Even with butt in chair, one may not write. Email, surfing the web (see prior post) and OTHER STUFF can put a barricade between the writer and productivity. This is particularly true for doing things that are no fun at all, like a chapter by chapter outline.
It's done and I'm tweaking it. I found a detailed synopsis (totally forgotten) which I broke down into chapters, took out the quotes and filled in a little. Took one evening instead of all week. Working smarter not harder always pays off. I gave the chapters cool names that reflect the chapter topics. Put the pages on the doc, too. Whether this is actually what the agent wants, I haven't a clue.
And of course, looking at the outline I see at least one chapter where there's an awful lot of spa treatment talk and not much action, definitely a "woman's chaper." So perhaps I should take my red pen and cut a few hundred words. Oh Lordy, if I could come in under 97,000 words that would be so good. At one point the book was 120,000 and later 112,000 and now 97,400.
Made southern corn bread (recipe is 200 years old) tonight and I don't like the buttermilk mix as well as "real" buttermilk. No sugar added. Stone ground corn meal. Authentic.
I like authenticity. I didn't like all the stupid labels, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Coach on the stuff at Macy's esp. the really dumb Coach boots. The stores have too much stuff and it requires way too much effort to sort through all those racks. Give me a little boutique anyday. Winter white is back. It's a bitch to keep clean. Frump Grump.
Time to take down the Halloween decorations. S.O. put up the outside lights today. Very tasteful strands of Italian lights, nothing garish. We decorated our wreath last year and now of course I have to find the decorations. I did find an envelope labeled 37 Christmas stamps. Ooops! 37 cents. Now to write a cheerful upbeat Christmas letter, a thing I swore I would never do. Never say never.
Tomorrow is the first of December. Ye gods, in a few weeks Christmas will have come and gone. Better hustle.
Grapeshot
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Desenchantee
I dance around the kitchen to this song I first heard last fall over the Atlantic on Air France. I really get into the music. The cats are inured to such weird behavior and don't have an opinion, or they keep it to themselves. The guy blowing leaves across the street in the lumberjack coat with the red cap has no idea that not 40 feet behind him a woman is dancing through her kitchen, waving her arms and making up little steps to the music. What would he do if he turned around and looked into the window? Would he be as blase as the cats?
I found a) a translation of the lyrics and b) a video of the song. It was certainly gripping. Even scary. Sometimes surfing the web produces bizarre experiences. Where has your browser been lately?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFnpirLDzzQ
I found a) a translation of the lyrics and b) a video of the song. It was certainly gripping. Even scary. Sometimes surfing the web produces bizarre experiences. Where has your browser been lately?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFnpirLDzzQ
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
I find characters in the damndest places
I have a subscription to Wired, which I save to read "when I have time," which means the back issues are piling up like autumn leaves. This week, Wired sat on the kitchen table and I glanced at it as I ate my nutritionally incorrect lunch (cheddar and triscuits) yesterday. The letters to the editor had to do with something called "metabolic syndrome." Not sure what that is but the discussion went on about reduced calorie meals, exercise and diet pills and (perhaps) why they don't work.
The dirty truth: I was always slim to the point of looking slightly anorexic until I quit smoking, at which time I packed on the pounds, edging toward, but not quite plump. I dieted and exercised, hell I still diet and exercise, but a look at the women in my family will tell you that a) it's a hopeless battle and b) I look pretty good compared. . .
I love to cook and I love to eat. Used to be I'd race thru the meal to get to the nicotine reward, and now, well, you get the picture. Not fat enough for pills or even plus sizes but I ain't shopping in the size sixes anymore, either.
Now does this relate to finding a character? I've never liked nutritional nazis and find them sanctimious bores. Back to the letters to the editor of Wired. A nutritionist writes in. Visualize this, if you can. You are her new client. You have been pudgy all your life, and your siblings and parents are likewise. You've tried weight watchers, Dr. Atkins, Dr. This, Dr. That and are still packing 50 extra pounds. Your well-meaning Dr. pooh poohs pills and sends you to the letter writing nutrionist. This is what she said, verbatim:
"As a hardcord-exercising, strict-diet-following registered dietician, I am relieved to read a scientifically based theory on metabolic syndrome. The people I see who have been diagnosed with the five symptions all refuse to take full responsibility--all have horrible diets, and all are lazy. I will never believe in weight-loss drugs, regardless of what we dieticians are taught about the factors that contribute to obesity. The real problem is gluttony and sloth.
Travicek from Mesa, Arizona. " Wired, p. 39, 12/2006.
So wouldn't it be fun to be a client of Ms. Travicek, you gluttonous sloth? No 2%, no 1%, you only get skim, and non-fat cheese and non-fat half and half, never mind if the chemicals don't kill you, and egg beaters and lettuce and garbanzo beans (2 tablespoons, not three ) you gluttonous sloth! And get back on the treadmill for another 2 hours and then head for the weights! After that we jump rope. Then you can eat the rope. High in fiber, low in fat.
Sympathy? Reason? Logic? Compassion? Humor? "Nein, frau nutrionist, I only ate non-fat unflavored yogurt, yesterday."
Makes you want to eat a quarterpounderwithcheese and large fries just to thumb your nose at these people. But I won't. Writing well is the best revenge. Hmmmm. Literary characters turn up in the damnest places.
The dirty truth: I was always slim to the point of looking slightly anorexic until I quit smoking, at which time I packed on the pounds, edging toward, but not quite plump. I dieted and exercised, hell I still diet and exercise, but a look at the women in my family will tell you that a) it's a hopeless battle and b) I look pretty good compared. . .
I love to cook and I love to eat. Used to be I'd race thru the meal to get to the nicotine reward, and now, well, you get the picture. Not fat enough for pills or even plus sizes but I ain't shopping in the size sixes anymore, either.
Now does this relate to finding a character? I've never liked nutritional nazis and find them sanctimious bores. Back to the letters to the editor of Wired. A nutritionist writes in. Visualize this, if you can. You are her new client. You have been pudgy all your life, and your siblings and parents are likewise. You've tried weight watchers, Dr. Atkins, Dr. This, Dr. That and are still packing 50 extra pounds. Your well-meaning Dr. pooh poohs pills and sends you to the letter writing nutrionist. This is what she said, verbatim:
"As a hardcord-exercising, strict-diet-following registered dietician, I am relieved to read a scientifically based theory on metabolic syndrome. The people I see who have been diagnosed with the five symptions all refuse to take full responsibility--all have horrible diets, and all are lazy. I will never believe in weight-loss drugs, regardless of what we dieticians are taught about the factors that contribute to obesity. The real problem is gluttony and sloth.
Travicek from Mesa, Arizona. " Wired, p. 39, 12/2006.
So wouldn't it be fun to be a client of Ms. Travicek, you gluttonous sloth? No 2%, no 1%, you only get skim, and non-fat cheese and non-fat half and half, never mind if the chemicals don't kill you, and egg beaters and lettuce and garbanzo beans (2 tablespoons, not three ) you gluttonous sloth! And get back on the treadmill for another 2 hours and then head for the weights! After that we jump rope. Then you can eat the rope. High in fiber, low in fat.
Sympathy? Reason? Logic? Compassion? Humor? "Nein, frau nutrionist, I only ate non-fat unflavored yogurt, yesterday."
Makes you want to eat a quarterpounderwithcheese and large fries just to thumb your nose at these people. But I won't. Writing well is the best revenge. Hmmmm. Literary characters turn up in the damnest places.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Slough in Autumn After the Leaves
The Slough in late fall with deck railing in the foreground. We have frogs, turtles, the occasional otter, lots of birds, and a few deer who show up sporadically.
The dog next door barks her head off some evenings, leading me to think that other nocturnal critters may be about. I've seen rabbits, but there could be opossum, raccoons and skunks. Once I spotted a red fox.
Chipmunks and squirrels scavage for acorns and nuts. A cheeky chipmunk has moved into the pile of firewood on the front porch. Thisbe sniffs around the logs when she ventures out. Winter is icumen in. I hope the salamanders are underground.
In the garden, the parsley continues and the sage, now a bush, is stupendous. Creeping thyme still green and little springs of cilantro are still growing. I am curious as to how long the parsley will stay green and unfrozen.
