Here
is a healthy and vibrant salad that is a traditional recipe for New Year’s
celebration we made every year in Armenia when I was a girl. Now we like to eat it any time throughout
the year, especially the next day after all the flavors have been absorbed. This
classic festive ruby-colored salad is a favorite with my family. I hope yours
likes it too.

Mom’s Vinaigrette Salad

Boil the vegetables and let them cool completely.

Dice all veggies evenly.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Add dill, salt,
and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Here is a peek at
Stella’s time travel romance novel for your reading pleasure. 

One key unlocks the love of a lifetime…but could also
break her heart. 

Nika Morris’s sixth sense has helped build a successful
business, lovingly restoring and reselling historic homes on Florida’s Amelia
Island. But there’s one forlorn, neglected relic that’s pulled at her from the
moment she saw it. The century-old Coleman house.  

Quite unexpectedly, the house is handed to her on a
silver platter—along with a mysterious letter, postmarked 1909, yet addressed
personally to Nika. Its cryptic message: Find the key. You know where it is.
Hurry, for goodness sake! 

The message triggers an irresistible drive to find
that key. When she does, one twist in an old grandfather clock throws her
back in time, straight into the arms of deliciously, devilishly handsome Elijah
Coleman. 

Swept up in a journey of a lifetime, Nika finds herself
falling in love with Eli—and with the family and friends that inhabit a time not
even her vivid imagination could have conjured. But in one desperate moment of
homesickness, she makes a decision that will not only alter the course of more
than one life, but break her heart. 

’Til Time Do Us
Part
is available in Kindle and Paperback at AMAZON. 

Talented author Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website. 

Shifting
with the world in rapid change can be a headache for sure. We humans are
comfortable with everything when it stays the same, even if sometimes it ought
to be different. Yes, the pandemic was scary. That was and is a bad thing. Most
of us lined up for the vaccinations and felt thankful there was some
protection. I admit I fell in love with the masks and haven’t had a bad cold or
any upper respiratory infection since I started wearing one out in public.
That’s a good thing. I may be clutching one of my trusty masks for a long time
to come. It’s just too easy a protection to ignore. I know some folks don’t
feel that way and that’s their right, but for me and my house, we mask.  

On the
other hand, I’m connected to a family plant nursery. During the pandemic, a
renewed interest in farming, house plants, and gardening surged to the top of
the hobby list. We were amazed how fast our plants were scuttling out the doors
of the greenhouses with folks snatching and grabbing for more.

We planned an anniversary
festival with artist and authors setting up for interest. So plants, paintings,
and books. What could be more interesting than that! It was a success and so
fun. What is the bad news? 

 Supplies are
precious. We may not have enough pots to present our plants this season. We are
scrambling and repainting and reusing old ones we can find. Other perennials
are presenting in one too big or too small. We must use ingenuity, creativity,
and sheer determination to have a successful season. Big supply boats are stuck
in canals and such. Nothing we can do except encourage US businesses to pay
attention and invent a new factory or two. I shudder to think we must go back
to the ‘dig your own.’ 

 My bad news
on a personal level was the fall I took tripping over my easel. (Another fun
hobby during the pandemic.) No, my nose isn’t broken, but you aren’t allowed to
laugh when you see me. 

 The good
news? Oh, it’s the very best. I have a Cozy Mystery release that debuted in the
latter part of April. Ta Da! Check out the pretty greenhouse on the front cover
of Murder by Proxy, the fifth of the Detective Kevin Fowler Cozy
Mysteries. That’s a clue, by the way. An attitude of thankfulness goes a
long way to reconciling the not so good. 

Happy reading and happy gardening as we flex with the good
and bend with the bad taken in perspective. If you’re looking for me, you know where
to find me. I’ll be repotting succulents in Greenhouse 3.

A blizzard blows in big-city crimes which spill
into the peaceful small town of Hubbard, New York, catching the attention of
Detective Kevin Fowler and staff. What unusual acts engage the Secret Service
with the local cops? A young man is found badly beaten in the heated greenhouse
of the Young Family Plant Nursery. Early spring melt reveals a sinister vehicle
with a deadly cargo, even as the master of the greenhouse welcomes part-time
alumni.

