I'm dutifully trying to work on SE, but my stuffy ears are a huge distraction. I need magic ear unplugger, stat! Ooh, wonder if the mini suction cup from the cupping kit I got might do the trick? Works great on the face for sinus drainage. I'll try it.
Did work out a minor plot change that was gumming up the works.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
B&N is making me crazy
I had it all figured out, then they changed formats. Have a headache now, praying I get this solved soon.
It's cold (for here) and sunny. I've been reading a great book, one I waffled on for a while. The sample wasn't enough to help me decide, but I finally bought Dragon Outcast by E.E. Knight. Glad I did.
It's cold (for here) and sunny. I've been reading a great book, one I waffled on for a while. The sample wasn't enough to help me decide, but I finally bought Dragon Outcast by E.E. Knight. Glad I did.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Incidentals
John has this fear of "cheap" extension cords, that they'll fry under a big power load. To avoid having a giant extension cord under my bed for a measly lamp, clock and heating pad, I texted him the watts and the cord's specs, impressing the socks off him. He never thought I'd look, but underestimated how I love winning arguments with logic.
Cost of Walmart cord: $2. Winning an electrical debate with a mechanic: priceless.
We broke down and got Direct TV. They offered us the first year free, plus free installation, so I'm enjoying Food Network and the Cooking Channel again. Love the shows that makeover failing restaurants.
My computer turned off in the middle of work and I'm still plagued by asthma (does my body not like persimmons? Good thing I didn't plant a tree or I'd be ticked). Despite this, I delivered our daughter to the dentist and school without getting lost. Last time I took a wrong turn on the way home, got stuck in construction, detoured, stepped in overflowing toilet water when I stopped to use a bathroom, and generally took the long way home.
Mind you, I was using a GPS.
Having made it home without incident, I'm giving myself permission to slack off and breathe.
Cost of Walmart cord: $2. Winning an electrical debate with a mechanic: priceless.
We broke down and got Direct TV. They offered us the first year free, plus free installation, so I'm enjoying Food Network and the Cooking Channel again. Love the shows that makeover failing restaurants.
My computer turned off in the middle of work and I'm still plagued by asthma (does my body not like persimmons? Good thing I didn't plant a tree or I'd be ticked). Despite this, I delivered our daughter to the dentist and school without getting lost. Last time I took a wrong turn on the way home, got stuck in construction, detoured, stepped in overflowing toilet water when I stopped to use a bathroom, and generally took the long way home.
Mind you, I was using a GPS.
Having made it home without incident, I'm giving myself permission to slack off and breathe.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Fuzzy day
Have a lovely ear/sinus thing going on thanks to rainy weather/seasonal allergies. Didn't get much sleep last night, so debating weather I'm clear headed enough to post links to Amazon and B&N on my site or if I should wait until tonight. Being in a hurry is a sure way to cause a disaster of some sort.
Thankfully, I bought groceries yesterday, so I can run around in sweats today and drink herbal "cold care" tea and fill my ears with garlic oil. Good times.
Wind Burn had a successful launch, so that was cool. Book releases always feel good.
I think I had a theme to this post at one time, but the pressure in my head has pushed it out. I'll hang it up and give it a go later.
Thankfully, I bought groceries yesterday, so I can run around in sweats today and drink herbal "cold care" tea and fill my ears with garlic oil. Good times.
Wind Burn had a successful launch, so that was cool. Book releases always feel good.
I think I had a theme to this post at one time, but the pressure in my head has pushed it out. I'll hang it up and give it a go later.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Hershey's Brownie Makeover
Mastered brownies! Finally, an gooey brownie with deep chocolate flavor without butter, soy or wheat. Suck it, chocolate craving! Do you know how hard it is to get proper flavor without dairy? This is a BIG DEAL.
Good thing I made two different batches in my experiment. Both were devoured by the next morning.
Important notes: Originally called for 2 cups of butter. I replaced it by making a mayonnaise-like emulsion with the oil and eggs. Worked like a charm. Might try to decrease the oil by a couple of tablespoons in next batch; think it will work fine.
It helps to remember that butter isn't solid fat, but an emulsion of fat and water.
I had to decrease the flour by half, because my bean flour mix has a lot of fiber and it would have been too dry otherwise.