The cats have put on winter speck, which they don't need. Cats and diets! Those big sad eyes. The pitiful meows. The outrage that the bottom of the dish is visible. Guess who's a soft touch? I should tell the cats to suck it up.
Grapeshot
Monday, November 27, 2006
Can't Get Off My Duff
Cooking up a storm, even cleaning the house. Garden chores done, Christmas shopping underway, all that good stuff, but the chapter by chapter outline remains, well, unfinished, nay unstarted.
I went through the book again, cutting 1500 words and adding a couple hundred new words. Just trying to get a handle on how this thing will work. Obviously not a I II III abc outline. That would take hundreds of pages. I started off with a scenes within a chapter outline and that promised to get out of hand as well. Now I'm back to a summary of each chapter with major plot points, along with who and where the scene takes place. Any big conflicts noted. Have to get going on this. Even "googled" the topic without useful results. So what the hell is a chapter by chapter outline?
This ain't fun. I like dusting better. Making pie crust a lot better. Cutting a few more words here and there is still better. Chris Roerden's Don't Murder Your Mystery is really teaching me stuff. Everytime I read a new chapter I cut more words. However, that isn't getting the outline done, although undoubtedly the book gets better with each deletion.
I do believe the answer is place butt on chair and get going. So many writing dilemnas are solved by placing butt on chair. Of course that means don't send email, don't blog, just do the outline. The agent just wants to see the arc of the plot. The plot has one. Doesn't it? Ye gods. It really does.
Plant butt on chair.
Grapeshot
I went through the book again, cutting 1500 words and adding a couple hundred new words. Just trying to get a handle on how this thing will work. Obviously not a I II III abc outline. That would take hundreds of pages. I started off with a scenes within a chapter outline and that promised to get out of hand as well. Now I'm back to a summary of each chapter with major plot points, along with who and where the scene takes place. Any big conflicts noted. Have to get going on this. Even "googled" the topic without useful results. So what the hell is a chapter by chapter outline?
This ain't fun. I like dusting better. Making pie crust a lot better. Cutting a few more words here and there is still better. Chris Roerden's Don't Murder Your Mystery is really teaching me stuff. Everytime I read a new chapter I cut more words. However, that isn't getting the outline done, although undoubtedly the book gets better with each deletion.
I do believe the answer is place butt on chair and get going. So many writing dilemnas are solved by placing butt on chair. Of course that means don't send email, don't blog, just do the outline. The agent just wants to see the arc of the plot. The plot has one. Doesn't it? Ye gods. It really does.
Plant butt on chair.
Grapeshot
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
You saw the photo. Now make the pie. It's really easy, lots of bang for the buck. Pecan pumpkin should join the great duets of flavor like apple cranberry and strawberry rhubarb. Oh dear! I am starting to salivate.
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Pate Brisee (Pie Crust)
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
1 USDA large egg yolk
4 oz. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces
5 Tablespoons ice water.
Place first four ingredients in bowl of your food processor. Turn machine on and off until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, pour ice water through feed tube. Stop Machine once dough is in a ball. Remove dough, press flat, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours minimum. Roll out dough on floured board and fit into a 9 inch pie plate.
The recipe comes form the Cuisinart food processor cookbook by Abby Mandel,
Glencoe Illinois 1976. You won’t believe how simple and foolproof this recipe is. It makes a (generous) bottom crust for a quiche or tart or one crust pie.
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
1 recipe Pate Brisse (above)
For pumpkin layer: In a small bowl whisk ingredients together until smooth.
¾ canned solid-pack pumpkin
2 T. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten lightly
2 T. sour cream
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. grated nutmeg
For Pecan Layer: In a small bowl, stir together all pecan mixture ingredients except pecans until combined well. Stir in pecans.
3/.4 cup light corn syrup
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
3 T.unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 t. vanilla
¼ t. freshly grated lemon zest
1 ½ t. lemon juice
¼ t. salt
1 1/3 cups pecans
Note T. = tablespoon; t. = teaspoon
Process:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread pumpkin mixture evenly in shell and spoon pecan mixture over it evenly.
Be careful not to disturb pumpkin layer.
Bake pie in upper third of oven 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. and
Bake pie 20 minutes more, or until filling is slightly puffed. Center will still tremble
slightly.
Transfer pie to a rack to cool. Pie may be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered loosely,
At room temperature or 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Reheat pie in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crust is crisp.
Serve pie warm or at room temperature.
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Pate Brisee (Pie Crust)
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
1 USDA large egg yolk
4 oz. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces
5 Tablespoons ice water.
Place first four ingredients in bowl of your food processor. Turn machine on and off until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, pour ice water through feed tube. Stop Machine once dough is in a ball. Remove dough, press flat, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours minimum. Roll out dough on floured board and fit into a 9 inch pie plate.
The recipe comes form the Cuisinart food processor cookbook by Abby Mandel,
Glencoe Illinois 1976. You won’t believe how simple and foolproof this recipe is. It makes a (generous) bottom crust for a quiche or tart or one crust pie.
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
1 recipe Pate Brisse (above)
For pumpkin layer: In a small bowl whisk ingredients together until smooth.
¾ canned solid-pack pumpkin
2 T. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten lightly
2 T. sour cream
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. grated nutmeg
For Pecan Layer: In a small bowl, stir together all pecan mixture ingredients except pecans until combined well. Stir in pecans.
3/.4 cup light corn syrup
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
3 T.unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 t. vanilla
¼ t. freshly grated lemon zest
1 ½ t. lemon juice
¼ t. salt
1 1/3 cups pecans
Note T. = tablespoon; t. = teaspoon
Process:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread pumpkin mixture evenly in shell and spoon pecan mixture over it evenly.
Be careful not to disturb pumpkin layer.
Bake pie in upper third of oven 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. and
Bake pie 20 minutes more, or until filling is slightly puffed. Center will still tremble
slightly.
Transfer pie to a rack to cool. Pie may be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered loosely,
At room temperature or 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Reheat pie in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crust is crisp.
Serve pie warm or at room temperature.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Bad Boys--Mean Girls
So why is the idea of a bad boy so much cooler than the idea of a mean girl? Inquiring minds (Grapeshot's) want to know. Doesn't the new 007 look like the badest, coolest boy on the block? Yum. Now mean girls are another matter. Who ever aspired to be a mean girl? And lordly, are mean girls ever mean. Kick you the out the door and spit on you. Then they really get mean. I have known some in my time and I know some now. You do not want to get on their "bad" side, believe me. Cross my heart I have never been one!
The New York Times Book Review last week (Nov. 19th) had a magazines devoted to rebels. I loved it. Allen Ginsbuerg, Tennesee Willimas, Courney Love, Hunter Thompson, Neal Cassady, and so on. Of course the girls were in the minority. Usually they're on the sidelines to write the groupy memoirs. Phooey on that.
Neal Cassady, Kerouac's model for Dean Moriarty, shares a candid photo with Timothy Lear7. The time is 1964. These guys look like the kind you want to party with, laughing, relaxed, literary and bad. The bad is only hearsay. They just looke like fun.
Bad boys are rebels and mean girls are. . . maybe envious of bad boys, could that be it, that boys have all the fun? I dunno. Bad boys and mean girls. Think about it. Let me know.
Wondering,
Grapeshot
The New York Times Book Review last week (Nov. 19th) had a magazines devoted to rebels. I loved it. Allen Ginsbuerg, Tennesee Willimas, Courney Love, Hunter Thompson, Neal Cassady, and so on. Of course the girls were in the minority. Usually they're on the sidelines to write the groupy memoirs. Phooey on that.
Neal Cassady, Kerouac's model for Dean Moriarty, shares a candid photo with Timothy Lear7. The time is 1964. These guys look like the kind you want to party with, laughing, relaxed, literary and bad. The bad is only hearsay. They just looke like fun.
Bad boys are rebels and mean girls are. . . maybe envious of bad boys, could that be it, that boys have all the fun? I dunno. Bad boys and mean girls. Think about it. Let me know.
Wondering,
Grapeshot
Friday, November 24, 2006
All I Want For Christmas. . .
