Someone to Hold Your Coat by Liz Flaherty

John Steinbeck wrote a book called The Winter of Our Discontent. In all honesty, I don't think I read it. Steinbeck's writing voice depressed me. I put him and Hemingway and a few others all onto one library shelf of the mind I never approached--it's probably very dusty. Because, although I have always been an avid reader, I have always read purely for entertainment. I am a lightweight. 

But I'm digressing already. Didn't take me long, did it? I brought up the title of Steinbeck's book because that's where I am. Quite seriously, I thought I'd left this kind of angst behind in my teenage years, way, WAY back in the last century. 

I don't want to overdo politics here, other than to say they are the reason I'm where I am. I have never particularly feared being old or even dying--well, being dead; dying might not be fun--and yet now I'm resentful of the next four years of my life being taken up with feeling like I do now. 

Silenced. 

But last night, we had a writers' group meeting. The Black Dog Writers have been around for five years or so, maybe a little more. We meet on the third Tuesday of each month. We share things we've written, indulge in a little cathartic conversation--or a lot--and ... we care about each other. We encourage, we worry, we offer rides, we laugh a bunch. 

We hear each other's voices. Not just what we're saying, but the nuances that slip in between the beginnings and the ends of sentences. 

What several of us read last night had pain splintering between the lines. We had wet eyes sometimes, grieving with one, high-fiving others on stories well told, getting lost in poetry--read that stanza again!

What I read was strictly a free-writing stream of angry consciousness begun at 2:26 PM for a 5:00 meeting. It was inspired by a picture of a house Valerie shared. I read it to my husband and while he liked it okay, I think he worried about me offending people in the group.

My sister used to say that if the guys in her nine-student graduating class had decided they were going to rob a bank, she and the other girls would have held their coats. 

None of us robbed any banks last night, but our friends did indeed hold our coats. I am so grateful.

All of our meetings aren't exercises in catharsis. Sometimes our writing isn't what we wish it was. We don't all always have something to say. But sometimes, it's a couple of hours of gold. Especially when we need that gold. When we are worried ... or silenced ... or unable to find hope in our sad places. 

I hope it gets better for those of us in the same place of discontent. I hope we don't give up, that we don't remain silent, that we remember we have stories to tell and people to care about.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Wishing you happy.

Great Pumpkin Horde Smashed Into Pumpkin Pie by Joan Reeves

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

Pumpkin season kicked off in October with Halloween, but never fear. It's not over yet.

The great pumpkin horde rises then get smashed into Pumpkin Pie, Pumkin Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin—well, you get the picture.

As if all the pumpkin desserts weren't enough, there's Pumpkin Latte, Pumpkin Eggnog, and, I fear, so much more.

Love all those orange beverages and desserts? Unfortunately, I don't. I've never been a fan of the pie made from this giant orange gourd.

 To be honest, I don't know if it's the pumpkin or the overload of spices because I do like pumpkin bread when I make it in my kitchen.

WHO DISCOVERED THOSE BIG ORANGE GOURDS?

I was surprised to discover pumpkins were first cultivated in Central America around 5,500 B.C.. When Europeans arrived in the New World, pumpkins were one of the first foods they brought back to Europe.

In Europe they were first mentioned in 1536. Within a couple of decades they were grown regularly in England. The British called them pumpions which came from pompon which was what the French called them because of their round shape.

Photo by cottonbro studio
Is it the brownish color that deters me?

The English were already well-versed in pie making so it's no surprise that they started using pumpions for pie filling.

BACK TO AMERICA

When the Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower in 1620,  some of them probably were familiar with pumpkins just as the Wampanoag tribe who helped them survive that first year were. 

The next year, the 50 surviving colonists were joined by about 90 Wampanoag for a 3-day harvest celebration—what we claim as the very first Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin was probably served in some form because this useful vegetable can be used in many ways.

Add it to flour, thus decreasing the amount of flour needed, and make bread. Roast it and season with salt, pepper, and some kind of fat and serve it as a vegetable.

Cook it and season with something sweet and spices for—Pumpkin Pie!

By 1654, Edward Johnson, a Massachusetts ship captain, wrote that New England had prospered and  people could now make apple, pear, and quince tarts rather than their former Pumpkin Pies.

