Naughty Thought for Monday

Ummm, what?

Are you ready for this?

I've recently told you how to make that special mug of sweetness, a yummy treat usually consumed during the holidays in England, and last week I gave you a bunch of British flicks to watch. Well, ttoday, I'm feeling more contemporary, so here are a few films to put you in Jolly Ol' without having to pack a suitcase:

My Beautiful Laundrette
Love Actually
Full Monty
Trainspotting
Rock n Rolla
Death at a Funeral

Fun times!

Have a holiday party to go to and no time to make anything?

In my case it's a lack of skill and attention that led me to learn how to make Mince Pies.  They are very simple to make and don't take long either.  So here you go, something for workmates, neighbors, relatives, or yourself - a little something to put you in the holiday frame of mind.

Here we go, Mince Pies:

You need flour, sugar, milk, rolling pin, two different sized glasses, teaspoon, anti-stick method [I use Pam, but anything will do], muffin tray for mini muffins [bite size :-)], pastry for pies [I use Pillsbury, yup, told you it was easy], and Mincemeat. 

This comes in basic mincemeat and the other is with Brandy and Rum.  I've used both, but the latter is my favorite - can't taste it, but it does add a little unique flavor to the mix. 

Now, like there are recipes for the pastry, there is help around the next for making your own mincemeat.  Good on you for going there, but I get the Crosse & Blackwell.  You'll find it in your local supermarket in the "baking aisle" or in the "holiday aisle".  There are other brands, but after ten years of making these, C&B is my preferred brand.

Throw a bit of flour on your counter, roll out the pastry, not too much, but some.  Now take the larger glass and cut out your bases.  After making sure your tin is sticky proofed, gently push the pastry disk down into the muffin holes.  Gently.  Don't press the pastry to the sides and don't leave anything poking up, should be flush.

Next, use your teaspoon, put a dollop of mincemeat into the pastry cup, making sure you don't overfill.  When all the holes are filled, use your smaller glass, cut out the tops, and lay them on top.  You may have to put scraps together in a ball and roll it out again, but that's fine.

The last thing you do before cooking them is have a small bit of milk in a dish, dip two fingers into it, and gently [again with the gently] paint the top.  Now you're ready to cook them.

Cook at 425, middle of the oven, for about 15 minutes.

When you pull them out, they will be seriously hot - especially the mix - give them a couple minutes [no more] to cool down.  Using a knife tip, release the mince pie from the cup and place them on a cooling rack.  When you have them all there, add a pinch of sugar to each top, and there you go:  Mince Pies.

They taste great whilst still warm and with brandy butter on them, but they are good any way you can get them.  You'll often find Hard Sauce by C&B being sold beside the Mincemeat, as well as Plum Pudding, which the hard sauce can also be used on - well, after you've lit it up that is - but that's another thing.

Enjoy!

A bit of random ridiculousness...

NEVER ASSUME THAT MEN UNDERSTAND

A woman was in a coma. She had been in it for months.

Nurses were in her room giving her a bed bath. One of them was washing her private area and noticed that there was a slight response on the monitor whenever she touched her there. They tried it again and sure enough, there was definite movement.

They went to her husband and explained what happened, telling him, 'As crazy as this sounds, maybe a little 'Oral sex' will do the trick & bring her out of the coma'.

The husband was sceptical, but they assured him that they would close the curtains for privacy. The husband finally agreed and went into his wife's room.

After a few minutes the woman's monitor flat lined, no pulse, no heart rate. The nurses run back into the room. 'What happened!?' they cried.

The husband said, 'I'm not sure; maybe she choked.'

NEVER ASSUME THAT MEN UNDERSTAND.

Art Day

The Frenchman Hippolyte Delaroche, also known as Paul Delaroche, painted 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' in 1833 and it now hangs in the National Gallery, London.

During my first trip abroad, I went to to the National Gallery, and remember sitting in front of this painting, entranced. It was her satin gown that held my attention. The texture was so real, so incredibly executed, I wanted to reach out and touch it, still do.

