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The Journey of Writing BooksI happened to walk by the television during the announcement of
the Best Supporting Actress category for the 2023 Academy Awards as my hubby
had just serendipitously switched it on. I paused, wondering who would win, and
when Jamie Lee Curtis’s name was announced, I smiled knowing she’d earned her
acting chops throughout years of peaks and valleys slogging it through the
entertainment industry. Then, I listened to her speech, and something deep
inside of me resonated with her. She rattled off a list of names having to do
with the award-winning movie, raised the golden statue, and yelled, “We won an
Oscar!”, then she mentioned her family, and repeated, “We won an Oscar!”. This
speech continued on with colleagues and fans of her movie genres until the
actress finished off with her parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, both
accomplished actors in their own right, and shouted, “We won an Oscar!”

Then it hit me. What Jamie Lee Curtis said would apply to anyone
who worked hard, and put in the time and effort to accomplish a huge dream or
goal. Being in the Olympics. Making a professional sports team. Getting your
paintings or photographs in a gallery. Writing and publishing a book. You saw
where I was going with this, didn’t you?

What Ms. Curtis said rings true for me. It takes thousands of
people to help you reap your reward…or in this case award. I’m not sure how
many people (over a thousand for sure) who have helped me along in my writing
career. From conception in 1995 to publication in 2012, and then again in 2015,
it truly took a global village to help me make my dream of becoming a published
author come true. Of course, I have more dreams in my back pocket. Completing
both my young adult book series, starting another book series, reaching readers
globally, and seeing my books translate into movies or a television series are
but a sampling. Some of these goals will take years to accomplish through
dog-eared determination, and others will rely on connecting to the right people
at the right time. One never knows how fate will intervene, but it helps to be
prepared and ready when that door swings open. I know what I’ll say too. “We
wrote a book!” I’ll shout humbly, knowing that I was never alone in the midst
of writing any of my books. Ever.

If you never got a chance to hear Jamie Lee Curtis’s speech, you
can listen to it below. I promise, it’s short, but very powerful:

 If you’re a reader, did you
realize how many people are involved in helping an author become published? If
you’re an author, have you ever thought about how much support you’ve received
over the years of your writing career? Would love to read your comments. Cheers
and thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you! 

The month of May ushers in the start of the long weekend season for Canadians and Americans. Ah, warmer weather and longer days await! First up is Victoria Day weekend, followed by Memorial Day weekend. These two back-to-back holiday weekends may celebrate differently, but you can be sure ice cream is on the menu at some point over these holidays. So, I’ve virtually flown in my author friend Helen Carpenter up from Florida to whip up a little something sweet and cool to enjoy with family and friends. The best part? This recipe is no bake. That’s another reason to celebrate! The kitchen is all yours, Helen…

If you like to have dessert on hand for those daily ice cream craving family members or guests, this cake keeps well in the freezer. It’s expandable, too. Just use a bigger pan, more ice cream and extra whipped topping. When it comes to ice cream, more is better, right?

No Bake Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Gardening and Writing…

Can they possibly have anything in common?

The warm days this week enabled us to take a stroll through the
yard, another put-our-butts-in-the-writing chair avoidance tactic. We found a
slew of winter weeds scattered throughout the landscape. Some tiny-leafed,
prostrate thing has taken over a portion of the easement making it the greenest
it has been in years. Buckhorn plantain spills out between the path stepping
stones. Flat rosettes of chickweed carpet the stone gully in the backyard, and
henbit, with its scalloped leaves and purple stems, juts out of the grass—or at
least what passes for grass in the lawn. 

We’re letting the unidentified weed taking over the easement and
the lawn. It’s green, low growing, and doesn’t look like it would need much mowing.
But after an afternoon of surfing weed identification web sites (another
avoidance tactic), we’ve come to the conclusion that we might have to dig out
this patch of weeds and eradicate it every other spot we find. You see, if
we’ve identified it correctly, we’re harboring shot weed, also known as hairy
bittercress. Oh, it looks innocent enough, but when it sets seeds the slightest
touch will send hundreds of seeds shooting out in a three-foot radius across
the lawn into flowerbeds and pathways looking spots to hide and root. 

