by Christine | Uncategorized, Wine Friday
Sometimes I like to step away from my wine and dip my toes – metaphorically speaking – into other libations. In my twenties, margaritas were my drink of choice (though I did go through many bottles of the low-end sparkling wines – Cooks, Freixenet, etcetera). Most of my friends had blenders then just to make those frosty, slurpee-like margaritas.
Hamilton Beach 58150 Muchas Margaritas Fiesta Blender
Now? Those blenders are used to make meal-replacement shakes. Sigh. Okay, where was I?
Right. Back in my twenties. So, one night my husband Tom was working at The Harlequin Dinner Theater down in Orange County (off Harbor Blvd somewhere) doing a play – don’t remember which one, but I had gone to see the show and have dinner. After the show, the actors usually gathered to drink – the bar was kept open for awhile. The bartender, a cute guy and no, I don’t remember his name, but anyway…he made us this drink called Between The Sheets. (One is supposed to put you there. I think, at that age and at my then-current weight, it probably did!)
This past fall, Tom decided to do something different and, after rummaging around in his memory, came up with this drink from our past.
I don’t knowwhat the state of your liquor cabinet is – but ours has bottles we
Thanks to Tom Ashworth for the photo!
haven’t looked at in a decade or so. (Plus it’s above our cereal. Doesn’t everyone keep their hard booze near the kid cereal?!) Most of what he needed, we already had. So he made the drink, and it wasn’t bad.
Then he bought slightly better rum, and the drink was suddenly MUCH better. Here’s the recipe – 1 shot rum, 1 shot brandy, slightly less than one shot Triple Sec, and slightly less than 1 shot fresh lemon juice (jarred lemon juice will work in a pinch). Fill a cocktail shaker with ice – pour in the alcohol and lemon juice, and shake. Strain into martini glasses (or shallow champagne glasses if you don’t have martini glasses). Makes 2 servings.
This is a nice, not-too-sweet before dinner drink – a special occasion drink – a fun, different, and hard to screw up drink. Even an after-theater drink – we had it last night, after getting home late from a preview of A NOISE WITHIN’s production of Moliere’s The Bungler (in their new theater in Pasadena, California – wonderful space!).
Anyway – last night we sipped, we split a plate of nachos, and we talked about theater. While wine would have worked, the slightly sour, slightly sweet Between The Sheets hit the spot and went great with the nachos.
Do you have a favorite specialty mixed drink? Please share – and the recipe, if you know it!
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Thanks so much for stopping by! Wine bottles are threatening to take over my kitchen counter and my desk, so I promise I’ll toss up a wine blog again SOON.
by Christine | Uncategorized
In the last few weeks, I’ve been dipping my toes in other writer’s groups. Well, internet groups actually, of writers. Loosely gathered. Many topics of discussion, many levels of success, novel, magazine, fan fic, from beginners to old timers, from young to not-so-young. I won’t name the groups, because it really doesn’t matter. I thought it would be interesting, so I started listening in on the conversations.
I discovered a cold-eyed and cynical world out there. One where other writers sneer at romance writers (“bodice ripper” was used, though that term is quite out of date), even though they don’t stoop so low as to read the genre. (Funnily enough, those most derogatory about romance had read – maybe– one romance novel.)
thanks to thepoliticalcarnival.net for the photo.
I also found, overwhelmingly, lots of writers who are seeking shortcuts to fame and writing fortune (though I have to believe these are the newer writers). Plus, there are those who want to prove themselves smarter than the folks asking the questions. “Agents? Don’t need ’em” (or, “GOD I wish I didn’t have one, mine sucks”). “Publishers? NY is dead.” The atmosphere is dark, and politeness seems to be thin on the ground if a disagreement arises.
The quality of advice varies wildly on these loops. I have stuck my neck out a couple of times, doing my best to be polite while giving my opinion, sticking up for romance when necessary, and sticking up for writers all together. Writing is hard enough without us putting each other down, right? No one looks good spewing vitriol at someone else (or their genre).
ALL writing is difficult. Mysteries have their difficulties, romance certainly does, sci fi? You betcha. Literary fiction is probably the most difficult genre to pin down and most likely the most difficult to write simply because it is so nebulous – there’s no road map of any kind to follow when writing the literary genre. (Some say genre fiction is “cookie cutter” – I object to that term. I much prefer road map.)
