Sunday 17 March 2024

Author in the Kitchen: A Quick and Easy Easter Dinner Served by Cozy Mystery Author Emma Lane...

Easter will be here soon, so I took the liberty of inviting Bestselling Author Emma Lane, who also writes under the pen names Janis Lane and Sunny Lane, into my virtual kitchen to celebrate the upcoming holiday with me and my readers. So, let's dole out the chocolate bunnies, and get this Easter celebration started! The stove is on, and the oven is preheating. Get that apron on, and do your thing, Ms. Emma...

My goal is to serve food with as little fuss as possible while still producing an attractive, delicious, and healthy meal for my family and guests. Hopefully this plan will give me more time to enjoy everyone.  I encourage you to add your own favorites. 

MENU
Baked Ham
Raisin Sauce
Candied Carrots
Ambrosia
Dinner Rolls
Peaches al la Mode


Ham

Hams are already cooked you merely want to warm it through. Follow the package directions so as not to dry out the meat.

Raisin Sauce
1 ½ cups water
¾ cup raisins
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp. cornstarch

     Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in raisins, then boil until raisins are very tender, 5 minutes. 

Whisk in brown sugar and salt, then gradually whisk in cornstarch to avoid lumps forming. Simmer over low heat until glaze has thickened, 10 minutes.

Serve in a gravy boat for your family and friends to spoon onto their ham.

Candied Carrots


Are always a favorite. This recipe works great in your
 microwave.

5 – 8 baby or mini carrots per person
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Dash of maple syrup ¼ cup water
Parsley for garnish, optional

Cut carrots in half or thirds into long pieces.

Mix remaining ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Stir in carrots. Nuke until carrots are fork tender. Careful not to overcook. Spoon sauce over carrots before serving.

Ambrosia

I have mentioned before I am originally from the south of the U.S. Oranges and coconut mixed together is Ambrosia in South Georgia. Use a pretty glass bowl if you have one. I use my mother’s cranberry bowl and love the contrast of the bright orange colors. This is a messy recipe to prep as you must remove the orange membrane. Do prepare the dish the day before and refrigerate to really blend the flavors.

1 orange per person if small, ½ if large
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
¼ cup orange juice
1 small can crushed pineapple

Stir all ingredients together then scoop into a serving bowl.  

Canned biscuits or Crescent Rolls

Follow the recipe on the package.

Peaches a la Mode
1 can sliced peaches in light syrup
Vanilla ice cream
Granola, optional
Maraschino cherries
Cherry juice

Spoon 3 – 5 peach slices in individual dessert dishes. Add a generous double scoop of vanilla ice cream. Top with a maraschino cherry and a sprinkling of granola. Drizzle sparingly with cherry juice.

Other fruits are also tasty prepared this way.

Here is a brief intro to the cozy mystery series Emma writes.


MURDER in the JUNKYARD
sees the demise of a man no one likes, a romance, and plans for a wedding as Detective Fowler and his friends keep their small-town America free from danger.

Detective Kevin Fowler is furious that low life has targeted his town where people live in blissful safety. Brenda Bryant is out junkn’ for good things when she stumbles over the grotesque body of a man beloved by no one. Suspense heats up when large sums of money are found in two different places. Drug money is suspected and Brenda targeted by someone who wants the money returned. Detective Fowler faces surprise after surprise as he peels back the surface of Hubbard, New York and deals with its shocking underbelly. Meanwhile romance infiltrates the group of friends with a wedding in the making.

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.

Sunday 10 March 2024

Celebrate Your Name! Even If You Change It by Sweet Romance Author Catherine Castle...


March 7-13 was Celebrate Your Name week. Established in 1997 by American onomatology hobbyist Jerry Hill, Celebrate Your Name Week (CYNW) is a week for embracing and celebrating your name.

Before you say, “Why would I want to celebrate my name?” think about this--your name identifies you. It is the one thing that will be in your life now and forever. It can define your ethnicity, your heritage, how you look at yourself, and sometimes how others look at you. If you hate your name you can change it, but the original moniker will still be on your birth certificate. Your name will be used throughout your life to identify you in a myriad of ways: on your driver’s license, bank accounts, health accounts, mortgage deeds, insurance policies, social media accounts, professionally, and friends and family will say your name hundreds of thousands, or even millions of times, over the course of your life.

