Suck It Up

The Amazon novel contest has a chat group for authors who have submitted an entry and the message boards have been humming. Lots of authors have been writing for years and years without publishing, even those who are journalists and write for a living can't get their novels published. Everyone is looking for the new Dan Brown and they are either looking him/her right in the eye or looking in all the wrong places.

So it is heartening to know I'm not here alone sucking it up, and disheartening to hear all the stories of writing coming to naught. Someone said they just wanted to publish their novel before they died. Of course writers like to kvetch.

My new web site is coming along very nicely, a showcase to promote me and my writing. Seems so egotistical, to spend all this time on BSP. (Blatant Self-Promotion). That's the name of the game. Really an unnatural act to focus on oneself like this.

Ye gods, I wasn't raised to be 'forward.' My mother frowned on forward girls, but that was never my problem, au contraire. The shy slinking violet was more my style.

Have you ever been introduced to someone three or four times and they never remember you? Get the idea? Maybe loud stories of wild board hunting in Russia and downing vodka with the Cossacks. Maybe throw your glass into the fireplace and scream. I don't know. How does one become memorable? Helps to be drop dead gorgeous. Or known to be filthy rich. Rapier wit? Fur coat in July? Dunno. Haven't figured it out yet.

We had another beautiful fall day in New England, more like early October, really, so I put on my Japanese gardening pants and ventured into the yard to pull the frost-killed plants out of their pots to get the pots into the garage before serious damage occured. Only the basil, the begonia and the nasturtiums had actually frozen. Herbs still fine. I harvested a bunch. Icky worms came into the house on the scented geranium. This is not good. Major pruning and spraying indicated. If I find more worms, the plant t will have to be thrust outside to die. I hate to kill plants deliberately.

I made Swiss steak for dinner. Haven't had it for a donkey's age. Pound a piece a round steak on both sides and dredge in seasoned flour. Brown in canola oil. Remove from pan and toss in some sliced onion and a bit of garlic. Cook for a few minutes and toss in some mushrooms. Add the meat back into the skillet and shove the veggies on top. Add a slice tomato if you like, and fresh or dried marjoram is good. Pour 8 oz. of tomato sauce over all, and sprinkle with lots of fresh herbs. Cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for 1 - 1 1/2 hours depending on how tender you require the meat to be.

Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable or salad. Takes a bit of time but few skills are required and it's cheap.

It's not cat blog day but: I asked Thisbe to go into the basement and bring me back a cold Frappuccino. She gave me the strangest look and set her ears at a very odd angle. I swore she understood and was asking, "Me? You want ME to do that? Moi? Surely you jest!"

And she was right, of course. I said it in jest. S.O. brought me the Frappuccino and it was delicious.

Onward,

Grapeshot