Fighting weeds in the garden is a full-time task. It starts in
early spring with digging out winter weeds like plantain, chickweed, and henbit
from the paths and flower beds. By the time we get those eradicated the
dandelions rear their yellow heads. After that it’s pigweed and purslane and
nutsedge and Canadian thistles and Jimson weed and ground ivy and goose grass.
Spring and summer progress marked by an army of weeds marching through the
garden. We hoe and pull and mulch and spray, and they just keep coming. The
only thing that keeps them under control is persistent daily effort—and maybe a
hard, hard freeze. 

Like the cycle of weeds in the garden, writers face different
challenges along every stage of our careers. As soon as we think we have a
handle on our craft and profession something new springs up and surprises us.
The beginning writer’s weeds might be learning the basics of the craft or
finding that story idea or dealing with writer’s block. For some it’s getting
to the end of the book, or figuring out what to do with the sagging middle. For
the more skilled, unpublished writers the weeds that need pulling could be
social networking, getting an agent, or getting published. Whatever the weeds
in your writer yard there’s one universal truth—they will always be there. Our
job is to figure the best way to control them.

We’re not beginning writers. We know how to write. That has been
reinforced with a number of contest placements. We have a good grasp of the
skills and have been published. We know our stories and the characters. We even
have books waiting in the wings to be written. But we still have writing weeds
to pull—BIG ones. 

We haven’t finished our series—yet.
We want to write in several genres, which presents branding problem and
sometimes an identity crisis.
While we have some social networking and internet connections there isn’t a
large following wanting our books—one of the biggest weeds for a lot of
writers.
Currently, we spend more time blogging than writing the books. 

Gertrude Jekyll, one of the most important
British landscape designers and writers, once said, “There is no spot
of ground, however arid, bare or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state
as may give an impression of beauty and delight. It cannot always be done
easily; many things worth doing are not done easily; but there is no place
under natural conditions that cannot be graced with an adornment of suitable
vegetation.” 

Gertrude’s advice applies not only to the garden, and all those
weedy patches, but to writing as well. The road to success isn’t easy, but we
can accomplish it. We can transform those bare, ugly pages into something
overflowing with suitable vegetation (the best words and story we can make).
When we finally reach that goal it’s worth the work. So, pull those weeds out
of your writing garden and create something beautiful!

We’re going to try this year to get rid of our biggest weed and
finish our next book.

What are the writing weeds that are stopping you from creating
your masterpiece? Do you have a plan to pull them out? 

While you figure out what weeds to attack here’s an excerpt from
the first book in our series.

In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon
for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society
mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her
shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most
important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.

Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and
would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of
her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming.
He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a
relationship—professional or personal.

Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has
planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the
secret society of Turning Stones, and steals a magic ring that gives him the
power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.

EXCERPT

The woman stared at him, blood seeping from the corner of her
mouth. “Return the ring, or you’ll be sorry.” 

With a short laugh he stood. “Big words for someone bleeding to
death.” After dropping the ring into his pocket, he gathered the scattered
contents of her purse, and started to leave. 

“Wait.” The words sounded thick and slurred . . . two octaves
deeper . . . with a Scottish lilt. 

Shaw frowned and spun back toward her. The pounding in his chest
increased. On the ground, where the woman had fallen, lay a man. 

He wore the same slinky blue dress she had—the seams ripped, the
dress top collapsed over hard chest muscles, instead of smoothed over soft,
rounded curves. The hem skimmed across a pair of hairy, thick thighs. Muscled
male thighs. Spiked heels hung at an odd angle, toes jutting through the shoe straps.
The same shoes she’d been wearing. 

The alley tipped. Shaw leaned against the dumpster to steady
himself. He shook his head to clear the vision, then slowly moved his gaze over
the body. 

A pair of steel-blue eyes stared out of a chiseled face edged with
a trim salt-and-pepper beard. Shaw whirled around scanning the alley. 