Romance swirls, tumbles, and produces surprising
changes among the group of friends at Buddy and Rita’s diner. Beverly hires a
young, ambitious reporter to work at the growing newspaper and starts a new
adventure of her own, while Kevin watches over the townspeople of Hubbard. The
mystery of a toxic skunk is finally routed by troublesome out-of-towners. An
unexpected wedding shocks everyone but the Young Family. Spring has arrived and
May is in full bloom in the Western New York small-town Americana, as another
beautiful bride walks toward the flower-laded bower under the approving eyes of
a group of fond friends.

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.

Got a party to plan for your kids or family members? What about a special treat for your Holiday hostess? Bake sale you signed up for? Need a quick fix for a shower, book club, or potluck engagement? Got. You. Covered. 

Everybody loves cupcakes. Even wedding planners love to suggest to the bride-to-be to serve cupcakes instead of the traditional tiered cake. Cupcakes are like having a party for one in your mouth. Seriously. So, let’s get to it. These cut-above chocolatey peanut butter morsels of heaven will make you look like a five-star baker with your family, friends, PTA members or ‘fill-in-the blank’ guests. 

Cut-Above Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (400 mL) 

Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with large, paper liners.

Stir flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until combined.

Using low speed, gradually blend in dry mixture and mix until combined. Slowly, pour in boiling water; scrape down sides of bowl and mix on low just until combined.

Divide batter evenly between lined cups. Bake for 22 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting 

Using a piping bag with a star-shaped tip gives these cupcakes their bakery-made look.

Melt peanut butter chips in the microwave on medium (50%); microwave for 1 to 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter and vanilla with melted chips until fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting over the cupcakes, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Once you’ve hung up your baker’s hat and apron, how about taking a break, and delve into one of my books? 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 entertain, engage, and open your world to new adventures.

Here’s a glimpse of the premises of both my young
adult series:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures…

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be
Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil
Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring
order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the key to our future. And now, they
are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic
Mysteries…

In
the small, quiet tourist town of Fairy Falls, a new-to-town teen, an unlikely
hero who possesses an unusual psychic ability, is drawn into a mystery and is
tasked with uncovering corrupt truths that threaten the town’s future.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

Buy
Links:

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last
Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book 3

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last
Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 Buy
Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last
Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book 1 Buy
Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Legend
of the Timekeepers, Prequel Buy
Links:

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES
& NOBLE
׀

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen
Psychic Mystery Series:

Lost
& Found, Book One Buy
Links:

PANDAMONIUM
PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES
& NOBLE
׀

Blackflies
& Blueberries, Book Two Buy
Links:

PANDAMONIUM
PUBLISHING HOUSE ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES
& NOBLE
׀

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, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUSES:

Download the free PDF short story The
Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE

Download the free PDF
writing resource Tips,
Tools  & Tricks for the Tenacious Writer HERE

Pull on your cozy attire and get ready for some comfort food that will warm you from head to toe. The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a snowy winter we’ll not soon forget. Solution? Warm up your family with a hearty dinner that tastes great and satisfies the hungriest of appetites.

Chicken
Pot Pie

CHICKEN 

Fill
a medium-size saucepan with water. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Cover and
bring to a boil. Add chicken. Cover pan. Turn off heat and let the chicken sit
in the hot water 1½ hours.

Remove
chicken from pan to a plate. Discard water and veggies. Don’t wash the pan. Allow
breast to cool then cut off any excess fat. Slice meat into bite-size pieces.

Melt
butter in the same pan you used for the chicken breast. Stir in celery,
carrots, and onion. Sauté on medium heat until veggies are semisoft and onion
translucent, 7 – 9 minutes.

Stir
in flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Carefully
pour in stock while stirring. Scrape pan bottom and sides to capture flour
residue. Add garlic, thyme, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir in cream then
simmer on medium low until mixture thickens, 5 – 10 minutes, stir often to
prevent burning.

Add
chicken and peas. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.

Preheat
oven to 425° F.

Follow
the directions on the pie crust package to prepare the pan for a two-crust pie.

Scroop
filling onto bottom crust. Lay the other crust on top. Seal the edges by
pressing the two crusts together around the rim. Trim off excess crust.

Mix
egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. use a pastry brush to spread mixture across
the top crust including the rim. Score the top crust with 4 – 6 thin slices.
This allows the pie to cook better by releasing a little steam.

