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October is National Pumpkin month, but we think such a beautiful fruit should get more than just one month of notoriety. So smile, say cheese, and make your own yummy appetizer for Halloween or any holiday get-together.

Cheese Ball Pumpkin

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
4 ounces crumbled feta or blue cheese
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared mustard
½ tsp. onion powder
Paprika
The stem of a green bell pepper

Place all the cheeses in a large bowl and let soften to room temperature.

When cheese is soft, add Worcestershire and mustard. Blend with electric mixer or food processor on low speed. Scrape bowl and beat blended mixture on medium speed 1 or 2 minutes more until well mixed (do not over-beat).

Turn the mix onto plastic wrap. Pull the wrap up and secure with a twist tie. Shape the wrapped mixture into a ball. Score the pumpkin “ribs” onto the cheese ball with your fingertip or a flat knife.

With the plastic in place, set the cheese ball in a bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle with paprika and add a bell pepper stem to top.

Keep refrigerated until the crowd arrives, then serve with assorted crackers.

Once upon a time there was a mother/daughter author duo named Helen and Lorri, who wrote as HL Carpenter. the Carpenters worked from their studios in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories was unreal but not untrue. Then one day Lorri left her studio to explore the land of What-If, and like others who have lost a loved one the magical place lost much of its magic. But thanks to family, plus an amazing group of wordsmiths named Authors Moving Forward (AMF), the magic is slowly returning.

Since it’s the Canadian Thanksgiving today, I thought I’d
make it all about my readers! Yay! Authors wouldn’t be anywhere without their
readers, so me being me, I thought it would be fun to share what I think my
readers would want to know about me, on this day of gratitude in Canada. Sending my readers a BIG thanks for hanging out with me, one book at a time. I appreciate you!

I want my readers to
know something personal about me…

My sense of humor is my super power. Whenever
I connect with people, I try to make them laugh, smile, or uplift them. I’m also an empath. Yeah, I feel you. Wink. I also love
exploring anything arcane, attracted to unsolved mysteries, and enjoy single
malt scotch.

I want my readers to
know something about me as a writer…

Whatever I
write is my journey—from seed idea to
finished product—and all that’s happened in between. It’s the way I serve you,
my readers. I want to deliver the best possible story I’ve got in me, while
entertaining and inspiring my audience at the same time. In a nutshell, I want you
to feel my journey through my
characters’ stories.

 I want my readers to
know where my motivation to write began…

I had an
over-active imagination in school, and found it hard to concentrate on mundane
subjects. I often drifted off into the land of story-making until the teacher
called out my name. Yeah. I wouldn’t advise that. As I grew older I never
thought I could channel those stories into something as concrete as a book, but
one evening almost thirty years ago, I was inspired to do so by a deep,
spiritual desire that whispered into my ear, ‘You can write’. True story. Now with six books and two series on
the go, I’m glad I listened to that Divine voice, and haven’t looked back.

I want my readers to
know the grand purpose I have for my work…

The young adult genre is my calling card, and
I play in the realms of fantasy and supernatural. I’ve got two YA series on the
go. I’ve
planned for a total of ten books, plus the prequel for The Last Timekeepers
time travel adventure series. So far, I have four books in this series
published. For my Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery
series, there are five books planned, two of which are already published.
Currently, I’m working on the third book in this series, so as you can gather,
I’ll be one busy gal for years to come.

I’ve learned never to rush the story. Even when you’re writing a series, each book
has something to say in its own time, and that every book has a soul and
purpose. So I step aside, and allow the story’s own unique voice to develop.
After all, every author has their own unique voice too.

I want my readers to
have a sneak peek of my work-in-process…

Presently,
I’m working on the third installment of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, and
is titled Sticks and Stones. It’s
coming along great, and should be out sometime in 2024, if all goes well. Here’s
the premise:

From an early age, Thane Berg found out that he can
bend spoons when angered, then bend them back when calm. He has never told
anyone about his psychic ability which has gotten stronger as he ages. Now
fourteen-years-old, Thane is forced to live with his estranged father while his
journalist mother goes off on an extended business trip around the world. To
make matters worse, Thane must also start over in a new school—Fairy Falls High
School—leaving his familiar life behind.

Trying to juggle high school, feelings for his father,
paranormal lessons from an eccentric neighbor, hiding his psychokinetic
abilities from his new friends, and steering clear from the school bully is no
easy feat for Thane. In fact, it’s damned impossible most days.

Then, when Thane and his three classmates chance upon
a huge illegal marijuana grow-op, things really start to get complicated. Thane
is put to the test and must use his unique psychic powers to save his friends
and himself from an uncertain future, and bring about a just outcome.  