Where was the woman? And who the hell was this guy? 

Terrified, Shaw fled. 

The dying man called out, “You’re cursed. Forever.”

C.D. Hersh–Two hearts creating everlasting love stories.
Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after.

They have a short Christmas story, Kissing Santa, in a Christmas anthology titled Sizzle in the Snow: Soul Mate Christmas Collection, with seven other authors.

They are looking forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life.

Social Media Info:

 Many people believe Cinco de Mayo is Mexican
Independence Day. Nope, that is actually September 16. May 5 celebrates the
Battle of Puebla which was Mexico’s victory over France in 1862. Another
interesting fact – Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo more than the people in
Mexico. 

I met a wonderful lady in the Hispanic
aisle when I was shopping for these ingredients. Lydia literally took me by the
hand and taught me a great deal in just a few minutes especially about
tortillas and refried beans which I’m sharing with you. I am thankful for Lydia
and the time she spent with me. 

 Guacamole

This
dish can be made hours in advance of your dinner and stored in the fridge.

Cut
avocados in half. Lift out pits and save. Scoop out avocado from shell and
place into a glass bowl. Mash with a fork. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Taste
for seasoning and adjust to suit you.

Place
guacamole into a serving dish. Bury at least one pit into the dip. This helps
keep the avocado from turning black. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate
until ready to serve.

Serve
with tortilla chips.

Preheat
oven to 220° F (100°C).

Brown
beef in a large skillet set over medium heat. Be sure to stir and break up
clumps. Stir in onion and cook 3 – 4 minutes.

Pour
tomato sauce over meat mixture. Sprinkle on spices. Stir well. Cook 5 – 8
minutes longer, stirring often.

Pour
into an ovenproof dish. Set in oven until ready to serve.

When
you return home open the package, separate tortillas and lay directly onto your
kitchen counter for 10 – 15 minutes. Restack tortillas, wrap lightly in a paper
towel. Replace them in their original package, seal, and refrigerate until
ready to use. 

Heat
a flat skillet over medium heat. Lay in a tortilla and warm for a minute or so.
Turn. Fold tortilla in half. You now have a perfect taco shell. 

Lay
shells on a plate and serve. 

Heat
oil in a large saucepan set over moderate heat. Swirl oil to coat pan bottom.
Add onion. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until onion is
transparent but not brown.

Pour
in rice. Stir well for 2 – 3 minutes to coat all the grains. Do not let the
rice brown or the dish will be bitter.

Stir
in stock, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to a
simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until rice absorbs all the liquid.

If
need be, keep rice warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve.

Scoop
beans into a microwaveable bowl.

Fry
bacon until crisp. You want to render as much fat out as possible. Eat the
bacon (no joke) and then stir the rendered fat into the beans.

Depending
on how powerful your microwave is, heat for 1 – 2 minutes before serving.

*
Buying canned beans is much easier than using dried pinto beans for this dish
and probably better tasting. Be sure the can reads Authentic Refried Beans. La
Preferida is the brand Lydia recommended. She was right. It was delicious as it
has bits of bean in it instead of just being a heavy paste.

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning author with a second passion in her life. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

Taylor’s cookbooks, Date Night Dinners, Summer Sizzle, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.

Excerpts from her books and free reads can be found on her website, blog, and her Amazon Author Page. Connect with Taylor on Facebook and Twitter.

About From Here to There, Volume 2:

Seven journeys across time, space, and the imagination.

Journeys, space travel, time travel, quests, spaces in between, portals…

In this second volume in the Far, Far Away series, we’ve gathered together the words of seven authors who’ve had the courage to explore the furthest reaches of reality.

Slip between the layers of space and time to discover what lives in the pockets. Find love in the most unexpected of ways and watch it thrive across the tapestry of history. March with the soldiers of a forgotten kingdom as they travel on foot and question the value of life and the hereafter. Then meet the gods and journey with them to correct the timeline of the mortal realm.

