C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 9
March 3, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday Crock Pot Easy
“GO-TO” RECIPES–PEPPER STEAK IN A CROCK POT–EASY AND GREAT!By Cheryl Pierson
Hey, everyone! I am SO excited! No, it’s not a book or a character this time around that’s got me all “hyped”—but, of all things, a RECIPE. Now, hear me out, and I think you’ll be just as happy to get this on your kitchen table as I was.
Y’all know, my “recipe” for a great RECIPE is that it has to be two things: . . .
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February 27, 2025
Friday Feature Love
While rummaging through some file cabinets the other day I came across a worn notebook containing my first novel, written when I was in high school. As one might suspect, it is a romance—an angst-ridden story about a young girl who falls in love, marries, and lives happily ever after with the movie star teen idol she adores. Compared to my books today this is a poorly written book, but, hey, I was a teenager. It’s so bad, in fact, I won’t let anyone read it.
As I looked through that book I began thinking about the other stories I had written in my youth and the subjects I had chosen for school papers. The ones that stood out in my memory were the romance novel, which I kept; a short story called Bloody Buttons, about a witch; an outer space story featuring aliens; and a school paper on an Aztec myth about a magical feather.
Notice a theme here? Romance, supernatural elements, magic, and fantasy—the backbone of paranormal romances which my husband and I write. Wondering if my discovery about my basic writing affinities held true for my husband, too, I questioned him about his teenage manuscripts. His reply was as a teen he was too busy with sports to write, but he did have some old school papers, mostly about running and sports.
Since he hadn’t written much as a teen I asked, “So what did you read when you were younger?”
He pointed at the bookshelves on his wall displaying his childhood reading collections of Tom Swift (science fiction/fantasy), The Hardy Boy mystery series and Sherlock Holmes. Not exactly in the paranormal realm but science fiction could be considered in the ball park, and there’s usually a mystery of some sort to be unraveled in our books. A quick scan of his bookshelves revealed another set of fantasy/alternate-world series, written more for men, but definitely in the paranormal genre. If I could see his current e-library I know it would show scads of romance and paranormal romance. The books he has penned as an adult include a Sherlock Holmes story and a time travel adventure—both still within the realm of his early reading interests.
I found it remarkable that over the years our taste in home furnishings has changed. We started out Colonial and Country and ended up Southwest. My taste in jewelry went from gold to silver and turquoise. We used to window shop in the malls, and buy at Goodwill. Now we go antiquing. Rock and Roll gave way to Country music. Jeeps and sports cars moved over for more luxurious vehicles, although Donald is still longing for a Corvette. Apartments gave way to houses, and patios lined with flowerpots grew into a huge garden.
We have continually evolved in almost every aspect of our lives, sometimes even making 180 degree turns. But one thing hasn’t changed. We still love books, and we still love the genres we cut our reading and writing teeth on. Romance, fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction claim a big part of the bookshelves in our home, both paper and ebooks.
I guess what they say is true—write what you know … and what you love.
What’s the earliest book you remember writing and reading? Are you still writing and reading in that genre? Let us know in the comments.
February 25, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Excessive Pronoun Starts and How to Fix Them
During the first round of editing we have been pleased with the editorial comments, but among the glowing comments (which we all love to get from editors), guess what was one of the problems we missed?
Too many pronoun and proper name starts to sentences and paragraphs.
Now, this isn’t the only thing we’ve had to rework, but it is one of the bigger items on the list that is taking a lot more time than we anticipated.
Before you moan, “But we have to use pronouns,” we’re not suggesting you totally eliminate them. Just be aware of how many you use for sentences and paragraphs beginnings, and find a good balance.
Here’s an example of a couple of original paragraphs and the changes we made.
Original paragraph:
She fumbled in the drawer until cold steel met her fingers and breathed a sigh of relief. Baron always kept the gun loaded and ready. She clicked off the safety and crept to the staircase, fumbling for the light switch next to the doorway. She stepped back through the bedroom doorway when her fingers touched the switch plate and flipped on the hall light.
