in the pan. (Alternately, you could use a knife and cutting board, but Catherine found this method to be quicker.) Sauté mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of water until the mushrooms darken and excess water from the fungi has appeared in the pan. Drain and set aside.
Fit the 2 sheets of pasta in the bottom of a square, 1-1/2 quart baking dish, breaking edges off as necessary so the pasta lays flat in the bottom. Remove pasta and broken pieces from the dish.
Pour 1/3 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish and lay the pasta sheets and broken pieces on top.
On top of this base, layer 1/3 cup pasta sauce, 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup mushrooms, a handful of spinach, torn into small pieces, and four tablespoons of ricotta cheese (dotted over the top of the spinach), and enough zucchini slices to cover the ingredients. Spread the ingredients so they are evenly layered. Repeat layers to the depth the dish allows, ending with a layer of zucchini, sauce, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Let stand and couple of minutes before cutting. Catherine found using a chef’s knife to cut the layers works best to cut through the zucchini without destroying the layers. Serve with a fresh salad and warm, Italian garlic bread.
Note: We went light on the cheeses, which gave each square of lasagna about 1 serving each of the cheeses. If you like a heavier cheese taste, add more cheese on each layer.
Serve the lasagna with a fresh green salad and some yummy Italian bread and you have a complete meal.
After the dishes are done and you’re ready to relax, download Can’t Stop the Music (The Soul Mate Tree Book 2) and take a trip back to Woodstock 1969 with our heroine Rose and her Italian stallion Dakota. To whet your appetite, here’s a peek at Rose and Dakota’s first meeting. Enjoy!
Can’t Stop the Music
By C.D. Hersh
As they made their way to the festival site, Rose and her friends grooved to the music coming from the stage.
When they reached the makeshift bridge over the road, someone yelled, “Hey beautiful! You with the red hair.”
She looked around to see if there was anyone else with red hair. Then she glanced up and spotted two guys, one blond and the other dark-haired, leaning over the side of the bridge.
“Yeah, you,” the blond called out as he caught her gaze.
Willow halted beside her. “He’s cute. How about him?”
Rose looked away, her gaze landing on the other guy.
He jabbed his companion in the ribs. “Quit trying to pick up every girl you see.” Then he leaned farther over the rail. “Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s high.”
“So she’s not beautiful?” Willow yelled to the hippie.
She poked her friend. “Stop it, Willow, you’re making a scene.” In spite of her protest, her gaze remained on the dark-haired guy.
He rested his elbows on the rail and stared back at her. The intensity of his expression shot heat into her belly.
“I didn’t say that, just that she shouldn’t pay attention to him.” He flapped a hand at his blond buddy, then tapped his own chest with his thumb several times as if to say, ‘Choose me!’
Does he want me to pay attention to him? Her heart thumped in rhythm to his jabbing thumb.
“Take that one,” Willow whispered. “He’s the real cutie.”
Before she could respond, the crowd pushed them forward. When they reached the other side of the bridge, she looked back, searching for the dark-haired hippie, but the spot where he’d stood was empty.
Just my luck. I see someone who’s intriguing and he disappears.
With a sigh, she continued the trek to the festival grounds.
March 16, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Newsletters
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Switching Newsletter Providers
By D.E. Haggerty
I switched from MailChimp to MailerLite in December. I did not go into the switch lightly. I knew it would be a lot of work. How much work? Read on and you’ll get an idea. . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
March 12, 2020
Friday Features Author Artist @LLGreeneAuthor
Guest talks about
How to Save the Life of an Author
by
Linda Lee Greene
– Watercolor painting by Linda Lee Greene
It is a fact that “Muse,” that mysterious and severe task-master chains authors to their writing instruments for weeks, or months, and sometimes years at a time. They aren’t allowed to eat, or brush their teeth, or bathe, or sleep. They almost never get to see other human beings. Muse makes them ignore the ring of the doorbell and the phone, and pull the drapes and close the blinds. Nothing, nothing, nothing must get in the way of scratching down those precious lines. At long last the book is done—finished—complete! And authors wait; they wait; they wait for feedback from readers, feedback that is the lifeblood of writers, that keeps them motivated, that keeps them sane, that rescues their self-esteem, and that very well might save their life!