That said, I firmly believe that all writing is a tough journey, and it takes tough men and women to stick with this type of career. I stopped being a wilting flower back when I was a ballet dancer in my teens. But these newer communities of writers that I’ve been hanging with made me uncomfortable, unhappy, and in many cases, depressed. (No, not all the people were downers – some of them were genuine, and sweet, and I suspect we will keep in contact. I also suspect they are romance writers.)
Thanks to zwani.com for the photo.
So it was with some measure of relief that today I allowed myself to stop following a few online conversations. I stepped back into the cozy, warm, accepting world of romance writers with a huge sigh of relief. In my eleven years of writing romance, and ten years of belonging to Romance Writers of America, I have been mentored, nurtured, buoyed up when I was down. I have received spot-on comments on my work from critique partners and contests, heard the right advice at the right time from the right workshop, and jumped with joy when friends sold, or were RITA® or Golden Heart® finalists/winners.
Through the Romance Community, I have met friends from across the world, across the country, and right here in my home town that I know, without a doubt, are rooting for my success just as hard as I’m rooting for theirs.
The romance writers’ community is one of warmth, helpfulness, friendship, and encouragement. I truly believe that RWA has it right – when the book tide rises, all book boats float. All authors benefit from one author’s success. Especially wild success, like JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer.
Life is tough enough without having writers buy into the belief that they must put other writers down in order to make themselves rise. I am SO glad I could step away from that community, and return to the warmth, acceptance and nurturing of the romance writers.
There are plenty of places to go if you want to get beaten down by life. It’s nice to know there’s a place I can go to get the support from others in my profession. Thanks, Romance Community. I totally Heart each and every one of you lovely people.
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Thanks for stopping by, I love having you visit!
by Christine | Uncategorized, Wine Friday
Happy Friday, everyone! Malbecs have been making their way into my shopping cart lately. As I’m not entirely sure what the heck a Malbec is, or if I enjoy them, I thought I’d turn to my handy-dandy EVERYTHING GUIDE TO WINE by Peter Alig, the Wine Educator at Robert Mondavi Winery (or at least, he was when the book was published).
Peter says that Malbec is the fifth of the five noble Bordeaux varieties, but heck – the grapes are finicky in their native land of France, and usually fall ill to some disease or another which makes planting that grape a risky business, indeed. But apparently Argentina has taken up some of France’s slack, with California also sticking its toe into Malbec (eh – so to speak, lol). The Malbec grape is known “for its density, dark fruit, and backbone of tannins” according to Peter Alig. It’s also used primarily as a blending grape in France and California.
I managed to find two under ten dollars – let me tell you about them.
Don Miguel Gascon Malbec 2010 Mendoza, Argentina Alcohol 13.9% by volume $9.99 at Fresh & Easy Markets
On the Label: “Since 1884, the wines of Don Miguel Gascon have been recognized for the rich, smooth flavors that come from Argentina’s Mendoza wine region. High altitude vineyards situated along the Cordillera of the Andes Mountains produce full mature grapes for this classic Malbec. It is full bodied and elegant with soft, round tannins, layered with favors of blackberry, blueberry, dark cherry, and a hint of mocha.” Visit the winery here.
My Take: For me, this is a young wine. It’s still really bright, and the tannins are a bit harsh. I’ll be keeping an eye out for it, though, next year; hopefully that aging will have smoothed out the bite and kept the nicely juicy flavors.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ But it’ll be better in a year.
Red Rock Winery Malbec Reserve 2010 Healdsburg, California Alcohol 13.6% by 
Volume Regularly $11.99; on sale at Vons for $8.39.
On the Label: “Inspired by the hand stacked rocks that help you find your way along a trail, RED ROCK Winery wants to inspire you to Find True Balance. Our winemaker believes that “Making a great wine is all about finding balance. It’s about fitting the fruit characteristics together in a harmonious way, so that no single element overpowers another.” In our Malbec, ripe berry aromas yield to fresh flavors of boysenberry, currants, and cherries creating a smooth wine that is truly balanced.”