Pages 2 and 3 of the NY Times always boggles my mind. The ads must be put out there to pull in the upper 1% of the top 1%. Read some stats this week that whereas the top 1% brings in somewhere around $970,000.00 per annum, the upper 1 % of that is well, billions. Per year. Can you imagine? Me neither.
Hence the ads for Chanel's ultra-light high-performance watch at a cool $6,100. No appeal? How about a nice Baume & Mercier ladiest diamant with diamonds for $2.995? No? Then maybe a Gucci handbag at $1,645. David Yurman has no prices on his ad, but you can bet their high. Cartier shows a snazzy watch for $2,800. Oh hell, wrap everythingup. Tiffany & Co. has a sterling silver heart charm for a mere $115.00. Trying to suck the plebs in, no doubt. Barneys has a winter sale. I actually have a sweater from Barneys bought about 20 years ago at another winter sale. Can't complain it didn't last. Macy's is pushing Santa and the puppet theatre. Lord and Taylor has fine jewelry on sale.
We strolled through downtown Wellesley today and everything is the shop windows was beyond tempting, but how much stuff can you buy and do you really need more kitchen stuff, clothes, sporting goods, electronic devices, jewlery? I realized the old Wellesley I knew years ago is gone, and the New Wellesley has taken its place. Gone, gone, gone. When the Used Clothing Sale shut down after 50 years, that was all we needed to know. All is glitz.
Sometimes, of course, one needs new dishtowels, socks, underwear and pajamas. Maybe even a winter coat. Be like the cats, they wear the same fur everyday and always look well groomed. Eat out of the same dishes, use the same litterbox. All they need is an occasional replacement for a over-used cat toy.
Give cat toys for Christmas. Meow.
Grapeshot
Hence the ads for Chanel's ultra-light high-performance watch at a cool $6,100. No appeal? How about a nice Baume & Mercier ladiest diamant with diamonds for $2.995? No? Then maybe a Gucci handbag at $1,645. David Yurman has no prices on his ad, but you can bet their high. Cartier shows a snazzy watch for $2,800. Oh hell, wrap everythingup. Tiffany & Co. has a sterling silver heart charm for a mere $115.00. Trying to suck the plebs in, no doubt. Barneys has a winter sale. I actually have a sweater from Barneys bought about 20 years ago at another winter sale. Can't complain it didn't last. Macy's is pushing Santa and the puppet theatre. Lord and Taylor has fine jewelry on sale.
We strolled through downtown Wellesley today and everything is the shop windows was beyond tempting, but how much stuff can you buy and do you really need more kitchen stuff, clothes, sporting goods, electronic devices, jewlery? I realized the old Wellesley I knew years ago is gone, and the New Wellesley has taken its place. Gone, gone, gone. When the Used Clothing Sale shut down after 50 years, that was all we needed to know. All is glitz.
Sometimes, of course, one needs new dishtowels, socks, underwear and pajamas. Maybe even a winter coat. Be like the cats, they wear the same fur everyday and always look well groomed. Eat out of the same dishes, use the same litterbox. All they need is an occasional replacement for a over-used cat toy.
Give cat toys for Christmas. Meow.
Grapeshot
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Robert Altmann
MASH was a seminal movie, right up there with The Graduate. I can't tell you how exciting these movies were in their time. Like a breath of fresh air lifting the curtains and blowing the dust out of the house. Great. Great. Great.
I loved Short Cuts, The Player, Pret a Porter, Kansas City, all of them. And Nashville. My god, another seminal movie. We will not see the likes of Mr Altmann again, and more's the pity.
RIP
I loved Short Cuts, The Player, Pret a Porter, Kansas City, all of them. And Nashville. My god, another seminal movie. We will not see the likes of Mr Altmann again, and more's the pity.
RIP
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
2:10 and I'm still in my jammies. Pie looks wonderful. It will undoubtedly taste sublime. I threw the first crust into the trash. Lost all aplomb and quickly made 2nd crust and mis-measured the flour. 2nd crust now in fridge waiting possible salvation. More fat?
Third crust a dream. Third time being a charm, etc.
I have a big bowl of "hashed Brussels sprouts" from last week's New York Times to prepare. In order of likes:
gravy, stuffing,pie,turkey,cranberries,potatoes,other sides. The pie ranks right up there.
Bon Appetite!
Grapeshot
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Don't Murder Your Mystery
Yikes! I picked up Chris Roerden's book, Don't Murder Your Mystery at the recent writer's conference. How can I still be making so many friggin' stupid mistakes? I thought Festival Madness had the cleverest beginning ever, and guess what? It aint'.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1933523131/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/102-2200492-7261759?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Poor Festival Madness has been lying fallow for weeks due to overcommittment to writer's activities besides writing, and then because I have to do a chapter by chapter outline of World of Mirrors. Thought I should re-read it first, and of course I found things I STILL didn't like. Tweaked the beginning, and chopped yet another 1000 words. Slim, it's still not. Next challenge: how to make the first half of the book as exciting as the last. This sounds too egotistical for words, but the last half was so exciting that I stopped being an editor and started being a reader and for heaven's sakes I wrote the damn book. How could this be?
Another question: does the first half need to be as good as the second? Can the first half be merely good and the 2nd half , well, stupendous? It has always seemed to me that a story should build, build, build until it's racing along. Not from zero to eighty in 10 seconds. I dunno. Not that the beginning is slow. It just puts the pieces into place one by one until the whole barrel of fat is dumped into the fire. If I had $5000, I could give it go a professional editor and find out.
My friend's husband had a pithy expression that I like to quote, but not in all company, of course. If your aunt had balls she'd be your uncle. If. If. If.
Thisbe the younger more sensitive cat is afraid of the doorbell, as it heralds the dreaded strangers. Now the computer is making an occasional doorbell noise and not only is her nap interrupted, but she freaks out. Right now she sleeps on The World of Mirrors. I'm editing chapter 11 out of 14 and then comes the outline. Eccch!
Happy Turkey Day.
Maybe I'll post the wonderful recipe for leftovers, turkey croquettes. Man are they good.
Drooling already,
Grapeshot
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1933523131/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/102-2200492-7261759?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Poor Festival Madness has been lying fallow for weeks due to overcommittment to writer's activities besides writing, and then because I have to do a chapter by chapter outline of World of Mirrors. Thought I should re-read it first, and of course I found things I STILL didn't like. Tweaked the beginning, and chopped yet another 1000 words. Slim, it's still not. Next challenge: how to make the first half of the book as exciting as the last. This sounds too egotistical for words, but the last half was so exciting that I stopped being an editor and started being a reader and for heaven's sakes I wrote the damn book. How could this be?
Another question: does the first half need to be as good as the second? Can the first half be merely good and the 2nd half , well, stupendous? It has always seemed to me that a story should build, build, build until it's racing along. Not from zero to eighty in 10 seconds. I dunno. Not that the beginning is slow. It just puts the pieces into place one by one until the whole barrel of fat is dumped into the fire. If I had $5000, I could give it go a professional editor and find out.
My friend's husband had a pithy expression that I like to quote, but not in all company, of course. If your aunt had balls she'd be your uncle. If. If. If.
Thisbe the younger more sensitive cat is afraid of the doorbell, as it heralds the dreaded strangers. Now the computer is making an occasional doorbell noise and not only is her nap interrupted, but she freaks out. Right now she sleeps on The World of Mirrors. I'm editing chapter 11 out of 14 and then comes the outline. Eccch!
Happy Turkey Day.
Maybe I'll post the wonderful recipe for leftovers, turkey croquettes. Man are they good.
Drooling already,
Grapeshot
Monday, November 20, 2006
Grunting at the Gym
No grunting while lifting weights? What are things coming to? Next thing you know, sweating will be forbidden, too. In theory, the "grunting" freaks out anyone but gym rats. In fact, I don't think so. Grapeshot has been known to grunt a bit while trying to hoist those last few pounds.
I don't like the silly grunting on the tennis courts with every shot. Sounds ridiculous. I realize it helps the players concentrate, but do they have to be that loud? The girls almost sound like they're screaming.
I'm still working on World of Mirrors for the agent. Keep thinking of items to add and subtract. One of these days I'll have to suck it up and declare the book finished. Fini. Over. Done with. But not quite yet.
