The Lark Journals

I'm part of a new group blog, The Lark Journals. Four Whiskey Creek Press authors, varied interests and writing voices, coming together to chat about life, writing and anything else that catches their fancies. Should be fun and interesting.

The other authors are Margaret Blake, Debbie Wallace and Kathleen O'Connor. Oh, and me, too. We're beginning this week. I'm very excited about this new adventure!

Snowdance review

I saw this last night. I'm flabbergasted--and happy. :)

"Every aspect of this book is first rate. This is a story where the characters are so real they enter the reader's heart. Turning the pages, I wanted to know what would happen next, and why. In short, I cared. A lot. So many books don't encourage that kind of connection or interaction. It is refreshing to see it here. The plot moves along steadily, pulling the reader deeper into Elinor's memories. In part of this book, old letters are used to tell the story. This plot device is fitting to this story and worked very well. I could see Elinor reading letters from the battlefield, and could hear the cries of war, as well. This book ends with a twist-one that is bittersweet and perfect for the story. I can't think of one solitary thing I didn't love about this book. Snowdance consumed me from the very first page. I couldn't put it down and read the whole book one sitting, just because I couldn't get my fill for knowing more about Elinor's life satisfied quickly enough. Who would have guessed an old woman's story could be so charming? It is, I promise you that. I laughed and cried, and just honestly loved every page. Sarita Leone is a talented writer, one who has gained a fan in this reviewer. Snowdance is her debut novel. I can't wait to see what comes next! Whatever it is, it's sure to be entertaining. Snowdance is a definite keeper!" - Rating: 5 out of 5 Reviewed by Amy, Gottawritenetwork.com

The entire review can be seen here. Thank you Amy!

Happy Friday!

A thought from one of my heroes, a guy who doesn't care that he has no pants...

"This writing business. Pencils and whatnot. Overrated, if you ask me." — Winnie the Pooh

Buttoned up or Flashing?

Recently I "listened in"--that is, lurked without commenting--on a discussion about marketing, blogging and revealing the "real person" behind the author to readers. Apparently there are a bunch of folks who believe readers like to know as much as they can about the authors whose books they read. As much as they can? Of course I've been giving this a lot of thought...

All right, I can understand wanting to hear about how an author writes (in jammies or tuxedo?), news of past and upcoming releases, reviews, and the other assorted publishing bits and pieces, as well as some personal stuff. Some. But, um, nothing too personal. It's not like it bothers me to hear about other's real life author details. I'm just not comfortable discussing too much of my own "stuff" in such a public forum. Maybe that's it--I'm just a pretty private person, not as free with details as some.

But hey, if other authors want to reveal tidbits about themselves, I'm willing to listen. Why not?I'd love to know whether or not Stephen King writes in his jammies or not. Diana Gabaldon's breakfast preferences? Yeah, let me in on that one, too. What radio station, if any, J.K. Rowling tunes into for inspiration? Absolutely! Bring on stuff like that!

But me, open up about jammies and the rest of it? I don't know if I can do it. I mean, you already know I'm a compulsive list-making, book-inhaling gardener who's addicted to Oreos. Do you really need to know anything else?

I thought not. Have a great day!

Er, um...BTW...jammies. Sometimes I write in my jammies. But that's as much of a confession as I'm willing to make! :)

End-of-month frenzy

Has anyone else noticed that September is nearly shot in the--well, it's nearly over, for this year at least. How did that happen? I'm astounded, because although I've accomplished much in the past few weeks, I still have tons left on my September To Do List. Yes, I do have a September To Do List. Doesn't everyone?

Oh. Well. Um...well. Anyhow, I've got stuff to do before I can kiss the month good-bye and write up my Octob--um, before I can move on. So the past few days have been filled with frenzied moments. Today will be no exception. I've got more to do than there are hours in which to do it. Too, I'm completely pulled into the plot of my new book, and have been writing like a woman possessed for the past week or so. Too crazed to read as much as I'd like to be reading which is frustrating.

