The Ridges of Wayback, TX

Thank you, Anna Kathryn, for the blogging invitation! I'm thrilled to join you and your reading today here at your blog!

Tomorrow is a big day for me and for some of my favorite folks - imaginary folks, that is. On Tuesday; September 28, the final installment in the Ridges of Wayback, TX trilogy, Bet It On My Heart, will be released in audio book format from AudioLark, completing the Wayback Ridge audio collection.

The Ridges have come a long way - farther than I could have imagined. Originally published as ebook novellas from The Wild Rose Press, Blackest Heart placed first in the novella category of the 2009 More Than Magic Contest then went on to be chosen for publication in the trade paperback anthology The Way Back Home. When I learned they would also be published late this summer as a trio of audio books from AudioLark, I was thrilled. Not just because this is my first experience with the audible industry or because I am a fan of the audio book medium, which I wholeheartedly am. I was excited for these characters, this idiosyncratic family of daredevil cowboys and spunky cowgirls and everyone who surrounds them. When Bet It On My Heart launched as a ebook from The Wild Rose Press in March of this year, I thought my time with the Ridges was over. It felt like the end of a wonderful party and I would have no further excuse to go and visit Stella and Judd (Blackest Heart), Casey and Josie (Bluest Heart), or Keefe and Calli (Bet It On My Heart).

Thank goodness I was wrong! I spent the latter part of August and most of September proofing the audio versions of all three books. If possible, I grew to love these tough alphas and their fiery mates even more than I did before. I couldn't be more happy that audio fans will be able to enjoy the Ridges as much as ebook readers.

To celebrate the audio trilogy's completion, here's an exclusive excerpt from Bet It On My Heart. Enjoy!

Keefe greeted Calli by dropping the hat on her head. Leaning back against the rail, he tipped the brim up to see her face. Her deep, dark eyes were still edged with irritation. “Congrats. No woman I’ve brought home has ever stood up to Nuala. You’ve got real gumption, you know that?”

“I don’t think your nanny likes my particular brand of gumption,” she sneered.

He chuckled. “She’s just going to have to get used to it. After that performance, there’s no way I’m letting you get away too soon.”

Her eyes snagged his, lips pursing as they al-ways did when she was considering him. “What are we doing, Keefe?”

His smile faltered a bit. “What do you mean?”

Calli lifted a shoulder. “Don’t you think things are getting in a little…deeper than we set out to go?”

He frowned. “Are we talking about sex? The last time I checked, we hadn’t had it yet.”

She blew out an unbelieving laugh. “Wow. Okay. Blatant works.” She paused, gathering her words with care. “I just want to make sure you haven’t forgotten I’m only here for a couple of weeks.”

“You aren’t going to let Nuala chase you away early, are you?”

“Keefe,” she muttered, eyeing him under the brim of her hat. “I’m being serious here.”

Catching her drift, he cleared his throat and reached out to pat the nearest flank. “All right. No, I haven’t forgotten. But I think you did for a while there and that scared the livin’ daylights out of you.”

Calli’s mouth opened to protest then closed after one look at his knowing expression. Her eyes dodged his, lips folding into that intriguing purse again. “You’re amazingly astute for a down and dirty cowpoke.”

“I’m great with advice, too. And I think you should be asking yourself what you want from this because I knew what I wanted from the start.”

Her eyes widened as her gaze returned to his. “What’s that?” she asked after several shocked seconds of silence.

Keefe stepped to her, angled down and tipped his head to get underneath the brim of her hat and slide a hand around the nape of her neck, cloaking her mouth with his. He breathed her in, that exquisite scent he knew was as expensive as it was potent.

When her hand gripped his shoulder and she shifted so she leant into him, he looped an arm around her waist and pulled back to see the sultry burn of the red horizon reflected in her eyes. Teasing her, he brushed his nose over hers then turned his lips to graze her cheek when her lips tipped up, seeking his. “I never get into something like this without wanting to ride it out until it burns out.” He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “If I get burned at the end it, it’s okay because I knew the risk to begin with. If the risk scares you, you don’t need to be here with me, Cal. But I have a feeling this tough, Hollywood agent didn’t make it to the top without taking some kind of risk first.”

“I usually know my odds before I leap.”