One batch used a couple of tablespoons of walnut oil, which also was a tasty addition. I might try using brown sugar and see if it's even better, but that would be an impressive trick, since these rock.
Hershey's Brownie Makeover
1/2 c oil like grape seed or rice bran
4 eggs
1 3/4 c sugar (originally called for 2 c, but that was too sweet for me)
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c cocoa
1/2 c GF bean flour mix
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp coffee
1 tbsp caramel coffee syrup, optional
1. Put eggs in blender or food processor. With blender running, add a few drops of oil through the pour spout. Slowly add a very thin stream of oil to form an emulsion.
2. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, coffee.
3. Mix flour, baking powder in a bowl. Scrape blender contents into the bowl and mix. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 min. (touch the top of the brownie to test for doneness). A knife stuck into the batch will come out gooey at this point, and the top will barely wobble.
Note: If you add the sugar with the dry ingredients, you will have a chewier, more gooey brownie that tastes sweeter. My tasters preferred the delicate crackle top on the batch where the sugar was added to the blender. It was prettier, too.
Good thing I made two different batches in my experiment. Both were devoured by the next morning.
Important notes: Originally called for 2 cups of butter. I replaced it by making a mayonnaise-like emulsion with the oil and eggs. Worked like a charm. Might try to decrease the oil by a couple of tablespoons in next batch; think it will work fine.
It helps to remember that butter isn't solid fat, but an emulsion of fat and water.
I had to decrease the flour by half, because my bean flour mix has a lot of fiber and it would have been too dry otherwise.
One batch used a couple of tablespoons of walnut oil, which also was a tasty addition. I might try using brown sugar and see if it's even better, but that would be an impressive trick, since these rock.
Hershey's Brownie Makeover
1/2 c oil like grape seed or rice bran
4 eggs
1 3/4 c sugar (originally called for 2 c, but that was too sweet for me)
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c cocoa
1/2 c GF bean flour mix
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp coffee
1 tbsp caramel coffee syrup, optional
1. Put eggs in blender or food processor. With blender running, add a few drops of oil through the pour spout. Slowly add a very thin stream of oil to form an emulsion.
2. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, coffee.
3. Mix flour, baking powder in a bowl. Scrape blender contents into the bowl and mix. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 min. (touch the top of the brownie to test for doneness). A knife stuck into the batch will come out gooey at this point, and the top will barely wobble.
Note: If you add the sugar with the dry ingredients, you will have a chewier, more gooey brownie that tastes sweeter. My tasters preferred the delicate crackle top on the batch where the sugar was added to the blender. It was prettier, too.
Wind Burn is out!
Uploaded Wind Burn to Amazon and B&N, should show up there shortly. Already available at Smashwords.
She will make the north wind howl.
Tech Sergeant Gale Adam’s final flight over the North Pole is supposed to be routine; instead it changes her destiny.
Transformed by the Fates, tossed out of her KC-135, Gale is alone in the desolate arctic wilderness. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves, can she prevent elemental Nitro from extinguishing her home, her family and their future?
Tech Sergeant Gale Adam’s final flight over the North Pole is supposed to be routine; instead it changes her destiny.
Transformed by the Fates, tossed out of her KC-135, Gale is alone in the desolate arctic wilderness. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves, can she prevent elemental Nitro from extinguishing her home, her family and their future?
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Sucky week
It's been a long, sucky week. Stuff happens, I get stressed, and writing is like wading through mud. Fun for Tremor and Cara, no so much for me. I need to plan something fun for Friday, because I need to break through the funk. Maybe we'll go to lunch at a new allergy friendly place I heard of, or I could plan a nice dinner.
Brussels sprouts, anyone?
Brussels sprouts, anyone?
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wind Burn due out on the 15.
Wind Burn will be released Friday. Meanwhile I'm working on Scorched Earth.
My youngest wants to collect some of the goldfish someone released into a tiny pond in the field behind us. Sounds good to me, so I let him dig a small pond in the back yard. Pond liner is spendy, so we'll try waterproof black plastic first, concrete shell if that doesn't work.
We put new foam in the cushions of our second hand couch and used black duck tape to cover the peeling, chocolate brown vinyl. Actually looks fine, plus I get to torment my mom for a while :) Maybe I'll go couch hunting next year, but I want to take my time and get a quality couch I really like, maybe a sectional with one long cushion that would be comfortable for sleeping.
