July 31, 2011

Aussie Author Margaret Tanner

THE ACT OF SELECTION.

 Hi Anna Kathryn, lovely to be here with you. Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog.

Today I would like to write about how the Act of Selection ties in with Frontier Wife, my novel from The Wild Rose Press.

I am happy to say that Frontier Wife is now one of my most successful novels. It has received some great reviews and was chosen as Best Historical Romance at Readers Favourite 2010. Very thrilling, as I also got the chance to travel to Las Vegas for the Awards banquet. But in the beginning Frontier Wife had a very bad start in life. The first publisher who took my baby on board, unfortunately, went out of business. To say that was gut-wrenching is an understatement. It was picked up by a second publisher and sadly that didn’t pan out either. Perseverance is my second name, so I tried it with a third publisher, The Wild Rose Press, and well, let’s say the rest is history.

In the colony of Victoria the 1860 Land Act allowed free selection of crown land.  This included land already occupied by the squatters, (wealthy land owners) who had managed to circumvent the law for years.

The Act allowed selectors access to the squatters’ land, and they could purchase between 40 and 320 acres of crown land, but after that, the authorities left them to fend for themselves. Not an easy task against the wealthy, often ruthless squatters who were incensed at what they thought was theft of their land.

The 1861 Act of Selection, which is similar to the U.S. Homested Act was intended to encourage closer settlement, based on intensive agriculture. Selectors often came into conflict with squatters, who already occupied land and had often managed to circumvent the law to keep it.

And the bitterness ran deep for many years, sometimes erupting into violence.

On Our Selection by Steele Rudd (a pseudonym for Arthur Hoey Davis 14.11.1868 – 11.10.35), was his best known work. He based it on his father’s experience as a selector.  It started out as just one chapter published in December 1895 in The Bulletin newspaper and eventually became the basis for Dad and Dave, a popular radio series which ran in Australia from 1932 – 1952.

Henry Lawson 1867 – 1922, was born on the gold fields of New South Wales. Many believed him to be the first poet to capture the Australian way of life. After a childhood ear infection, he was totally deaf by the age of 14, and he grew up to be bitter about his poverty and ill-fortune.

In 1888 The Bulletin started publishing his stories and poems.

Henry Lawson wrote about the bitterness between the squatters and selectors, in his memorable poem. The Fire At Ross’Farm.

Robert Black, the son of the squatter, loved Jenny Ross the daughter of the selector.

When Robert tells his father about the fire threatening the Ross farm, his father said, and I quote these couple of lines from Henry Lawson’s poem

Then let it burn the squatter said, I’d like to see it done
I’d bless the fire if it would clear selectors from the run (run is an early Australian name for a ranch).

These two lines of poetry depict the bitterness and antagonism between the two parties. So, using this as my background I wrote my novel Frontier Wife.

FRONTIER WIFE
Only in the new world can a highborn young Englishwoman and a tough frontier man, ignite the passion that will fulfil their hopes and dreams in ways they never imagined possible.

Tommy Lindsay arrives in colonial Australia to claim the rundown farm she and her brothers have inherited from their Uncle Henry.

Hidden behind her fragile English rose beauty, beats the heart of a courageous young woman. She will need all this strength to survive the unforgiving heat, and the dangers lurking around every corner.  Lost in the bush, capture by a feral mountain family, raging bushfires are nothing, compared to the danger she faces if she gives her heart to Adam Munro.

Adam Munro, a wealthy squatter, has no room in his heart to love a woman.  All he ever wanted was a presentable wife who would provide him with heirs.   He didn’t need passion in his life, not until he met the beautiful English rose living next door to him.


 Tommy’s Uncle Henry selected 80 acres for his farm in the middle of the Munro property. Adam Munro had 40,000 acres, so Frontier Wife is an excellent example of the problems existing with The Act Of Selection.

Of course, not all of these problems had a happily ever after ending like my story. Many selectors and their families struggled on for years with unproductive land and hostile neighbours until finally, they gave up. Many broken in health and financially ruined, packed up their meagre belongings and walked off their property leaving it to the elements or the squatters.

Some selectors did prosper and became wealthy in their own right, but the bitterness felt by the selectors who failed, lingered for years, often into the next generation.