By 1705, Pumpkin Pie was firmly established as the pie to serve at Thanksgiving, an established New England holiday.

Photo by Diliara Garifullina

After the Civil War, the popularity of Pumpkin Pie spread beyond New England. In the South, I imagine they made Sweet Potato Pie before pumpkin was popular.

To me, Sweet Potato Pie tastes the same as Pumpkin Pie, perhaps because the same spices are used in each pie.

TO PUMPKIN OR NOT TO PUMPKIN?

I think the brownish color is what makes Pumpkin Pie look unappetizing to me. I might try a fancy crust with pastry cutout leaves like this photo shows. Pretty isn't it? 

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe? Leave a comment and tell us all about it.

BEST WISHES FROM ME TO YOU

I wish you the happiest Thanksgiving with family and friends and lots of delicious food. Make some wonderful memories!

JOAN IS HIDING AT ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS

SlingWords, Joan's Blog — Joan's Website

Amazon Author Page — Audible Author Page — BookBub Author Page

Facebook — LinkedIn

Romance Gems Where Authors & Readers Meet

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NEW AUDIO RELEASE!

By Caroline Clemmons

More wonderful things are happening for the Pinkerton Matchmaker Series books. This series is tremendously popular. Barr26 Publishing has acquired the rights and given them new covers and listed them at numerous retailers.

The books I wrote for this series are among my favorites. Each took considerable research, but I loved writing them. I hope you won’t think I’m vain when I confess I’m pleased with the resulting stories.

The latest thing is, they are being narrated for audio, mine by by narrator Chris Kemsworth. I’m so pleased with my three, although the third is still in production. The two of mine that are now available in audio are AN AGENT FOR MAGDALA and AN AGENT FOR LYDIA.

According to the publisher’s spokesperson, it takes from 10-14 business days for the audio version that was uploaded on November 5^th to appear on various retailers. Currently, the audio version is available at Barnes and Noble. If you enjoy listening to a talented narrator read an exciting historical western romance, please give these two audio books a try. I believe you’ll enjoy listening to them as much as I did.

 

 

She craves adventure, but this may be too much…

His job means the world to him…

Capturing jewel thieves will test them…

 

Magdala leaps at the opportunity to become a Pinkerton agent. Learning the position requires a paper marriage shocks but doesn’t deter her. Maggie plans to get an annulment before her unusual family learns of the situation. She’s determined to prove she has the grit to be an excellent investigator. But, why does she have to be partnered with the one man who has been rude to her?

Douglas “Cloud” Ryan loves being a Pinkerton agent. Otherwise, he’d never go along with his boss’ crazy plan to marry him to a female agent. He’s certain women have no business dealing with criminals. After barely surviving the stagecoach trip from Denver to San Antonio Maggie needs to stay in the background and let him solve the case. He has reasons to distrust women, especially women like Maggie.

Can Maggie and Cloud catch the jewel thieves plaguing an historic San Antonio hotel without becoming victims? Will they take a chance on the love growing between them?

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-agent-for-magdala-caroline-clemmons/1132839154?ean=2940193348184

 

When Lydia Wood is left at the altar, she believes something beyond her groom’s control has happened. Two years with no word have hardened her heart. She has to get away from her parents’ constant urging her to choose an acceptable husband and wed. Becoming a Pinkerton agent suits her plans.

Pinkerton Agent Jake Hunter has recovered from injuries that put him in a coma and a long convalescence. He realizes Lydia would have been injured had she been with him. He vows to distance himself from the one person who means the world to him to protect her. 

When they are paired for an investigation of bank robbers they must follow the trail to a dangerous hang out of men on the run. Can the two successfully pull off their charade and capture the robbers or will this trip confirm Jake’s worst fears?

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-agent-for-lydia-caroline-clemmons/1144462164?ean=2940179333944 

Thanks for stopping by.