A few historical movies I've watched that will put you in that English frame of mind are:

Lady Jane
A Room With a View
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Duchess
Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Pride and Prejudice, BBC version

Yup, a few weeks ago I was in a beach frame of mind, well, now I'm in an English frame of mind. No sand, sun, or surf, but scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam from Bettys Cafe, pints of Black Sheep with a chip butty and scraps, and a bag or two of Walkers Smoky Bacon or Worcester Sauce crisps all sound great as well.

Hump Day Reflections!

Photo by Kemuel Valdes and found on OHLALA Magazine

Sand is looking pretty good here!

Book Talk!

I'm working on 'Double Punch', which will be followed up by 'Cyra's Cyclopes' [you met them in 'Hephaestus Lays Down the Law'], and I suddenly realized that the Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses have shown up in my writing before, and I don't mean any other book in the Mythological Messes Redux series.

They show up in 'The Painted Lady', part of the Winter Wishes Anthology.

The heroine, Saffron Hoyt, is a model doing a private commission as her last photoshoot. She's retiring because she doesn't want to watch her weight anymore. The gig involves having her body painted so she blends into a variety of paintings/sculpture such as Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Peter Paul Ruben's Leda and the Swan, and the Venus de Milo.

There is also an important appearance by Janus in 'New Beginnings: Carpe Diem'.

You haven't heard of him? Well, he isn't Greek, he's Roman, but he fit so perfectly, I had to go with him. You see, the escapees need are searching for a name to suit their new piece of paradise and the heroine, Maris, who was a librarian, suggests Janus. Amongst other things, he was the god of civilization, beginnings and endings, and blessed with a benevolent personality. Perfect.

Stuff from a writer...

Research.

What is that?
It's a necessity and something a writer does to better understand a particular thing. One of your goals is to write a story that puts the reader right there alongside your hero and heroine. To do that, you need to know about whatever it is you're writing about from all angles.

How long does it take?
Don't be stingy, take as long as is necessary.

Where do I go, the library?
Absolutely! You can go to your local library and troll through the shelves, or go with a list of specific books. You can also do research online, by asking questions or conducting interviews of people who would know, or experience it for yourself.

I'm writing fiction, doesn't that mean it's all made up?
Hmmm, to a certain extent, yes, you are making the plot and characters up. However, if there is anything or anyplace that is real, say like New York City, then it must be handled correctly. If you don't and it slips by your editor as well, then you can be sure a reader will call you out on it. And they should, because you pulled them out of the story by not doing your research.

Let me give you an example of using research from a variety of sources. A friend of mine recommended I visit a particular cafe while in Paris. I found it detailed in my travel guide and checked out the map to see if there was anything around it I might want to see. All this was in preparation for a trip, not a research session.

Okay, there's the back story, and in reality, it led to Taming Marie Antoinette. One of the scenes that pulled it all together was when the heroine goes to a cafe to do some work and eat a late lunch:

Liana entered the historic sweet shop Ladurée and sighed, feeling lighter in spirit already. She loved this place with a passion, its marble black and white checkerboard floor, with dark wood and glass cases full of sugared treats. This was a place she could see herself living in if given the choice. Off to the right, behind a screen and a few tall plants was an ornate and intimate dining room full of mirrors, gilding and cherubs on the ceiling. When her turn came, she requested a seat for one and told the woman she’d be eating lunch as well.

Settling into one of the bench seats backed up against the wall, she set the menu down and looked around the room. There was a wonderful mix of people. Lovers, friends, business meetings and even a few tourists, almost filled the space. The seat across the table from her was empty, which suited her. She pulled out her notebook and a couple of colored pencils from her coat pocket.

A few moments later the waitress, wearing a white apron, came up and took her order.

“Bonjour. Bonjour. Etes-vous prêt?”

“Oui, s'il vous plaît, une omelette sans les champignons ou les tomates, une cruche d'eau et un pot de chocolat chaud.” She always ordered a pot of hot chocolate whenever she was here but rarely an omelet. Although they were good, there was no way she’d eat anything with a mushroom and tomato within sniffing distance but today she wanted the fluffy egg item so asked for one without the offending items.