My Take: Okay, I confess. Once I read that this winery is all about Find(ing) True Balance, I giggled the rest of the way through the label. If you drink wine, inevitably your balance will leave you at some point. Even a sip or two on an empty stomach (MAINLY for us FEMALES) can send you reeling a bit. So, yeah. That struck me as truly (unintentionally) hilarious. These people seriously need a normal person to check their writing. Just saying.
Oh yeah – about the wine. Young. Meh. Not bad, just nothing to get too excited about. If I’m drinking reds, I prefer Pinot Noirs or Zinfandels. So…maybe this will be better in 2013?
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Note: Their website says that the 2009 was blended with other grapes for more depth. If you can find it, try that one first.
That’s it today folks. My back is killing me and I’ve still got edits to do. While you’re here, check out Demon Soul and the Caine Brothers Series page of my website – reviews are up, too.
Remember, this is all just my opinion and will be colored by how many political calls I’ve dodged, whether or not I’ve donated blood in the past week, and if my cat is meowing to be fed. Your taste buds will differ.
Thanks for stopping by – and remember to Drink Responsibly!
by Christine | Uncategorized
My good friend Mimi Barbour is celebrating the first in her Angel series – plus there’s a BIG BOOK GIVEAWAY, so keep reading!
My Cheeky Angel
(1st book in the Angels with Attitudes series) by Mimi Barbour
Annie is naïve and love-starved and she’ll soon to be celebrating her big 3-0. Something needs to be done! Celi, her ‘down-to-earth’ guardian angel appears to help kick-start Annie’s big change—her looks, her job, her whole life. By taking a managerial position with a sophisticated shoe manufacturer, Annie becomes embroiled with her new associates and hooked on the power of big business. Unfortunately, her exhaustion from overwork forces her to ignore old friends, and her lapse places someone she cares about in terrible danger.
Tyler, a Social Worker and a woman-hater previously hurt in two relationships, only wants Annie in his life as a good buddy. Oh yeah! And to help with his mixed-up street kids. Perversely, once her life alters, he misses her like hell. In one sweet night of loving everything changes. But, due to an overabundance of nightcaps, she doesn’t remember the night he can’t forget.
That sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? I’m also promoing a big giveaway – all the authors are aiming for maximum exposure, so check out the promo below and download FREE BOOKS the rest of this week!
Announcing
Lucky Days Free Par-Tay!!!
http://www.freepartay.com
Discover over 40 amazing ebooks: Romances, Thrillers, Mysteries, Humor, Fantasies, and more! All FREE at Amazon.com Fantastic ebooks, many by award-winning and best-selling authors. There’s a genre for every reader’s taste. Romance from sweet to HOT, suspense, paranormal, humorous, historical…we have an awesome range. If Mysteries and Thrillers are your thing you can’t go wrong. Police action, murderous mayhem, amateur sleuths and more. You’ll also find Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Woman’s Fiction…. A fantastic selection!
Got kids? We have books for elementary school age and teens alike.
Don’t miss out! Soon these amazing ebooks will be back to their usual prices. Grab them while they’re FREE! March 14th-18th. Who says you can have too much of a good thing? You can never have too many great books. Load up your Kindle and tell your neighbors to do the same.
The FREE Par-Tay is a BLAST! Some Examples of the Great Books Available:
You like Romance? Find them here. Don’t miss Mimi Barbour’s “My Cheeky Angel” or Virna DePaul’s “Chosen by Sin.” Rita Herron will make you smile with “Marry Me Maddie.” Stephanie Bond’s “I think I Love You” and Denise Domning’s “Almost Perfect” are perfect for the addicted romance reader. Debra Burroughs “Three Days in Seattle” and Nina Bruhns’s “The French Detective’s Woman” add a splash of mystery and suspense to their romance.
Excited by Thrillers? Ecstatic for Mysteries? Scared by Horror? Tweaked by Sci-Fi? You’re in the right place!
Ron Kierkegaard’s “The God Particle” stretches the boundaries and Michael Shean’s “Shadow of a Dark Star” will open your eyes to new worlds. Michael Paneush’s “The Stein and Candle Detective Agency” is a fantastical take on mystery and fantasy abounds in Jack Albrecht’s “Osric’s Wand” and Vicki Keirie’s “Worlds Burn Through.”