He made a face. “Where’s the fun in that?”

The first two books in the Wayback Ridge Trilogy are available already in audio book at AudioLark. Ebook readers, get your copy of the entire Ridge trilogy today at The Wild Rose Press.

Amber Leigh Williams is a member of Romance Writers of America, former Secretary of the GCCRWA, and a reviewer for The Season. Her first western romance, Blackest Heart, is a 1st Place More Than Magic Novella and her historical romance, Forever Amore, was nominated for Best Book of 2009 by Long & Shore Reviews. She is represented by D4EO Literary Agency and lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband and three labs. Visit her on the web at www.amberleighwilliams.com!

Wednesday Chow - Pork and Apples

Well, I didn't mean to take last week off, but Wednesday snuck up on me and passed me by before I knew it.  The I realized there's five Wednesdays in September, so I'll still be able to post four recipes this month.

Can you believe that summer is almost over?  Tomorrow is the first day of autumn...okay, weather wise, down here in south Texas, it doesn't feel like autumn is almost upon us.  But nevertheless, I'm putting up a delicious autumn recipe - Pork and Apples, for the slow cooker...so you can toss it in and forget about it.

Campbell's Golden Mushroom Pork and Apples

Ingredients:

2 cans Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme leaves, crushed
4 large Granny Smith apples, sliced
2 large onions, sliced
8 boneless pork chops, 3/4 inch thick

Directions:

Mix soup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire and thyme in slow cooker.  Add apples, onions and pork.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 9 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours.

There's still time to send in your recipe for the recipe contest.  Find out more about it here.

The Editorial Process

So, I hear you're getting published. Congratulations and a big ol' cyber high five on a job well done. Revel in the moment, go kiss your significant other, and then call your mom with the good news. After that's done, sit down, open your laptop, and hang on for dear life.

If you're anything like me-new to the field of writing and the world of publishing, in general-your assumption is the hard part is over. You finally found a home for your manuscript. You can grab a marker and cross "Contract Offer" off the list, whew. And while this glorious moment should never be downplayed, after all, it is what we writers live for, the truth is the hard part is not over, Dear Author, not by a long shot.

Ah...the editorial process. It's best summed up as three rounds of mind-bending survival training. Or at least it was for me. If you're a first-timer, your experience may go something like this:

Approximately thirty days after you've signed the contract, emailed every name in your contacts list, posted an announcement on Face Book, Twittered, and called everyone you've known since kindergarten to tell them you're getting published, your editor will send you an email with the first round of edits to your story. It is at this moment you will discover hate.

"What!" You will yell at the computer screen. "I thought you liked my story! I thought you offered me a contract because you thought my writing was good! What happened?"

Dear Author, you need to remember one very important thing. Editors are not critique partners. Don't ever confuse the two. They are not worried about sparing your feelings or finessing their "constructive criticism". In fact, they get paid to do the exact opposite. They will delete entire scenes, point out plot holes, and question character development. They will slice and dice, mix and mash, and very plainly tell you-if not in so many words-what's crap and what isn't. And while this teeth-gnashing feedback ultimately helps your story, it can be hard to digest that first time you see it. My advice? Pound your fists, stomp around the house, go call your mom again and have a good cry-because afterwards, you need to put on your big girl panties and set to work.

That first round of edits can be hard simply because of the "shock factor" and usually (but not always) includes some major rewrites, either to transition what has been removed or condense what is already there. But, if you pay close attention, and heed your editor's advice, you will emerge the other side with a tighter, more powerful story.

Thirty days later you will receive another round of edits from your editor. It is at this moment you will discover exasperation.

"What do you mean there's too much passive voice?" You will sit seething in front of the computer screen. "What is passive voice, anyway? And what the hell is a dangling modifier?"

Two years into college I realized the only major I was pursuing were the local beer specials. I quit and opted to further my career as an Executive Assistant. Fast forward ten years and I'm a stay-at-home mom who spends her "free" time writing romance novels. I'm not an English Major, and the only Bachelor's Degree I would qualify for is Stain Removal 101. Before getting published, I was certain of two things. I loved to read and write. And while this life experience and a penchant for words helped me craft a story with an exceptional emotional element-or so my editor tells me...and yes, that was a plug-when I first submitted, the technical aspect of my manuscript was atrocious.