“Bien.”

She didn’t have to wait long after ordering. The jug of water and pot of chocolate came before the omelet. She poured a small glass of water and took a sip, before moving on to the good stuff. She enjoyed watching the thick molten chocolate silently slip into her delicate cup. Picking up the hot pink and gold china, her eyes automatically shut as she inhaled the delicious aroma. Moving the rim to rest on her lower lip, Liana tilted the cup and poured a small amount of warm decadence to hold in her mouth before swallowing.

“Pardon.”

“Excuse me, mademoiselle.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry.”

“Est-ce que ça vous ennuierait partageant votre table avec un autre?”

Startled, she’d been so lost in the chocolate she hadn’t noticed the young woman standing close to the side of her table asking if she’d be comfortable with having another person share her table.

“Oui, oui, of course.”

It was common to have to share a table in the small space. Coming after the lunch crowd was because she preferred not to, but would never think to put the staff out by saying no. Moving her notebook and pencils to the bench beside her, she shifted her beverage paraphernalia closer, making sure there was space available for the other person.

Out of her peripheral vision, she saw a large presence in a dark suit sit in the chair opposite, but didn’t look up. She hadn’t come here for idle repartee.

“Thank you for making room for me.”

The familiar deep, sexy growl brought gooseflesh racing up her arms. Immediately her eyes flicked up to meet sharp green orbs with soft brown flecks. Were they the same ones she’d seen surrounded by a black half mask? Quickly she took in his hair, general physique, and gasped in surprise.

“Oui, we meet again, Liana.”

Her heart started racing. She was sharing her table with one of the twins from the Depravity Dance.
Copyright © 2007, 2008 Tilly Greene


Did all that happen during my visit to the cafe? Nope, but I imagine you can pick out what did. The decor, the food [and yes the hot chocolate was divine], the type of people who were there, and then poetic license took over. So, my advice in regards to doing research is simple:

Do the research, do it well and in depth. Take notes and pictures to refer back to. Then, when it comes to writing, the details will flow along with the words.

A bit of random ridiculousness...

Little Known Baseball Fact

The first testicular guard (Cup) was used in baseball in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1934.

It took 60 years for men to realize that the brain is also important.

Thank you, WooWoo, this was a hoot!

I equally enjoy...

blockbuster, not so blockbuster, and foreign language to me films. They're all entertaining.

Normally, if there is a "blockbuster" I want to see, I go to the theater when it's released to watch it, and then I'm done with it. Because of where I live, the not so big flicks are harder to find in a theater, and so I rent them up from Hollywood Video. Unfortunately, the foreign language to me films are harder still to find and are the ones I tend to buy to watch over and over again.

Some I have seen over the years and remember for one reason or another are in no particular order:

Babbette's Feast [Babettes gæstebud]
May Fools [Milou en mai]
The Triplets of Belleville [Les triplettes de Belleville]
The Story of Qui Ju [Qiu Ju da guan si]
Pan's Labyrinth [El laberinto del fauno]
Queen Margot [La reine Margot]

I've been watching foreign films from an early age and I think they not only opened my eyes to countries other than my own, but they also gave me the desire to explore them, their culture and people. I'm lucky enough to do this in person, but strongly believe it can also be done through books/ebooks as well.

Book Talk!

The small beach town I visited for Thanksgiving has two independent bookshops and both have their top ten bestseller lists for the week of November 22 in the local paper. Here are the two lists:

LBB
1. Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin

2. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

3. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

4. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

5. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

6. August Heat by Andrea Camilleri

7. Fool by Christopher Moore

8. In the President's Secret Service by Ronald Kessler

9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

10. Open by Andrew Agassi


L33B
1. Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dream by Robert Englund

2. Making Music: Unique Ways Songs Become Hits by John Gregory

3. Roll Call by Glenn Langohr

4. Best iPhone Apps: The Guide for Discriminating Downloaders by Josh Clark

5. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

6. Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin

7. My Life in France by Julia Child

8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

9. Push by Sapphire

10. Art Damanged by Nora Novak

Less than a mile separates these two shops but they appeal to different readers and both happily order anything they don't have in the shop. Even better!