Margaret Tanner is an Australian author who loves delving into the pages of history.
Her website is :  http://www.margarettanner.com/




July 28, 2011

Pioneering Women of the West

There's still time to register for this informative class on!

Pioneering Women of the West
Instructor: Anna Kathryn Lanier
Dates: August 1, 2011 -- August 31, 2011

Registration Deadline: July 31, 2011
Fee: $10/HHRW members, $20/others
Registration Form: http://heartsthroughhistory.com/classreg.htm
FMI: HHRW Campus Coordinator: classes@heartsthroughhistory.com


Class Description:


The West was discovered by men looking for adventure and fortune. But it was civilized by women who brought families, schools, churches, and stability to the area.

In PIONEERING WOMEN OF THE WEST, you'll learn about the western movement, the treacherous journey hundreds of thousands people took and of the lives of specific women who helped shape the West, intentionally or not. Some women went looking for a better life; others followed their man into the wilderness.

There will be three lectures a week, with time for questions and answers and additional research on the participants' part.

Schedule:

August 1-7: Introductions; Syllabus; Western Movement overview
August 8-14: Westward Ho!: Getting Started; Who Went; Keturah Belknap
August 15-21: The Women: Mail-order Brides; Teachers; Doctors
August 22-28: Off the Beaten Path: Makers and Shakers; Miscellaneous
August 29-31: Wrap-up


Bio:

Anna Kathryn Lanier fell into the Western Movement by accident, but just like those mountain men and brave women of the 19th Century, Anna Kathryn was bitten by the Western bug, too. Research naturally followed her interest and though she doesn't claim to be an expert, she knows just enough to get her into trouble.

Anna Kathryn is published in both contemporary and historical Westerns with The Wild Rose Press. Visit her at http://www.aklanier.com/ and http://annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com/


Format: Course is conducted via Yahoo Groups email with lessons and Q&A

For additional information, contact the Campus Coordinator.

Register here: http://heartsthroughhistory.com/classreg.htm

Anna Kathryn Lanier

Romancing The West with Jacquie Rogers: Anna Kathryn Lanier: Frontier Medicine

Romancing The West with Jacquie Rogers: Anna Kathryn Lanier: Frontier Medicine: "by Anna Kathryn Lanier Copyright

Join me at Jacqui's blog for a discussion on Frontier Medicine. One commenter will will win a copy of my novella "Salvation Bride."

July 27, 2011

Wednesday's Chow - Land of Enchantment Salsa

The Priceless Gift by Anna Kathryn Lanier

Excerpt:

Gavin Holloway was a leg man and the legs standing beside the information desk had more than his attention on alert. A short skirt showed off nearly all of her sexy, lightly tanned legs and molded the cutest ass he’d seen in quite a while…not since he’d been with Lynn on that cruise in June.

He adjusted the Stetson on his head and stepped further into the small municipal airport waiting room. He was fifteen minutes late and hoped Jacob’s sister didn’t mind the delay.

Michael Martin Murphey sang Two Step 'Round The Christmas Tree through the overhead speakers as Gavin scanned the waiting area decorated with holiday greenery. The other six occupants were either male or too old to be the woman he’d been sent to pick up. His eyes landed on the long-legged blonde. She had to be Christina Scott.

His boots pounded out a tattoo as he crossed the concrete floor. The attendant behind the information desk turned his way, an appreciative look in her eyes. Gavin tipped his hat but turned his attention to the blonde. The familiar scent of lilac swirled around him. He closed his eyes briefly and thought of Lynn. Shaking his head, he pushed away the memories and concentrated on the present.

“Christina Scott?” he asked a moment later.

She turned and his back stiffened. It couldn’t be.

“Lynn?”

Hazel eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, my God. Paul?”

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged—tight. He wrapped his around her waist and held her
close, the feel of her body against his awaking memories he’d relived many a night in the past six months.

Her lips brushed his neck, then she pulled back to look into his face. “What on earth are you doing here?”