I want my readers to
know the dreams I have in my writing life for the future…

I would love to reach
readers on an international scale. In other words, acquire a foreign rights
agent to broker a deal with publishers from other countries in order to get my
books translated into different languages. I also want to convert my books into
audiobooks in the near future to make them more accessible on a grander scale.
That said, what author wouldn’t dream of having a movie made from their book?
Present company included. Living the dream!

I want readers to know my personal motto that keeps
me going…

Slow and steady progress assures success.

Lastly, I want my readers to know the sage
advice I’ve picked up on my journey along the road less traveled…

I’ve learned that a career in publishing is a dedicated path. There’s no
short cut to fame or fortune, if you’re even lucky enough to get decently paid
for your craft. However, seeing the finished product in my hands is an
amazing feeling, and one that I’ll never tire of. So, whatever your heart calls
you to do, jump in, enjoy, and be amazed at where it will lead you. Trust me,
it’s so worth the journey!

We’re from the South so my family loves corn bread stuffing with a variety
of meals. Below is our family’s favorite recipe that is only served at
Thanksgiving. Make your holiday dinner complete by serving giblet gravy with sliced
turkey and cranberry sauce, steamed broccoli, and dinner rolls. Don’t forget
the pumpkin pie with dollop of whipped cream for dessert! 

Corn Bread Stuffing

Preheat oven 350° F. 

Bake corn bread mix
according to box directions.  Allow to
cool then crumble. 

Melt butter in a medium
size frying pan. Sauté celery and onion to opaque stage, about 7 minutes. 

Combine all ingredients
in bowl. Turn mixture into a greased pan. 

Bake 30 minutes. 

Place walnuts on top for garnish. 

Happy Thanksgiving,

Emma and Family

Here is a brief intro to the cozy mystery series Emma writes.

MURDER in the JUNKYARD sees the demise of a man no one likes, a romance, and plans for a wedding as Detective Fowler and his friends keep their small-town America free from danger.

Detective Kevin Fowler is furious that low life has targeted his town where people live in blissful safety. Brenda Bryant is out junkn’ for good things when she stumbles over the grotesque body of a man beloved by no one. Suspense heats up when large sums of money are found in two different places. Drug money is suspected and Brenda targeted by someone who wants the money returned. Detective Fowler faces surprise after surprise as he peels back the surface of Hubbard, New York and deals with its shocking underbelly. Meanwhile romance infiltrates the group of friends with a wedding in the making.

AMAZON BUY LINK

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. 

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own. 

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma’s new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest. 

When I
was a high school teacher, I learned many young ladies were uncomfortable talking about their accomplishments. Part of my job was to encourage my students to think
about the future. When it came to resume writing, I’d say, “What are you good
at? What have you accomplished that you’re proud of?”

Often,
I’d be met with blank stares, which was understandable because they were just
kids. Still, I’d press on. “When you choose a career, it’s important to think
about what you like to do, what you’re good at, and what someone will pay you
to do.”

When
the conversation stalled, I pointed out some of my own accomplishments.
“When I was your age, I discovered I had a good speaking and singing voice, so
I performed in a lot of plays. And I really enjoyed sports. I was an ice dancer
and I loved swimming and skiing and watching ice hockey. Eventually, these
things put me on a path to becoming a TV sportscaster.”

“Your
bragging, Ms. Montgomery,” some child would blurt out. Others around the
room—mostly girls—would nod their heads.

“So,
you don’t think it’s right to talk about your accomplishments?”

“No!” a
chorus of them would answer.

In the business world, the inability to discuss our successes
is holding women back.

Then,
I’d point at a boy who played sports. “How’d your game go? Which would lead the
young man on a tangent about how well he’d preformed on the gridiron.
Strangely, when I’d ask female athletes the same question, the response was
rarely positive. “I could have done better,” one would say. “I missed an
important free throw,” another might add.

Bragging,
it turns out, is a habitat peopled mostly by males. A young man can walk into a
job interview and wax on about his accomplishments, while women of all age
groups seem to feel they must be demure, that identifying their skills and
successes is unladylike and casts them in a bad light.

A
perfect example is the way many women handle compliments. When someone says
something nice about our appearance or a job well done, lots of us stare at the
floor, or point out something we did wrong, or give credit to someone else in
order to counter the accolade.  And this is a problem.

Just smile and say “Thank you!” when you receive a compliment.

I think
denying our successes holds us back, especially in the business world where
self-confidence and life experience say a lot about who we are and what we
might be capable of in the future. Take participating in sports, for example.
Business owners are delighted to hire those who’ve been on teams. They know
athletes understand punctuality, working with others toward a common goal,
following rules, and getting back up when you’ve been knocked down. (Note here
that championships and won-loss records are not relevant. Just participating is
all that’s important.) And let’s not forget those other “team players”: young
people who’ve participated in choir, marching band, theater, debate, and other
activities that are equally favored by many human resources departments. But
those doing the hiring will not know about a person’s past if the applicant is
unwilling to share the information, so it’s important that people speak up.
That’s not bragging. It’s smart!

