I spent Friday morning at the Romantic Times Convention with Barbara Vey, of Publishers Weekly Beyond Her Book romance blog (www.publishersweekly.com/blog/Beyond_Her_Book)! She's an amazing and gracious lady. Barbara knows no strangers, and when with her, you feel like you've known her forever! Needless to say, Barbara was acquainted with everyone there!
While with her I met several from the publishing industry including Donna Hayes and Loriana Sacilotto of Harlequin, Angela James of Carina Press and Tina Trevaskis of Samhein. As we walked through the RT Club exhibits I met lots authors including Julie Kramer (Stalking Susan), Patricia Sargent (Sweet Deception), Cindy Gerard (Show No Mercy), Loreli James (Shoulda Been a Cowboy) and many more.
One of the most fascinating things I watched was Barbara being airbrushed by Julie Kramer. Julie works in the "desperate world of televsion news," and she explained that with high definition TV there's a lot of pressure on the anchors (men andwomen) to look good--and young! Apparently, HD empahsizes every pore, crease and wrinkle. The device used to airbrush on makeup costs a few hundred dollars. The nozzle evenly sprays on foundation and provides a smooth matte finish that perfectly camouflages imperfections.
I also had the opportunity to meet May Boonpitak. She has the only romance blog in Thailand, and was inspired by Barbara to come to the RT Covention all the way from Thailand. She told me that romance novels there are censored, with anything too explicit removed. May says her English has improved by reading English versions of the romance books censored in her native language.
All in all, Friday was a fun day! Thanks to Barbara Vey for a great time at RT!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Online Writing Communities Lead the Way to Blueberry Pie
Writers, what's another way to improve your writing? Join an online writing community. There are lots of online sites out there for networking, self promotion and socializing, but don't forget about those that offer educational enrichment opportunities, as well.
I just joined Writers Digest (http://www.writersdigest.com/) and The Writer Magazine (http://www.writermag.com/). Online communities are available at these sites that offer lots of free information including writing tips, industry information, agent interviews and conference schedules. So, if you haven't already joined, do it now!
Caution: Online communities can become a time drain if you're not careful! So set clear goals every day, but not too many, like the following:
- Read daily posts in your online writing communities
- On Twitter, read tweets most applicable to you
- If you blog, decide how often you can update your content and stick to that schedule
For some really great information on how to spend online time wisely, see Dan Blank's post Social Media Savvy in Just 15 Minutes a Day http://bit.ly/dlthjE.
Okay, so you've joined some online writing communities, set your goals for the day--and met them! Now it's time to treat yourself to some Blueberry Pie! Yes, April 28 is Blueberry Pie Day, so I have to share a recipe. Unfortunately, I don't have a one that's low in fat. But I can provide an alterntive.My grandmother used butter to dot the filling in her pies, and lard to make an incredibly flakey crust. Oo, I think I just gained a couple pounds thinking about that! Although my husband love, love, looooves blueberry pie, I make a blueberry crisp instead. He loves this, too, and my lowfat version is easy and delicious. Enjoy, and happy writing!
Low Fat Blueberry Crisp
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 t cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 T low fat margarine (I use Smart Balance Light)
6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Vanilla ice cream (fat free or low fat to cut calories)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oatmeal, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly; set aside. Spray 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Pour blueberries into pan, then sprinkle berries with sugar. Sprinkle oatmeal mixture over all. Bake at 350 for 45 to 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream. Serves 12.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Once Upon a Time...
Isn't family history amazing? Describing the pain and triumph experienced by granparents and great grandparents can be fascinating for younger generations to hear. Romantic anecdotes about how mom and dad met are also fun to share. April 27 is Tell a Story Day, so what a great time to talk about family history with our children.
Lots of family stories have become great books. Some that immediately spring to mind are Roots by Alex Haley, and his followup, Alex Haley's Queen. Margaret Walker's Jubilee was a fictional account of her great grandmother, based on stories told to Walker by her grandmother.
My mom's written a children's book entitled The Spoon, using facts from a true story. She was the last child in her family to eat from this particular baby spoon. It's origin is unknown, but after using it to feed my mom, my grandmother passed it on to another relative. But soon after, that relative's infant fell from a window and died.