*****

When I wrote this story, I left out a bit of the Christmas atmosphere. I believe my editor wanted me to add a carol playing in the background. But, it’s a western, so I went looking for something ‘westerny’ and found Michael Martin Murphey’s song and added it to the story.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Denise gave me a cookbook, THE ALL AMERICAN COWBOY COOKBOOK: HOME COOKING ON THE RANGE, which I’m really trying to decide if I’m going to keep or give away as a prize some day. In the meantime, I’m scouring it for interesting recipes. And guess what? It has a recipe in it by Michael Martin Murphey, the above named singer.  Sok, yeah, I had to put in the excerpt and hook ya'll into the story, then post Michael's recipe.  See below the recipe for a chance to win a copy of THE PRICELESS GIFT.

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT SALSA
Michael Martin Murphey, singer/songwriter

Ingredients:

2 onions, chopped
5 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 16-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 10-oz can chopped hot green chilies or
10 large fresh chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Sauté onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add tomatoes and chilies and simmer until thick. Add cumin and salt to taste. Cool and serve. Freezes well. Makes approximately 6 cups.

CONTSEST: I’ll give away a copy of THE PRICELESS GIFT (ebook) to those who leave a comment, and include telling  what the “Land of Enchantment” is. I know this without looking it up, cause I used to live there (hint). I’ll draw for the winner on Friday.

July 25, 2011

Romancing The West with Jacquie Rogers: Anna Kathryn Lanier: Salvation Bride

Romancing The West with Jacquie Rogers: Anna Kathryn Lanier: Salvation Bride: "This week Romancing The West features Anna Kathryn Lanier , author of Salvation Bride , a story featuring a heroine who is a doctor in post-..."

Why Does an Author Need an Agent?

by Jennifer Etherton

It doesn’t take long for an author to realize that to make it to the highest levels of the literary industry that he or she needs help. The question is where to find the help you need and how much will it cost you in the end. For the most serious of author, this help comes in the form of a literary agent. If the thought of seeking out an agent seems like a waste of time and money or a hurdle that you can’t overcome, it is important to remember that we aren’t as scary as we may appear. It is also vital to realize that an agent is a required member of your team if you want to reach your highest potential.

Everyone has heard of agents and there has even been a few movies portraying the profession in almost every light imaginable, but the truth can be just as fascinating as the fiction. Agents are a support system and a new connection to the industry. It is your agent’s job to use all of his or her connections and experience to see that your career soars as high as possible and you make the most money you can from every sale. While nothing is fool proof, the agented author stands a better chance avoiding scams, being accepted or considered at the most prominent houses in the world, and reaching their fullest potential.

In reality, a large majority of the most highly recognized names in the business will not even consider an author unless he or she has an agent. Why is this a harsh reality? The answer is quite simple; an agent does most of the work for the editor. If your manuscript goes through an agent, this means that you and your work has already been prescreened as being marketable. The editor is also more confident that your work will fit the style of novel that the publisher is seeking. All of this takes time, so the editor would rather another professional wade through all of the unworthy pieces to bring him or her the diamonds.

Agents even go one-step further than that when it comes to shopping out their authors’ works. The agent is there to ensure that you’re shown in the best light possible. This means that your entire package looks like it is worth a million bucks. Agents write proposals, queries, and bios on a daily basis and we know what an editor wants to see. We help our authors by making sure they are irresistible to the editors. All of these pieces combine together to bring an author the highest paycheck possible.

While it is true, there are no guarantees in the entertainment industry and even with an agent you will experience rejection, your agent is still one of the most important members of your team. He or she will stand by you through thick and thin, will encourage you to be the best, and will make sure that your work is sold to the best house possible. In return, all the author needs to do is give their agent the best manuscripts they can produce and trust that their agent will never lead them astray.

There is one thing that the movies won’t show you when it comes to the portrayal of the agent; they don't show how hard we work to make the process look easy. The author/agent relationship is a team effort, a marriage of talent and business; when a relationship reaches this level it results in an unstoppable force ready to take the publishing world by storm.

Jennifer Etherton, Agent
Jennifer Etherton Literary Services
http://www.jeliteraryservices.wordpress.com/

July 23, 2011

Saturday's Salacious Suggestions

BLOOD HUNTER-THE RETURN
By Robin Badillo


Raven Prince, a vampire, and Thorne Abbott, her human lover, have endured secrets, lies and even murder. The only task remaining is for Thorne to become a vampire as well. Eternity never looked so good.