Think about your name or names if you have a middle one. Do you know what they mean? Do you know how you got them? Do you know how long it took your parents to decide on what to name you? How important was your name to those who named you? Have you ever wanted to change your name, and if so why? How did that change work out for you?

I know the answers to a few of those questions. My birth names mean pure and peace. I was named after both of my grandmothers, whose names at the time of my birth were very old-fashioned. My aunt Ella, on my father’s side, always addressed me by my first and my middle names. I suppose she didn’t want me to forget my paternal grandmother, whom I never met. I can still recall my aunt’s voice addressing me. She was the only one who ever called me by both names and somehow it became extra special to me.

I don’t know how long it took my parents to decide on my name or whether they had chosen it before I was born or after. Back then you had to have male and female options, since the gender was a surprise until the baby arrived.

I do know that it was very important to my mother that people called me Catherine, not Cathy. While in high school I shortened my name to Cathy and introduced myself that way at school. Catherine was too long to write on homework papers and very old-fashioned at the time. I wanted to be hipper back then. At church, and in front of my mother, I was always Catherine.

That dichotomy caused me a lot of problems. Although I cautioned any boy to whom I gave my home phone number to ask for Catherine—not Cathy, they invariably forgot. When Mom got to the phone before I did, which was often since she had a phone beside her easy chair, I’d hear, “Sorry, there’s no one here by that name.” Then she’d hang up the phone and glare at me. I lost a lot of potential boyfriends and dates that way. One icy answer from my mother and they never called back. I think they thought I’d given them the run-around with a wrong number. As the years went by, I grew out of my Cathy phase and now I have to correct people when they shorten my name. I still answer to Cathy at my high school reunions. Mom’s not around anymore to glare at me in disapproval and it’s just easier for those few hours to answer to the nickname.

My grandmother was called Cat by her brothers. I used to think that was a horrible nickname and cringed whenever I heard her addressed that way. When my nieces and nephews came along, Cat was easier to say than Catherine, so I adopted Grandma’s nickname. It shocked the heck out of my family when I gave those babies the okay to call me Cat.  Now I’m Aunt Cat to all of them. I now eschew the high school nickname I gave myself and love the birth name I once hated. Ain’t life funny?

When I began my fiction-writing career, I changed my name again. I kept my first name, because I like it a lot now. I’ve grown into it. I also thought keeping my first name would be less confusing at writing conferences. If someone called me Nancy, I might think they were talking to another person and unintentionally ignore them. That would be bad.  I did, however, choose a different last name—one that would fit easier on a book cover and had a nice alliteration to my first name. My pen name is Catherine Castle. With that name change I became an author of sweet and inspiration romance.

 I still remember the first time a stranger in a bookstore asked, “Are you Catherine Castle?”

Startled, I looked at her and said, “Yes, I am.” No one had ever recognized my author persona before and I wondered how she knew me.

She must have seen the question in my gaze because she said, “I recognize you from your picture on your website.”

I left the bookstore with a big grin on my face that lasted for several hours. A complete stranger knew who Catherine Castle, the author, was! 

Shakespeare wrote, in Romeo and Juliet, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…" This popular quote is often used to imply that it didn’t matter that Romeo’s name was associated with the house of Juliet’s family’s sworn enemy.

I suggest that your name does matter and that your name affects who you are. A boy named Sue will have a very different life than one named Chauncy. So if you love your name, or are just indifferent to it, embrace it. Take a few minutes this week to celebrate your name. Find out everything you can about your name. Dig into its history. You might be surprised as to why you are named what you are and how your name has made you who you are.

If you need to change your name for some reason, choose wisely. In the Bible, when a name change happened it often reflected some new aspect of one’s life, a thing that changed them and defined their new life paths. Your name can define you, too. So make your new name a good one.

Celebrate name week—Celebrate!

Catherine Castle is very picky about how she chooses the character names for her books. She once wrote an entire book inserting the name Mother 2 into the pages because she couldn’t think of the right name for that antagonist character. Her critique partners thought it was a real hoot, but when she finally came up with Mother 2’s name—Tiberia—they all agreed it fit her perfectly.

In her book A Groom for Mama, she named one of the characters in honor of a dear friend who battled cancer. Here’s a peek at the blurb. 

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes, she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

AMAZON BUY LINK



Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer, she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing, she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter, FB, or her blog.

Sunday 3 March 2024

A Recipe and Read: Piping Hot and Wonderful Minestrone Soup and a Romantic Suspense by Vonnie Hughes...