Revised paragraph:
Cold steel met her fingers as she fumbled in the drawer, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Baron always kept the gun loaded and ready. Clicking off the safety, she crept to the staircase, fumbling for the light switch next to the doorway. When her fingers touched the switch plate, she stepped back through the bedroom doorway and flipped on the hall light.
Original paragraph:
He slipped the key fob into his pocket, and his hand touched the two rings. At least he had those. The diamond glittered in the harsh overhead light. He crossed the room to the window and scraped the edge of the stone on the glass. No mark.
Revised paragraph:
Slipping the key fob into his pocket, his hand touched the two rings. At least he had those. The diamond glittered in the harsh overhead light. Going to the window, he scraped the edge of the stone on the glass. No mark.
Each of these paragraphs has three pronoun sentence starts. Not every paragraph had three out of four sentences starting with a pronoun. We looked for a couple paragraphs that were the worst. By eliminating the pronouns, or rearranging the phrasing, we think the paragraphs read much smoother. When the editor pointed this out to us, it was a “Duh” moment that was so blatantly obvious that we wondered how we had missed it.
This item, along with the other things the editor noted, is going on our revision checklist so we catch it before we send the next book out.
Have you checked your manuscripts for too many pronoun starts to your sentences?
February 24, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday Inspiring
Moving Beyond FailureBy Joanne Guidoccio
In her book, When Your Past is Hurting Your Present, author Sue Augustine encourages her readers to view failure as a teacher. Here’s an inspiring excerpt:
It might surprise you to know how many people fail before they reach their goals or experience success. Here is a list of people who were considered failures at some point in their lives:
Fred Astaire was described . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:February 20, 2025
Friday Feature Twist Tie Hearts
Valentine’s Day was last Friday and lovers around the world celebrated with candies, expensive dinners, flowers and many gifts. Donald kept dropping Stauer jewelry flyers in Catherine’s lap, hinting that she should pick something out. She never did, because after five plus decades of celebrating Valentine’s Day a big hulabaloo is not needed to express our love for each other. Gifts, flowers, and expensive dinners are nice (and we do still do these), but it’s the little day-to-day things that keep the Valentine’s Day spark alive for us.
Lest you think there is no romance in our lives, take a look at the picture of two entwined hearts made from twist ties at the top of this blog. There’s a romantic story connected to this picture.
Catherine made the small green heart one day after removing the twist tie from the empty bread wrapper. She laid the heart on Donald’s placemat for him to discover at breakfast the next morning. The heart passed from his placemat to hers for several days as a silent reminder of love. Then, one morning Catherine discovered the larger red heart, entwined in the one she’d made, lying on her placemat. It was an “Awwww” moment for her. So, she created a set of Xs and Os (hugs and kisses) from some more twist ties and passed them back to Donald along with the entwined hearts.
It may sound silly to some people, but we cherish those kinds of little things more than you can imagine. For us, all the diamonds necklaces in the world or fancy cowboy hats and boots, presented in beautifully wrapped boxes on special occasions, don’t shout, “I love you!” as much as small daily reminders do. The armful of wildflowers picked from the side of the road. An Enjoy your conference XXOO note discovered between the pages of a notebook. The I love you note tucked in a lunch bag. The unexpected trinket picked up on the way home from work. A special dessert presented after a homemade dinner. An empty dishwasher unloaded in secret. A clean, snow-free driveway when you expected you’d have to clear it after a long, hard drive home from work. All these things speak louder to us than monetary, showy gifts.
We’re not saying you should never do anything big and romantic. Creating larger than life romantic productions definitely has a place in real life and fiction. Just remember to include daily reminders of your love. Consider what everyday acts of love you can do for your significant other, or your hero or heroine can do for each other. You’ll be surprised how twist tie hearts, Xs, and Os can spark a romantic encounter.
Do you, or your significant other, do unexpected, unusual things to remind each other of the love you share? What little reminder of love do you most remember?