***

Haunted by the shame of deserting his first true love, Jason Craft, became a hunter of his own kind. Brought together on a mission of revenge, he found sanctuary in the arms of Jazmine Fabré and together they uncovered a startling truth.

***

Jason, now an enemy of the Vampire Lord for whom he’d been employed, sets out to save the coven he’s been commissioned to eradicate, which leads straight to the woman he left behind thirty years before, Raven Prince.

Will fate lead them to where they were meant to be? Or will evil forces destroy them all?

Sometimes the only way to get something right is to go back to where it all went wrong.

Excerpt:

Her stomach fluttered, hearing the sound of his car engine rev as he pulled up the long drive to their family’s estate. He was home.

Raven dabbed a bit of tuberose scented perfume on her neck, then dipped down between her breasts and made a quick swipe across her wrists, hitting all the pulse points as though she were still human. Some habits were hard to break.

She glanced down and smiled as the sheer fabric skimmed across her breast, prompting her nipples to ball into tight, sensitive buds. Thorne’s warm tongue lapping at her hardened peaks would have them softened and wet in no time.

“Raven,” Thorne called out as he neared their bedroom door.

Raven bit back a giggle, dove onto the bed and stretched across it on her side, making sure she bent one knee ever so slightly to force her rounded hip to rise up from the indention of her narrow waist. The negligée clung tightly to her shapely form and the split up the side revealed enough flesh to get a rise out of him the instant he walked through the door. What little skin the slit didn’t show off, the sheer fabric would surely expose.

“Raven? Why aren’t you downstairs?” Thorne froze, wide eyed, as he rounded the corner of the entryway leading into the bedroom of their private suite.

Raven ran her tongue over her lips and eyed him up and down. “Would you prefer I be down there with the entire family, or up here waiting for you?”

His heart pounded so loud she heard it from across the room. “Well that depends,” he said as he inched toward her.

“On?”

“On whether or not you want me to take that off of you.”

Raven rose up on her elbow and glided her fingers up her thigh. “Oh, this better come off.” She giggled.

He came to her and stood next to the bed. “What’s gotten into you?” The left side of his lip curled as his hooded gaze took her in.

“You, if you hurry.”

Visit me on the Web:
http://www.robinbadillo.com/
http://www.robinbadillo.blogspot/

add me as a friend on Facebook or Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/robin.badillo
https://twitter.com/#!/Robin_Badillo

July 20, 2011

Wednesday's Chow - Whole Wheat Quick Bread

When on the trail west, women had limited time to cook meals, so a quick-cooking bread was good to do. Here’s one from Better Homes and Gardens® Heritage Cook Book…a book my mom found recently at an estate sale.

Whole Wheat Quick Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1¾ cup buttermilk
¼ cup honey
¼ cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins

Directions:

In mixing bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, combine beaten egg, buttermilk, honey6 and butter. Add to dry ingredients; stir just till moistened. Fold in walnuts and raisins. Turn into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° oven till done, 55-60 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on rack. Makes one loaf.

PIONEERING WOMEN OF THE WEST WORKSHOP:

Join me August 1-31 at the Hearts Through History Campus for a month-long workshop on Pioneering Women of the West.


You'll learn about the western movement, the treacherous journey hundreds of thousands people took and of the lives of specific women who helped shape the West, intentionally or not. Some women went looking for a better life; others followed their man into the wilderness. There will be three lectures a week, with time for questions and answers and additional research on the participants' part.

Learn more HERE.

July 19, 2011

Seduced By History: Dr. Susan Anderson

Seduced By History: Dr. Susan Anderson: "By Anna Kathryn Lanier The genre I have fallen into as far my writing goes is American Western. Though most of my stories are contemporar..."

July 18, 2011

Do You Believe in Creatures Of The Night?


DO YOU BELIEVE IN CREATURES OF THE NIGHT?

By Faith V. Smith  

The romance industry in the last decade has embraced heroes and heroines who are not mortal. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, immortals, faery creatures, and more have found homes inside romance novels.

Today, I want to talk about some of those characters. I’d like to introduce you to Darach MacRath, a Highlander who gets a second chance at life as an immortal demon executioner. We will also explore the life of Kira Jackson, a vampire, whose family has a long history of being government protectors.

If we can put aside our disbelief of what could only be term our overworked imaginations, then we can explore the possibility that there are creatures in this world that are very different than we are.  Frightening isn’t it?