I've invited my Kiwi author friend, Vonnie Hughes from down under to share one of her favorite dishes in my virtual kitchen today. Since there's still a chill in the air, I thought this was the perfect choice to warm up our bodies and fill up our bellies. The stove is all yours, Ms. Vonnie...

This soup tastes great and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It's a must in our house whenever the weather turns cold.

MINESTRONE SOUP
1 tbsp. butter
4 slices bacon, chopped or ½ lb. gravy beef, minced/ground
1 onion, chopped
½ lb. fresh tomatoes or 1 jar/can, chopped
1 carrot, scraped and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery or other seasonal vegetable, chopped
½ cup haricot beans that have been soaked overnight, green beans work too
3 tbsp. macaroni
3 tbsp. rice
3 tbsp. spaghetti
½ tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a frying pan. Add bacon or meat and fry until crisp. Stir in onion and tomatoes.

Carefully pour mixture into a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Fill pot halfway with water. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cook 2 hours in slow cooker or 15 minutes in pressure cooker.

Here's a little from my latest romantic suspense. I hope you enjoy it.

Who can you trust if you can’t trust your own mother? Through the clammy fog, Celie Francis hears the chilling message. “I know who you are, Celie. I know where you live.” And in the terrifying aftermath she reconnects with her dysfunctional family in ways she had never imagined.

BLURB:
Abused and abandoned as a child, Célie Francis knows better than to trust anyone. But after she witnesses a murder, she's placed in the Unit "New Zealand's witness protection program" where she's expected to trust strangers with her life.

It's psychologist Brand Turner's job to ease witnesses into their new identities, not to protect them, but Célie stirs feelings in him that are far from professional. When it appears someone is leaking critical information that could endanger Célie, Brand will do anything to protect her. But first he has to convince her to trust him.

Adrift in a frightening world, Célie would like to believe the handsome psychologist is everything he seems, but as witnesses are murdered and danger swirls around them, Célie must decide "can she trust Brand with her life? 

BUY LINKS

Vonnie Hughes is a multi-published author in both Regency books and contemporary suspense. She loves the intricacies of the social rules of the Regency period and the far-ranging consequences of the Napoleonic Code. And with suspense she has free rein to explore forensic matters and the strong convolutions of the human mind. Like many writers, some days she hates the whole process, but somehow she just cannot let it go.

Vonnie was born in New Zealand, but she and her husband now live happily in Australia. If you visit Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand be sure to stroll through the Japanese Garden. These is a bronze plaque engraved with a haiku describing the peacefulness of that environment. The poem was written by Vonnie.

All of Vonnie’s books are available on The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.

Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads. a>.

Sunday 25 February 2024

Authors: Do you Know your Top Strengths…


Have you ever heard of the VIA Institute on Character? If you go to their website, they ask if you want to do a free survey to find out what your top strengths are, and how you can apply them in your life. Character Strengths are the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel, and behave. So, me being the consummate learner, I decided to take the survey. You have to create an account just to take the survey, then you can unsubscribe if you wish. Of course, if you want more information about your strengths, you can pay for the certain packages, but I declined. I was more curious on what this survey—which takes about ten minutes to complete—would reveal. They give you three categories: your tops strengths, middle strengths, and lesser strengths. For the purpose of this article, I’m going to share my top strengths with you.

Drum roll please. My number top strengths are…

Honesty (flagged under Courage): Speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without pretense; taking responsibility for one’s feelings and actions.

Kindness (flagged under Humanity): Doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them.

Humor (flagged under Transcendence): Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side; making (not necessarily telling) jokes.

Spirituality (flagged under Transcendence): Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scope of life.

Gratitude (flagged under Transcendence): Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks.

Wow. I was impressed! Especially with all those transcendence flags. I actually checked in the mirror to see if I had wings. LOL! Having no expectations, it was a fun survey to do, and I’d have to admit quite eye-opening. So, how can I put these strengths to good use in my author life, I wondered? Since our characters stem from our imagination, and are part of our psyche, it would make sense to pass along one or a few of these strengths along to your characters. I noticed that I’ve done this in the past with most of my characters. Guess you really write what you know! I’ve done this through showing, rather than telling. A gesture. An act. A dialogue with another character. Bringing out your character’s strengths can help you connect to your audience all the more. It’s like part of your authentic self is tucked into your character’s pocket or up a sleeve.

