For today

photo credit: viarami/Pixabay

I just wanted to pop in here, and take a breath. I’m alive, I’m here. But I’ve been working really hard on my project (*a secret addition to a story world in one of my other novels. I guess not so secret anymore! :)) for National Novel Writing Month. So sparing the brain power to think up a post is a bit low on the priorities list this month. But since today is a time for thankfulness, I just wanted to say thank you for sticking with me, especially for reading my books (and for reviewing them!) and I hope all of you, my friends, have a nice, restful, holiday weekend.

Be on the look out as I’m having a sale soon. I’ll keep you posted. Until then, Happy Turkey Day!

Writing during a global crisis and a sale

Sunday. It’s been a minute or two since I posted here. I’ve been busy!! In fact, I’ve done a lot of stuff in the background, with regards to my site and my novels and stories that are currently available, and am in the beginning stages of writing a new book, having come off the back of releasing one and writing another.

Those of you who are my long time readers* are thinking “Juli, that sounds typical for you”, isn’t it? Even a pandemic doesn’t seem able to stop the writing, for me. I’m not bragging. I’m lucky in that, I realize. I’ve not had a bad case of writer’s block in decades. And at one point, I suffered a bout that lasted several years.

How do I avoid it now and write so many things at once? I don’t know. I think it stems from when I was a college student. Back then, I got used to studying for several classes at once and that…helps(?). I can partition my thoughts to allow the story ideas to flow while I’m cooking dinner or insert-other-boring-life-chore-here. That’s the best explanation I have for it. From there, the habit carried into writing (to the point of where I seem unable to write only one series at a time. :)) Which is frustrating, sometimes, I’ll admit.

More than that, I think the ability to write through anything just has something to do with my mindset towards it. While I participate in Nanowrimo, I don’t–and maintain, you shouldn’t–wait for an arbitrary date to begin your stories. I write whenever I can, whether it be a note or a paragraph from my character’s point of view. That’s how you get it done when time seems against you. *nods* Or at least it’s how it works for me. Heck, the writing even can help me from dwelling–er, focusing too much on that crisis, and for that, I’m very grateful. May you find your own rhythm to writing during a crisis.

(**Speaking of my writing, if you’re not currently one of my readers and would like to check out something I’ve published for free, I  have  some titles still in the Kindle Lending Library, if have Prime and you’d like to read them. There are also three free things and some other inexpensive books out –which you might say is a bargain, compared to some book prices out there–let’s face it, I’m not one of those charging $9.99 for my ebooks! *looks to the silly ones in NY* In fact, if you are an historical fan, there is a giveaway/sale that’s in progress for the next few days, if you wish. Check it out here:

 

My historical romance novel House of Dark Envy is involved in the sale.

So that’s me, for this little bit. I need to (say it with me) get back to writing! 🙂 Have a good week, all and good luck with your own writing!

Special: Summer Solstice Supper and Summer Reading List

Welcome! My friend, romance author Linda Joyce, got together with some of the romance authors she knows, and decided to cook up–erm, post–a little virtual dinner party. And she invited me *smiles*  Linda chose the theme of  the Summer Solstice to offer you a sumptuous supper and a buffet of books to satisfy your reading hunger. A good meal and a great book—summer doesn’t get any better than that.

Each author is sharing a favorite dish, and the menu is chock-full of mouthwatering delights. The buffet of books offers a flavor for everyone: Romance of many genres, historical stories, cocktails made simple, and secrets to an enriched life. Also, the menu contains the title of one of the author’s books and a web link.

Keep scrolling down for the eye-candy book covers and some insights about each author.

I invite you to visit each author, make a new friend or two, and celebrate the summer with us.

Happy Reading!

***

My contribution to this little summer dinner party is an old favorite around our house: Peach baked chicken.

In in my series, Antique Magic, my heroine Caitlin lives in Florida so, even despite the heat of the oven *gasp* she would likely make variations of this tasty summer dish from time to time.
Ingredients are on Linda’s blog here.

And now for the preparation:

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Instructions.

1) Defrost your chicken.S/W Ver: 97.04.30R

2. Cut off the fat and those bits of tendons the store sometimes leaves in (eww), dip the chicken in some egg beaters will keep it moist, believe it or not.

Once you’ve done that, put tin foil in your pan, Crisco the bottom so (hopefully) the chicken won’t all stick.

defrostedchick

3. Put the chicken breasts/pieces in and pour over the peaches.

S/W Ver: 97.04.30R

You can either pour the juice with the peaches or save it to marinate with*

4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to your taste.