Kindness Still Matters by Bea Tifton

Kindness. It’s so important. So vital to our very existence. Some tiny kindness is like a butterfly fluttering its wings and causing a chain of events that lead to a hurricane. But in a good way. We hear “Pass it on,” but do we? In the isolation of social media and working  at home, entire days might pass without seeing another human being. Or those people become names on a screen and the comments section is open hunting season.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I remember a little boy in one of my classes when I taught fourth grade. He was not a hard worker. Not a mean bone in his body, but no gumption or sense of responsibility. I talked to his mother several times that year. She was a dear woman and tried her best to light a fire under her son. On Valentine’s Day, I saw him in the hall with a huge teddy bear. His mother had him give it to me when she saw me. He was very grumpy and upset. I thought he was just embarrassed. Then later when we were having the Valentine’s Day party he said, “I wanted everyone to see that I got the biggest present so they’d be impressed.” It wasn’t about being kind. It was just a status thing. Suddenly, I really didn’t like that bear.

Don’t do something kind just so everyone can see you. When we do something kind for someone, our body actually releases endorphins.

And we’ve made a person's or some furry being’s life a tiny bit better. People like to pay for the next person’s coffee or fast food order. That made my week once! But maybe go to a school and offer to pay off some child’s outstanding cafeteria bill. Or donate to an animal shelter. One of the big box stores (you know which one) has affordable little blankets on sale this time of year. The dog isn’t going to care if his comforting blanket has Christmas trees on it, I promise.

Open the door for someone. People don’t smile at each other in stores anymore. Make a concentrated effort to smile and say, “Good morning” to people.

You may think one person can’t make a difference. First of all, you know you are doing whatever you can to be a kind person. That’s important and it’s okay to feel good about that. And you never know. One day I saw a homeless lady. She apologized for being in my way (she wasn’t) and shuffled away. I took her hands and said, “Bless you. You are a child of God. You matter.” She began crying and sobbed, “No one has ever told me I matter.”

What if someone had told her years ago?

 

 

Photo Credits: Pexels.com
Debadutta "Close Up Photo of Monarch Butterfly on Top of Flower"
Gerardo Manzano "Woman Sitting on the Sidewalk Embracing a Big Teddy Bear"  
Dmitry Ovsyannikov "Touching the Nose of a Dog Lying in a Cage"
MART PRODUCTION "Homeless Elderly Woman Holding a Placard"
Jill Wellington "Silhouette Photo of Woman Against During Golden Hour"

TALE OF THE UNCOOPERATIVE BALLOT

 By Caroline Clemmons

Dear Readers, 

Because my husband, Hero, was scheduled for surgery on October 30th, we thought it advisable to vote early. So, on the 29th, we went to the sub-courthouse nearest us to cast our votes. A lot of others had the same idea and the polling place had a steady stream of people.

by Norman Rockwell

I checked in, showed my ID, and received a ballot. I chose one of the many voting machines and our youngest daughter chose the one beside me. I have "low vision" and was probably the slowest voter ever. When my daughter tried to help me, an election judge came immediately to investigate. After she'd observed that our daughter was not trying to usurp my rights, the judge observed a few moments and went her way to help someone else. 

Once I'd finished voting and my ballot printed my selections, I went to the machines which accept the ballots. Except, it wouldn't accept mine. A lovely woman behind the table leaned over to instruct me. Still didn't work. She came around the table wearing a smile, but her eyes said "You idiot." The ballot wouldn't go into the machine for her either. She tried a second time then confessed she didn't know what to do. She went to ask for help.

A couple of nights before, we had watched the cute comedy movie "Swing Vote." Our daughter and I looked at one another, said swing vote, and giggled. We amuse ourselves (but not many other people). 

The lovely lady returned with the woman in charge. She had a new ballot and a new ID number for me to use with the voting machine. After giving them to me, she asked me to use the same machine and vote again. She cautioned me to vote for the same candidates as I had the first time--as if I'd suddenly change my mind. Of course I voted for the same candidates, and went much faster this time. With trepidation, I approached the final step, submitting the ballot into the machine that records the vote. This time I was successful. Relieved, I took my "I voted" sticker and left.

Voting is important in any election, but we feel our vote is especially important in a national election. Since Hero is still in the hospital, I'm glad he was able to vote early. His pacemaker surgery went well, but he was so weak before the surgery that he is simply not strong enough to come home. He will probably have to go to rehab for a few days. We are on tenterhooks awaiting a definite decision and release date. Of course, Hero wants to come home now. He says he can't get any sleep in the hospital because someone is always poking him or checking on him.  I think that's a good thing, don't you? That's their job, but I know whenever a person is sick he wants to sleep at home in his own bed.