With all that in mind, I wanted to draw your attention to this list. Did you have any idea that the American Library Association kept a list of the top 100 "banned" books?

I've read a lot of those books. I hope you have, too. :)

Free advice--

--it's sometimes worth taking. I've read this, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Authors from The Irene Goodman Literary Agency, so many times I've paraphrased it in my mind for quick retrieval and almost mantra-like use.

Hmm? How does it sound between my ears? Oh, like this...

The Seven Staples
1. Same time, every day.
Show up, do the work--no excuses.

2. Don't give up.
Successful authors don't say, "I quit writing. It was just too hard, so I gave up, Oprah."

3. Pay attention to comments.
Even crappy ones. They're all useful.

4. Readers--give 'em what they want.

5. Figure out what you want, then get it.

6. Have a life.

7. Open the door.
When opportunity knocks, open the door!

I may not say it as succinctly as Irene Goodman but I've taken the words to heart. And really, isn't that the purpose of advice? To have an effect on the one advised?

Reader comments

I love getting comments from readers. Love, love, love hearing what they think of what I've written.

A few days ago I heard from a reader who'd just read For the Love of Grace which is one of my Wild Rose Press short stories. She enjoyed it, saying that it gave her a view of a place she's always dreamed of visiting.

*I hope you get to see the Pyramids for yourself, Kathy! Thanks so much for your note! :)

An excerpt from For the Love of Grace, available at TWRP:

Settling back against the butter-soft leather
banquette she opened the heavy menu and perused the
selections. A waiter, dressed in traditional Egyptian
costume, left a dry martini on a cocktail napkin in front of
her and departed on slipper-covered feet. It wasn’t until
she heard the discreet throat clearing that she looked up
from the menu.

She didn’t see the waiter when she removed her
reading glasses. What she did see was something that,
somehow, didn’t surprise her.

His head didn’t look as sunburned as she’d
remembered it and without the scent of camel dung or a
layer of red dust clinging to his clothing, he was really an
attractive man. For an older man, that is. Wearing a
tweed blazer with brown leather elbow patches and brown
corduroy trousers, he looked more like a professor than
ever.

“Mr. Phillips,” Grace said warmly. “What a surprise.”

“A pleasant one, I hope,” he answered. “And it’s
Justin, remember? Why, we’re old friends by now. I say,
we did nearly share a kebab, didn’t we?” He winked at
her and her heart flipped alarmingly in her chest.

A twitch, that’s what it is. He’s got a nervous tic—he
couldn’t possibly have winked at me, could he? Goodness, I
don’t think anyone’s winked at me in…well, in a long time,
at least.

“Yes, a pleasant surprise,” she allowed. “It is nice to
see you again.” Grace perched her glasses on her nose and
prepared to reopen the menu.

“Ahem, well…I was wondering, Grace. That is, if you
wouldn’t mind terribly sharing your lovely, private table
with an old Englishman.”

“Share a table?”

“Yes. You see, they’re apparently quite crowded and
the wait is lengthy,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“And, well, to be quite brutally honest, I have medication
I need to take on a full stomach—”

“Nothing serious, I hope?” asked Grace, her voice
filled with concern.

“No, no, nothing serious. Just your usual middle-age
health concerns—a bit more concern-provoking now that
I’m well past middle age, I’m afraid,” Justin said, smiling.

“Aside from that, though, if you would consent to share
your accommodations with me, a retired English
barrister, I would be delighted. It would, you see, give me
the opportunity to dine with a very beautiful, intriguing
woman. So, what do you say?”

What could she say?

What am I reading?

It's a question I get time and again. Today, I'm reading The Parting by Beverly Lewis. It's the first novel I've read by this author. It's also the first book in a series, and the writing is so engaging I'm sure I'll want to read the rest of this series.

The story takes place in an Amish community, a tale of loss and renwal beneath the watchful eyes of a tight-knit community. Very interesting and well written. Yeah, I'm going to be spending a few hours this afternoon finishing this book!

Have a great weekend!