“Liquid Lies” By Lois Lavrisa dives into secrets, lies and murder, while Shannon Mayer will lead you through ten Horrifying stories in “Ingredients of a Caldron.” Nathan Yocum investigates a post-apocalyptic future in “The Zona” and Katherine Owen digs deep in a story of love and loss in “Seeing Julia.”
And don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter. You’ll automatically be entered to WIN $100 in Amazon Gift Cards.
~ ~ ~
That’s it for today, folks. I’m so very grateful to Mimi for having this promo as I’m sicker n’ a dog and the wine blog is calling! Have a great week, y’all, and remember as you sip your Irish Whiskey or your Guinness, to Drink Responsibly!
by Christine | Uncategorized
So, today I’ve got tons to do – I’m donating blood after I have a big breakfast, then I’ll be editing my new book, DEMON HUNT.
For fun, check out my interview over at Laurie’s Place – well, it’s not exactly my interview, as my character Gabriel from DEMON SOUL answered all the questions…but if you want to win a copy, there’s also a giveaway there.
I’m also over at Flirty Author Bitches, talking about Story Basics.
Now, here’s a quick and easy breakfast dish, great for pre-blood donations! (Just made it – yum yum!!!)
Spinach Eggs Benedict – click on the link and follow that recipe – but instead of ham or bacon under the egg, saute about a half-pound of spinach in butter until totally wilted. Squeeze fresh Meyer lemon on top – not too much! – and then top with the egg and the Easy Peasy Hollandaise sauce. One egg per person, please! And put as MUCH spinach on that toast/bagel/english muffin as you wish.
Okay, now doesn’t that look fantastic?
Have a great weekend, folks! And don’t forget to go to Laurie’s Place and check out her site, as well as the interview!
by Christine | Uncategorized
I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who either have never married, or have been serial marriers – and divorcers – or just divorced “the once” and never remarried. As I’ve watched their lives, it has occurred to me, many times over the past three decades, how lucky I am (yet I am sure they wouldn’t trade places with me!).
thanks to graphicsfactory.com
I’ve been married 32 years today. Yep. 32 years ago, Tom and I stood at an altar in the church where I was baptized, and under the teary gaze of my mother and the shocked gazes of all my ballet friends, we got married. I was the tender age of 20 plus 8 days; Tom was 26-about-to-be-27. Many of my contemporaries were sure that a) I was pregnant or b) I was certifiably insane. That day feels like it happened a month or so ago; certainly not 32 years ago.
Tom has been asked our secret to a long and happy marriage. He told a girl on set yesterday that it takes two things: good sex, and knowing when to lose an argument because it just isn’t that important. He related the story to me with relish; said the look on the girl’s face was priceless, as if she seriously wondered if she wasn’t getting/giving good sex.
I would have to toss in there a third ingredient – patience. When we married, I was like a horse bolting its reins…eager to explore a brand-new adult world. I had a lot of growing up to do, and luckily Tom was patient enough to allow me to do so. Bumps and bruises along the way but nothing too terribly stupid (to my vast relief). As our first decade waned, we decided to have a couple rugrats…and by my 30th birthday I was pregnant with our first son.
So our second decade was filled with babies and teething and school and soccer and living the suburban life while working (me) and working on a tv/film career (Tom). That decade flew by; the only way I knew I was getting older was by the height of my children.
The third decade was more of the same, with the usual teenaged stuff that happens when you have teens. A change in dynamics – hubby with the day job, and me home, writing novels and trying to figure out how to be successful at it. (Still working on that one.) This decade was another one filled with patience…I think, after so many years of getting up and going to work, that I drifted into a depression. I still wrote, but when I look back, it feels like I was only half there.
thanks to unitytiger.wordpress.com
Now onto the fourth decade. The first two years have been rocky – um, brain surgery – but it all seems to be smoothing out now. I’ve got a book contract and am working on new projects; I’m working for 5 hydrogeologists and having a blast; and Tom’s back to doing what he loves, working on carving a career out for himself in TV and film.
32 years? It doesn’t seem possible. I’d swear my heart, at least, is barely 21. (And yes…the sex? Still good!) Now excuse me…I’ve got some celebrating to do!
thanks to inmagine.com