Grapeshot, who is going to the gym tomorrow and will try hard not to make unseemly noises.
I don't like the silly grunting on the tennis courts with every shot. Sounds ridiculous. I realize it helps the players concentrate, but do they have to be that loud? The girls almost sound like they're screaming.
I'm still working on World of Mirrors for the agent. Keep thinking of items to add and subtract. One of these days I'll have to suck it up and declare the book finished. Fini. Over. Done with. But not quite yet.
Grapeshot, who is going to the gym tomorrow and will try hard not to make unseemly noises.
Calendar Girls and Guys
Support starving writers. Well, sorta starving writers.
Buy a 2007 calendar. Nobody naked. Isn't that a relief?
http://www.sincne.org/calendar.html
Grapeshot
Buy a 2007 calendar. Nobody naked. Isn't that a relief?
http://www.sincne.org/calendar.html
Grapeshot
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Onion Cheese Supper Bread
This recipe came off a Bisquick box a thousand moons ago. It's quick and tasty.
Onion Cheese Supper Bread
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp.shortening (canola oil, olive oil or butter)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup bilk (1% or 2% o.k.)
1/1/2 cups Biquick (reduced fat O.K.)
1 cup sharp cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. butter, melted (no substitutions)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion in shortening until tender and lightly browned. Combine egg and milk; add to Bisquick and stir until blended. Add onion and 1/2 of cheese. Spread dough in a greased (I use PAM) 8 inch round glass (or pottery) baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and poppy seeds. Pour melted butter over the top. Make 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with butter.
This goes well with soup. Tonight I served it with Beef Barley soup with vegetables. This recipe is a no-brainer.
Cut a lean piece of beef (steak is best) into small pieces (1/4 by 1/2 inch). Brown in canola oil. Remove from pot and toss in onion, garlic and scallions. Brown lightly. Add chopped carrots, tomato, frozen peas, chopped celery, chopped mushrooms, or any combination thereof and the browned beef. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and herbes de Provence. I added some chopped sage because of the bounty crop. Add beef broth and water and 1/2 cup of barley. Cook until barley is tender. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. I added 1/2 packet of Knorr's vegetable soup recipe, the kind you use for dips, but this is not necessary.
I am always exhorting my writing group to eat beef. It's not necessary to eat prime rib or burgers or rib eye steaks. Lean beef is fine, in smallish servings twice a week. Builds up your energy and immunity. All that good Zinc.
Another beefy favorite is the old time Swiss Steak.
Brown a nice piece of round steak in canola oil. Remove from pan and brown a sliced onion. Put meat back in skillet and add salt, pepper and a generous sprinkling of marjoram. Then pour an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce over the whole business. Cover and simmer gently until tender. Serve with salad, and mashed potatoes. Yum! Easy and delicious.
Bon Appetit!
Grapeshot
The above meals ares cheap, tasty and nutricious.
Onion Cheese Supper Bread
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp.shortening (canola oil, olive oil or butter)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup bilk (1% or 2% o.k.)
1/1/2 cups Biquick (reduced fat O.K.)
1 cup sharp cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
2 Tbsp. butter, melted (no substitutions)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion in shortening until tender and lightly browned. Combine egg and milk; add to Bisquick and stir until blended. Add onion and 1/2 of cheese. Spread dough in a greased (I use PAM) 8 inch round glass (or pottery) baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and poppy seeds. Pour melted butter over the top. Make 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with butter.
This goes well with soup. Tonight I served it with Beef Barley soup with vegetables. This recipe is a no-brainer.
Cut a lean piece of beef (steak is best) into small pieces (1/4 by 1/2 inch). Brown in canola oil. Remove from pot and toss in onion, garlic and scallions. Brown lightly. Add chopped carrots, tomato, frozen peas, chopped celery, chopped mushrooms, or any combination thereof and the browned beef. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and herbes de Provence. I added some chopped sage because of the bounty crop. Add beef broth and water and 1/2 cup of barley. Cook until barley is tender. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. I added 1/2 packet of Knorr's vegetable soup recipe, the kind you use for dips, but this is not necessary.
I am always exhorting my writing group to eat beef. It's not necessary to eat prime rib or burgers or rib eye steaks. Lean beef is fine, in smallish servings twice a week. Builds up your energy and immunity. All that good Zinc.
Another beefy favorite is the old time Swiss Steak.
Brown a nice piece of round steak in canola oil. Remove from pan and brown a sliced onion. Put meat back in skillet and add salt, pepper and a generous sprinkling of marjoram. Then pour an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce over the whole business. Cover and simmer gently until tender. Serve with salad, and mashed potatoes. Yum! Easy and delicious.
Bon Appetit!
Grapeshot
The above meals ares cheap, tasty and nutricious.
Maggie and her new calf
Scottish Highland Cattle are so cool. This calf is late--the others were born during the summer. It is frisky and doesn't always stick around Maggie. One of the the other moms puts the 'git' on the calf. Then Maggie bleats softly and the calf comes to her. I am so taken with these creatures.
Friday, November 17, 2006
The world's best stuffing recipe for turkey
The best stuffing comes out of the bird. You can mix it with the extra you baked in the oven and it will be delicious. In a gazillion years of turkeys I never had any problem with stuffing going bad. Here's my favorite recipe from a long ago page in the New York Times.
10 cups stale homemade bread crumbs. You make the crumbs, not the bread. Make them in the food processor. You can mix white and whole wheat bread if you like. Make sure the whole wheat isn't pumped full of sugar and (yuk) corn syrup.
1/4 lb. finely chopped mushrooms, Champigons are fine.
2 t. powdered sage or chop fine fresh sage. Fresh is always better.
2 t. thyme crushed thyme leaves
1 t. summer savory
1/2 cup minced parsley (use the food processor again)
3/4 cup butter (don't cheat- use butter)
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
In a large bowl, combine the bread crumsb, chopped mushrooms, sage, tyme, savory, parsley, salt and pepper.
Toss until blended.
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the minced shallots and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the ground chicken, breaking up any lumps, and saute the mixure until the chicken turns grayish white. Scrape the contents of the skillet onto the bread-crumb mixture and toss well. Adjust the seasonings. Cool and stuff turkey just before putting the bird in the oven Do not overstuff. Stuff both the neck cavity and the body cavity.
The secret to gravy is a good broth, good meat drippings and equal parts flour and fat. Lots of pepper. You'll have a nice broth if you cook the neck and giblets in salted water with a bay leaf and a handful of celery tops. Salt and pepper again. Throw in some parsely. The neck meat can also be added to the stuffing.
My kids ate giblet gravy for years without knowing it, because I only used half the liver and incorporated it into the gravy as a paste. No weird lumps. And thus we share our shabby little secrets.
If you are pressed for time, buy Pepperidge Farm stuffing with herbs and do the following: saute scallions or shallots, along with sliced or chopped mushrooms. Add to the stuffing mixture along with a generous handful of chopped fresh herbs. Use real butter and the stock you made from the turkey. Make sure the stuffing is moistened enough. Accept compliments gracefully.
Back to work on The Shadow Warriors.
Grapeshot
10 cups stale homemade bread crumbs. You make the crumbs, not the bread. Make them in the food processor. You can mix white and whole wheat bread if you like. Make sure the whole wheat isn't pumped full of sugar and (yuk) corn syrup.
1/4 lb. finely chopped mushrooms, Champigons are fine.
2 t. powdered sage or chop fine fresh sage. Fresh is always better.
2 t. thyme crushed thyme leaves
1 t. summer savory
1/2 cup minced parsley (use the food processor again)
3/4 cup butter (don't cheat- use butter)
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
In a large bowl, combine the bread crumsb, chopped mushrooms, sage, tyme, savory, parsley, salt and pepper.
Toss until blended.
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the minced shallots and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the ground chicken, breaking up any lumps, and saute the mixure until the chicken turns grayish white. Scrape the contents of the skillet onto the bread-crumb mixture and toss well. Adjust the seasonings. Cool and stuff turkey just before putting the bird in the oven Do not overstuff. Stuff both the neck cavity and the body cavity.