Accumulating reader reviews of books is a huge hurdle for authors, and the truth is that without reviews, books don’t stand a chance of reaching a wide audience, even though they might be very worthwhile reads. Nowadays, by way of cyberspace, something like 4,500 new books per day hit the bookseller market, a large percentage of that number written and self-published by highly talented and fearless authors. The crushing heap of competition they are under demands that many good reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads is the best, and perhaps, the only way they can crawl out from under the pile and receive the notice they deserve.
A lot of readers would like to post reviews but feel intimidated by the process. You’re in luck. You can write something as simple as “I loved it!” or “This is one of the best books I’ve ever read!” or “I couldn’t put it down!” If you didn’t like the book, explain the reason in the review because that’s information the author needs to be a better writer.
Please support authors by posting reviews of their books, especially at Amazon.com. All you have to do is go to Amazon and type in the name of the book. When the correct page comes up, click onto the space on the right indicating the number of current reviews. The reviews page comes up. You will see a series of five stars on the left side of the page. Click onto the star that corresponds with your rating of the book. The fifth star on the right indicates the highest rating. A dialog box in which to type your review is directly below the stars. And below that, a box shows in which to title your review. When you have done all these things, click “submit” at the bottom of the page. And wallah—you’ve saved the life of a hard-working and lonely author!
My crime thriller novel, A Chance at the Moon is on Amazon. I welcome your review.
Was it chance or destiny’s hand behind a man and a woman’s curious encounter at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas? The cards fold, their hearts open, and a match strikes, flames that sizzle their hearts and souls. Can they have the moon and the stars, too? Or is she too dangerous? Is he? Can their love withstand betrayal? Can it endure murder?
While the cards at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas fail to distract them from their troubled pasts, on the side, the actress and the gambler play a game of ‘will they won’t they’ romance. Meanwhile, an otherworldly hand also has a big stake in the game. Unexpected secrets unfold brimming with dangerous consequences, and finally, a strange brand of salvation.
Amid the seductions of Las Vegas, Nevada and an idyllic coffee plantation on Hawai’i’s Big Island, a sextet of opposites converge within a shared fate: a glamorous movie-star courting distractions from her troubled past; her shell-shocked bodyguards clutching handholds out of their hardscrabble lives; a dropout Hawaiian nuclear physicist gambling his way back home; a Navajo rancher seeking cleansing for harming Mother Earth; and from its lofty perch, the Hawaiian’s guardian spirit conjured as his pet raven, conducting this symphony of soul odysseys.
The Cast of Characters
Actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms escapes the shadow of her mother’s gruesome murder and the relentless demands of Hollywood and loses herself in the cards at Las Vegas casinos. But like hounds on the scent, the scandal tracks her. And true to her history, it shows up in the person of dashing Hawaiian gambler, Koa Kalua’i. Neither of them are strangers at taking risks and too often losing. Will they win in their chance at the moon this time?
In Hawaiian cosmology, Aumakuas are guardian spirits whom many believe to manifest in physical form. Koa Kalua’i knows the tenet to be true, because Raven has not only been his winged-pet since the earliest days of his childhood on his family’s coffee plantation on Hawaii’s Big Island, but also his Aumakua. They make a remarkable pair, dedicated to righting wrongs.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, and orphaned as little kids, twin brothers Nicholas and Tobias Plato grew up tough but tenderhearted, qualities they put to use as actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms’ bodyguards. Who knew that Nicholas would play such a pivotal role in Olivia’s life: her most trusted friend and guardian, and in the end, her savior?
Navajo rancher and computer geek, Sam Whitehorse uncovers a secret, terrorist stockpile of materiel burrowed in the side of one his people’s sacred mountains in Nevada. It is a threat that he and Las Vegas gambler, Koa Kalua’i must expose and eliminate, but potential government involvement in the matter complicates such an offensive. And why does actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms insert herself into the whole affair?
Amazon Buy Links Paperback – Kindle
Multi-award-winning author and artist Linda Lee Greene describes her life as a telescope that when trained on her past reveals how each piece of it, whether good or bad or in-between, was necessary in the unfoldment of her fine art and literary paths.