This technique can work well with animals too, if you choose to include them in your book like I did
with Lost and Found. Each shelter animal had their own personality and strengths to add into the story mix, and made them so relatable. If you’re thinking about doing this survey, then also include your middle or lesser strengths to make your characters all the more believable and yes, even flawed. Funny, my last lesser strength (there’s a total of 24 altogether) was Leadership (flagged under Justice). Makes sense since I’m a writer, and used to working alone.

Ready to take the survey? Have I piqued your interest? Give it a go if you dare. You just might learn something about you, and the characters you create. Comment and let me know if you’ve taken or would like to take the VIA survey. Would love to read your comments. Cheers and thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you! 

Wednesday 21 February 2024

Book Spotlight: Peter Little Wing by Canadian Children's Author Regan W. H. Macaulay...


I recently released my first ever middle-grade novel. I’m so incredibly excited and proud...it was about 20 years in the making.

I wrote Peter Little Wing (book one of an upcoming series of four novels for readers 8 and up) shortly after my first visit to Aotearoa New Zealand. I went there as a pre-wedding honeymoon with my then fiancé, now husband, Kevin. To say this place was inspiring—the gorgeous landscape that one can only attempt to capture in photographs and video, the wildly fascinating creatures (mostly birds!), and warm, friendly people (who often call themselves kiwi—after their national icon, the kiwi bird)—it had my imagination bursting with possibilities. The characters came first, and their locations: the New Zealand National Aquarium in Napier, Hawke’s Bay’s art deco town, and the facility next door called Marineland (which I called Marine Rescue in the book). These were to be critters from captivity, but their quest would see them stranded in the wilderness, that much I knew. 

I crafted a story of adventure—a quest to save the grandfather of a kiwi named Peter, but I also infused the book with truths about a real place. And the characters were all real and very unique animals, often endemic to New Zealand. I want readers to find out about this wonderful place and the creatures who inhabit it, while they’re whisked away on a journey that these uncommon and endangered creatures take—an adventure not dissimilar to the one Kevin and I embarked on all the way back in November of 2003.

And so, it came to be that a story about Peter, a captive Southern Fiordland tokoeka kiwi, and his friends from the National Aquarium and Marine Rescue—Onion, a little blue penguin with an inner-ear imbalance; Tim, a tuatara with Generalized Anxiety Disorder; and Rangi, a kea with clipped wings—and their quest through the unfamiliar wilderness of New Zealand in search of three ingredients needed to create an elixir to cure Peter’s ailing grandfather, Nandy Enzo, flowed out onto my laptop screen. After years of rewrites, submissions, notes from editors, publishers, and beta readers, more revisions, and lots more rejections, I found a home for Peter Little Wing, and the book is out in the wild!

Together, this unusually diverse group of friends traverse the length of the South Island of Aotearoa, all the way across the Cook Strait and back home to the North Island. They learn what they are all capable of in the wild of the wop wops, and what the world beyond the "Walls of Shadows" of Peter’s habitat is all about. And I finally had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs—the digressions, and the main but multiple paths—of taking a book from inspiration through to publication, and now beyond.

Allow me to share a bit of the story with you now…specifically, the second half of Chapter 1. It should give you an idea of where the story goes from there. 

An excerpt from the second half of Chapter 1:

"We can't expect much help from the humans. They just don't know what's wrong" Nandy Enzo sneezed and a shiver like ice ran along Peter's spine. Nandy's brown, wilting feathers swelled, then fell again as he heaved a sigh.

Peter swayed on the spot. He opened his beak as he searched his mind for words. Nothing came out.

"I'm just a bit knackered is all, don't fret. Come back later and we will sing some stories..." And his grandfather was asleep.

Peter turned and climbed out of the burrow, his cheeks burning and his insides churning. As he breached the den hole,

Peter was met by the rest of his kiwi family. They circled around and watched him closely. He explored the expressions on their faces—their collective gaze was heavy.

Peter opened his beak. "I...I didn't know what to say to him."

Bess rushed up and put her neck around his in an embrace. "You didn't have to say anything." Her voice shook.

Peter pulled away. "I should have said something while he was still awake."

"It's all right, Peter." Uncle Lloyd took a step towards him. Peter did not find his uncle's hesitant tone reassuring.