The spoon was then passed on to my grandmother's sister. However, not long after that, the sister's baby contracted tuberculosis and passed away, as well. Of course, the spoon used to feed those children was in no way responsible for their untimely deaths, but the back to back tragedies wierded out the family so much, they never used "the spoon" again!
After my grandmother died, my mom found the spoon in the back of her mother's silverware drawer. It's now framed in a window box, hanging in mom's kitchen. Talk about a conversation piece!
True life romances also make great books. In 2007, Harlequin published Friends: A Love Story by Hollywood power couple Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance about their real life romance.
My own true love story is how I met my husband. While I was out running one day, future hubby drove by, then pulled over and asked me out!
So never pass up an opportunity to share some family history or tell all about a real life romance. But don't just wait for Tell a Story Day--everyday can be story day!
Lots of family stories have become great books. Some that immediately spring to mind are Roots by Alex Haley, and his followup, Alex Haley's Queen. Margaret Walker's Jubilee was a fictional account of her great grandmother, based on stories told to Walker by her grandmother.
My mom's written a children's book entitled The Spoon, using facts from a true story. She was the last child in her family to eat from this particular baby spoon. It's origin is unknown, but after using it to feed my mom, my grandmother passed it on to another relative. But soon after, that relative's infant fell from a window and died.
The spoon was then passed on to my grandmother's sister. However, not long after that, the sister's baby contracted tuberculosis and passed away, as well. Of course, the spoon used to feed those children was in no way responsible for their untimely deaths, but the back to back tragedies wierded out the family so much, they never used "the spoon" again!
After my grandmother died, my mom found the spoon in the back of her mother's silverware drawer. It's now framed in a window box, hanging in mom's kitchen. Talk about a conversation piece!
True life romances also make great books. In 2007, Harlequin published Friends: A Love Story by Hollywood power couple Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance about their real life romance.
My own true love story is how I met my husband. While I was out running one day, future hubby drove by, then pulled over and asked me out!
So never pass up an opportunity to share some family history or tell all about a real life romance. But don't just wait for Tell a Story Day--everyday can be story day!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Say Cheese!
Today is National Cherry Cheesecake Day! I'd say any kind of cheesecake rates high as a romantic dessert because so many people are in love with it! I was at a dessert auction earlier this week, and out of the thirteen up for auction, more than half were some variety of cheesecake.
Who doesn't love an excuse to indulge in something this sinfully delicious? A lactation specialist once recommended that I eat cheesecake to enrich breast milk. Who was I to argue when both baby and mom could benefit from such a tasty treat?
Usually, cheesecakes are so richly decadent, they're near the point of being deadly. Those made with full fat sour cream, cream cheese, heavy cream and whole eggs are particularly suspect. Is love or a death wish served with that?
After one bite, the initial response is "ummm..." But seconds later, after the bite is swallowed, a hot, brick like sensation is felt in the pit of the stomach, followed by "uh...but it's so rich."
I want to enjoy cheesecake without risking my health--or gaining weight--so in honor of National Cherry Cheesecake Day, I'm sharing a recipe I've created for a slimmed down version. It's guilt free and tastes great. I've served it at dinner parties and people can't believe it's fat free! Hope you enjoy. Serve with love, not a death wish!
Fat Free Cherry Cheesecake
graham crackers (about 4-6 sheets, or enough to cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish)
3 8oz packs softened fat free cream cheese
1 t vanilla extract
2 t almond extract
1 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
6 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk
2 cans light cherry pie filling
For crust, spray bottom of 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Grind graham crackers in food processor, or crush in plastic bag with rolling pin. Cover the bottom of baking dish with graham crackers crumbs. Pat down crumbs, then spray them with cooking spray.
For filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and extracts until fluufy. Stir together sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir into cream cheese mixture. Add egg whites; beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in milk. Turn into prepared baking dish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 3o0, then bake 50-55 minutes more. Cool about 2 hours, then chill thoroughly. Top with cherry pie filling. Serves 12.