I hope if you haven't already voted early, that you will vote on November 5th, especially if you're voting for my candidates. <g> 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Halloween Spirit by Laura Hunsaker

With Halloween fast approaching I was thinking of reading a couple of Paranormal Romances to get in the Halloween spirit (not to be confused with Spirit Halloween lol). 

My favorite Paranormal Romances usually have a lot of action, or even a Romantic Suspense plot. So while I was scrolling my library, then Amazon, because my TBR is never ending, it got me thinking that I do have a preference in the sense that I don't really want bunny shifters, or hummingbird shifters. I don't know why I don't like that, but it's not my jam. I want vampires, werewolves, and depending on the world, other large predators. (And all of this is of course just my faves, not saying it's right or wrong or the only way. In fact I love both the Kate Daniels series and the Pride series by Shelly Laurentston which does have bunny shifters. I'm just generalizing). 

So when I came across this meme:

All I could think of was, um yes. Accurate. LOL I think this is why I want a monster romance. 

In my books. I want a monster hero in my books. In real life? Ehhhh...yeah I don't know if I could do that. I mean, thinking of the cryptids that are out there: Bigfoot? Skunk ape? Yeti? Chupacabra? Loch Ness Monster? I don't know.

But if werewolves and vampires were real, if well, Nessie and Bigfoot were real? I guess it would depend on the circumstances? Maybe? I'm not saying yes, but I'm not saying no... I mean, the Mummy? The one with Brendan Fraser? just saying, every single one of the those characters was beautiful, and that Mummy Imhotep was in love. His love transcended death. I mean, I'm not mad at that. 

So how about you? Are you a Paranormal Romance fan? Are you open to all? Or do you prefer the originals, vampires, witches, werewolves, etc?

And since I mentioned Spirit Halloween, I wanted to share this funny (fake-I snagged it from Instagram) costume that I feel we all can appreciate:

And if you want one of my Paranormal Romances, my vampires are $.99 right now ;)

Highlander Reborn (Amazon affil link)

The Broken Highlander (Amazon affil link)

Gifts of October by Liz Flaherty

My day to blog sneaked up on me without so much as a "pssst..." of warning, so I hope you'll forgive one from somewhere else in another year. The book it features is still a favorite and still available!

October is my favorite month of the year, except for when it's May. (I keep throwing that disclaimer in everywhere, because I'm fairly certain I'll be chirping about May in six or seven months.) I love the deepness of October's colors and the range of its sounds. Its scents and textures lend comfort to virtually every circumstance in which I may find myself. I embrace the fact that it's a forever parallel for living life (and writing books) in layers. Therefore creating textures. And depth. And range.

Speaking of depth...and range, I just read a blog post about mature love versus infatuation by Jenny Crusie. In the middle of it was this quote: "...they both know that their love can be beaten to airy thinness and will not break, it’ll become the air they breathe, always bringing them back to each other."

I read the quote and read it again and realized that was my gift for today. It touches and wraps gauze around long relationships, exposing not only their longevity but their frailty, too.

That's another thing I love about October, the fact that it showers us with such gifts. If you're a farmer, as many are where I live, you will spend days on end in fields, reaping the rewards of seeds sown in spring. The weariness will find its way to your very bones, and you'll spend the month with droopy eyes, but you will find satisfaction in the gifts of harvest. You'll be reminded of why you do what you do. At church this Sunday, as we exchanged joys and concerns, one of the farmers said, "The beans are in," and we all felt the depth of his joy. The range. 

It is salad time for me, not only because I know the holidays--and the obligatory annual five pounds--are coming soon, but because of all the tastes and smells that are around every sensory corner at this time of year. It's when my heart goes back to Keep Cold Orchard, in Nice to Come Home To, and I am reminded that setting is one of the most important characters in a book.

October seems to do that for me. It establishes my setting and gives me a kind of peace I don't always have. It leads me into November, the month of gratitude, and sets the table of blessings for the rest of the year.

This post is even more scattered than usual. Just pretend it's a jigsaw puzzle that will be something beautiful when it's put together. Another gift of October.