John had to buy a twin mattress for our oldest, who kept waking up with bad neck and shoulder pain. At 6"1 and 220 lbs, a squishy little mattress is not an option.
We made three peanut butter pies for my birthday and boy, were they good. Gotta try a flour-less chocolate cake next!
My youngest wants to collect some of the goldfish someone released into a tiny pond in the field behind us. Sounds good to me, so I let him dig a small pond in the back yard. Pond liner is spendy, so we'll try waterproof black plastic first, concrete shell if that doesn't work.
We put new foam in the cushions of our second hand couch and used black duck tape to cover the peeling, chocolate brown vinyl. Actually looks fine, plus I get to torment my mom for a while :) Maybe I'll go couch hunting next year, but I want to take my time and get a quality couch I really like, maybe a sectional with one long cushion that would be comfortable for sleeping.
John had to buy a twin mattress for our oldest, who kept waking up with bad neck and shoulder pain. At 6"1 and 220 lbs, a squishy little mattress is not an option.
We made three peanut butter pies for my birthday and boy, were they good. Gotta try a flour-less chocolate cake next!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Wind burn is off to the beta
Beta has the ball. I'm going to pry myself off my seat and seek out caffeine. Salutes, exits stage left.
GF Flour Mix, Name Swapping
The trouble with working with multiple books in a series is during dialogue, I get the names switched. Thank God Judy calls me on it, or we'd be wondering why Kira kissed Surge and Alicia is ticked off at Tremor. Creative daze does weird things to a book.
A reader asked for my GF flour mix, so here you go. Like so many seeming disasters (Dorchester folding, being forced in self-pubbing for grocery money, my allergies turning nuclear) it turned out to be a good thing I was forced to reformulate, because this mix is superior. Pancakes and waffles are fluffier and breads more sturdy, yet light.
I'm close to a GF bread with no xanthan gum that's tasty. Will post when I've perfected it.
GF Flour Mix
1 c toasted bean flour (I mill my own using white beans)
3/4 c rice flour
1/4 c starch
1 tsp pectin
1. Mix all and use.
Go here to see how to make bean flour edible (not raw tasting) with the microwave:
http://glutenarmageddon.blogspot.com/2013/08/making-bean-flour-edible-with-microwave.html
A reader asked for my GF flour mix, so here you go. Like so many seeming disasters (Dorchester folding, being forced in self-pubbing for grocery money, my allergies turning nuclear) it turned out to be a good thing I was forced to reformulate, because this mix is superior. Pancakes and waffles are fluffier and breads more sturdy, yet light.
I'm close to a GF bread with no xanthan gum that's tasty. Will post when I've perfected it.
GF Flour Mix
1 c toasted bean flour (I mill my own using white beans)
3/4 c rice flour
1/4 c starch
1 tsp pectin
1. Mix all and use.
Go here to see how to make bean flour edible (not raw tasting) with the microwave:
http://glutenarmageddon.blogspot.com/2013/08/making-bean-flour-edible-with-microwave.html
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Birthday, Thor, Twinkle Lights
My birthday is Friday, and John and I are going to see Thor. He's already snuck a new tree in the back yard for me that I discovered while taking the dogs out. I'm going to keep the small spruce trimmed to a cute Christmas tree and possibly get solar powered twinkle lights. Will landscape around it with granite and the dished rocks that construction churns up around here.
It's snowing big fat flakes, so pretty. Bit annoying for asthma, though. Chugging along on edits. Hopefully I'll be done tomorrow and ready for my beta.
What with mom visiting, I wasn't cooking as much (she kind of takes over, and then my fridge gets full of stuff my allergic self can't eat). Kids love it, though.
Anyway, I've been tired and draggy. Finally figured out the flour mix I developed is why I was bursting with energy before. Now that I'm cooking again, I anticipate my energy going back to the high I've been accustomed to. Hopefully my breathing will return to normal, too.
Meanwhile, my good buddy has moved back in the neighborhood, so that's a great holiday present. Looking forward to making over the holiday favorites like green bean casserole and sweet potatoes with bacon. I'll have to consult the cookbooks once I'm done with edits.
