Catching UP! Free Holiday Book

A free  HOLIDAY GIFT 

from Write Words Author

Terry L. White

While his wife, Anirra, waits and worries Julian Hayes is lost in the Christmas storm. Is the woman he meets on the road another lost pilgrim, as she seems, or is she really the dreaded ban sidhe come to steal his soul and visit him with the worst of luck.

This book will be a free download at 

www.writewordsinc.com until Dec. 14, 2013

Scroll down to the bottom of the front page

and order as usual. You will not be charged!

 

Books that went to press, or back to press this week:

FACING THE FIRE,  by Robert Kanehl.

A monster devours the town, building by building. The fire brigade makes one last stand, while the town’s elderly, sick, and children stand on the town pier, facing the cold Atlantic or death by fire, unless someone comes up with a miracle.

TOBY MARTIN: STATE FAIR SECURITY, by Barbara Grengs.

The only event interrupting the summer blahs for Toby Martin, girl detective, and Freddy
Galvin, boy foil, is the Great Minnesota Get-Together: the one, the only, the Minnesota State Fair! Add to that a stolen knockwurst float, hateful pranks, mind games and a chase that puts Toby and Freddy in danger and you’ve got a Fair to remember.

SOLID OIL, by Russell Hunter

The rainforest’s secret is known to a very few. But each is perfectly placed to profit from it. The secret is lithium—sometimes described as the oil of the 21st century—and the knowledge of it has spawned a crime cabal led by Vietnamese gangster-turned-investor Johnny Ho and including a diverse cast of fellow crooks.

E-book edition went to press today and should 

be available in most venues within the week.

VENDETTA, by Ian Welch

   Ethan is young man alone and destitute on the other side of the world. His Dad has been murdered, their business fails, his Mom unable to cope takes her own life. Rumors indicate one man is responsible. Ethan is desperate to learn the truth, but what can he do? He is dealing with a powerful adversary, a man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal

Galleys that went out, or went out again, this week:

LIVING THE CALL OF GOD: Jesus Series, vol. 3, by Barbara Garro

With Vol. 3 of her popular Jesus Series, Living the Call of God, Barbara Garro suggests a new approach to giving glory to God through service. You love God so much, you long to do things that
please Him.

EXIT PLANS, by Terry L. White

What happens when a group of senior citizens decide to manage the way they are treated at the end of their long and useful lives? Will they go along with the state of the art status quo – or find new reasons to get up on Thursday mornings to discuss their possible fates? Will they continue to live with loneliness – or find kindred spirits to share their journey?

Work began or continued on the following titles: 

THE MORGENSTEIN MURDERS: Jonas McCleary Series, Vol. 2, by C. M. Albrecht

Sequel to the popular SAND BLUFF MURDERS, detective Jonas McCleary moves to the city and finds himself facing a serial killer.
 
BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendal Mystery Series, Vol. 1
   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category! 

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis.
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, BY Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis 

THE PROMISE, by Kaarina Brooks

Oyster She-Stew

by Jeannie Butler

“Read it, reread it, but whatever you do, don’t lend your copy out—you’ll never get it back!”—Mary Cox-Bilz.

A deep and nourishing message that can be read over and over again. The effects of war, anxiety, fear, and stress are transformed into an amazing view of the world.

Oyster She-Stew Recipe

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6.

You may or may not need to add salt to this stew, depending on how briny your oysters are. If you use freshly shucked oysters, be sure to save the juice, or liquor, that comes out of the shells. You need it for the stew. If you want to vary things, add a splash of brandy, Madeira or white wine, and play around with the herbs. Mint, dill, or fennel fronds are all good alternatives.

Add to shopping list

Ingredients*

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 pint oysters with their liquor, jarred or freshly shucked, about 2 dozen*
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, minced
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream (can use all milk if you want)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled. Reserve to garnish top of soup.

* This time of year, you may be able to find refrigerated jarred oysters (without shells) near the seafood counter at your local grocery store.