For me, that second round of edits was the toughest, because it's during this phase all those grammatical imperfections are tackled. Passive voice, show vs. tell, sequencing, verb phrasing, modifiers, speech tags...you name it, I'd done it wrong. Fixing all that in one round was a tedious nightmare. However, in retrospect, it was also a good thing. I can now spot passive voice at twenty paces. I can fix verb phrasing with a flick of my wrist. You want something shown and not told? Baby, I'm your gal. So rest assured, Dear Author, if you pay close attention, and heed your editor's advice, you will emerge the other side a better, more talented writer.


Thirty days later you will receive the final round of edits from your editor. It is at this point you will discover trust and understanding.

"Okay, I get it." You will shamefully mutter at the computer screen. "This whole time you've been on my side."

The final round of edits is enjoyable compared to the first two, because you can actually see your story coming close to perfection. By this time, you and your editor are working as a team to make the manuscript as error-free as possible. Comma splices, brand names, and final tweaks are handled. And in my case, because of the vast changes to my story, I also gave extra consideration to flow, to make sure the emotional level had been maintained.

If everything goes according to schedule, thirty days later you will be viewing the first galley of your manuscript. It is at this point you will discover respect and a deep sense of gratitude. Seeing your words in page format-the only thing that comes close to that experience is holding the actual book in your hands.

The editorial process is tough, there's no doubt. Each round is fraught with highs and lows, hair pulling, nail biting, maybe a cross word or two, and in my case, the occasional outburst of tears. During those months you will be tested on levels you'd never imagined. But hang in there. Remember you're not first to endure it, keep in mind your editor is doing her best to help you, trust her judgment and listen to what she suggests.

Because the cool thing in all this? If you've paid close attention, and heeded your editor's advice, in the end, you'll find you've made a dear friend.


AJ Nuest is the author of Jezebel's Wish, coming soon to The Wild Rose Press Yellow Line.
Contact her at http://www.ajnuest.com/
Face Book Page: Tattered Pages
ajnuest@yahoo.com




Haunted by nightmares, tormented by guilt, Jezebel came to Redemption Ranch to escape the past-except now she's stuck in the middle of nowhere with no redemption in sight. When her mother pushes her into riding lessons with local veterinarian Matthias Saunders, Jezebel balks. Sure, the doctor is gorgeous, but he's completely obnoxious and knows how to push every one of her buttons.

Only her deep connection with The Reverend, a gentle stallion who guards her darkest secrets, has her agreeing to spend any more time with Dr. Saunders. Caring for the stallion is the first bright spot in her life in months, and if being around the horse means she has to deal with Matthais Saunders, then so be it. Surely a city girl like her can handle one country vet-even one with disturbing blue eyes. Can't she?

Recipe Contest - Your Recipe Might Get Published

To help promote my December 2010 release A GIFT BEYOND ALL MEASURE, I’m going to do a FREE companion cookbook. Tessa Jones is a cook for a ranch, so there’s a lot of cooking going on in the story. My publisher is putting two recipes with the book, but I still have a lot of food mentioned and wanted to do something different for promotion.

Here’s where the contest comes in: I’m going to put five contest recipes into the cookbook, along with bios on the winners, including website links.

To enter, send up to three recipes (sent separately) to Happyendings2007@aol.com by midnight September 30th. The recipes can be any category: appetizers, salads, soups, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, breads, cookies….whatever. I’ll have a panel of family and friends look over the recipes and vote on their top choices. The five with the most votes will go into the cookbook.

The cookbook itself will be a PDF and will available for free via my website and however else I can figure out to get it out there.

Here’s a chance to get your favorite recipe and your name out there.

Anna Kathryn

Lone Star Conference - Houston, TX

Hurry and register for Northwest Houston's Conference Oct. 16.!!

Why? Why? Why? Why?

1- We will spend half the day learning advanced techniques for creating great characters, writing the perfect scene, improving weak story architecture and other critical aspects of writing.

2- You will learn about a great method to plan out your book using the Snowflake Method created by Randy Ingermanson.

3- You'll learn techniques of internet marketing and why it's absolutely necessary for a writer. Make Google go GaGa over you!

4- Randy will show us how to build a massive email database and how to create a successful book launch.