It's snowing big fat flakes, so pretty. Bit annoying for asthma, though. Chugging along on edits. Hopefully I'll be done tomorrow and ready for my beta.
What with mom visiting, I wasn't cooking as much (she kind of takes over, and then my fridge gets full of stuff my allergic self can't eat). Kids love it, though.
Anyway, I've been tired and draggy. Finally figured out the flour mix I developed is why I was bursting with energy before. Now that I'm cooking again, I anticipate my energy going back to the high I've been accustomed to. Hopefully my breathing will return to normal, too.
Meanwhile, my good buddy has moved back in the neighborhood, so that's a great holiday present. Looking forward to making over the holiday favorites like green bean casserole and sweet potatoes with bacon. I'll have to consult the cookbooks once I'm done with edits.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Edits in progress
Old version:
Providence
snapped a diamond collar around Gale’s neck and a ring on her left forefinger.
It was so wide it covered the first joint and sparkled with diamonds. “Hang in
there, dear. It will be over soon.”
A
deep chill settled over Gale, sinking into her bones. Her breath frosted and
she breathed in ice crystals, shuddering as the shards dug into her lungs and
crawled along her veins, freezing all it touched. As the ice worked its way up
from her extremities to her core, the pressure pushed the sharp ice crystals to
her core, increasing the pain. It felt like the shards were frothing inside
her, until finally they burst out of her mouth, taking her essence with it.
Gale
crouched naked on the deck, mute with pain. Her old body laid there, eyes open
and very dead.
After edits:
Providence
snapped a diamond collar around Gale’s neck and slid a ring on her left
forefinger. It was so wide it covered the first joint and sparkled with
diamonds. “Hang in there, dear. It will be over soon.”
A
deep chill settled over Gale, sinking into her bones. Her breath frosted and
she breathed in ice crystals, shuddering as the shards dug viciously into her
lungs and crawled along her veins in frozen fire, freezing all it touched. As
the ice worked its way from her extremities to her organs, the pressure pushed
the sharp ice crystals to her core, increasing the agony.
She couldn't scream with frozen lungs, but her eyes rolled wildly, begging for
help, until the fluid inside froze and she went blind. Alone in the dark with
the pain, she shook with terror. Shards frothed in her stomach, pushed up her
throat like naked skin raked over crystallized snow, until they burst from her
mouth, taking her essence with it.
Gale
crouched naked on the deck, mute with pain. Her old body laid there, eyes open
and very dead.
“Good job, ladies! I knew we could leave a body if worked at it. Now, off with you, Gale. Remember, the Fates are with you.” Providence made a shooing motion, and Gale was sucked out the gaping seal.
Showing verses telling. Pointing this could have been improved is why I have Judy. Look her up, guys.
Back to work.
Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers
This book has been game changing for me. I've struggled with so many things and finally have some answers, some healing.
Got edits for Wind Burn today! Nicely solves my lack of ambition and general lethargy. I blame the wet ground harboring mold and other nasties.
I've spent most of my career writing about dysfunctional families, so I did something different with Wind Burn, and I'm going to use positive models in more books.
Someone asked if Wind Burn will go paperback. Ebook sales dwarf paper sales, so while I'm not opposed to it, I'm going to prioritize it.
For example, I made $6.23 on CreateSpace in October, and that's with several books for sale. It simply makes more sense to concentrate on ebooks.
As it is, I have a hard time keeping up with the cooking and household chaos. Since I have to do all my own cooking due to allergies and I have three teens who eat like wolves, I'm a hopping chick. At least the family pitches in to keep the house clean.
Enough stalling. To the book!
I've spent most of my career writing about dysfunctional families, so I did something different with Wind Burn, and I'm going to use positive models in more books.
Someone asked if Wind Burn will go paperback. Ebook sales dwarf paper sales, so while I'm not opposed to it, I'm going to prioritize it.
For example, I made $6.23 on CreateSpace in October, and that's with several books for sale. It simply makes more sense to concentrate on ebooks.
As it is, I have a hard time keeping up with the cooking and household chaos. Since I have to do all my own cooking due to allergies and I have three teens who eat like wolves, I'm a hopping chick. At least the family pitches in to keep the house clean.
Enough stalling. To the book!
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