Method

1 Strain the oyster juice through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl to remove any grit. Reserve the juices. Rinse the oysters well, under cold water. Put them in a bowl.
2 Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture for a few minutes, stirring often. When the roux turns the color of coffee-with-cream, stir in the onions. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3 Add the oyster juice and any juices the oysters in the bowl have released. The flour in the roux will absorb the liquid and turn into a paste. Slowly add the milk and cream, stirring to incorporate as you pour them in. Heat the soup to steamy, but below a simmer, over low heat, cook for 15 minutes. (Do not let the soup boil!) If you are working with large oysters, you may want to chop them into bite-sized pieces. Add the oysters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters just begin to curl.


Garnish with bacon and serve.

No Cook Peanut Butter Bars

 

When Mariel, a New York physical therapist loses her father, a former 10th Mountain Division member, to the 9/11 attacks, she discovers that he has left her his stockholder shares to the Loveland Ski Area. Mariel and her husband Jonathan purchase a Colorado physical therapy clinic, with the understanding that Jonathan will keep his New York job until they are certain of the clinic's success. 

No Cook Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 lb confectioners' sugar (3 to 3 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 cup butter, melted

1 (12 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1  Combine graham crumbs, sugar and peanut butter and mix well.

2 Blend in melted butter until well combined.

3 Press mixture evenly into a 9 x 13 inch pan.

4 Melt chocolate chips in microwave or in double boiler.

5 Spread over peanut butter mixture.

6 Chill until just set and cut into bars

Never make work for your editor

Ever since his mother died, David Sinclair, a tenth grader, can’t seem to finish anything he starts. After his alcoholic father gripes about all the money he’s blown on Karate lessons, tennis lessons, and several other things that came to nothing, David decides to try out for the Heather Heights High School football team as a placekicker.

For that, at the very least, he'll need a practice field. Although he’s never kicked a football in his life, David decides to find a way to practice and to keep trying until he gets it right.


Question from the e-mail:  I sent you a a sample of my latest novel, and you sent it back. Can you give me any advice after having read it?

Answer: I do want you to know your writing is going well. You have wonderful images and you sometimes use all the senses. That’s good writing. But your  book still needs work, especially on the  "reader cues." People start talking without the reader having any idea of who is speaking, who else is there to listen, or where they are located. You may take half a page, before letting anyone know they are in the boss's office. Or at the corner bar. In Editor-speak, this means. "It's not well enough grounded in time and space."

Just like a newspaper reporter is told to include who? where? and why? in the first sentence of an article, it's a good idea for the writer to get that info across as quickly as they can as well.

When the scene is not set, the reader feels disoriented, and a little confused. Most teachers hand out advice such as "show don't tell," and "write what you know."

My two basic rules are "I do want you to know your writing is going well. You have wonderful images and you use all the senses. That’s good writing. But work on the cues. When they’re not there, the reader feels disoriented, and a little confused. Most teachers hand out advice such as "show don't tell," and "write what you know."

My two basic rules are: "Never confuse the reader." And "Never make work for your editor."

They have served me well for years. I hope you will find them helpful.

By Lynn R. Hartz

Lydia was burned out by her work as a midwife until destiny called her to be an aid to the birth of Jesus. A moving, beautifully-written book about a witness to one of the most important periods in religious history.

Melt in Your Mouth Christmas Cookies

Melt In Your Mouth:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (60 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners sugar (powdered or icing)

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

 

Topping:

1/2 cup (60 grams) 10X confectioners sugar (powdered or icing)

Cookies:  In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt.  In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the batter for an hour or two, or until firm.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. When batter* is firm, form into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 10 - 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies just start to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack that is placed over a sheet of parchment or wax paper.   Put the confectioners sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the sugar.   *Note, this batter works well in a cookie press if you like fancy-shaped holiday cookies. Skip the refrigeration step and load the batter directly into the press. Press the shapes onto the parchment paper. They can be topped with colorful sugar sprinkles (as above), or with powdered sugar. These cookies store very well. Place in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper and they will keep a couple of weeks.  If desired, just before serving, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with confectioners sugar. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

An inquiry from Frances Langley

by Frances Langley

Lainee Delaney Series, Vol. 1

Lainee Delaney, social debutante turned private investigator wannabe, and substitute teacher gottabe to make ends meet, has just landed her first big case.

