Yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving, and I am still wallowing in gluttonous enjoyment of family and food. But recipe hops are one of my favourite kinds, so this week I said to my fellow bloggers: As the weather gets cooler in Northern British Columbia, I tend to make more stews and casseroles and soups. Share your favourite cold weather meal recipe! If you joined me from AJ Andersen, welcome! I love my slow cooker, especially in winter. But I do get tired of chicken and beef recipes after awhile. Also, if I’m using a slow cooker, I want the meal to come out of it complete, and I’m not a big fan of cooking pasta in the pot (I feel it has a funny texture). After all those disclaimers, here’s one of my favourite recipes. Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers 8 – 10 uncooked Italian sausages (can be any flavour) 1 onion, sliced 3 peppers (any colour), sliced 5 – 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 bag baby potatoes (or about 4 – 5 cups cut in large cubes) 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp Italian seasoning ¼ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes ¼ cup water 1 bay leaf Brown sausage in frying pan. Set aside. In large bowl mix next eleven ingredients. Spoon enough of this mixture into greased slow cooker to cover bottom. Add layer of sausage, more sauce, another layer of sausage, and the rest of the sauce, covering the sausages. Add bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving. After yesterday, I didn’t think I’d ever be hungry again, but maybe this will be on the menu later this week! Now, hop over to Jenna Da Sie to another new recipe to add to your collection.
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Now, I’d like to pass you on to a new member of the Romance Writers Weekly! Clair Brett is an historical romance author with three published novels who empty-nests in New Hampshire with her husband and various furry critters. Welcome, Clair! And to discover the best book Clair read lately, head to her blog here!
many personal stories that touched my heart and sparked my subconscious. One of the letters was written by Leslie Nuefeld, a soldier from the town of Nipawin, Saskatchewan. My father grew up in that area, and reading the words of this young man was both humbling and thought-provoking. He writes: "If anything should happen to me, do not feel sad or burdened by it, but take the attitude of "He served his country to his utmost." With that spirit I am going into battle…I have full expectations of returning and with God's strength and guidance I'm sure He will see me thro' all peril. My trust is in God." He died two days after writing this letter in the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, You can read the full letter here. It is both tragic and uplifting. Now, be sure to hop over to A.S. Fenichel to see what interesting fact she dug up during her researches recently. Andrea's next book in the Everton Domestic Society, "A Lady's Past" is available for Preorder and on NetGalley. NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/172977 Amazon PreOrder: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R4K3Y1J Why not check it out? I missed the last time we did Flash Fiction on the Romance Writer’s Weekly Blog Hop, so when it was my turn to decide a topic I assigned it again. Write no more than 500 words using these three words: grandmother, freckle, giant. I just finished reading "Madam, Will You Talk" by Mary Stewart, which is set in the south of France. Maybe that was a partial inspiration for this little story. The giant sunflower waved and bobbed in the breeze. The stalk supporting it was almost a thick as my wrist. Even in this field full of its siblings it stood out from the rest. My grandmother stopped beside it and peered up at the enormous blossom. “My,” she said in her soft, accented voice, “aren’t you a tall fellow.” She reached out and patted the fuzzy stem, her age-freckled hand trembling with the Parkinson’s that ravaged her body. “Do you want to go any further?” I asked. “Or are you tired?” She answered with a dismissive snort and continued up the row of flowers. We had had to leave her walker in the rental car so she was using her cane, and we walked slowly, but given the heat of the Provençal sun that was just fine by me. When I was a child, Grand-mère hold told stories of her own childhood growing up in the south of France. It had seemed a fairy tale land, haunted by the ghosts of Roman soldiers and renegade Popes. We would pour over maps, planning our travels while she spoke to me in French, insisting I would only fully appreciate the experience if I immersed myself in the language. As I grew older, we still talked about the trip, but it got lost in the anxiety of high school, the flurry of university applications, the drama of boyfriends, the minutia of life as an adult. Then Grand-père passed away, and Grand-mère was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and I broke up with the man I thought would be my forever love, and in a fit of rebellion and rage against life I bought us two tickets to Paris and presented them to Grand-mère as a fait accompli. She’d demurred at first, but when I’d told her the tickets were non-refundable and I couldn’t afford to not take the trip, she lifted her chin and said, “D'accord, let’s go.” So here we were, wandering in a field full of sunny flowers, my grandmother lost in memories, myself making them. I’d love to hear what you think of this scene. Then, hop over to visit Leslie Hachtel to see what she dreamed up.