"I thought I could be braver than all our kiwi ancestors from Nandy's stories." Worry ate at the edges of Peter's skin. "When it really mattered, I couldn't say anything." Shame drizzled from the top of his head to the tips of his toes like an electric sweat.

"Hmph!" Ms. Elsa sniffed, interrupting whatever reply Bess might have given. "I doubt the humans' foul medicines jammed into the side of his beak or injected into his thigh, or anything fancy like that will cure Enzo. No, no! It didn't work for Louis, so it won't work miracles now."

Peter bristled upon Ms. Elsa's mention of his father. "But there must be something we can do." Peter held back a glare as an anxious pick stabbed at his heart.

"Us? A heap of captive kiwi? I suppose a young upstart like you will succeed where even our human caretakers have failed. Ha!" Ms. Elsa snorted, dislodging a bit of dirt from her nostril, sending it through the air towards the burrow. It landed neatly along the top rim of the entranceway.

Peter couldn't help but peek at it with a sideways glance. Normally, he would have to stifle a chortle, but this time the mood felt too somber. "But you just said their human medicines aren't going to work!" Heat inflamed Peter's face. He struggled to keep his voice even.

"The boy's right, on that count." Ms. Elsa was apparently oblivious to her dirt-booger projectile. "The humans are ignorant. We're going to have to figure out a way to tell them what Nandy Enzo requires."

"How in the name of Nature are you going to do that?" Lloyd's voice rose with every word he spoke. "You going to walk up to a human when they come in to do maintenance and just natter at them? Think they'll know what you're on about?"

"What do you suggest?" Ms. Elsa puffed out her aging feathers. They vibrated with hostility.

"It's just silly is all. I don't have any idea what we should do."

Aunt Myrtle joined in, a hint of sarcasm tainting her voice. "That's very useful." She then turned her attention to the fussing and grooming of Uncle Lloyd's feathers, despite his protests.

Peter sighed loudly. "Do you know what he needs?" There was a significant pause while Peter waited. "What would you tell the humans to do, if you could?"

Ms. Elsa cocked her head. She scratched at the ground with two of her toes, making circular patterns in the earth, while Peter's patience grew thinner. Then she hummed a tune. Peter thought he might have recognized it. Had he heard this tune while inside his egg? Did Nandy Enzo used to sing him to sleep this way? Ms. Elsa snapped her head back up, and her beak wagged. "It's a matter of ingredients."

"What ingredients?" Peter took a quick step forward.

"That's the difficult part. The song is from the time of our ancestors from the wop wops. It's been going
round and round in my head for days, now. It must have the answers we need! But none of you have ever seen or smelled the items mentioned in this song. You were all born in captivity. I haven't likely, either. So, I do not know the names for these ingredients, boy."

Peter's gizzard rose at Ms. Elsa's mention of never having smelled or seen items from the wild. Peter's secret surfaced in his mind, but his heart sank. "What good is that to us, then?"

"Now, now, boy, try to be patient! Patience is a virtue every winged creature on the islands should have in abundance. Patience and caution. Caution and precaution. Precaution and prudence and vigilance. Constant vigilance!"

Peter felt his eyes roll and quickly stared back at the ground. He lifted his face to Ms. Elsa again. "Is there anything you can tell us about the ingredients? Any clues?"

"Yes, yes, of course, boy! Now, let me see...it's a rhyme in three verses. We've all heard it. Haven't the foggiest what it means, but I'm sure it's important:"

Remember kiwi, when under the weather,
Take this mixture in perfect measure:
Meal from the dust of the oily wood tree, Gold-banded stabber-folk make remedy
Bid farewell to the germs on your insides,
Say goodbye to the bugs on your outsides.

Peter was dumbfounded by the sing-song lullaby.

Suddenly, Bess chimed in. "Yes, I've heard this! You used to sing it to me, Mum." She nuzzled against Aunt Myrtle's side and proceeded to sing the second verse.

Add the muscle of this animal chest,
With colours bright as sunset in the west. Grind its stone armour and extract you'll find, And salt from the ocean for gizzard to grind. With vitamins, you'll be rejuvenated,
From lethargy, you'll be liberated.

Aunt Myrtle picked up the tune:

Gather the petals of the crimson bloom, Collect its dust 'fore the stabber-folk consume. Petals like star bursts stem the bleeding,

Fine powder dust gives pain no feeling. Stir and warm each item overnight,

And then you will find that all is put right. "And that's all."