5- You will have the chance to pitch your story to Amy Boggs(Maass Literary Agency), Naomi Hackenberg(Elaine English Literary Agency), and Christine Witthohn(Book Cents Literary Agency).
6- The first 35 registered are invited to a cocktail party at my house on Friday night to visit with agents and our speaker.

7- Christine Witthohn will share her secrets of getting and staying published in this volatile industry during lunch.
8- Randy Ingermanson will give an electronic coupon code for 70% off items for sale at his online store and email all attendees a power point with all of his slides in a PDF file. What a great resource!

9- Last, but not least, Katy Budget Books will be there to sell fabulous books from our authors in the 3 RWA chapters in Houston as well as several craft books. There will be a book signing.

For more information, please visit: http://www.nwhrwa.com/.

The Lone Star Conference

October 16th, 2010

We are pleased to announce the NW Houston RWA's Lone Star Conference held at the Houston Marriott North at Greenspoint. Rooms: $69.00/night

Conference Cost (includes breakfast and lunch): $120.00

Featured Speaker: Randy Ingermanson

He is the creator of the free monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine and to date has over 22,000 readers. Randy is also an award winning author of six novels and one non-fiction book. If that isn't enough, he has developed The Snowflake Method of designing/plotting a novel. Randy Ingermanson presents to conferences nationwide and brings a wealth of information for writers.

Agents Taking Pitches:

Christine Witthohn- Book Cents Literary Agency
Naomi Hackenberg- Elaine English Literary Agency
Amy Boggs- Donald Maass Literary Agency


Luncheon Speaker: Christine Witthohn (How To Get and Stay Published In This Volatile Market)

For more information, please visit: http://www.nwhrwa.com/.

Refilling the Well

Thanks for having me today Anna.

As I was deciding what to write today I thought about how I truly believe everyone is creative. For some it’s creative in getting that paycheck to stretch to the end of the month. For others, they are creative in how they raise their children.

My part time day job is not that creative and I love it. It uses none of my creative energy. I suspect my boss, who is creative in his job, wonders just how creative I am in my writing life.

But that creative well gets empty. It never runs completely dry, but it must be replenished. I have no idea if everyone feels this way, but I do.

So what do I do to refill the well? Over the years I’ve done cross stitch. I’ve made Christmas ornaments. I’ve even sewed a little. What I always come back to involves food.

Not surprising as I love food. Most of the time I bake. Funny thing is, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so I don’t eat much of what I bake. I have teenage boy and a tweenage boy so they gratefully eat what I bake.

Today is a rainy Sunday as I am writing this. I made soup.

Butternut Squash Soup to be exact. One of my favorites. I discovered it when I went to a dinner for my department at work. I fell in LOVE with this soup. I scoured recipes and realized just how easy it was to make. My way.

And I think soup is good for the soul anyway. It serves two purposes. My creative well gets refilled and my soul gets soothed. Win. Win!

My recipe:



Half a butternut squash, peeled and chopped.

Chicken broth (better if it is homemade)

Cinnamon

Allspice

Ginger

Clove

Tofu



Use whatever portion of spices you want. Sometimes I even add nutmeg. Throw it all (excerpt the tofu) into a pot and simmer for half an hour. Wait until it cools and either use in immersion blender or a real blender and blend until smooth. Put in some tofu and blend again. This makes it creamy.

Yum!

I have two questions today.

For readers: Do you feel you are creative in some aspect of your life?

For writers: How do you refill the creative well?



I will give away to one lucky poster a Bath and Body Works Vanilla Coconut candle.

Thanks for having me.

Chris Redding lives (and bakes) in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, one dog and three rabbits. When she isn't writing or promoting, she works for her local hospital. Corpse Whisperer is available now on Kindle. Incendiary will be out this Winter in print and electronic version.

Booksigning Sept 11

Join me, Skhye Moncrief, Elizabeth Pina and Anne Marie Novark at Boomerang Books on Satruday, September 11 from 12-4. 

PUT SOME ROMANCE IN YOUR LIFE!