Greene moved from farm-girl to city-girl; dance instructor to wife, mother, and homemaker; divorcee to single-working-mom and adult-college-student; and interior designer to multi-award-winning artist and author, essayist, and blogger, it was decades of challenging life experiences and debilitating, chronic illness that gave birth to her dormant flair for art and writing. Greene was three days shy of her fifty-seventh birthday when her creative spirit took a strong hold.
She found her way to her lonely easel soon thereafter. Since then Greene has accepted commissions and displayed her artwork in shows and galleries in and around the USA. She is also a member of artist and writer associations.
Visit Linda at her online art gallery and join her on Facebook. Linda loves to hear from readers so feel free to email her. Blog: http://Ingoodcompanyohio.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/LindaLeeGreeneAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LindaLeeGreeneAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LLGreeneAuthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest/LindaLeeGreene/
March 10, 2020
Wednesday Special Spotlight #recipe meal for Roast Lamb Loin from Eris Field
Shines On
Turkish family recipe from Eris Field who also shares her latest captivating book The Marital Bargain: Wife for Five Months.
My husband was Turkish and enjoyed it when I made meals from his mother’s recipes. This was one of his favorites, and mine too because it was easy and delicious. It’s also similar to one described in my latest book The Marital Bargain: Wife for Five Months.
ROAST LAMB LOIN
Use your favorite recipe to roast lamb until done but still pink on the inside.
RAS el HANUT YOGURT
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. Ras El Hanout*
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well. Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
Drizzle a small amount on the lamb at serving time.
*Ras el Hanout is a seasoning found in stores that sell Turkish or Arabic food. To make your own combine a small amount of coriander, allspice, fennel, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, anise seed, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and turmeric in a bowl.
Photo courtesy of Akemy Mory Unsplash
PILAF – TURKISH RICE
3 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1½ cups long grain rice (Riceland rice is a good choice)
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Melt butter in a shallow pot that has a cover.
Add onion and sauté until translucent over low heat. Stir to prevent browning.
Stir in water and salt. Bring to boil.
Stir in rice. Cover pan and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook 20 to 25 minutes (Do not remove cover. Do not stir). When done, use a clean dish towel or a paper towel to replace the lid. Let stand 10 minutes.
Pour melted butter over rice. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve in a heated dish.
TURKISH GREEN BEAN SALAD
1 lb. fresh green beans, cut into one-inch lengths
3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ a lemon, juiced
1 tbsp. dry mint leaves
Layer green beans first, onions second, and arrange tomatoes on top in a saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Sprinkle with dried mint. Cover with lid and cook over low heat without stirring for 25 minutes. Let cool. The olive oil and lemon juice make a dressing for the salad. Garnish with a light dusting of grated lemon peel and serve at room temperature.
DESSERT
Grapes, pistachios in the shell (the best pistachios are from Antep or Siirt), pomegranate arils (seeds).
Here is a brief intro to my latest contemporary romance novel. I hope you enjoy it.
For Laury, growing up on American Naval Bases in the Middle East resulted in a fluency in languages and a wariness of men. Now, after completing a psychiatric nurse practitioner program, she faces a mountain of student loans. While waiting to learn if she’s been accepted for her dream job, she works as a private duty nurse caring for Roberta, an elderly matriarch living alone in a 30-room mansion on Billionaires’ Row. Roberta’s granddaughter had agreed to stay with her while she recovered from eye surgery, but she has disappeared along with Roberta’s money and credit cards.
Damon, Roberta’s grandson who is volunteering with Doctors Without Borders, requests emergency leave to fly home from Iraq. After his wife divorced him, Damon had vowed never to marry again, but with only days to find a way to safeguard his grandmother, he offers Laury a bargain—a five-month marriage. She will protect Roberta while he returns to perform reconstructive surgery for child refugees and he will pay off her student loans. What could go wrong?
Readers who like novels with characters who must find strengths within themselves to overcome their difficulties will enjoy this story. They’ll learn different cultures’ approaches to families, marriages, and finances, about the Kurds who fought beside Americans in Iraq, about refugees, and about abuse. They will also learn about the power of love.
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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.
March 9, 2020
Tell Again Tuesday Do You write Fast or Slow?
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Are You a Tortoise or a Hare
By Sharon Ledwith
We writers tend to fall into two categories. You’re either a tortoise or a hare. What do I mean by that? I guess what I’m trying to get across is . . .
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