Stuff from a writer...

~It is perfectly valid for “you” to speak of a writing career~

Zoe, this just pisses me off as it supposes I didn’t come up through the ranks, sweating my way, going through what every other new writer goes through.

It supposes I really don’t know what I’m talking about in today’s publishing arena because I’m somehow removed from it by success.

So I have to stop all this and go back to my privileged career—which for me, is continuing to sweat over the keyboard to write a book.
Nora Roberts, November 2009, Comments section of a SBTB

This pretty much says it all. The work never stops. So, in a previous Stuff from a writer... entry, I said come up with a rhythm, repeat over and over again. What exactly does that mean? Well, you need to find your own routine, but here is mine for some hints:

Wake up and check emails. Answer those I can do quickly and add those that will take more time to the day's schedule. Write a blog, if it hasn't been already. Read bloglines, Twitter, and Facebook. Figure out the writing that needs to be done [maybe I have edits to work through or a couple of chapters to write in the current story I'm working on] and get started. It's now around one or two, time to go back upstairs, and get dressed. Next up is admin stuff [i.e. whatever is due to a publisher like blurbs/excerpts/cover requests, other industry folks may need from me like promo stuff, and the more detailed emails need answers]. Back to writing for a few more hours.

When it is all said and done, I try to get about six hours of writing [from research, plotting, to actually writing it all down, and then revising] done a day. If the writing is flowing, then all the admin and blog stuff is pushed to the side for later. No, it doesn't always go according to plan, nor is it a glamous way to spend the day. Life often throws the best laid plans into chaos and you need to figure out a way to work with it.

Find your rhythm and put the time in - let's be realistic here, if you never actually sit down and write, you won't get it done.

Black Friday

Today is commonly known as Black Friday - when shopping for the holidays kicks off in earnest. Maybe because I used to be in retail, but this day holds no appeal to me. So, I typed "black" and another word into Google, and these are the things that interested me!

Black Diamond - I think this gem is stunning.


Black Sargent - John Singer Sargent is one of my favorite artists and this is one of my favorite paintings.


Black Sand - I've been to this particular beach on Maui and found it very unique.


Black - the first image when the word black is typed in, gave me the heeby geebies. It's actually a promo for a site called "watching paint dry".

Now, if you are looking to shop, Gizmodo has done all the hard work. They have a great Black Friday list to help make your shopping easier.

Happy Turkey Day!

Today is a day full of family and traditions. In fact, when I lived abroad, I used to take Thanksgiving thursday and the following friday off. I cooked a turkey - even though the butchers balked because they were all needed for Christmas - and the fixings. The cutie says he misses my "green salad" [its so special, it will never be made public], but I know it's not because he likes it, but because it's traditional to me and my family. Another one of our traditions, no matter where we are on this day, is to sit down and watch "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation".

Kitty gnawing on the lights, squirrel in the tree, seriously overcooked turkey [the mark of Thanksgiving throughout my childhood, sorry Grandpa, but it was so very dry], and Randy Quaid's character on the side of the road, well these and more make me laugh.

Enjoy your Thursday, be there turkey or not.

The picture above is from The Situationist and the link leads to an interesting Thanksgiving article they first posted in 2007, and again in 2008.

Hump Day Reflections!

Yes, I grew up at the beach, and saw so many guys slip into the wetsuits, it stopped being interesting. However, I still think surfers are sexy and since I'm in a beach frame of mind, I thought I'd share.

If you fancy going to the beach, but can't get there, no problem. Here are a few flicks that will take you down to the sand:

Endless Summer
Gidget
Big Wednesday
Local Boys - hello Mark Harmon!
Lilo & Stich
Point Break
Riding Giants
Surfwise

Fancy a book that dabbles its pages into the sea? Here are a few of mine that do just that:

An Invitation to the World and An Invitation to the World 2 [Dubai]
Drive-In, Coming Together: Under Fire [Southern California]
Extreme Speed, Total Control [Southern California]
OohRah! [Southern California]

Coming Soon is And She Scores! [Southern California]

Yup, in a beach frame of mind.

eBook Talk!