Boomerang Books
907 W Main St (Hwy 518)
League City, TX 77573

Wednesday's Chow & Contest

CONTEST

Before I put up today’s recipe, I want to announce a brand new contest…one where you could be published! To help promote my soon to be released story A GIFT BEYOND ALL MEASURE, I’m going to do a FREE companion cookbook. Tessa Jones is a cook for ranch, so there’s a lot of cooking going on in the story. My publisher is putting two recipes with the story, but I still have a lot of food mentioned and wanted to do something different for promotion.

Here’s where the contest comes in: I’m going to put five contest recipes into the cookbook, along with bios on the winners, including website links.

To enter, send up to three recipes (sent separately) to Happyendings2007@aol.com by midnight, September 30th. The recipes can be any category: appetizers, salads, soups, main dishes, side dishes, desserts, breads, cookies….whatever. I’ll have a panel of family and friends look over the recipes and vote on their top choices. The five with the most votes will go into the cookbook.

The cookbook itself will be a PDF and will available for free via my website and however else I can figure out to get it out there.

Here’s a chance to get your favorite recipe and your name out there.

Now for today’s recipe

BACON WRAPPED GREEN BEANS
Taste of Home

Ingredients:

¾ pound fresh green beans
4 bacon strips
3 tbsp butter, melted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp soy sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven 400°.

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes, until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked, but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel.

Drain beans. Place about 12 beans on each strip of bacon. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, garlic salt, and soy sauce. Brush over bundles. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crispy.

Hollywood: A Place For Dreams

Hollywood. The very name stirs our blood. Our minds conjure up images of the beautiful, the successful, the walk down the red carpet at the Kodak Theater. It’s all about dreams and possibilities, fame and wealth. Its siren song lures us, draws us in, teases us.

Yet, for all of that, few people make it big in Hollywood. According to the AFI, only one percent of aspiring actors and actresses make it big in Hollywood. In fact, 85% of them are unemployed!

What does it take to make it big in Hollywood? Talent and good looks help, but I think the biggest factor is luck. Sometimes we are in the right place at the right time. Here’s a list of facts about Hollywood that you may not know.

1.When the Hollywood sign went up it read Hollywoodland. It cost $21,000 and was supposed to last for eighteen months. It was illuminated in 1939, and in 1949 they removed the land part.

2.Hollywood’s golden age was in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, Judy Garland, and Bette Davis among others became household names. This era also marked the rise of the big studios like Paramount, Universal, MGM, and 20th Century Fox. Interestingly enough, Paramount is the only one left in Hollywood itself. Others have moved away.

3.Some of Hollywood’s famous landmarks are: the Hollywood Bowl (an amphitheater for music performances), the Hollywood Hotel (Big name stars, producers, etc, wine and dine here.), Grauman’s Chinese Theater (This is where famous stars leave their hand and footprints in concrete.), and the Kodak Theater where they hold the academy awards. The first academy awards were held in 1927.

4.The first Technicolor film was The Gulf Between Us in 1917.

5.Montmarte Café was the first night club in Hollywood. They say Joan Crawford was discovered at Montmarte.

6.In the movie The Godfather, an orange is always in the scene right before somebody gets killed.

7.The first movie to show a woman in nothing but a bra was Psycho in 1960.

8.All of the James Bond stars were over six feet tall except for Daniel Craig. He’s five ten.

9.A film reviewer once commented on Elvis Pressley’s acting and said he became a star because he had itchy underwear and hot feet.

10.The best paid actor in Hollywood is Will Smith who made 80 million dollars between June 1, 2007 and June 1, 2008. The number two actor was Johnny Depp at 72 million. Eddie Murphy is third with 55 million. (Forbes Magazine)

11.The highest paid actress from June 1 2008 to June 1 2009 was Angelina Jolie who only made 27 million. Number two was Jennifer Anniston at 25 million. (Very interesting. The rivalry continues.) Number three was Meryl Streep at 24 million. Face it ladies. The guys are paid more. (Forbes Magazine)


How does all of this relate to writing? In my new release Return Engagement my heroine Elizabeth Lane is an actress who made it big. Here’s a blurb about the book and the prologue. You can read Chapter 1 at the publisher’s web site at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=819&zenid=0388abcec27444081ac3750d1c5c3fae

Blurb:
Elizabeth Lane has heard the call of the four most seductive words in the entire English language: what might have been. Would you risk everything you hold dear to find out what might have been? That’s the choice which Elizabeth has to make.
Elizabeth is lucky, for she has it all, money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he’ll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago he broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won’t be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she’ll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

Prologue:
“Stop it!” Elizabeth cried. She scrambled off the bed and put as much distance as possible between them. “It’s over, Richard! No, don’t shake your head at me. I mean it.” Her face blazed with color. “We have to end this, or I’ll be exactly what the tabloids called me. I can’t, I won’t, live with that.”