"That's more like a riddle than a nursery rhyme," Peter muttered. Might as well just retell old history tales to Nandy and see if that does him any good. "How is anyone supposed to figure that out?"

"Don't be a hard case, boy. You've far too much bitterroot in your blood for such a young one." Ms. Elsa snorted.

"But the humans won't recognize these ingredients." Bess glanced at Peter with a glint in her eye that told him arguing would do no good. "Humans aren't in touch with The Deep Understanding. They've drifted away from it."

"Oh, she's right," said Uncle Lloyd after a prolonged but not unusual absence from the conversation. "They never see what's right in front of them."

"I'm not sure we'd do better. How would we recognize anything outside of our habitat?" When Bess glanced at Peter again, he thought of his adventures she was helping him keep secret. A song he often heard playing throughout the Aquarium during the nights of his escapes jumped to mind.

Hit the trail, down an old dirt road.

"That's just fine. I've always said it's too dangerous out there, anyway. Best to stay in here where we belong." Ms. Elsa's eyes flashed over Peter. He felt a sting in her stare. Did she know about his nighttime escapes?

"Look now, how does any of this help my Da? We can't just let him cark it..." Lloyd's voice trailed off.

The rest of the family continued to squawk on about the terrors of the world outside and all the fearful things they'd find if they were out among the non-captive creatures of the wop wops— the ingredients Nandy Enzo required surely being just as dangerous in some unknown way.

Peter stalked off, allowing the dilemma to sink in without the pressure of the family. He knew that there was no way to communicate these needs to the staff at the Aquarium. Even if they could, the humans wouldn't make any sense out of these clues. They were only human beings, after all. An idea gnawed at him, returning him to his memories as a chick.

***

"I should like to go outside on a real adventure to the wop wops—out into the middle of nowhere." Young Peter quickly suppressed a yawn.

"Perhaps someday you shall, Peter Little Wing," replied Nandy Enzo. "But remember this—captivity is not a bad place. Inside can be good in some ways and bad in others, but so can the wop wops. Whether you are captive or wild, always listen to the voice inside you with an unfettered heart. It will tell you what you need to know with a clarity that Ms. Elsa's tall tales never will!"

Peter watched his Nandy Enzo chortle and sigh between drooping eyelids. Nandy pushed in more warm feathers and twigs around him, then he whispered to Peter one last time before sleep sped him away to the land of dreams.

"Ah, little one. If only your parents had lived to see what a brave and intelligent kiwi you are growing up to be."

***
...Shoved off, the song continued to play in Peter's mind…on my own.

l have to unriddle the riddles. l'll go into the wop wops and

find the ingredients. But l won't go alone. 

Get your copy of Peter Little Wing directly from my website (especially if you want a signed copy!): https://www.reganwhmacaulay.com/peter-little-wing.html

…from Pandamonium Publishing House: https://pandamoniumpublishing.com/product/peter-little-wing-pre-order-for-february-6-2023/

 …and anywhere online, including Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Peter-Little-Wing-Regan-Macaulay/dp/1989506658/ref=sr_1_1?crid=380CJPPZKLGM5&keywords=Peter+Little+Wing+by+Regan+W.+H.+Macaulay&qid=1674148126&sprefix=peter+little+wing+by+regan+w.+h.+macaulay%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-1


Regan W. H. Macaulay
is a multi-award-winning author of novels, short stories, children's literature, and scripts.

Writing is her passion, but she's also a producer and director of theatre, film, and television (Triple Take Productions). She is an animal enthusiast as well, which led her to become a Certified Canine and Feline Massage Therapist (Kuri K9 Massage).

As an author, Regan spins fun-filled tales with whimsical characters that charm and delight readersHer carefully crafted narratives, filled with enchanting characters, offer new vocabulary and gentle wisdom.

Each adventure portrays unique animal characters and weaves in teachable moments.

Regan hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she lives with her husband, Kevin, Chihuahua Raxl, Siamese cat Jacobi (Jack), and an assortment of amphibians and fish. 

Her award-winning picture books include Mixter Twizzle’s BreakfastBeverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese (and Beverlee la chatte de Birmanie), Sloth the Lazy Dragon, and Libby the Lobivia Jajoiana (all from Mirror World Publishing), Merry Myrrh the Christmas BatTamara Turtle’s Life So Far, and Chloe the Unfeathered Parrot (Pandamonium Publishing House), and Dog Band (Iguana Books).

