Kathleen Rowland's Blog, page 25
November 21, 2014
Wordsmith– I also spotlight my favorite authors
Today I have my spotlight on award-winning, best-selling traditional romance novelist, Suz deMello. If you’re a romance reader, you’ve probably read her books or have heard of her. Or, are you an aspiring author? Ever wondered how an author plots and writes a book? Wonder no more! Suzie deMello is here to tell you the secrets, or at least a few of them.
Plotting and Planning is Suzie’s second writing treatise, following the best-selling Write This, Not That!
Another engaging, witty writing primer from Suz deMello, whose Write This, Not That! was an Amazon bestseller. Plotting, point of view, character creation, conflict and much more are examined in this brief but pithy writing manual. A must for the serious writer who wants the basics without boredom.
Says bestselling author Kylie Brant: “Sue has written a concise manual that is valuable for both beginning and seasoned writers. Going to write a book? Read this first!”
From Silver James: “Suz deMello’s PLOTTING AND PLANNING is a concise, informative, and entertaining look at writing a novel.”
Here’s an excerpt to pique your interest:
How does an author write a book?
Unfortunately for aspiring authors, this is not an easy question to answer. It’s tantamount to asking, Where do authors get their ideas? which, believe me, is our least favorite question. I often tell people I get them at Sears—they’re sold by the dozen in the basement between the barbecues and the bikes.
In reality, I get my ideas from almost anywhere. Maybe a magazine article about a place or event. Perhaps someone I meet or something a person says may trigger a train of thought that will eventually lead to a book. Maybe travel to someplace new ignites the creative spark that will inspire me.
Here’s a better question: What are the building blocks of plot and story?
If you like what you read, here’s where you can buy the ebook:
http://tinyurl.com/deMelloPlotting
About Suz deMello:
Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for several including Totally Bound and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.
Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.
A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.
Check out Suzie’s site: http://www.suzdemello.com
And her blog: http://www.TheVelvetLair.com
November 13, 2014
Places– of Charm
Are you excited about photos and data from the Philae robotic lander? This amazing feat created by the European Space agency headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany landed on Comet 67P yesterday. This was ten years after departing from Earth, carried by the Rosetta spacecraft! Instruments aboard Philae have already told scientists at the space center in Germany about the comet’s composition. It is not what scientists previously believed!
November 11, 2014
People craft– taking care of ourselves
Add a touch of (fake) leopard for instant glamour. I like wedge booties for a dose of edge to jeans and long skirts. Also trending are Betsey Johnson leopard square drop earrings, and a pleated leopard print maxi skirt from River Island. Go wild!
November 7, 2014
Eat– for Good Health
I served this recipe last night, and my husband loved it. Orange-Herb Flank Steak is low calorie, and it’s delicious with sautéed Swiss Chard with walnuts and roasted autumn vegetables. I make a zesty orange, honey, and Dijon marinade. Under the broiler, it turns to a glaze giving beef a boost of flavour.
Ingredients for 4:
3/4 c. O.J.
1/4 c. olive oil
3 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper, about 1/4 tsp. each
1 pound flank steak
Directions:
Mix orange juice, olive oil, honey, mustard Worcester sauce, zest, thyme and pepper in a large plastic bag. Add steak, seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Position the broiler rank so that steak is 4 inches from the heat source. Preheat broiler. Remove steak from marinade. Sprinkle both sides with salt. Line the broiler plan with foil, and place steak on the rack over the broiler pan. Brush with the marinade. Five to six minutes on each side is good for medium-rare. I cook the marinade in a pan and serve it in a bowl alongside. Please forgive me for holding my cell the wrong way for the photo.
October 30, 2014
Places– of Charm
Isn’t the sky beautiful? Early people based holidays on astronomical phenomenon.
Halloween, short for All Hallows’ Eve, is an astronomical holiday. It’s also a more modern day descendant from Samhain, a sacred festival of the ancient Celts and Druids in the British Isles. It is a cross-quarter day, which is probably why Samhain occurred when it did. Early people were keen observers of the sky. A cross-quarter day is a day more or less midway between an equinox (when the sun sets due west) and a solstice (when the sun sets at its most northern or southern point on the horizon). Halloween, October 31st, is approximately midway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice for us in the Northern Hemisphere.