This time out we also added some cinnamon–which made it very tasty indeed!

5. Cover with foil and  bake for one hour, flipping the chicken a few times, and marinating with the juice.

*I cover mine with foil to make sure the juice doesn’t spit all over the oven.

When the chicken’s finished (I always check it with a knife just to make sure the middle is “white and cooked”) like sochickdinner3

serve with whatever your favorite sides are. I usually serve  potatoes, mashed or, baked with some sea salt as well would be tasty, if you have the time or are lucky enough to have one of those dual ovens, and of course veggies of some sort. Mmmm….I think it’s lunch time!

Now on to the books!

theartistsinheritbjdr700THE ARTIST’S INHERITANCE.

The balance between good and evil can be an art… or a curse.

Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor’s art. Until Trevor inherits his brother’s house, and with it, his part of a family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means she must embrace her destiny and become a witch.

If you’d like to check out the novel it’s available at:

Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Createspace, and Smashwords

Caitlin's Book of ShadowsThe follow up story to The Artist’s Inheritance, called Caitlin’s Book of Shadows, takes place a little later in the year, but Caitlin would no doubt make the chicken then too…and the heat of the oven in the winter is particularly useful, towards fall and winter, isn’t it? That story goes something like this:

Something terrifying stalks Caitlin and her beloved Trevor. Something the bits and pieces she left claimed she had to make sense of–or so legend says. When the curator of their collection finds Caitlin’s long forgotten diary, she wonders will it tell the whole tale? Will it tell why Caitlin seemed so determined to tell the difference between reality and nightmare even as she continued the fight to defend her family from evil? Will it explain why she thought her world twisted? If she really became a witch?

Perhaps the answer lies between the lines of her story, one of lessons, struggles, and the hopes she carried like a warrior’s shield.

**This is a side (or supplemental, if you will) short story in the Antique Magic series, a companion to The Artist’s Inheritance (Antique Magic, Book One).

It too is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Check out more authors and tasty dishes:

Cocktails

Blackberry Gin and Tonic by J.K. O’Hanlon –Three Ingredient Cocktails ~ www.thirstyjane.com

Pomegranate Martini by Kathy L Wheeler – Quotable ~ http://kathylwheeler.com

Appetizer

Japanese Chicken Wings by Jan Morrill –The Red Kimono ~ www.TheRedKimono.com

Sweet & Sour Hawaiian Meatballs               by Vonnie Davis – Rain Is A Love Song ~ ttp://www.vintagevonnie.blogspot.com

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms by Alicia Dean – Liberty Awakened (Isle of Fangs, Book 1) ~http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/

Salad

7 Layer Salad by    AJ Nuest –  She’s Got Dibs ~ http://ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Mandarin orange & spinach salad by Barbara Barrett – And He Cooks Too ~www.barbarabarrettbooks.com

Entrée

Pesto Chicken by Nancy Parra – Gluten for Punishment ~ www.nancyjparra.blogspot.com

Taquitos    by Calisa Rhose – Risk Factors ~ http://calisarhose.com/chit-chat/

Linda’s Summer Shrimp Boil by Linda Joyce – Bayou Born ~ http://lindajoycecontemplates.wordpress.com/

Oven Fried peach chicken by  Juli D. Revezzo – The Artist’s Inheritance ~ https://julidrevezzo.com/blog/

Betty’s Nutty Pork Chops by Betty Bolte – Hometown Heroines ~ www.bettybolte.com/blog.htm

Dessert

Kolaches by Gina Hooten Popp – The Storm After ~ https://www.facebook.com/ginahootenpoppauthor

                Chocolate-Cherry-Coconut Cupcakes by Luna Zegaauthor of Tokyo Tease

Fruit Compote by Brenda Sparks – A Midsummer Night’s Demon ~http://www.brenda-sparks.com/blog.html

After Dinner Drinks

After Dinner Iced Coffee by Sandra Sookoo – Winging It ~ http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

99cent EBOOKS: Old wives tales, old battles, and new years

Did ya’ll catch my post at 99Cent Ebooks Monday? I hope you find it interesting.
99cent EBOOKS: Old wives tales, old battles, and new years.

Do stop by and visit us. There are some great writers here!

What’s on tap for you for the new year?

Thanksgiving

There is no sincerer love than the love of food. ~George Bernard Shaw

You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink. ~G. K. Chesterton

What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets.  I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?  ~Erma Bombeck, “No One Diets on Thanksgiving,” 26 November 1981

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.  ~Native American Saying

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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving day.  I’m thankful for…you, my friends and family.