The secret to gravy is a good broth, good meat drippings and equal parts flour and fat. Lots of pepper. You'll have a nice broth if you cook the neck and giblets in salted water with a bay leaf and a handful of celery tops. Salt and pepper again. Throw in some parsely. The neck meat can also be added to the stuffing.
My kids ate giblet gravy for years without knowing it, because I only used half the liver and incorporated it into the gravy as a paste. No weird lumps. And thus we share our shabby little secrets.
If you are pressed for time, buy Pepperidge Farm stuffing with herbs and do the following: saute scallions or shallots, along with sliced or chopped mushrooms. Add to the stuffing mixture along with a generous handful of chopped fresh herbs. Use real butter and the stock you made from the turkey. Make sure the stuffing is moistened enough. Accept compliments gracefully.
Back to work on The Shadow Warriors.
Grapeshot
Finally, a New Calf
I haven't forgotten the world's best stuffing recipe. Tonight, I promise.
Two days ago S.O. came home with the news that he had seen a new Scottish Highland calf in the pasture. We hustled over, and fortunately I had a full plastic bag or fruit and vegetable scraps to take along. A brown fuzzy baby, licked half to death by his proud mother Maggie. The farmer had told us the calf was expected in September, so we have been worried (O.K., I was worried) and now all is well, except the calf starts out facing a cold northeast winter at a young age. He seems pretty frisky and annoyed one of the other new mothers who put the get on him. The summer calves are really big now and have started to eat the scraps we feed them. The mothers bleat to the calves and the calves come running. Sometimes.
A few weeks ago, the farmer was in the barn preparing a big feed of stale bread and muffins for the cows. They have voracious sweet tooths. All of them stood by the gate bellowing. What a racket. They wanted their special treat. The only sugar I give them is in the form a banana peels and stuff like that. Five adult cows and 2 calves can make a fearsome noise. The sweet-faced young bull is always a doll. He is very good natured, but then the odds are 4 to one in his favor. Maggie is still the boss, is the largest with the longest horns and the most accomplished mother, although this summer's young mamas did just fine, thank you. We don't have any baby photos yet, so stay tuned. I really do love those cows.
Two days ago S.O. came home with the news that he had seen a new Scottish Highland calf in the pasture. We hustled over, and fortunately I had a full plastic bag or fruit and vegetable scraps to take along. A brown fuzzy baby, licked half to death by his proud mother Maggie. The farmer had told us the calf was expected in September, so we have been worried (O.K., I was worried) and now all is well, except the calf starts out facing a cold northeast winter at a young age. He seems pretty frisky and annoyed one of the other new mothers who put the get on him. The summer calves are really big now and have started to eat the scraps we feed them. The mothers bleat to the calves and the calves come running. Sometimes.
A few weeks ago, the farmer was in the barn preparing a big feed of stale bread and muffins for the cows. They have voracious sweet tooths. All of them stood by the gate bellowing. What a racket. They wanted their special treat. The only sugar I give them is in the form a banana peels and stuff like that. Five adult cows and 2 calves can make a fearsome noise. The sweet-faced young bull is always a doll. He is very good natured, but then the odds are 4 to one in his favor. Maggie is still the boss, is the largest with the longest horns and the most accomplished mother, although this summer's young mamas did just fine, thank you. We don't have any baby photos yet, so stay tuned. I really do love those cows.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Is Zara Feisty Enough?
When I rewrote World of Mirrors, I changed the character and her backstory. She is younger than the first character and she became much feistier, too. Last night in preparation for making the dreaded chapter by chapter outline, I was re-reading the book. Haven't done that much, only 200 times or more. It struck me that once the set up was complete and Zara was in Germany, she had become much more passive. She's out of her element, big time, and has already been threatened.
This is the fine line a writer walks between having a believeable character and a strong character. Without having her do something stupid or foolish, (she already did that once--the foolish part) how do we show her strengths? She has analytical ability, and I'm highlighting that. She still has a mouth on her, but one of the bad guys has already threatened her when she mouths off. She doesn't speak the language that well and is totally out of her element. Eventually, she will triumph, but I think there are a few scenes where she could look stronger. Have to figure out how to do that. This writing business ain't easy, but it sure is fun.
Onward,
Grapeshot
Did you get your flu shot yet? You really should. Be brave.
This is the fine line a writer walks between having a believeable character and a strong character. Without having her do something stupid or foolish, (she already did that once--the foolish part) how do we show her strengths? She has analytical ability, and I'm highlighting that. She still has a mouth on her, but one of the bad guys has already threatened her when she mouths off. She doesn't speak the language that well and is totally out of her element. Eventually, she will triumph, but I think there are a few scenes where she could look stronger. Have to figure out how to do that. This writing business ain't easy, but it sure is fun.
Onward,
Grapeshot
Did you get your flu shot yet? You really should. Be brave.
Shrimp in Adobo Sauce
I know, I know. Promised the world's best stuffing recipe. Tomorrow, I promise. In the meantime, here is something tasty, fast, and fairly economical. Don't overdo the adobo. It is very spicey. Fix a salad and you're all set.
Baked Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce
½ stick (1/4 cup butter)
¼ cup dry red wine
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced plus 2 to3 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
1 ½ lb. medium shrimp (may leave in shell or not as desired)
Put over in rack in middle position and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in wine, Worcestershire sauce, chipotles with adobo sauce, garlic and salt. Toss shrimp with sauce in baking dish and bake until shrimp are just cooked through, 10 – 12 minutes.
Serve with crusty French bread (for sopping up sauce) or rice.
4 servings
Baked Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce
½ stick (1/4 cup butter)
¼ cup dry red wine
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced plus 2 to3 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
1 ½ lb. medium shrimp (may leave in shell or not as desired)
Put over in rack in middle position and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in wine, Worcestershire sauce, chipotles with adobo sauce, garlic and salt. Toss shrimp with sauce in baking dish and bake until shrimp are just cooked through, 10 – 12 minutes.
Serve with crusty French bread (for sopping up sauce) or rice.
4 servings
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Thanksgiving From Scratch
I have cooked over 35 Thanksgiving dinners, including one in Germany. The first one sat on an overflowing card table a month after our wedding. This year, alone again, we’ll have a turkey breast, with a slew of sides. The traditional Thanksgiving meal holds no trauma or terrors. It wasn’t always so.
I was five months pregnant and we drove to Houston to be with old friends Jim and Karin for Thanksgiving. When we arrived, Karin announced that we were going to cook the GOURMET MAGAZINE THANKSGIVING DINNER. From scratch.
Cooking From scratch? What does that mean? My grandma didn’t know of any other way. From scratch? From the very beginning. Using raw materials.
Our menu began with pumpkin soup and ended with a grand finale of crème brulèe. In between came turkey with chestnut stuffing. Mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies and an extra special cranberry sauce. It sounded a little intimidating, but we were sure two cooks could carry it off.
We got going early, around 8:00 a.m., planning a 5:00 o’clock dinner. That seemed a bit optimistic.
Husbands and kids were shooed out of the kitchen. This was woman’s work. Since this was Houston, we had to shoo the cockroaches, too.
Fortunately, Karin had already done the shopping. The raw materials were awesome.
A pumpkin
A skid load of rock hard chestnuts
Oceans of thick heavy cream
Tons of butter
A stupendous turkey
Five pounds of potatoes
Cranberries
We had one oven, one sink, and a four burner stove. Because this was Houston, there was a second refrigerator in the garage. No Cuisinart back then, but we had a blender and a mixer. By today’s standards, the kitchen would be a relic for Pioneer Village. As old fashioned as cooking from scratch.
We tackled the soup first, and in no time we had orange bits of pumpkin on every surface. Never mind. We cooked the pumpkin that wasn’t stuck to something, added broth and cream and the spices and pureed the soup in the blender. Fantastic! Smooth as silk. Onward.
Dinner will be served at 6:00.
I fixed chestnuts twice that day. For the first time and the last time.
This is the advice on how to roast chestnuts:
Roast in-shell chestnuts in the oven, but you MUST pierce the shell with a small cut with a knife to prevent them from exploding when they cook!
Pierce the shell with a small cut. About as easy as piercing a diamond with a small cut. Many of the cuts were on my hands. From scratch took on a new and more sinister meaning.