Today,
I don’t hesitate to share stories about my past and the things I’ve experienced
and exceeded at. And I’ve learned to accept compliments with a smile and
hearty, “Thank you!” It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but now it feels
great.

Don’t believe me, ladies?
Just give it a try.

Please allow me to give you a brief intro to my latest women’s fiction novel for your reading pleasure.

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

HALLULAH! Cast-iron cooking is
back on the burner of the world’s kitchens, its barbeque pits, and its campsite
fires—and nothing fries up more delectably in the iconic cooker than green
apples, or apples of any color, and even peaches. 

Dating back to the 18th
century, apple and peach orchards have been a constant feature of farm-life of
my American ancestors, and of my European forebears, I imagine. Apples picked
right off the tree or hauled topside from underground cellars and fried up in
an iron skillet, a vessel that was passed down from mother to daughter, has
been a staple of my family through those generations and to the present. Store-bought
fruit will do, too, of course.  

Over low heat, melt butter in a
large cast-iron or heavy ovenproof skillet. Add apples and ½ cup sugar. Mix
well, cover, and cook 20 minutes or until apples are fork tender. Stir
frequently. 

Add optional cinnamon),
remaining sugar, apple juice, vanilla extract, and peach slices. Cover and cook
for another 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.   

Serve with iron-skillet gravy and country biscuits
at main meals, or with vanilla ice cream for dessert. 

The following is an excerpt of GUARDIANS AND OTHER ANGELS, my book of
historical fiction blended with my family’s actual story. The selection depicts
an amusing, true incident involving apples and my mother Roma before she was my
mother. A delicious recipe for fried apples and peaches rounds out this posting.
Enjoy! 

One of the most enchanting
features of the farm was its peach and apple orchard. Disregarding the fact that
green apples gave Roma the “runs,” and convincing herself that she would get
away with it that time, in a fit of gluttony, she set about one hot summer
morning to stuff her belly full of the sweet green teasers. Predictably, later
in the day, she found herself in dire need of visiting the “path” as this
family called their outhouse, whereupon she sat, for long intervals of time,
for several visits in a row. 

This was back in the day before
fluffy white “Charmin” or any other machine-perforated-roll-perfectly-into-your-hand
toilet paper came on the scene; these were the days when pages from magazines,
newspapers, and the Sears & Roebuck catalog were special favorites for
cleaning the backside. And when paper products ran out, corncobs would do. 

This day, Sears & Roebuck
were on duty, and Roma, having gone through a good portion of the catalog,
pulled up her underpants, and confident her ordeal was finally behind her, pun
intended, proceeded to walk to the back door of the house, the door opening
onto the kitchen. She lighted into her piled-up kitchen chores, working away
uninterrupted for an hour or more, enjoying that peculiar euphoria that comes
to one with the release of all the toxins in one’s body, when she realized that
the house was unusually quiet, a phenomenon never occurring in that
filled-to-human-capacity household. Taking a mere glancing note of it, she
continued to sweep away, when out of the distance she thought she heard what
sounded like a snicker. She hesitated for a moment, listened, but when all was
quiet again, she fell back into the rhythm of her swishing broom. But suddenly,
there it was again – a snicker, then two, then three. She realized she had
company in the room. She turned to look, and there they all were, all nine
members of her family, snickering and pointing at her backside. Horrified, she
realized what was the matter, and twisting her head to get a gander at her
backside. 

Like a dog chasing its own
tail, Roma took off spinning around and around in the middle of the kitchen,
howling like a dog, and flapping her hand at the offending article protruding
from her underpants. In her haste to vacate the outhouse, the tail of her dress
had caught in the waistband of her bloomers, and with it, a page from the Sears
& Roebuck catalog also had fastened itself there, the page waving like a
flag flapping in the breeze and ironically hailing its vivid advertisement of women
underpanties.

Available in paperback and in eBook on
Amazon 

“Please tell me I am not alone…” an author lamented on a post I saw on Facebook
a while ago. As I read through the comment, part of me deeply felt the
frustration this writer was going through. I’ve been there, and done some of
those tasks mentioned. However, another part of me wanted partake in a
full-blown smack down to induce a well-needed writer wake-up call. Keeping this
particular author anonymous, I’ll share snippets of the conversation below to
give you an idea of why I reacted the way I did, and share my response with
you.

 First part:

“Please tell me I am
not alone…

Years of being a
published author: 7

Number of titles: 16

Seven years of doing
everything “they” said to do: Join this group and that group and do
ads and write more books and do a series and write to market and do a
newsletter, and have a strong social media presence, and take an ads course and
read these books, and if your blurb and covers are right and you have a great
book, you will see fruition. . .”