February 18, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Writer’s Block
Have you ever sat with your fingers poised over a keyboard and a blank screen with a flashing cursor? How long have you sat there? Five, ten, thirty minutes or longer?
The curse of a writer. Better known as writer’s block or I just can’t come up with a new idea to write about. How can I ever fill the page with letters that make words that create thoughts for my readers to enjoy?
Perhaps you need to get your mind onto something else. We find that when we’re examining a problem we sometimes get inspiration.
With that in mind, here are some puzzles to get your mind started. See if you can answer them without going to the bottom of this post for the answers, other than to check if you got it right.
1. What English word has all the vowels in alphabetical order?
2. From a word of five letters, take two and leave one.
3. What never asks questions but requires frequent answers?
4. When may a chair be said to dislike you?
Let’s look at that writer’s curse a little more. Thomas Jefferson is reported to have said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do”. Obviously when we’re writing a first draft fiction writer often use two words when one would do, but sometimes it might be a good idea to just put words on a page and see if an idea comes from all that verbiage. You can always edit. In fact, you should.
Now, there are people who don’t believe in writer’s block. One such individual is Terry Pratchett who has said, “There’s no such thing as writer’s block. That was invented by people in California who couldn’t write”. Not sure we believe that part about California, but Catherine doesn’t believe in writer’s block either. What she does believe in is writer’s avoidance. She’ll clean anything to avoid the blank screen and blinking cursor.
Here are some tips we use to keep from having a blank screen.
Keep an idea file.
We actually have several of these files. Catherine keeps them in a notebook that has first drafts of poems, outlines of dreams, one-liners for greeting cards, and snatches of song lyrics. All these things come to her in the middle of the night and she jumps up and jots them down. Donald is a bit more techy with his ideas as he records them in notes on his phone or writes them down in word on his PC. He does still have a small notebook in his nightstand for nocturnal ideas.
Watch what’s going on around you.
This is a form of the “idea file” it’s just that the inspiration comes from what you see not what you think. We both do the same thing here in that we record ideas from the preacher’s sermon, bits of conversation overheard, a striking piece of scenery, or a person’s posture or looks that might come in handy, anything that strikes us as interesting, unusual, or malleable goes into a note file on our phone.
Read Widely
We subscribe to a lot of magazines and buy and read a lot of books. (Too many in fact, according to the credit card bill). Some reading is for personal enjoyment, some is writing related, and some is just meant as a place from which to glean ideas.
Steal a Plot and Make It Your Own
We’ve heard it said that there are only seven basic story lines (or plots) in the world: man (or woman) against man, man against nature, man against himself, man against evil, man against time … Don’t ask us to name the rest of them because we can’t. The point here, however, is not to name them, but to tell you that the twists and turns, that you create in your story, make a plot new and fresh. Learn to ask, “What if?” Change the characters around. Change their challenges, the goals, internal and external conflicts. Change the setting.
Ideas are all around you. The hard part is learning to tune into them. However, once you’ve figured it out, you’ll never stare at a blank screen wondering, “What can I write about?” Just open your idea file and prime the mental pump.
Oh, yes the answers:
1. Facetiously
2. Stone, alternate answers include: clone, drone, prone, phone
3. Doorbell
4. When it cannot bear you.
May your day be filled with words and your screen with a story.
February 17, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday Characters Life
Tough-Love Approach to BackstoryBy Barbara Linn Probst
I understand that everything we believe, deny, desire, fear, choose, and do is shaped, in some way, by what took place in the past—yet I’m not a fan of backstory in novels.
Think about it. When we meet someone for the first time “in real life,” we get clues about their history and the events that shaped them from the information we receive right then and there—how the person reacts, moves, speaks. We aren’t handed a long biography. We don’t need it. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
This was underscored for me—just as I was getting this piece ready for posting, in fact—when I went to see . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:February 13, 2025
Friday Feature Cookbook FREE
Love is in the kitchen with the Free Cookbook Sweets & Treats for Someone Special.