Next, place the chestnuts in a heavy cast iron pan. Put the pan in a 400 degree oven for a while.
Remove from oven and peel off the shells with a small knife. Do it while they are still hot, if they cool, they will be harder to peel.
This means you pick up a chestnut that has been in a 400 degree oven with your bare hands. Painful burns topped the cuts and the chestnuts dyed my injured fingers the brown color of old boots.
Dinner will be served at 7:00.
Somehow we got through the chestnuts. Husbands chased over to the quick mark to buy even more butter. Good thing I was eating for two.
The turkey had gone into the oven, late of course, and it became obvious that we would serve dinner about 8:00 p.m. If all went well. Meanwhile, the guests were arriving. The host opened the wine. Probably a bad idea.
Cranberries and veggies were not so complicated, but the crème brulèe was one for the books! We had to make a custard from scratch. Into the pot went the rest of the heavy cream. Cook, stir, “coat the spoon.” We poured the custard into the serving dish. Karin sifted heaps of brown sugar over the top and we tucked the dessert into the fridge which now had a “feeding the multitudes” look.
More friends arrived. The kids were starving and we had to offer nibbles and snacks.
We served our scrumptious meal at 9:00.
It was the best tasting thanksgiving dinner ever! Mostly I was giving thanks that the cooking was over. We had survived the ordeal. We were full, sated, as stuffed as the turkey.
Time for the dessert! At 10:00 p.m., we took the crème brulèe out of the fridge and popped it under the broiler to caramelize the sugar. This is a say a prayer and have another glass of wine moment. The cook is hoping she won’t take a melted soggy mess to the table.
Voila! Just like the photo! A spectacular finale. Somehow, the guests made room for our masterpiece. The dinner was a huge success.
I’ve cooked many Gourmet recipes since then, but I never made another Gourmet Thanksgiving Menu. No more pumpkins, certainly no more chestnuts, ever.
Bon appetite!
Grapeshot
I was five months pregnant and we drove to Houston to be with old friends Jim and Karin for Thanksgiving. When we arrived, Karin announced that we were going to cook the GOURMET MAGAZINE THANKSGIVING DINNER. From scratch.
Cooking From scratch? What does that mean? My grandma didn’t know of any other way. From scratch? From the very beginning. Using raw materials.
Our menu began with pumpkin soup and ended with a grand finale of crème brulèe. In between came turkey with chestnut stuffing. Mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies and an extra special cranberry sauce. It sounded a little intimidating, but we were sure two cooks could carry it off.
We got going early, around 8:00 a.m., planning a 5:00 o’clock dinner. That seemed a bit optimistic.
Husbands and kids were shooed out of the kitchen. This was woman’s work. Since this was Houston, we had to shoo the cockroaches, too.
Fortunately, Karin had already done the shopping. The raw materials were awesome.
A pumpkin
A skid load of rock hard chestnuts
Oceans of thick heavy cream
Tons of butter
A stupendous turkey
Five pounds of potatoes
Cranberries
We had one oven, one sink, and a four burner stove. Because this was Houston, there was a second refrigerator in the garage. No Cuisinart back then, but we had a blender and a mixer. By today’s standards, the kitchen would be a relic for Pioneer Village. As old fashioned as cooking from scratch.
We tackled the soup first, and in no time we had orange bits of pumpkin on every surface. Never mind. We cooked the pumpkin that wasn’t stuck to something, added broth and cream and the spices and pureed the soup in the blender. Fantastic! Smooth as silk. Onward.
Dinner will be served at 6:00.
I fixed chestnuts twice that day. For the first time and the last time.
This is the advice on how to roast chestnuts:
Roast in-shell chestnuts in the oven, but you MUST pierce the shell with a small cut with a knife to prevent them from exploding when they cook!
Pierce the shell with a small cut. About as easy as piercing a diamond with a small cut. Many of the cuts were on my hands. From scratch took on a new and more sinister meaning.
Next, place the chestnuts in a heavy cast iron pan. Put the pan in a 400 degree oven for a while.
Remove from oven and peel off the shells with a small knife. Do it while they are still hot, if they cool, they will be harder to peel.
This means you pick up a chestnut that has been in a 400 degree oven with your bare hands. Painful burns topped the cuts and the chestnuts dyed my injured fingers the brown color of old boots.
Dinner will be served at 7:00.
Somehow we got through the chestnuts. Husbands chased over to the quick mark to buy even more butter. Good thing I was eating for two.
The turkey had gone into the oven, late of course, and it became obvious that we would serve dinner about 8:00 p.m. If all went well. Meanwhile, the guests were arriving. The host opened the wine. Probably a bad idea.
Cranberries and veggies were not so complicated, but the crème brulèe was one for the books! We had to make a custard from scratch. Into the pot went the rest of the heavy cream. Cook, stir, “coat the spoon.” We poured the custard into the serving dish. Karin sifted heaps of brown sugar over the top and we tucked the dessert into the fridge which now had a “feeding the multitudes” look.
More friends arrived. The kids were starving and we had to offer nibbles and snacks.
We served our scrumptious meal at 9:00.
It was the best tasting thanksgiving dinner ever! Mostly I was giving thanks that the cooking was over. We had survived the ordeal. We were full, sated, as stuffed as the turkey.
Time for the dessert! At 10:00 p.m., we took the crème brulèe out of the fridge and popped it under the broiler to caramelize the sugar. This is a say a prayer and have another glass of wine moment. The cook is hoping she won’t take a melted soggy mess to the table.
Voila! Just like the photo! A spectacular finale. Somehow, the guests made room for our masterpiece. The dinner was a huge success.
I’ve cooked many Gourmet recipes since then, but I never made another Gourmet Thanksgiving Menu. No more pumpkins, certainly no more chestnuts, ever.
Bon appetite!
Grapeshot
Gone Forever
I threw my mom's stuffing recipe away. Don't remember when. Guess I thought I would never make it again, true, but to toss it? It was the world's 2nd best stuffing recipe. I usually make the world's best or Pepperidge Farm doctored up. All I can remember if that it had mashed potatoes and bread along with celery in it. Damn. Damn. Damn. It is gone forever.
Too busy, moderately depressed but not by rejection, for a change. I think it is the idea of spending Thanksgiving alone. Seems kind of sad, really. I used to take in lots of "strays," but not this year. No kids, no cousins, nobody.
Tomorrow you'll get THE WORLD'S BEST STUFFING RECIPE, my contribution to the holiday. And I'll also post how you can doctor up stuffing to make it really really good.
The next post will be a recall of a long ago Thanksgiving when we were young and energetic.
Forever,
Grapeshot
Too busy, moderately depressed but not by rejection, for a change. I think it is the idea of spending Thanksgiving alone. Seems kind of sad, really. I used to take in lots of "strays," but not this year. No kids, no cousins, nobody.
Tomorrow you'll get THE WORLD'S BEST STUFFING RECIPE, my contribution to the holiday. And I'll also post how you can doctor up stuffing to make it really really good.
The next post will be a recall of a long ago Thanksgiving when we were young and energetic.
Forever,
Grapeshot
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Busy Weekend is Over
Too much stress causes short term memory loss. This weekend, we lost and found signage, keys, money, cell phone, jacket, camera, and other assorted items. Good lord. Too much to keep in my head, too much red wine, not enough sleep. Life is good! :)
Two agents want to see partials of World of Mirrors, and I may query a few more. An editor read the first 15 pages of Promiscuous Mode and recommended several changes. Good to get feedback on the first draft. Now I really need to finish the book and see what it looks like. Crazy huh? 88,000 words and I'm not sure what I've got. Another recommendation: a scene by scene summary. Used to do that. Got away from it. Bad!
If anyone reading this is ever in Lowell, MA around lunch or dinnertime, try La Boniche for a delightful meal. I love to find a new restaurant! It's a storefront on the main drag, Merrimac Street. There is the coolest dress shop across the street that has perfect Burning Man gowns. Really sexy. Remember Fredericks of Hollywood? These dresses are like that. Oooh! La! La! Part of my disappointment at not doing the Man this year was that I had no reason to strafe into that dress shop and try stuff on. Burning Man afterburns (decompression) are featured in the Sunday New York Times Styles Section today. The Big Apple has adopted The Man. Now I really gotta get that book done. Hope the Man scenes don't have to be cut.