Response: Um. No. There’s no guarantee in this business. I’m not sure if
the author is self-published or with a publisher, but seven years is not bad if
you’ve published sixteen books! I’m also not sure how much sweat equity this
writer has invested in before being published, but the author is efficient
enough to craft a novel. Seven years in publishing does not equal fame and
fortune. Oh, and listening to the “they” is the author’s fault, not theirs. The
author is not taking any responsibility, and blaming others for their lack of
success.

Second part:

“So, I listen to these
experts and I get their feedback on my covers and blurbs and utilize beta
readers and editors and take the classes and do the research and learn the ads
and go beyond even all that. Every time I have applied what I have learned, I
think “This is it, this will be the game changer that will make my career go
into the black.”

“I made a series.
Now it will work.” No.

“I wrote a
nonfiction book to help others. Now things will change.” No.

“I changed my
covers for the fifth time and tightened the tropes to meet readers’
expectations. Now my career will take off.” No.

“I took all the
classes, did all the research, did everything they said to do. This will all
make a difference.” No.”

Response:

Again, playing the blame game. No one held a gun to this
author’s head. At least I hope not!
Since being a published author in 2012,
I’ve never changed my covers. My reasoning? It confuses the readers looking for
your books. To me, this author is doing way too much and not concentrating on
what’s best for them. There’s an old saying around the time of the California
Gold Rush that basically teaches there’ll be thousands of prospectors searching
for gold, and many opportunistic businesses sprouting up to sell them picks and
shovels. Who do you think will profit more? This author seems to have been sold
a lot of picks and shovels, yet lacks something many authors need these
days—staying power. Know that you must be in for the long haul (and work
smarter) to accomplish your dreams and receive the ‘gold’.

Third part:

“I am heartbroken and tired
of hearing people make blanket claims, knowing I apply their tried and true
practices only to wind up steeped in the red, seeing little evidence that my
books are being enjoyed as the numbers of reviews have essentially frozen
themselves in time. Or, after getting #1 bestsellers to do my covers and blurbs
and working with a coach to ensure I met the tropes and expectations of the
audience, only to be told that it must be my covers or blurb.”

Response: Welcome to the reality of being part of the author club! It
takes time and money to make this particular career work. Yes. It’s frustrating
and sometimes soul-crushing, but at some point in your writing profession, you
need to reevaluate what’s working, what’s not, and adjust. Be professional, and
make decisions that are for your best interests. Seems like this author is
being pick-pocketed and left hanging while those so-called ‘coaches’ are
laughing all the way to the bank. To me, this author needs to reset their
mindset.

Fourth (and last) part:

“I Love to Write. I always
have. I am thankful that hasn’t gone away. But…I engaged with another writer–his
words meant so much. He alluded to the ANXIETY pushed upon us, the demands of
being a writer and being absorbed by the number of reviews, our rankings, our
sales, etc. and how instead, it’s best to market our craft and build our
reputation from word-of-mouth. And I agree with him, especially since all of my
efforts sizzle for a second before drowning in the big ocean of this giant
indie world.”

Response: Okay. The author loves to write and is grateful. Good attitude.
What I think needs to happen is that this person must stop running around like
a chicken with its head cut off (sorry for the cliché) and do some heavy duty
analyzing. The other author who engaged in the post tells it like it is. It’s
tough being an author these days. The fact that he advises to build a
reputation from word-of-mouth (best advertising) is gold. No need for picks or
shovels. Just be authentic. Do what’s best for you and what you can handle
(mentally and financially). It’ll all work out in the wash one day. Or in the
prospector’s pan.

This author writes in
a popular genre, where I’m guessing there’s plenty of competition out there.
The genre has an established market, so there’s many readers waiting in the
wings for books to devour. So what’s this author to do? Simple, though not
easy. Be patient with the process and journey of a writing career. Stop
hustling. That will stress you out even more. Anxiety is a product of being
uncertain, of what’s lurking around the next corner. Be present. Write. Have
fun. Even when you’re promoting or marketing. Trust me, it’s not worth it if
your writing career is one big ball of frustration. In the end, this author
seemed hopeful, which I was happy to find. I’ll leave you with the last line of
this author’s rant: “I hope and pray that
soon, very soon, all my hard work, all those countless hours of doing all the
business side of things, will pay off so I don’t feel like this has all been in
vain.”

When I started writing almost
thirty years ago, I had no clue about this writing business. I just muddled
through, kept honing my craft, and yes, failing. A lot. But I kept going. Guess
ignorance is bliss, after all! If you’re an author, do you resonate with what
this writer conveyed? Have you changed tactics and readjusted your writing
career throughout the years? Have you decided to toss out ‘Hustle Culture’ like
I did, and just ‘do you’? If you’re a reader, did you realize what authors have
to do to catch your attention? Would love to read your comments. Cheers and
thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you!