Chest heaving, Richard struggled for self-control as he faced Elizabeth across the bed, distracted by her beautiful blue eyes and disheveled dark hair. What did the sleazy, tabloid press matter? They loved each other; why did she panic over a few nasty stories?

“Honey, you’re an actress,” he soothed, his voice velvety soft and persuasive. “The tabloids won’t leave you alone no matter what you do. Half the stuff they print is lies anyway. Why are you letting them scare you?”

She stared at him with eyes stretched wide. “You’re seventeen years old! In California you’re still a minor, and I’m an adult. They have a right to accuse me of cradle robbing! Don’t you know how many people agree with them?” Her voice dropped. “And that includes my mother and your parents. They’re so mad at us it scares me.”

Richard ignored the fact that his father’s reaction had scared him too. “You talk like you’re fifty,” he scoffed, “but you’re only five years older than me. You know it doesn’t matter.” He lunged for her hand, but Elizabeth danced away from him.

“It may matter to your career. Have you forgotten Senator Lovinggood’s plans for you? Your dad wants you to be the president one day, but a scandal like this could ruin your chances before you even get started.”

Richard impatiently shook his head. “Don’t you get it? You’re more important to me than any career in the world! Without you I don’t care what happens to me.” His eyes softened. “We fell in love with each other the first time we met in the studio. Why would you even consider letting five lousy years ruin things for us?”

Elizabeth dropped her head and bit her lip to hold back her tears. “I know what I have to do, but why does it have to hurt so much?” she whispered so low that Richard barely heard her. She raised her eyes to his. “I love you, Richard, but we can’t keep our hands off each other. It’s only a matter of time until we do sleep together.” She made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “If we do sleep together I’ll deserve everything they’ve said about me. Please, please go.”

For a moment the issue hung in the balance. The air in the room which already shimmered with emotion now started to sizzle, but with an exclamation of surrender Richard bent and scooped his shirt from the floor. “I’ll call you.”

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. “No, please don’t. It’s over; don’t you see?”

August Contest Winners

Congratulations to all my contest winners! 

Leni won my guest book contest and four historical romances: THE PERFECT POISON by Amanda Quick, THE WICKED WAYS OF A DUKE by Laura Lee Guhrke (autographed), NEVER MARRY A STRANGER by Gayle Callen and A GROOM OF ONE'S OWN by Maya Rodale.

Linda won my 'be a fan of mine on facebook' contest and will receive: SECRET DESIRES by Laura Lee Guhrke (autographed), NEVER MARRY A STRANGER by Gayle Callen (autographed), KILLING ME SOFTLY by Maggie Shayne and RISK NO SECRETS by Cindy Gerard.

And

Bethany won my blog contest and wins CHASED BY MOONLIGHT and MARKED BY MOONLIGHT by Nancy Gideon (both autographed) WICKEDLY EVER AFTER by Michelle Marcos (autographed) and IT HAD TO BE YOU by Francis Ray.

Thanks for all my friends and fans who visited my different sites and either joined or left a comment!

More contests are coming soon....I just have to get organized!

Wednesday's Chow - Frozen Waldorf Salad

Golda’s Frozen Waldorf Salad
From Paula Deen


Ingredients:

½ cup sugar
½ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
½ cup miniature marshmallows
½ cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 medium apples, diced, skin left on
½ cup diced celery
½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
8 fresh or maraschino cherries
8 sprigs fresh mint leaves

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, pineapple juice, lemon juice and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and let cool. Whip the cream and fold into the cooled syrup mixture. Stir in marshmallows, grapes, pineapple, apples, celery and nuts. Spread mixture into an 8 x 8 inch pan and freeze until frozen throughout, at least 2 hours. Remove salad from the freezer 5 minutes before stirring. Cut into 8 squares. Garnish with cherry and sprig of fresh mint.