Frozen Mac and Cheese for dinner. Have to watch Helen Mirren as Jane Tennyson at 9:00. Love those conflicted characters. Yes indeed!
Grapeshot
Two agents want to see partials of World of Mirrors, and I may query a few more. An editor read the first 15 pages of Promiscuous Mode and recommended several changes. Good to get feedback on the first draft. Now I really need to finish the book and see what it looks like. Crazy huh? 88,000 words and I'm not sure what I've got. Another recommendation: a scene by scene summary. Used to do that. Got away from it. Bad!
If anyone reading this is ever in Lowell, MA around lunch or dinnertime, try La Boniche for a delightful meal. I love to find a new restaurant! It's a storefront on the main drag, Merrimac Street. There is the coolest dress shop across the street that has perfect Burning Man gowns. Really sexy. Remember Fredericks of Hollywood? These dresses are like that. Oooh! La! La! Part of my disappointment at not doing the Man this year was that I had no reason to strafe into that dress shop and try stuff on. Burning Man afterburns (decompression) are featured in the Sunday New York Times Styles Section today. The Big Apple has adopted The Man. Now I really gotta get that book done. Hope the Man scenes don't have to be cut.
Frozen Mac and Cheese for dinner. Have to watch Helen Mirren as Jane Tennyson at 9:00. Love those conflicted characters. Yes indeed!
Grapeshot
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
My New Pitch for World of Mirrors
Quite frankly, I hardly recognize the description. I wrote this book? Hmmmm. O.K., it's been "sexed up." It if catches someone's eye enough to make them want to read the manuscript, then it is successful. I'll be posting it to Miss Snark (yikes) in December.
World of Mirrors is a 98,000-word psychological suspense novel set in the chaos that is East Germany in the year after the wall goes down. When American hi-tech guru Zara Gray is blackmailed into hunting down stolen secrets, the search leads her to a Baltic island—and a deadly encounter with a sociopath. Her partner in the hunt is old boyfriend TK Drummond, a failed spy with no reason to love her and every reason to betray her.
This is the last post until Sunday. I'm off to a mystery conference. Watch out for hi-tech gurus, sociopaths, and failed spies.
World of Mirrors is a 98,000-word psychological suspense novel set in the chaos that is East Germany in the year after the wall goes down. When American hi-tech guru Zara Gray is blackmailed into hunting down stolen secrets, the search leads her to a Baltic island—and a deadly encounter with a sociopath. Her partner in the hunt is old boyfriend TK Drummond, a failed spy with no reason to love her and every reason to betray her.
This is the last post until Sunday. I'm off to a mystery conference. Watch out for hi-tech gurus, sociopaths, and failed spies.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
2 - Blogs, Bloggers and the Blogosphere
Part two of good blogging links
How to Write A Better Weblog: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writebetter/
An editor’s Blog: http://www.floggingthequill.com/
From an agent: http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
From a publisher: http://www.isabelswift.blogspot.com/
Technorati: http://www.technorati.com/
Free Counters: www.bravenet.com/ or http://www.sitemeter.com/
Free Blogspace:
http://www.blogger.com/start (most popular)
http://spaces.live.com/
AOL: http://hometown.aol.com/_dyn/
Paid Blogspace:
http://www.typepad.com/ (one author, one blog, $4.95 per month)
http://www.movabletype.org/ (individuals free or charge)
How to Write A Better Weblog: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writebetter/
An editor’s Blog: http://www.floggingthequill.com/
From an agent: http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
From a publisher: http://www.isabelswift.blogspot.com/
Technorati: http://www.technorati.com/
Free Counters: www.bravenet.com/ or http://www.sitemeter.com/
Free Blogspace:
http://www.blogger.com/start (most popular)
http://spaces.live.com/
AOL: http://hometown.aol.com/_dyn/
Paid Blogspace:
http://www.typepad.com/ (one author, one blog, $4.95 per month)
http://www.movabletype.org/ (individuals free or charge)
Monday, November 06, 2006
1 - Blogs, Bloggers, and the Blogosphere
Websites for writers interested in blogging: Part I of III
A list of authors’ blogs: http://www.authorsblogs.com/index.php
Why Do We Blog: http://sandhill.typepad.com/sandhill_trek/2004/11/why_do_we_blog.html
The Book Bitches: http://thebookbitches.blogspot.com/
Writing Pro: http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/
Sarah Weinman: http://www.sarahweinman.com/confessions/
(crime fiction)
M.J. Rose: http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/
Print on Demand Blog: http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/
Lipstick Chronicles: http://thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com/
From a Romance Writer: http://myirrationalities.blogspot.com/
A list of authors’ blogs: http://www.authorsblogs.com/index.php
Why Do We Blog: http://sandhill.typepad.com/sandhill_trek/2004/11/why_do_we_blog.html
The Book Bitches: http://thebookbitches.blogspot.com/
Writing Pro: http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/
Sarah Weinman: http://www.sarahweinman.com/confessions/
(crime fiction)
M.J. Rose: http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/
Print on Demand Blog: http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/
Lipstick Chronicles: http://thelipstickchronicles.typepad.com/
From a Romance Writer: http://myirrationalities.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Au Revoir, Chicken Kiev
Some dishes have their day in the sun, popular on menus and with the home cook, and then they fade from our tables, both restaurant and dining room. Periodically they are rediscovered or revamped. They can also lie fallow in the great cookbook graveyard out by the old stew pots.
Swedish meatballs used to be a staple of every buffet, and the buffet did not have to be a smorgasbord to offer them. Either they tasted fantastic and or they tasted pedestrian.
"How are the meatballs?" "O.K."
In the company cafeteria of the corporation where I worked, "O.K." was never an enthusiastic response. It translated to "I've had better,but this is at least edible." Hardly a rave.
Last night we cooked Swedish Meatballs from recipe 2 of 3 in the New York Times International Cookbook (Sweden), a tome dating back to the 70's when international foods were popular, but could all be crammed into one book, except maybe French. Now we have cookbooks for every cuisine from Afghan to Zambesi, and no one would have the hubris to produce an international cookbook covering the world. Long live Craig Claiborn, editor of the International Cook Book!
The meatballs tasted alarmingly good, so good that I wanted to seconds, hell, I wanted thirds. Served them with narrow noodles and the world's best red cabbage, also in the International Cookbook, (France). Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. This recipe redefines red cabbage. I had thirds and wanted fourths. Oink. That yummy. I don't even know what makes it taste so special except for long cooking and a skidload of freshly ground nutmeg. And butter, of course, real butter. Surely you wouldn't use anything else? Ick. And a few raisins which a few people protest if they know about them, otherwise they scarf it down.
Coq au Vin, and Boeuf Bourgignon had the same fate as Swedish Meatballs. Beef Stoganoff suffered a similiar destiny. Now we have farm raised salmon fixed 16 digusting ways and 4 good ways. I have to confess I don't like fish with fruit. And while I'm complaining, whatever happened to Chicken Pot Pie with a real homemade pie crust instead of frozen puff pastry. Meat pie? Pot Roast? Have to make it yourself nowadays. Sucking it up again. Damn!
Tonight we eat leftovers. Lustily. Lots of meatballs, adequate noodles, and not quite enough red cabbage, so I'll serve a salad with my homemade poppyseed dressing and cook a few green beans.
Remember the good old foods, not the large lime jello with blobs of fruit or the Campbells Soup Casserole but the real food of yore. Chicken Kiev? When's the last time you ate Chicken Kiev?
On a wave of food nostalia,
Grapeshot
Swedish meatballs used to be a staple of every buffet, and the buffet did not have to be a smorgasbord to offer them. Either they tasted fantastic and or they tasted pedestrian.
"How are the meatballs?" "O.K."
In the company cafeteria of the corporation where I worked, "O.K." was never an enthusiastic response. It translated to "I've had better,but this is at least edible." Hardly a rave.
Last night we cooked Swedish Meatballs from recipe 2 of 3 in the New York Times International Cookbook (Sweden), a tome dating back to the 70's when international foods were popular, but could all be crammed into one book, except maybe French. Now we have cookbooks for every cuisine from Afghan to Zambesi, and no one would have the hubris to produce an international cookbook covering the world. Long live Craig Claiborn, editor of the International Cook Book!