Straight laced and incredibly sexy Cade Gainess needs Lainee’s help straightening out his bad boy little brother Dylan.

As they join forces with the FBI fighting for their lives against mob kingpin Mario Bellagio, Lainee is finally experiencing the excitement and dangers she has only imagined in her sheltered life.

 

Question from the e-mail  FromWrite Words Author Frances Langley:  Arlline, do you know any other of your authors who live in the Fort Worth Area. I am is looking for other Write Words Authors who might want to share book signings with me after the holidays. I believe s tores would welcome multiple authors with more enthusiasm. 

 

Answer: We do have several authors in Texas, but I have no idea what is near what, in Texas -- I only have the impression that Texas is large.  If any of you live near Ft. Worth, and are interested in sharing a book signing with Fran, let me know and I will pass your information along to her.

Catching UP!

A free  HOLIDAY GIFT 

from Write Words Author

C. M. Albrecht

This book will be a free download at 

www.writewordsinc.com until Dec. 7, 2013

Scroll down to the bottom of the front page

and order as usual. You will not be charged!

Steve Music Mystery Series, Vol. 1

by C. M. Albrecht

Detective Steve Music is a disillusioned cop with problems. Shelly Lambert is a woman who lost her son to a predator eight years ago. Continuing to suffer from grief and feelings of guilt, Shelly works with a coalition that helps locate missing childresn. When eleven-year old Jerry Beakey goes missing, Shelly and Steve join forces in their search for Jerry. That is, until Steve begins to unravel lies about Shelly's past, lies that rip them apart.

Books that went to press, or back to press this week: 

WHILE I DANCED, by Lynn Slaughter

A nerve-wracking audition for a summer ballet workshop reminds fifteen-year-old Cass how much she wishes her mom hadn’t died so young. Her dad isn’t exactly Mr. Encouragement when it comes to her dancing, and he shuts down whenever she asks about her mother. Cass feels as though her life is a puzzle with a giant piece missing.

SOLID OIL, by Russell Hunter

   The rainforest’s secret is known to a very few. But each is perfectly placed to profit from it. The secret is lithium—sometimes described as the oil of the 21st century—and the knowledge of it has spawned a crime cabal led by Vietnamese gangster-turned-investor Johnny Ho and including a diverse cast of fellow crooks.

LIVING THE CALL, by Barbara Garro
    By listening and answering God's call to serve...consider being a lifeboat and keeping people afloat. Hold out a ladder to raise people up. We are all God has to serve Him on our planet. Do you believe that? Or are you thinking God can do everything Himself?   

 

 TOBY MARTIN: State Fair Security, Vol. 5, by Barbara Grengs
   The only event interrupting the summer blahs for Toby Martin, girl detective, and Freddy Galvin, boy foil, is the Great Minnesota Get-Together: the one, the only, the Minnesota State Fair!

Work began or continued on the following:

A STORY BOOK, by Elena D. Bowman 
   This is a sample of literary short stories from an author who already has several books with us. The theme of the collection is a writer’s connection with the creator.

THE MORGENSTERN MURDERS: Jonas McCleary Series, Vol. 2, by C. M. Albrecht.

    Jonas McCleary is back! This time he's moved to the city and is investigating again in his own inimitable style.

MOONLIT BAY, by Elena D. Bowman
  A Paranormal Mystery Novel.

TOBY MARTIN: State Fair Security, Vol. 5, by Barbara Grengs
   The only event interrupting the summer blahs for Toby Martin, girl detective, and Freddy Galvin, boy foil, is the Great Minnesota Get-Together: the one, the only, the Minnesota State Fair!
 
BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendal Mystery Series, Vol. 1
   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category! 

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis.
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, BY Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis 

THE PROMISE, by Kaarina Brooks