Bake
10 – 15 minutes then remove from the oven then cover the edges with aluminum
foil so they don’t burn. Return pie to the oven. Continue for 30 – 35 minutes
longer or until the top is golden brown.

Allow
the pie to cool 10 – 15 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set
properly.

*No
need to run out to buy heavy cream. The following recipe is easy and works
great for a any cooked dish that requires heavy cream.

Pour
milk into a small bowl then set aside. Don’t use milk fresh from the fridge or
this recipe won’t work right.

Melt
butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until melted.
Allow butter to cool at room temperature.

Combine
milk and butter with a hand mixer until well blended.

Use
this substitute 1 for 1. Don’t use it as whipping cream. It won’t work.

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

Sloane

Taylor’s cookbooks, Hot Mean Wear Aprons, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Sizzling Summer, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.

In A Streetcar Named Desire Blanch DuBois believed she could rely on the kindness of strangers. Many authors seem
to feel the same way.

I’ve
written quite a lot recently about the never-ending quest for reviews, the
currency which sells books. To get these critiques we authors “depend on the
kindness of strangers,” as Blanche DuBois said so pithily as she descended into
madness.

When I
first started asking for reviews, I would scan bloggers’ websites, check their
guidelines, compose my query. And then, I’d see that dreaded line: “I am not
accepting submissions at this time.” I would react a bit crankily, at that
point. I mean, why have a review blog if you don’t want to do reviews? Geez!

“I’m
taking a short break from taking on any more books,” wrote one blogger. “I will
still be reviewing, but my list of to-reads has become a little over whelming,”

“I am
still digging out of the hole of book review over-commitment, and I
continue to over-commit,” said another. “Is there a support group for this
problem?”

Eventually,
I started to think about reviewers in a new light. Mostly, these are regular
people, not professional journalists drawing a paycheck for reading books and
sharing their thoughts. These are folks who love literature and generally
impart their opinions for free, who – when authors are very lucky – post their
reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and Twitter, and lots of other social media
platforms. These are moms and dads with day jobs.

“We
are back on Earth and reviewing. Unfortunately, we’re so busy, it’s unlikely
we’re going to accept a request.”

While
rummaging for reviews, I am also sometimes taken aback by a subtle whiff of
snark.

“I
will no longer reply to emails that don’t follow this policy. If you ignore me
here, I’ll ignore you. Yes, that sounds harsh, but I get nearly 70 requests a
day. I’m only one person and I don’t have the time to search for missing
information or reply to every email that fails (to) include what I need to make
a decision.”

Yikes!
Maybe not so subtle in this case, but again, consider the reviewer’s
point-of-view. They are interested in your book’s premise, but you forgot to
add the link they requested, or your contact information was wrong, or you
failed to include your cleverly composed synopsis, leaving them without the
important facts they need to decide if you’re an author they’d like to work
with.

The
bottom line is let’s have compassion, people. Let’s think of the reviewer as a
friend. A busy friend. We can make their lives easier and they can help us sell
books. So, carefully follow the directions bloggers lay out on their
submissions and policy pages. Even if, sometimes, those directives are just a
wee bit strange.

“I
don’t do demon/human/angel love, but bad demons are fine, same for angels. I
just don’t like them in romances.”

Indeed.

Here is a brief peek at Anne’s latest release.

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?

Praise for Your Forgotten Sons

“Although a defty crafted work of original fiction, “Your Forgotten Sons” by Anne Montgomery is inspired by a true story. An original and inherently interesting read from start to finish, “Your Forgotten Sons” will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated pick.”  Midwest Book Review

“This was a quick, riveting read that really challenged me to think differently about our servicemen and women, especially those who take on the jobs that don’t get heroically depicted in the media or news…I really highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a different take on American history. I left it with a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes.” Bekah C NetGalley 

“This is the truth. It’s gritty and painful and bittersweet – and true.  When you think you’ve read every perspective of WWII, along comes Bud to break your heart.” Bridgett Siter Former Military Reporter

“Anne Montgomery writes a strong story and I was hooked from the first page. It had a great concept and I enjoyed that this was inspired by a true story…It was written perfectly and I was invested in the story. Anne Montgomery has a great writing style and left me wanting to read more.” –  Kathryn McLeer NetGalley 

Available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Kobo

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.