Here we go, the authors and their work [title and genre] that ARe will be releasing, one a day during the month of February 2010 for their 28 Days of Heart Campaign, with the proceeds going to benefit the American Heart Association.

Exchange of Hearts by G.A. Hauser (Gay, Contemporary)
Tor: Viking Master by Ellen Margret (Historical Ancient)
Timeless Voyage by Cornelia Amiri (Historical Ancient)
Moonlit Watcher by Crystal-Rain Love (Werewolf, Interracial, Contemporary)
A Slightly Different Perfect by Sylvia Shults (Fantasy, Romantic Comedy)
Zero-G by Michele Hart (Sci-Fi)
And She Scores by Tilly Greene (Contemporary)
Wild Child by Shelley Munro (Contemporary)
A Fair Trade by BA Tortuga (Gay, Shape-shifter, Western)
Hell's Angel by Jackie Kessler (Paranormal)
Private Lies by Cat Johnson (Contemporary)
Touch of Fire by Samantha Sommersby (Contemporary)
Bride of Fire by Charlene Teglia (Fantasy)
Protecting Miss Samuels by Summer Devon (Historical)
A Shadow's Kiss by Barbara J. Hancock (Paranormal, Vampire, Contemporary)
Hold Onto the Night by Kari Thomas (Contemporary)
Liberating Lucius by Bonnie Dee (Historical Ancient)
Mad About Meg by Mari Carr (Contemporary)
GPS by Leigh Ellwood (Gay, Contemporary)
Country Loving by Robin Leigh Miller (Thriller, Contemporary)
Unshuttered by Emery Sanborne & Philippa Grey-Gerou (Contemporary)
Vanilla with Extra Nuts by Victoria Blisse (Multipartner, Rubenesque, Contemporary)
Stay with Me by Alisha Steele (Fantasy)
Love is Blindness by Sean Michael (Gay, Vampire, Contemporary)
Angels & Genies by K.F. Zuzulo (Paranormal, Fantasy)
Love Unleashed by Marcia James (Contemporary)
Sea of Sin by India Harper (Gay, Contemporary)
Sweets by E. Cameron Stacy (Contemporary)

What a great mix - I can't wait for these to release!

Stuff from a writer...

Recently, there have been some interesting developments in the publishing industry, and I choose not to go over the facts, rumors, or concerns about them - there are plenty out there who have and, personally, aren't all that helpful.

Why?

Because it seems to me that most sites who are discussing the new developements, are actually talking to people who already know about publishing, rather than those who are hoping to be published. That is the group that will potentially be more damaged than anyone else. Of course, everyone is worried about a newbie jumping into a tenuous situation, but, at the same time, they aren't telling them what to do. So, here you go, some very basic, but well-meaning advice for an aspiring author:

1. Writing is a job, treat it that way.
Always be professional, do your research, and then do some more. This means you need to learn all you can about your craft and then read for knowledge, not just pleasure. You also need tot delve deeper into the business of writing and publishing, only then will you be equipped to know what isn't as good a situation as it sounds. There are many sites out that offer news and industry happenings, however, know your source, and be able to trust them implicitly. Be able to tell the muck from gold.

2. Know the business you're getting into, know it very well, and respect its unique qualities.
You must put the time in to understand everything in relation to writing/publishing. Everything.
• Understand contracts and how to handle various clauses, the editing process, royalties, and especially the publishing house(s) you wish to submit to.
• Understand that you must do more than write the book. An author must be able to sell it to a publisher, as well as the public. That means you have to promote it and figure out how to do it in a way that suits you, the book, and your publishing house.
• Understand that no two houses are the same. Before you submit [whether it's your first, second, or twelth book with them], read their guidelines, respect them and the house, and do it as they request.