Yet, I believe we strive as authors to combine the scary aspects with romance for a hoped for can’t stop turning the pages read.

So, let’s see if I can woo you with a dark-haired, dark-eyed immortal with a brogue that will melt your heath and a sword that can instill terror in the slightest of demons. 

IMMORTAL JUSTICE  

Over a millennium ago, Highlander Darach MacRath was murdered. Resurrected by the Archangel Michael to fight demons as an Immortal Executioner, Darach now opposes all evil in the mortal world. His life is solitary—but when he rescues a young woman who not only sees demons but battles them herself, he is captivated by her courage and beauty. Abigail Dupree is not looking for love. But when a tall, dark demon fighter with a sexy brogue intervenes in her hunt, she’s fascinated. She should run away—but then his gentle yet sizzling touch ensnares her heart. When a demon from Darach’s past sets his sights on Abby, Darach will do anything to protect her—but for Abby, losing him would be worse than death. Together they must fight the demons of past and present, and the possibility that evil could destroy them both, before they find the gift of love.

Excerpt

“Ye willna be needing a weapon, I will protect ye.”

His statement irritated Abby, but at the same time a part of her was just a tiny bit thrilled. It seemed immortal or not, a man always had the attitude of protecting the little woman—whether they needed it or not. Of course to be fair, he had saved her butt from the demon, but he needed to know she wasn’t some frightened babe in the woods.

“I beg to differ. If I’d had a knife I could have done some serious damage, and besides, you can’t protect me twenty-four-seven, Darach.”

“Ye will be protected at all times, Abby.”

“You’re missing the point. Maybe I don’t need a keeper. I have managed to take care of myself for over…” Abby decided he didn’t really have to know she was over thirty.
And what about when you’re asleep? You do sleep don’t you?”

Darach frowned, but answered, “Aye, I do sleep, but ’tis usually during the daylight hours. However now I will be sleeping at night in your bed with ye.”
****
Okay, now that you’ve had a look at Darach, let’s explore the possibility of a Vampire Government Protector. Kira Jackson is not just a meek miss, she’s hell on wheels.

PRESIDENTIAL HEAT

Kira Jackson, former Marine and vampire, is close to achieving her goal of becoming a Government Vampire Protector—or she will be if President Gareth Hayes drops his attitude toward women agents. It's a good thing he has no clue what he does to her body. Her physical attraction to the sexy widower is just the enamel off her fangs when Kira discovers Gareth could be her soul mate for eternity.
Gareth is forced to have a protective agent after terrorists target him. But no way will he allow the sexy Agent Jackson to fill that position. However, he changes his mind when White House security is breached. Now Kira is ordering him around, and when Air Force One goes down, she proves she's more than capable of doing her job. But what is he going to do about his growing fascination with her?
Circumstances and the media toss Kira and Gareth into a shady limelight and into matrimony to save their reputations. Kira's secret comes out and both he and Kira must decide if love will be enough to overcome “death do us part” with a vampire.

Excerpt

The heat stinging her cheeks was nothing compared to the liquid fire singeing her feminine core. The man had no idea what he could be getting into.
“I’ll do that.” She reached out to grasp the doorknob and felt a set of strong but gentle hands at her waist. She resisted the urge to turn back and look at the one man who made her heart beat like a time bomb.

“Just one more thing.”

To not look this time would be rude. After all, he wasn’t just Gareth the man, but the head of her country.

“Yes?”

“I’ve never felt this strongly about any other woman before, and I don’t understand the irresistible attraction I feel toward you. Right now I have an uncontrollable urge to kiss you, but I don’t think it would be ethical.”

“Well, then I’ll kiss you.”
Kira leaned in and lightly caressed his bottom lip with her tongue. Gareth pulled her to him, and his lips slid onto hers in a movement so smooth butter would be envious. Her body heated as he took his time exploring the outer rims of her lips before seeking the inside of her mouth. His tongue teased hers and sent a fresh flood of liquid to her sex. Kira’s eyes closed as she gave herself up to the seductive inferno of their kiss.

Never before had she experienced anything like this. Despite her virginal status, she’d enjoyed her share of kisses and some foreplay, but had never felt anything the magnitude of this.