The meatballs tasted alarmingly good, so good that I wanted to seconds, hell, I wanted thirds. Served them with narrow noodles and the world's best red cabbage, also in the International Cookbook, (France). Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. This recipe redefines red cabbage. I had thirds and wanted fourths. Oink. That yummy. I don't even know what makes it taste so special except for long cooking and a skidload of freshly ground nutmeg. And butter, of course, real butter. Surely you wouldn't use anything else? Ick. And a few raisins which a few people protest if they know about them, otherwise they scarf it down.
Coq au Vin, and Boeuf Bourgignon had the same fate as Swedish Meatballs. Beef Stoganoff suffered a similiar destiny. Now we have farm raised salmon fixed 16 digusting ways and 4 good ways. I have to confess I don't like fish with fruit. And while I'm complaining, whatever happened to Chicken Pot Pie with a real homemade pie crust instead of frozen puff pastry. Meat pie? Pot Roast? Have to make it yourself nowadays. Sucking it up again. Damn!
Tonight we eat leftovers. Lustily. Lots of meatballs, adequate noodles, and not quite enough red cabbage, so I'll serve a salad with my homemade poppyseed dressing and cook a few green beans.
Remember the good old foods, not the large lime jello with blobs of fruit or the Campbells Soup Casserole but the real food of yore. Chicken Kiev? When's the last time you ate Chicken Kiev?
On a wave of food nostalia,
Grapeshot
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Dealing with Rejection
So how long has this been going on? I think since 1994. Twelve short years. In that time I've published a handful of short stories, some poems, and had 3 or 4 agents get excited about the books but for some reason or another not take them on. And of course the internet publisher took me on and gave me a "published writer" status. I get a few royalties and speaking gigs. It's not all rejection, but it feels like it.
One publisher said to cut World of Mirrors by 25,000 words and they might take another look. I cut it by 12,000 but 25,000 seemed like eviscerating the book, so I'm sitting on the fence. Next weekend there is an opportunity to schmooze with editors and agents and I have a window of opportunity. It's hard not to get one's hopes up.
Today I read an (unpublished) short story (not mind) that was so bad one had to keep reading to see whether it could get any worse and it did.
I have to face that fact that computer crime and books that take place in offices and foreign settings are a hard sell. Nobody likes to read about business in fiction. This is hard to swallow if you spent the last 20+ years sitting in an office progrmming computers. Gravedigger would be a more fitting occupation for a fiction writer.
Adam Smith or somebody said that "economics is men in the everyday business of life." One could say the same thing of fiction, but maybe with more pizazz.
Festival Madness is still computer crime, but there will be nary a bit or a byte in the 1928 California book. "They" say don't follow the market; write about what turns YOU on. Man, that has been a twelve year downward spiral.
I polished my latest Promiscuous Mode query like Miss Snark advised and sent it into the world, where it has come back rather quickly with the usual thanks but no thanks response. Approach wall; beat head.
Thus there has been plenty of sucking it up around here, but that's over for the day because I'm going to make Swedish meatballs and red cabbage out of the NY Times International cookbook, and diets be damned. O.K., I did substitute ground chicken for the veal and half and half for the heavy cream with a nod to health. We are really into red wine.
Grapeshot
One publisher said to cut World of Mirrors by 25,000 words and they might take another look. I cut it by 12,000 but 25,000 seemed like eviscerating the book, so I'm sitting on the fence. Next weekend there is an opportunity to schmooze with editors and agents and I have a window of opportunity. It's hard not to get one's hopes up.
Today I read an (unpublished) short story (not mind) that was so bad one had to keep reading to see whether it could get any worse and it did.
I have to face that fact that computer crime and books that take place in offices and foreign settings are a hard sell. Nobody likes to read about business in fiction. This is hard to swallow if you spent the last 20+ years sitting in an office progrmming computers. Gravedigger would be a more fitting occupation for a fiction writer.
Adam Smith or somebody said that "economics is men in the everyday business of life." One could say the same thing of fiction, but maybe with more pizazz.
Festival Madness is still computer crime, but there will be nary a bit or a byte in the 1928 California book. "They" say don't follow the market; write about what turns YOU on. Man, that has been a twelve year downward spiral.
I polished my latest Promiscuous Mode query like Miss Snark advised and sent it into the world, where it has come back rather quickly with the usual thanks but no thanks response. Approach wall; beat head.
Thus there has been plenty of sucking it up around here, but that's over for the day because I'm going to make Swedish meatballs and red cabbage out of the NY Times International cookbook, and diets be damned. O.K., I did substitute ground chicken for the veal and half and half for the heavy cream with a nod to health. We are really into red wine.
Grapeshot
Thursday, November 02, 2006
As Is The Generation of Leaves. . .
Autumn in New England part II. The oak leaves have turned red, in a second burst of color. In the slough, however, gray becomes the dominant hue. Most of the birds of summer are gone, although I saw a feeding flock of robins in the neighborhood. The pumpkin vase holds what remains from the garden, mostly marigolds, nasturtiums, sedum and a purple flower from the planter which I don’t know. Maybe even a perennial. The toad lily blooms, of course, with a delicate flower for the name. Pine cones lie scattered on the ground. I gather some to use as fire starters.
We begin to think of beef stew and goulash soup. Winter foods. Root vegetables. Acorn squash this week, and broccoli. The kitties are sleek and plump, and bathe themselves assiduously. They enjoy a good fire in the hearth, as cats have always done.
In Festival Madness, I’ve reach page 441 of the manuscript, with the denouement coming down the pike. Finally. The air holds a chill with a foreknowledge of winter. Last night we lit the jack o-lanterns again. Mine wore a black patch over his eye and looked quite fierce, with attitude. S.O.’s seemed friendlier. A man can smile and yet be a villain. Think of that as the election nears.
Grapeshot
We begin to think of beef stew and goulash soup. Winter foods. Root vegetables. Acorn squash this week, and broccoli. The kitties are sleek and plump, and bathe themselves assiduously. They enjoy a good fire in the hearth, as cats have always done.
In Festival Madness, I’ve reach page 441 of the manuscript, with the denouement coming down the pike. Finally. The air holds a chill with a foreknowledge of winter. Last night we lit the jack o-lanterns again. Mine wore a black patch over his eye and looked quite fierce, with attitude. S.O.’s seemed friendlier. A man can smile and yet be a villain. Think of that as the election nears.
Grapeshot
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Two authors I really enjoy reading
The two are:
Jacqueline Winspear who writes a series that takes place right after the first World War. Her character is Maisie Dobbs, who was a nurse during wartime and picks herself up and eventually becomes a private investigator. There's no profanity, no sex and not much violence. But Maisie is a compelling characters, fully developed and she holds our attention.
The second author is Rebecca Pawel. Pawel write a series, coincidentally, that takes place immediately after Spain's Civil War. Her character is a former teacher who married a "Guardia." Their politics are diametrically opposed, which creates interesting situations and conflict.
It's a bit strange that these are two new authors that I've been able to finish and look forward to more. I'm ready to reach each author's third book. I don't consider myself a fan of "historicals" and to me anything that happened in the 20th century is still contemporary. It's odd that I've fallen for two post-war series. Wonder why that is.
Grapeshot recommends. Enough said.
Jacqueline Winspear who writes a series that takes place right after the first World War. Her character is Maisie Dobbs, who was a nurse during wartime and picks herself up and eventually becomes a private investigator. There's no profanity, no sex and not much violence. But Maisie is a compelling characters, fully developed and she holds our attention.
The second author is Rebecca Pawel. Pawel write a series, coincidentally, that takes place immediately after Spain's Civil War. Her character is a former teacher who married a "Guardia." Their politics are diametrically opposed, which creates interesting situations and conflict.
It's a bit strange that these are two new authors that I've been able to finish and look forward to more. I'm ready to reach each author's third book. I don't consider myself a fan of "historicals" and to me anything that happened in the 20th century is still contemporary. It's odd that I've fallen for two post-war series. Wonder why that is.
Grapeshot recommends. Enough said.
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