3. And, ultimately, no excuses, BIC - put the butt in the chair and write.
There is no chance of you being an author if you don't actually do the work. Yes, it's a solitary job, but life will interrupt your writing, best get over that hump right now. Find your rhythm and repeat it - everyday, again, no excuses. Now, this is very important so pay close attention: every word you write is not golden. That comes later. So get busy and write, get it all down, then worry about the perfect word, grammar, and polish. Oh, by the way, that perfection will only last until your editor gets their hands on your pride and joy, but that's something for another day.

There you go, the work isn't always glamorous and wonderful, shocking I know, but it explains why many authors are excited to attend events and let their hair down.

Please realize that there is much more to know about being writer. Loads of details, seriously important details, but someone who wants to write needs to go out there and learn all about the business - from top to bottom, and the stuff hidden in the back of the closet as well. I will, however, offer you two platitudes that actually fit and should be kept in mind:

• Don't take the easy route, take the right road, even if it will take longer.

• Don't be desperate to hold the book in your hand, be desperate to do it right, and then hold the book in your hand.

Good luck, because, in the end, it is a very rewarding job - which is why it's worth the time and effort to do it right.

A bit of random ridiculousness...

So, you're expecting to receive some chocolate over the holidays, and yet still have Halloween goodies hanging around. What can you do? Well, here's an idea for the chocolate bars - yes, even those with nuts, berries, or whatever:

1. Break the bar or bars up into chunks [about a 1/2 cup worth] and put in a mug.

2. Put mug in the microwave and turn it on for 15-20 seconds, use a wooden spoon to stir a bit and break it up a bit more. Repeat.

3. Once almost all melted add a teaspoon of butter - yes, butter! - and do the final melt, and then stir.

4. Add milk to the chocolate/butter mixture and slowly, like before, heat it up. Stir occassionally with your wooden spoon and dip you finger in occassionally to decide when it's a toasty temp to drink.

5. Decorate your hot chocolate feast with either whipped cream or marshmallow [I usually do the minis because they melt and meld into the beverage where the big ones can create a shelf]. After that, you can sprinkle the small pieces that didn't make it into the mug over the top, or anything else you fancy - like broken candy canes.

Yummy, and now you're ready to receive some more chocolate.

Fabulous Female Authors I've Read in 2009!

Everyday, a couple of times, I read various blogs through bloglines [what would I do without this service?] and one from Susan, of West of Mars fame, popped to remind me of something I meant to do.

Let me give you a little back information. A few weeks, maybe a month ago, Publisher's Weekly produced a best of 2009 book list. No, I don't shop from these, but I'll read them, and see if there's anything that might interest my mom or maybe someone else I like to buy books for. Well, I didn't see the list, I read about the top ten all being written by men. Normally this wouldn't catch my attention either, but I am sure there has been some great books by women - off the top of my head, what about The Help by Kathryn Sockett. Anyway, another blog I read by Moonrat touched on this subject and put out a challenge for people to list the [published in] 2009 books they'd read that were written by women.

Here you go, not many, but I enjoyed each and every one of them:

Love's Immortal Pantheon Anthology by Dagmar Avery, Cat Johnson, Tilly Greene, Kayleigh Jamison, Eliza Gayle, Selena Illyria and Diana DeRicci - seven women, including me, so of course I read the other stories!
Nauti Intensions by Lora Leigh
Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
London for the Holidays by Stella and Audra Price
Skin Trade by Laurell K Hamilton
Highland Heat by Tilly Greene - yeah, another one by me.

I figure the main question in your mind is "Why so few?" I have 3 more romances [historical and a couple of contemporaries] published this year that are sitting in my TBR pile, alongside 2 non-fictions that were by men, and therefore couldn't be counted. The rest of what I read were published in previous years, like Maria Tatar's The Annotated Brothers Grimm published in 2004.

Hump Day Reflections!

The holidays are almost here and many of us are thinking of our waistlines - well, maybe Canadian Tym Roders will get you thinking of moving before nibbling on the festive offerings.