He deepened the kiss, and Kira’s vision went red under her closed lids. She heard the rush of blood through Gareth’s veins—something that shouldn’t be happening. Why now? Why him? She should not be wanting to latch on to his neck and suck for dear life.

She’d tanked up on her injection a few days before and shouldn’t be feeling the hunger.
Yet bloodlust coursed through her body, heart, and soul.

“God above, the woman ignites my blood like a firecracker on the Fourth of July.”

Kira shook her head. Had Gareth spoken out loud? Impossible, his tongue was still deep inside her mouth. So why had she heard his words? A bolt of disbelief forged a river of chill up her spine. The only way she could have heard his thoughts was if he were her mate. A fated mate—something she really never believed she would have. But oh my heavens, he was the president of the United States.

****
So I ask you again, “Do You Believe In Creatures Of The Night?”

I love hearing from readers. You can find me on facebook, twitter, www.faithvsmith.com and www.faithvsmith.blogspot.com.


Faith

July 16, 2011

Saturday's Salacious Suggestions

LOVE'S SWEET WAGER
by Jannine Corti-Petska



She escapes a life of uncertainty…

After her gambler father is murdered over a card game, Rachel Garrett joins a wagon train West to be with her aunt and the fiancé she's never met. All she wants is to forget her life of performing on stage to earn the money her father gambled away and to settle down in one place. But along the trail she is helplessly drawn to a priest—forbidden fruit—and her faith is shattered.


He's running from a murder he did not commit…

With his life at stake, successful gambler Reno Hunter joins a wagon train West disguised as a priest. He is shocked to find aboard the woman he won when her father wagered her in that fateful card game, the same man Reno is accused of killing. Can he protect his identity as long as she doesn't know who he is, or will he give in to his desire for the woman and risk being apprehended by the law? 

Buy it now: Barnes and Noble, The Wild Rose Press, Amazon paperback

Visit Jannine at her website.

July 14, 2011

New Me - Update

Well, not much of an update to give. I haven't lost any additional weight, boo hoo. Zumba was off for a week between sessions, so didn't do any exercising last week. Yes, I know, there's other ways to exercise, but I didn't do them.  We're back on tract this week.

Today, I bought a heart monitor. It's a step monitor as well, but I really got it to monitor my heart when I'm doing Zumba.  I have a fast heart beat as it is, and do take meds to slow it down, so I was curious to know what it did when I was jumping around in class....not too bad, actually.  But I did want to pass on some stuff that is in the little booklet that came with the monitor.  They are little gems of wisdom.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." ~ Henry David Thoreau

"According to the National Institute of Health, the normal adult resting heart rate falls between 60 to 100 beats per minute, but well-trained athletes fall at the low end of that range and sometimes 10-20 beats lower." [the older you are, the slower your heart rate should be).

"There are 1,440 minutes in every day -- schedule 30 of them for physical activity." ~ Center for Disease Control and Prevention

The benefits of physical activity:
  • Improves your over all health
  • Reduces stress, anxiety and depression
  • Increases your energy
  • Helps you sleep better
  • Tones muscles
  • Improves flexibility
  • Improves cholesterol levels
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Reduces pain of arthritis
  • Contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints
  • Helps with weight loss, controlling your appetite and controlling your weight.
Physical activity reduces the risk of:
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Cancer
  • Falls by older adults
  • Premature death
"It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy." ~ Dr. Howard Murphy

"Ability is what you're capable of doing.  Motivation determines what you do.  Attitude determines how well you do it." ~ Lou Holtz

My goal for this week is to get back to the healthy eating, after Friday's Fish Fry...lol.  But I do need to get back to the 1,200 calorie diet (more calories per day if I exercise daily...another reason to exercise, more food!  LOL.  Yes, yes, healthy food.).

Do you have a healthy goal for the week?