Remember the old adage, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’? There may be some truth to that, though I would update the phrase to say, ‘The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach’. After all, food is an intimate experience. Good food creates memories, forges friendships, makes the heart grow fonder, and makes for good dinner table conversations. And food is one of the ways you can show someone that you care for them.
If the thought of cooking a romantic meal or baking a sweet treat for your true love makes you tingly all over, then have I got a gift for you! Cue a romantically-inspired cookbook written by fourteen proficient and prolific authors, of various ages and genres. These wonderful writers have created an array of tantalizing recipes that will make your loved ones beg for more, and even offer to wash those dirty dishes.
Sweets & Treats for Someone Special is your go-to recipe book for entertaining on Valentine’s Day, hosting bridal showers and engagement parties, or celebrating that special event with your true love. Compiled by Sloane Taylor—a gourmet cook in her own right—and designed by mother-daughter duo HL Carpenter, the included recipes offer a wide variety of mouth-watering treats, indulgences, and meals to satisfy your loved ones’ cravings and insatiable hunger.
Oh, and did I mention that it is FREE?
So why not have your just desserts? Literally. You’ve got nothing to lose and sultry memories to gain when you download Sweets & Treats for Someone Special. There’s a recipe for even the fussiest lover in your life. Give yourself a gift during the season of love with a sensual cookbook from fourteen writers who would love nothing more than to share their favorite recipes, and fulfill your deepest desires.
Get your FREE copy, in all formats, at Smashwords.
Bon Appetit!
February 11, 2025
Wednesday Special Spotlight Peameal Bacon
A Canadian staple, peameal bacon (Canadian bacon is a comparable substitute), and eggs have graced many a table every Sunday for brunch, including mine. However, sometimes we do things a little different in our home by cooking a peameal roast as the main course for supper. Served with hash browns, air-fryer roast potatoes, or wedge fries, and veggies of your choice (we love the garden bean medley), this meal makes extra for sandwiches or breakfast. Yum! So get your toque on, and maple syrup out of the fridge, it’s time to embrace Canada’s culture and cuisine. Can you give me an ‘Eh’?
Maple-Glazed Peameal Roast
¾ cup pure maple syrup (125 ml)
¼ cup grainy mustard (60 ml)
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme (5 ml)
1½ pound piece of peameal bacon, whole
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Gently boil maple syrup, mustard, and thyme in a saucepan until reduced to almost half and thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Brush glaze over peameal and roast for about 30 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the glaze, until peameal is heated through. Transfer peameal to a large plate and let stand, loosely covered with foil, for about 15 minutes.
Slice roast and serve with your choice of potatoes and veggies.
This meal is perfect at campground get-togethers or cottage retreats when you need a meal in a pinch to serve for dinner or even brunch. Once dinner or breakfast is finished and the dishes are done, it’s time to relax, kick back, and let your meal digest in peace. Depending on the time of day, pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or a favorite beverage, and head over to the porch, parlor, or patio and allow a good book to seep into your soul. May I suggest a visit to mysterious Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, either series will transport you to another time and place, taking you away from the troubles of the real world.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada with her spoiled husband and is happy to spend many hours with her amazing grandson.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE
February 10, 2025
Tell Again Tuesday Characters Journey
Holidays, Belief Systems, and a Character’s JourneyBy Heather Webb
We’re in the thick of the holiday season from the religious to the nature-centric to the end-of-year celebrations, and I find myself ruminating on this cluster of holidays most of us celebrate in some form or another. How these holidays shape our habits, our mood, our intentions, our motivations. As I sip my cappuccino, I’m asking myself: do we really change who we are this time of year, put ourselves on pause and aim to be better human beings? And how do we each choose to adhere to our belief systems? Are we steadfast and loyal, or more of a cherry-picker whose beliefs have eroded over time and experience and distance from their origins? What is the nature of these beliefs, and how do they form a deep-seeded part of who we are? As you can see, my favorite way to spend the month of December is pairing my champagne and Christmas goodies with big thoughts and deep questions.
For writers, it’s . . .
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