In my futuristic new adult INTERVENUS series, Marchand LaFond and Yardley Van Dyke see the solar system from a different perspective. In A BRAND NEW ADDRESS, they go to Venus. As I wrote their story, I studied data from the International Space Station and information from Earth-Sky. Deborah Byrd is founder and president of this amazing source of information.
October 28, 2014
People craft– taking care of ourselves
My heart goes out to persons who suffer from overeating. My daughter Janice has a dear friend whose weight trends noticeably upward. In other words every time I see her she is heavier. Even those of us who weigh in normal ranges, it’s a challenge to keep off holiday pounds. Don’t we want to celebrate the season and still fit into our jeans come January? One psychologist, Kirstin Aschbracher, PhD, University of CA San Francisco says, “Stay calm.” It’s normal to feel overwhelmed during holidays, but minimizing anxiety helps your waistline. Stress hormones like cortisol boost desire for sugary fatty food. Pare down “to do” lists in order to ease holiday pressures. Choose a few meaningful seasonal activities. I’m cooking Thanksgiving dinner. In early December, I’m hosting a Christmas brunch at our house. Of course I’m cooking Christmas dinner. That’s enough festive meals. Our normal dinners don’t include bread and desserts.
Brian Wansink, PhD, advises us to trick ourselves. People eat 9% of their Thanksgiving calories before they dig into the main meal. They fill up on chips, dip, and nuts. Skip the starters. Then, during dinner, use the rule of two. Dish up two of your favourite foods. Maybe it’s sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. The rest of the spread is less enticing.
Caroline Cederquist, MD, suggests pumping up protein. Avoid snacking on refined carbs such as crackers and pretzels. These foods actually stimulate our appetites.
October 25, 2014
Eat– for Good Health
In my work-in-progress which takes place at Lake Arrowhead in the fall, my heroine Amy Kintyre makes Butternut Squash Soup. Writing this scene gets me in the mood to make it! “Amy” is average height, five-feet-four, and is lithe and leggy at 120 pounds. Readers of my books tell me my heroines inspire them to eat healthy and exercise. She’s a hiker who wants to get her sportswear design label off the ground.
Amy Kintyre’s Butternut Squash Soup
INGREDIENTS
4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
Butter spray for flavor
1 medium Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
1/2 medium yellow onion
8 fresh sage leaves
2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/3 cup fat free cream
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds.
October 21, 2014
Eat– for Good Health
Just about any comfort food can be made healthier. The cooler weather encourages me to make my oven baked pot roast with vegetables. This recipe is my grandmother’s. My grandparents farmed near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I love remembering their lovely farmhouse with the huge front porch.
Ingredients: 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast, salt & pepper, vegetable oil, thinly sliced onion wedges, crushed garlic to taste, 2 bay leaves, 1 can low cal cream of mushroom soup, 1/4 cup red wine, 2 T. Worchester shire sauce, 1 T. beef bouillon granules, 3/4 cup water.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub salt and pepper into the roast. Heat oil and brown the roast, searing on all sides. Place in a roaster pan and add onions, garlic, and bay leaf. Combine mushroom soup, wine, Worchester sauce and beef bouillon in a bowl. Add water and pour over roast. Cover pan with foil and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until tender.
Make vegetables separately– potatoes, celery, green beans, carrots, peas, turnips.
Serve with salad and crusty bread.
October 20, 2014
Places– of Charm
We all love clean sand at the beach. On Sunday I joined other Kappa Alpha Theta alums to tidy up Huntington Beach. The most common trash items we found were cigarette butts and water bottle caps. Here we are, about to go to lunch at Ruby’s at the end of the pier. I am on the left.
October 12, 2014
Eat– for Good Health
Friends, when figuring out how many calories to consume daily in order to lose a couple pounds a week, multiply your present weight by 7. If you now weigh 127, 127 times 7 is 889. Here is a basic plan for every meal: a fruit or vegetable, a grain, a protein source, a source of unsaturated fat. Also allow yourself a piece of fruit as an afternoon snack. Drink lots of water.
A breakfast example: oatmeal, blueberries, yogurt with coffee or tea.
A lunch example: soup made from broth, some leftover meat, and vegetables.
Dinner is whatever you’re making with reasonable portions. Count calories, exercise every day.
I call this my Farmhouse Diet because everything is made from scratch, not from a box, except for the can of broth.