Stuck in the Groove

There are times when I just don't feel like talking about writing, reviews, upcoming releases, promo, edits or any of the other wonderful things that are part of my author's life. Sometimes, like this morning, I have other things on my mind. Usually I make myself push the "other" stuff to the back while I blog, but this morning...well, it's not working.

So what's so pressing I can't get it out of my mind?

Oreos.

You know, the cookie. Oreos. I'm sitting here in the darkness, working while others sleep and the word that keeps playing over and over in my mind like a turntable needle stuck in a groove is Oreos. Oreos. Oreos. Can you hear it? It's driving me nuts.

Worse yet, there aren't any Oreos in the house! Doesn't that just take the cake?

I searched Nabisco's website and found the following recipes. Although they don't satisfy my immediate craving, they do at least give me a reason to buy Oreos when we go grocery shopping this week! There are tons of interesting recipes at Nabisco, so if you need an excuse to feed your junk food habit, take a peek.

Oh, and an interesting tidbit...According to Nabisco, If every Oreo cookie ever made were stacked on top of each other, the pile would reach to the moon and back more than six times.

Wouldn't you like to see that pile of cookies? With a glass and a nice, cold gallon of milk, perhaps? Hmm?...


Oreo Cheesecake

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F if using a 9-inch silver springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Finely crush 30 of the cookies. Coarsely chop remaining 15 cookies; set aside. Mix crushed cookies with butter. Press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies. Spread into prepared crust.

BAKE 55 minutes to 1 hour or until set. (If necessary to prevent top from overbrowning, tent with foil during last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time.) Cool completely on wire rack.
REFRIGERATE at least 4 hours. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; remove side of pan before serving.

Oreo Crunch Bars

34 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Coarsely chop 8 of the cookies; set aside. Finely crush remaining 26 cookies; mix with butter. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of greased 9-inch square baking pan.

TOP crust evenly with dollops of marshmallow creme, leaving 1/2-inch border around all sides. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate, walnuts and chopped cookies; press lightly into crust.

BAKE 15 minutes or until marshmallow creme just begins to brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 20 bars.

Hocus Pocus Cake

13 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1 square BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups ice cream (any flavor), softened
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
2 strawberries, sliced

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil; set aside. Mix cookie crumbs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Mix water, melted chocolate and vanilla; set aside. Beat egg yolks in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 min. or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with the chocolate mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; gently stir into batter. Spread into prepared pan.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Lift cake from pan, using foil handles. Invert cake onto clean cloth towel sprinkled with cocoa; remove foil. Cut cake crosswise into thirds; place 2 of the cake pieces on wire racks to cool. Roll up the remaining cake piece along with the towel, starting at one of the short ends of cake; cool completely.

UNROLL cake and remove towel; spread cake with 1 cup of the ice cream. Re-roll cake; place, seam side down, in center of serving plate. Spread 1 cup of the remaining ice cream onto each of the remaining 2 cake pieces. Wrap 1 of the pieces around the cake roll on the serving plate, with the ice cream layer facing the center cake roll. Repeat with the remaining cake roll, wrapping it around the other side of the center cake roll. Frost side of cake with 1 cup of the whipped topping. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove cake from freezer about 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping and strawberries just before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Just a thought this morning...

...one that's not even mine. Since it made me think, I thought I'd share it with you. Then, I'm off to work on Sandswept. It's calling me...

"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

God, I hope he was right...

Squashing it all in

A full life is a good life, I think.

Busy, I like to be busy. Challenged to learn and grow rather than settle back and become complacent. Believe me, in this house dust doesn't have a chance to settle. Someday, maybe. But not now.

In other words, I squash it all in. Today I'm going to do a real job of squashing, pressing so much into the day that it almost seems ridiculous. Laughable. Hysterical, almost.

So, if you'll excuse me. First I'm going to squash myself into my painting jeans, then I'm going to head outdoors and begin to squash everything else into the next twelve hours or so.

Hope life in your neck of the woods is keeping a smile on your face! :)

Nugget

"I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter." - Walt Disney