She also writes books and short stories for adult readers, including her Trilogy of Horrifically Half-baked HamSpace Zombies! (based on the feature film Space Zombies: 13 Months of Brain-Spinning Mayhem! available on DVD and Amazon Prime), They Suck, and Horror at Terror Creek.

Find Regan:

Website: https://www.reganwhmacaulay.com/  

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Sunday 18 February 2024

Author in the Kitchen: A Sausage and Rice Casserole Recipe and Romantic Read by Cozy Mystery Author Janis Lane...

This is an easy casserole that may be prepared the day before and warmed up on a busy day when dinner should be quick and easy. A box of rice tucked in the pantry is always a great idea. Changing the flavor makes it your own personal recipe. I’ve made it with a can of stewed tomatoes and a bit of garlic. You’ll find your own favorites to add. Summer sausage gives this dish a Southern flavor. Don’t forget to call out at least two y’alls before the first forkful. 


Sausage and Rice Casserole
1 box Wild Rice
2 onions, chopped
¼ cup green peppers, chopped
1 lb. bulk ground sausage
1 small can sliced mushrooms
2 cans cream chicken soup
1 can mushroom soup
1 cup water
1 small can water chestnuts, drained 
Slivered almonds, toasted and drained

Preheat oven 350° F.

Cook rice as directed on package, set aside. 

Sauté onion, peppers and sausage until meat is browned. Drain. Stir remaining ingredients, except almonds, with sausage mixture; turn into 9 X 13 baking dish. 

Bake 30 – 40 minutes. Sprinkle with almond slivers then serve. 

Suggested Additional Sides
Fresh Green beans seasoned with ham bits
Lima beans
Stewed tomatoes
Fresh rye bread and butter  

Dessert
Fruit cup with slice of pound cake and cheese
Iced Tea or coffee
Glass of wine 

Here is an intro to Janis's romantic cozy mystery for your reading pleasure.


Snapshot Suspicions
is an adventure with Abby, beautiful, vagabond wildlife photographer, and Adam, ruggedly handsome, millionaire protector of the environment.

A dangerous wildlife mystery requires the close attention of Adam and the local sheriff as Abby deals with two hired goons stalking her with a grudge. Basking in the rosy contentment of their love, Abby and Adam must trust each other as they encounter the first rift in their relationship. An engaging puppy presents a conundrum and a terrifying incident.

Abby discovers she can enjoy photographing subjects (AKC) other than wildlife and delights in setting up her own office, while Adam breathes a sign of relief when Abby makes a permanent commitment. Could she finally be thinking of a life time pledge to him?


EXCERPT
As she entered the room, a long arm snaked out and pulled her swiftly toward a broad chest. Her face was again covered with kisses that trailed down her face, sidetracked to explore a curled ear with a sip on a tiny lobe, and continued a path of kisses until it landed against her lips, which were blossoming into a reluctant smile.

“Adam.”

The sandy-haired giant lifted his head from the places he had been attending and settled his piercing blue eyes on her green ones with a satisfied sigh.

“Eve?”

He sat down in a kitchen chair and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her in a warm embrace and tucking her head on his shoulder. She snuggled contentedly against him. What a wonderful way to greet the day, she thought. Everyone should have a handsome blond giant to cuddle with . . . She could feel herself drifting off.

“Good morning, Abby, my tree sprite. Did you sleep well? I thought you might stay snuggled in bed this morning after such a late night.”

“Adam.” She took a deep breath inhaling the familiar fragrance that she loved. It was all Adam who was so dear to her. She rubbed her face into his shoulder and allowed him to cuddle her for a minute more. Her body relaxed against him, her hand half encircled his rock hard forearm, but her mind struggled with her problem. She knew she had to nip this in the bud if she were ever to have peace. This was exactly what she had feared when she resisted moving in with him, even though she knew she loved him.

“Adam.” She turned her head to stare into his intensely blue eyes, and then shut hers. There was always the danger of falling into those loving pools of blue if a girl were not careful. She knew from experience how mesmerizing they could be.

“You’ve got to control that dog. I know he’s young and means no harm, but you promised to train him. I can’t keep buying new sneakers every single day.” She felt Adam’s deep chuckle before she heard it. His chest erupted in those sounds that brought a smile to her face in spite of her annoyance with the situation.


Janis Lane is the pen-name for gifted author Emma Lane who writes cozy mysteries as Janis, 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.