Anna Kathryn

July 13, 2011

Wednesday's Chow - Boston Baked Beans

In case you’ve missed my many announcements, next month I’m presenting a workshop at Hearts Through History’s Campus on Pioneering Women of the West. In honor of that, I looked for something that the women on a wagon trail would have cooked and came across a recipe for Boston Baked Beans. Beans were a staple to the families traveling west. This recipe comes from FARM JOURNAL’S COOKING AND ENTERTAINING IN AMERICA. The book says this about baked beans:

The Puritans arrived in Boston ten years after the Pilgrims and landed in Boston. The Puritan Sabbath started at sundown on Saturday and continued until sundown on Sunday. Though they could eat, Puritans were forbidden to work, including cooking, on the Sabbath. So, “On Saturday morning they put big pots of beans in their ovens to bake all day. These supplied hot beans for Saturday’s evening meal, some still warm for Sunday breakfast, and for another meal, sometimes cold, after church on Sunday.”

It continues, “Although the strict observance of the Sabbath died out in the 19th century, the custom of having Boston Baked Beans for Saturday’s evening meal and the leftovers for breakfast on Sunday was firmly established that it continued and still does in some New England homes.”

The Farm Journal cookbook claims, recipes vary from home to home, but they must contain salt pork and molasses or a combination of molasses and brown sugar or maple sugar. And they must cook for a long time to develop the flavor and rich brown sauce. Baked beans, Boston or otherwise, would have been cooked when the wagon train laid over a day or two, giving the women a chance to let the beans cook for a while, and they would have eaten them for the next day or two.

Boston Baked Beans


Ingredients:

2 cups dry navy beans
6 cups cold water
1 tsp salt
¼ pound salt pork
1 medium onion (optional)
2 tsp dry mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup molasses

Directions:

Wash beans. Combine beans and cold water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour (or soak overnight).

Add salt; simmer about 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving 1¾ cup bean liquid. Add water if necessary; set aside.

Cut a slice from the salt pork and put it in bottom of bean pot or Dutch oven. Add beans. Place onion in center of beans.

Mix mustard, sugar, and molasses into reserved bean liquid; pour over beans.

Cut 3 gashes in remaining salt pork; place on beans, rind side up.

Cover and bake in 300° oven 5 to 7 hours, adding more water as needed. Remove cover from bean pot the last 30 minutes of baking so pork rind will brown and become crisp. Makes 6 servings.

There's still time to enter a free workshop registration for PIONEERING WOMEN OF THE WEST.  Just send me an email at annakathrynlanier@gmail.com with Workshop Contest in the subject line. I'm drawing for a winner on July 16th.

Anna Kathryn

July 11, 2011

Don't Be Labeled a "Same-O/Same-O" Writer

By Julie Auna

As an author, I never want to be labeled a same-o, same-o writer. I don't want to be that someone who pens the same old story in different clothing. Stories should be fresh, not picked over stories. Maybe not being an avid reader anymore, because of the time element, I'm not being influenced by someone else's work. However, I have read a ton of good books and wished I had some of the author's talent.
I don't fool myself into thinking I'm a great author or even a really really good writer. When I write I usually have a certain audience in mind and I try to put myself in that audience and I want to identify with their wants, with their likes and dislikes. This takes time and energy. I marvel at the talent other writers possess and wonder if they struggle to fulfill their readers needs and wants as much as I do.
I like giving my leading characters a distinct character that the readers will never forget. i want a rader to identify with them and either loce them or loat them or develop a sympathy for them, a oneness, or even fall in love with the character. I work hard to maintain a character's personlity from the story's beginning to the end, unless he or she is mental.
The first page has to reach out and grab the reader's interest. Some call it a hook but either way you write it, make sure it grabs your interest first if you aren't satisfied the reader won't be either. Rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite. It's a broken record and I hate it as much as you do.
The blurb, it's a winner take all or a loser, there's no in-between.
In my first published book in my Sisters-Six series, a soft mystery, I allowed my Sisters-Six and One to Grow On to build into a perplexing dilemma with six foxy, retired sisters, with a diverse interest to ride a whirlwind of calamity and adventure. I added a pinch of hysteria, tempered with laughter and tears.
My second book is completely different. The Rat's Tail Series is a compelling drama surrounding Elizabeth Doursea, tweleve years old and born with a birth defect, which lives with her paternal grandfather, Raymond Doursea. The small farm is at the base of Grippers Mountain in Oklahoma. Lizzy's father, Leroy Doursea is serving time in McNanna Penitentiary. Lizzy's resolve is tested to the brink upon hearing her father is being released early for good behavior.
The early release opens a Pandora's Box of hidden elicit sins of the family she loves.