Well, it is that time of the year. This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Leslie Hachtel asks:
Two days until Valentines’ Day. Why is it a special day for you (or not) and what are your plans? If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! Many, many years ago, Mr. C and I decided we wouldn’t do Valentine’s Day. Not from any bah-humbug mentality, but just because it seemed unnecessary. We’d much prefer to make our anniversary a special day. Well, we’re making up for it this year! We’d hoped to get away from the cold for a little while this winter, and it just so happened that the vacation we planned departs on Valentine’s Day! How romantic is that – leaving for Puerto Vallarta for 9 nights of couple time on February 14th? LOL! That being said, I won’t be joining the blog hop next week, but should be back for February 26. I have a lot going on with the release of ALLEGRO COURT that I want to share with you! Remember, for exclusive excerpts and bonuses, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You can find the form on the homepage of my website, here. Now, be sure to hop over to the poser of this question, Leslie Hachtel! I bet she has something interesting to say! The Christmas decorations are going up around the house this weekend as I write this, so Leslie Hachtel’s topic is very timely: What is your favorite holiday movie? Book? My favourite holiday movie really has nothing to do with Christmas at all. I’m not sure why it became a staple at this time of year, but the Sound of Music always appears on TV in December, and it has always been one of my favourite movies – at any time of the year, really. After all, it’s one of the most romantic stories ever -- the irrepressible Maria who changes the lives of an entire family by falling in love with the authoritarian Captain, all while escaping the Nazis. I’m also a big fan of How the Grinch Stole Christmas – the original 1966 animated TV special with Dr. Suess’ illustrations. Not to knock the newer versions that have come out (to be honest I haven’t even seen them) but the version I grew up with will always be my favourite. As for books, I can’t say I have a favourite holiday book. But I know for very many years one of my most anticipated presents was the newest Dick Francis novel. It was usually released in October or November, and the hardcover was a staple on my Christmas list. While I love my e-reader, there is nothing quite like the anticipation of a brand-new book, with its fresh pages and pristine cover. My parents also liked reading Dick Francis, so they would buy the book and both read it (being very careful not to crack the spine) then wrap it up for me to find under the tree. They kept that little secret from me for a long time! What about you? Any favourite Christmas stories? Then hop on over to Jenna Da Sie to learn what her favourites are! Is it winter where you are? And if so, what’s your winter like? As someone who grew up (and still lives) in Northern British Columbia, winter has always been snowy and cold. You know, a “real” winter. 😊 This week on Romance Writers Weekly, A.S. Fenichel asks: It’s cold in most of the world-the best time of year to snuggle up with a good book, a cozy blanket and a warm fire. What book (type or author) are you reading and why? Tell us your favorites. I have to admit, I’m in a bit of a blah state right now when it comes to reading. I’ve always been really picky about what I read, and often prefer to pick up a book I’ve read a dozen times before than experiment with a new author. Being a writer has a lot to do with it, I think. I am often overly aware of the mechanics and techniques, and this can really take me out of a story. I could not get into 50 Shades of Grey, for instance, but the DaVinci Code (which many professional authors panned because of its style) I love. Right now, I’m re-reading Kristen Ashley’s Ride Steady. She’s the first “motorcycle gang romance” author I ever read, and I find her style interesting and unique. Before that, while we were in a real deep freeze, I re-read Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker, who is one of my true go-to authors. I can pick up anything he wrote and know I’m going to enjoy it. Too bad I’ve read all of them already! When it comes to authors I trust, Dick Francis, Nora Roberts and Courtney Milan (I like her historicals better than her contemporary, but all very good) are all on my list. As you can see, my tastes lean toward mysteries and romance. 😊 I’d love some suggestions for new authors to try. Who is your favourite? Who do you trust to always provide a rich, satisfying story? Leave a note in the comments! Jenna Da Sie is next on the blog hop. She’s living in California right now, so her winter is much different than mine! Check out what she’s reading right now. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, Jenna Da Sie asks: What are some of your favourite famous quotes and why? When I first read this topic I thought there was no way I'd be able to come up with any quotes. It's not like I memorize them to use as a mantra or anything like that. But when I started thinking of quotes as lines from books or movies, a lightbulb went off. The Princess Bride This has to be one of the most quotable movies of all time. Just look at this poster! I have a copy that lives in my office and I love it. My favourite is "As You Wish." Could there be a more romantic way to say "I love you?" I'm reading Ilona Andrews "Kate Daniels" series, and at one point Curran says "As you wish" to Kate, while holding The Princess Bride book. It gave me chills. (BTW, if you like paranormal action adventure with just enough romance, you really should check this series out). Pride and Prejudice "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Not only one of my favourite quotes, quite possibly the best first line of any book, ever. It completely captures the tone and theme of what comes next. Brilliant. Writing Quotes Here are some of the quotes that keep me writing even when it gets tough (which is most of the time). "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit." Richard Bach "I hate writing, I love having written." Dorothy Parker "If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word." Margaret Atwood "I can fix a bad page. I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts I'm also a big fan of this poster, the Writer's Manifesto, which has a lot of great quotes to consider. Do you have a favourite quote? It doesn't have to be life changing – it could simply be something that makes you feel. Please share in the comments! Now I'll pass you on to Jenna da Sie, the authoress of this topic. What favourites does she have? So I didn't join the blog hop last week (I spent a romantic weekend in Victoria with Mr.C instead), but it was such a fun topic I didn't want to miss out completely, so this week you get a double dose of the Romance Writers Weekly Blog! Last week, A.S. Fenichel asked: What can’t you live without? Tell us some things you can’t do without. It can be coffee from your favorite shop or a pink tee-shirt. Whatever it is, tell us about it and why you can’t go on without it. If we're talking about writing, the number one thing I can't live without is the Internet. I use it constantly when I am writing – looking up better words with an online thesaurus, or fact checking topics like "the world's most famous cello pieces." And my laptop would be number two. The flexibity to move from room to room, or even write outside, cannot be overstated! When it comes to non-writing "things", it is harder to choose. I love my morning cup of coffee, but if I had to, I could live without it. Same goes for my after work glass of wine. I adore my e-reader for its ease of use and ability to store thousands of books, but reading a "real" book holds a special joy as well. If I try to think of objects that are irreplaceable, the first thing that comes to mind are family photos. We are a big picture taking family (maybe because both my husband and I work in television and are very visual people) and the thought of losing all those photos from when our children were small is heart-breaking. What would you find it difficult to live without? Leave a comment below and join the conversation! Now to this week's topic! Jenna Da Sie wants to know: What do you do when writer’s block hits? Share some tips for our fellow writers. Even if you're not a writer, it is easy to get blocked, to feel uninspired and blasé. Show of hands among you who stand in the kitchen at 5 o'clock each day and can't think of anything to make for dinner? Yeah, I thought so! As a writer, the best way to unblock is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that getting words on the page – any words – is better than nothing. Nora Roberts is credited with saying "I can fix a bad page. I can't fix a blank page." And I truly believe this. Sometimes the only way through is to put your head down and keep going, no matter how bad you think it is! So glad you joined me this week! Keep on hopping round the blog with the instigator of this week's topic, Jenna Da Sie. By the way - Romance Writers Weekly member, Xio Axelrod, recently became a New York Time Bestseller as one of the authors of Hot on Ice: A Hockey Anthology! We are all very excited and proud of her! I have read a few of the novellas in the box set already, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Congratulations, Xio! This week on Romance Writer's Weekly, we've been asked to blog about the story behind our name, and if we have a pen name, how did we come up with it?
If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! I do and I don’t use a pen name. Brenda is my real first name, and Margriet is my middle name. With a little bit of detective work, anyone can discover my full name (hint – check the copyright pages of my books!). I decided not to use my last name when I published for a couple of reasons. One was that it tends to throw people off, as it's rather unusual. I didn't want to scare people away from asking for my books at the store because they didn't know how to pronounce it! The second was more for my own sake – I wanted to keep my writing life separate from my personal life. In the world of social media, it just seemed to make sense. But I think if I were starting over again, I might not do that. Being an author is so much a part of who I am that trying to keep the two separate seems unnecessary now. When I discovered once that one of my favourite authors used a pen name, I have to say it changed how I read her books. It wasn't that I liked them less, but somehow knowing her real name made me feel like I was in on a secret. I actually felt more connected to her. It's hard to explain, and more than a little odd, I know. The next step on your hop is Marc Stevens. I am fairly certain he has an interesting story about how he got his name (because I know a bit about his creation), so be sure to check it out. But before you leave, why not leave a comment below. What do you think of your own name? Do you like it, or do you wish you could change it? If you could change it, what name would you pick? |