Who doesn't love an excuse to indulge in something this sinfully delicious? A lactation specialist once recommended that I eat cheesecake to enrich breast milk. Who was I to argue when both baby and mom could benefit from such a tasty treat?
Usually, cheesecakes are so richly decadent, they're near the point of being deadly. Those made with full fat sour cream, cream cheese, heavy cream and whole eggs are particularly suspect. Is love or a death wish served with that?
After one bite, the initial response is "ummm..." But seconds later, after the bite is swallowed, a hot, brick like sensation is felt in the pit of the stomach, followed by "uh...but it's so rich."
I want to enjoy cheesecake without risking my health--or gaining weight--so in honor of National Cherry Cheesecake Day, I'm sharing a recipe I've created for a slimmed down version. It's guilt free and tastes great. I've served it at dinner parties and people can't believe it's fat free! Hope you enjoy. Serve with love, not a death wish!
Fat Free Cherry Cheesecake
graham crackers (about 4-6 sheets, or enough to cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish)
3 8oz packs softened fat free cream cheese
1 t vanilla extract
2 t almond extract
1 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
6 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk
2 cans light cherry pie filling
For crust, spray bottom of 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Grind graham crackers in food processor, or crush in plastic bag with rolling pin. Cover the bottom of baking dish with graham crackers crumbs. Pat down crumbs, then spray them with cooking spray.
For filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and extracts until fluufy. Stir together sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir into cream cheese mixture. Add egg whites; beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in milk. Turn into prepared baking dish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 3o0, then bake 50-55 minutes more. Cool about 2 hours, then chill thoroughly. Top with cherry pie filling. Serves 12.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Calgon, Take Me Away!
How often do you have a Calgon moment? You know what I'm talking about--those moments when you wish you could become a romance heroine.
The house is a mess, three loads of clean laundry sit waiting to be folded because you haven't had time to do it, the kids are screaming, the dog is barking, and the beef stew is burned and sticking to the bottom of the pot. On top of all that, you're still steamed about the back handed compliment from your husband that morning. "Honey, I love your fuller figure--you're not fat--really."
One reason romance novels are so popular, is that they provide a means of escape from our real lives of drudgery, responsibility--and weight gain--into a world of perfection and fantasy.
In some romance novels, the heroine never has to look at dust on the furniture, think about mopping the dingy floor, cleaning the toilets or remember to fold the laundry--after she cooks dinner. And she's always svelte, beautiful, and never gains a pound. She's able to indulge in pizza, cheeseburgers and ice cream, yet never mentions working out. In addition, she's usually very smart and holds a powerful, high paying job.
The hero is perfect and handsome--and sometimes a multi-millionaire! He always knows what to say, and his love for the heroine is unconditional. Even though there are problems between them, all is resolved and tied up with a happily ever after ending. Sigh...
We love the romance between the hero and heroine, but the fantasy life of the heroine is just as appealing!
Would you trade your real life for the life of a romance heroine--just for a day?
The house is a mess, three loads of clean laundry sit waiting to be folded because you haven't had time to do it, the kids are screaming, the dog is barking, and the beef stew is burned and sticking to the bottom of the pot. On top of all that, you're still steamed about the back handed compliment from your husband that morning. "Honey, I love your fuller figure--you're not fat--really."
One reason romance novels are so popular, is that they provide a means of escape from our real lives of drudgery, responsibility--and weight gain--into a world of perfection and fantasy.
In some romance novels, the heroine never has to look at dust on the furniture, think about mopping the dingy floor, cleaning the toilets or remember to fold the laundry--after she cooks dinner. And she's always svelte, beautiful, and never gains a pound. She's able to indulge in pizza, cheeseburgers and ice cream, yet never mentions working out. In addition, she's usually very smart and holds a powerful, high paying job.
The hero is perfect and handsome--and sometimes a multi-millionaire! He always knows what to say, and his love for the heroine is unconditional. Even though there are problems between them, all is resolved and tied up with a happily ever after ending. Sigh...
We love the romance between the hero and heroine, but the fantasy life of the heroine is just as appealing!
Would you trade your real life for the life of a romance heroine--just for a day?
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