In this collection, you’ll get stuck in a time loop you won’t want to leave, experience the revival of an impossible connection between man and machine, and meet the aliens who will make portal-hopping possible in the near future.

So pack your bags for an epic journey and enjoy the trip… From Here to There

Included in the Anthology:

“Embedding” by Elana Gomel

Publisher Website: http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-d6tf8fpn4_mjraKjM-hUQ

Want to be an Author?

You’ve gotta
have grit! 

Would F.
Scott Fitzgerald be successful in today’s publishing world?

Being an author is a
tough job. OK, maybe not as daunting as the career track those Deadliest Catch folks are on – admittedly, I found myself reaching for
the Dramamine more than once watching those crabbing boats being tossed like
toys – or Mike Rowe’s gig when he does things like testing shark suits or
mucking out sewers on Dirty Jobs.

Still,
converting thoughts to printed words in order to tell a coherent story that’s
of interest to readers, and then convincing others your efforts are important
and well-written enough to publish and promote, well, there are all kinds of
adversities mixed up in that endeavor.

I’ve
had a number of difficult jobs over the years. I used to be a maid, on my hands
and knees cleaning other people’s bathrooms. I was a baseball umpire for 25
years where I was, without question, the most disliked person on the field
pretty much every time I stepped on the diamond. As a sportscaster, I was on
live television about 2000 times, where, when you make a mistake, there are
myriad people who delight in pointing out your errors.

Despite my
labors with jobs that didn’t do much toward promoting positive
self-esteem, I was definitely not prepared for the rigors of being an author.
I’ve written six books: two rest in a drawer, two are published, one will
be shortly, and one is a work in progress. Since I began writing 25 years ago,
I have been rejected by agents, publishers, editors, and reviewers too many
times to count. I’m pretty sure my no-thanks numbers have edged up over the one
thousand mark. In fact, I’ve been snubbed so often that I sometimes find myself
strangely delighted when I receive a rejection letter that’s, well, kind. A positive comment contained therein might tempt
me to tears. (I know I’m not the only one.)

Today,
aspiring authors face a different reality than those of the past. The advent of
the personal computer and the Internet have paved the way for a huge
release of creativity, that, depending on your point of view, is either
fabulous or horrifying. On the positive end, anyone can write, self-publish,
and post their book on Amazon. It’s estimated that somewhere between 600,000
and one million books are published in the U.S. alone each year, probably half
of which are self-published. The other side of the equation is that without the
gatekeepers – agents, editors, publishers – finding your gem in that the
massive pile of prose is problematic: the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Feeling down yet? All I
can say is don’t give into despair. Here’s what I’ve learned from the authors
I’ve become acquainted with, my fellow travelers on this detour-filled journey.
We are a tough bunch. I have not yet met an author who’s said, “I quit! I can’t
take it anymore!” Perhaps that’s why I found a bit of unintended humor at the
expense of one of America’s most famous writers: F. Scott Fitzgerald. I
recently began watching Z: The Beginning of Everything, a
biographical Amazon series based on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald, the
writer’s wife and muse. In one of the early scenes, F. Scott opens a letter
from a publisher. His book is rejected. And F. Scott, who up until that point
was dashing and strong and optimistic, disintegrates into a despondent pile of
mush and goes completely off the rails, drunk, depressed, needing Zelda to give
him strength. While I know my reaction was not what the show’s writers intended,
I couldn’t help it. I felt like laughing. I wanted to yell at F. Scott to pick
himself up. Get over it! Move on! Try again!

And then, I wondered
whether the famed writer of The Great Gatsby would
have survived the complexities of today’s publishing world. And what about
Hemingway? Twain? Faulkner? Steinbeck? How might these giants of the industry
have navigated the choppy waters we face today?

I think
they would have struggled, just like we do.

So, my fellow authors,
take heart! Be strong. Be proud. The fact that you’ve even finished writing a
book puts you in rarified air. You will survive, if you don’t take rejection
personally – Yes, I know it’s hard – and if you have a sense of humor.

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.