July 9, 2011

Saturday's Salacious Suggestions

MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS
by Kimberly Ivey


Armand Giancarlo, former romance novel cover model turned erotic author writes under the nom de plume, Raven Midnight. Uninspired by his current work in progress and with less than six weeks to finish on deadline, Armand reserves a suite at a secluded sea side in thousands of miles away from his bustling LA mansion. He hopes the island serenity will help him regain focus on the book project he's fast losing interest in. There he meets the beautiful, yet reclusive proprietor--Mira Reece--a major distraction.



The jaded-for-love Mira Reece believed she was immune to the charms of men until the mysterious boarder who calls himself Mr. Jones (Giancarlo) arrives. After a bit of sleuthing, she discovers he's a former romance novel cover model, and now an erotic romance author. Years of self-imposed celibacy, combined with the lonliness of running the Inn drives Mira into the arms of the sexy as sin Giancarlo.


Too bad neither of them are looking for love. Or are they?
 
Buy it now at Amazon.

July 6, 2011

Wednesday's Chow - Buttermilk Pie

I've had this recipe for over 20 years, but I lost it at one point for sevral. I forget where I found it again, stuck in some book somewhere. It's a family favorite.  Use two regular pie crusts for two pies and a deep-dish crust for just one pie.

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk, divided
3 rounded tbsp. flour
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups sugar
½ cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Dash of nutmeg

1 9-inch deep dish pie crust or 2 regular pie crusts

Directions: 

Preheat oven 350°.  Blend flour with ½ cup buttermilk.  Set aside. 

Mix eggs, sugar and melted butter. Blend well.  Add remaining ½ cup of buttermilk and vanilla. Add dash of nutmeg.  Blend mixture with flour mixture.  Pour into pie shell(s). 

Bake one hour or until knife comes out clean.

July 2, 2011

Saturday's Salacious Suggestions

SOMETIMES, THERE REALLY ARE
MONSTERS UNDER THE BED

by Will Graham



In 1996, SSA Michael O'Leary of the FBI's Child Abduction and Serial Killer Unit (CASKU) investigated the abduction of Amelia Reardon, the five year old daughter of textile heiress Annabelle Sinclair Reardon. Annabelle was attacked by the kidnapper, brutalized, and left for dead. Michael found Amelia, but what happened after that horrific discovery sent him into a spiraling depression, resulting in his resignation.


Annabelle Reardon survives her attack, coming out of it to learn she possesses a very slight psychic ability, a talent causing more awkwardness and embarrassment than any concrete benefit. Using her considerable personal resources, she founds the National Center Victims Advocacy Group (NCVAG), an organization dedicated to assisting and supporting the victims of violent crimes. One of her first actions is persuading Michael to come into the fold and use his training and skills.


December 23, 1999. When a member of a local boys' choir performing at a shopping mall brushes against her, Annabelle has a vision of an actual vampire; swirling cloak, bloody fangs, emanating an aura of menace that staggers her. The 'vision' induces such terror in her Annabelle is compelled to look into the matter, dragging a reluctant Michael with her.


Using the resources available to them through the NCVAG, Michael and Annabelle begin an investigation on Christmas Eve that takes them from Washington, D.C. to the beauty of the Virginia countryside, a compassionate doctor, a private institute, and a confrontation with genuine evil on the most special of days, Christmas Morning.

Buy it now at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Visit Will at his blog, http://www.wmsimon.blogspot.com/.

July 1, 2011

Amazon Bookstore - help buy books for underprivileged kids

Hey, do you buy through a bookstore at Amazon? If so, skip this post. But if you don't, please look into buying your items through St. Alban's Bookstore. What is a bookstore? Well, they have some books listed on their sight (religious), but once you click on their link to Amazon and as long as you don't leave Amazon, you'll be in their "Store" and can buy anything you want.

So, why am I asking you to go to a church's booskstore? Because St. Alban's in Austin, Texas uses any money raised via the store to buy books for 1st and 2nd graders at a low income school, where the church members mentor. This is NOT my church, I live in Houston, so, not encouraging this to help out my church, but rather the kids who were all given 12 free books for summer reading last month. Thanks!

Click HERE to go to St. Alban's Bookstore.
Anna Kathryn