by Christine | Writing
It’s finally here – DEMON HUNT release day! The second full length novel in the Caine Brothers Series! I am incredibly proud of this book, as this is the one that I took from a 15K short story to a full length novel. I probably wrote this book – or at least the first five chapters of it – about six times. I couldn’t figure out how to expand the story into a full length novel!
Then I just let go of what I had written, and wrote a new book with the same thread that had been in the short story. And it just took off.
I hope you enjoy the book. I’m working on Justin and Maggie’s story now, called DEMON’S RAGE – and there’s a teaser chapter for that at the back of HUNT!
Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb for Demon Hunt:
Tribred Gregor Caine decided long ago to deny his blood legacy, so he isn’t thrilled when paired with a full-blooded Fae to hunt the demons threatening to decimate Los Angeles. As they fight side by side, he finds she calls to both his Fae and his demon blood; a call he can’t resist.
Warrior Fae Serra Willows crossed into the Human Plane to help destroy the demons released from the Chaos Plane. Finding and shutting down the portal between worlds is more challenging than she expected…and Gregor and his world more seductive than she had ever imagined.
As the killings escalate, Gregor and Serra realize one of the most deadly demons from the Chaos Plane has marked Serra as his own. To save her, Gregor has to face his greatest fear—losing his humanity to the darkness in his blood. But in a race against time, that darkness could become his greatest strength. And he will kill to claim Serra’s love.
And here’s what Maggie Shayne said about DEMON HUNT:
“Demon Hunt sucked me in from the very first page. A potent, exciting, Fae adventure that keeps you turning pages while you try to catch your breath. Ashworth’s talent shines in this unique and original novel. Do not miss it.”
~NY Times Bestselling Author Maggie Shayne
As a side note: The eBook isn’t up on Amazon yet, but the paperback is. Go figure!
UPDATE: My bad…I wasn’t looking in the Kindle Store for the book. It’s there! Squee!
by Christine | Wine Friday
It’s hot. Muggy. The humidity is rising faster than the heat, and the air conditioning can barely keep up. What’s a rational person to drink while barbecuing pizza at night, with the temps still in the upper 80s?
Try a white wine spritzer. Any white wine will do, actually, but I like going for the less expensive wines. Here’s the recipe:
One large glass – either a tumbler or a big wine glass.
Fill with ice
Fill half full with white wine
Squeeze half a small lemon or lime or – heck – an orange – into the wine (or get fancy, like the picture)
Add sparkling water (soda water) to the brim
(Contrariwise, you can always add some Sprite or 7-Up or other lemon-lime type soda instead of plain soda water. But beware; you add calories, too.)
Last night’s Spritzers were made with two different wines.
Side By Side 2010 California Chardonnay Alcohol 13.5% by volume; closeout sale at Vons, under $10.
On The Label: “Beyond the strategic relationship, so many of us from both nations have fought literally side by side, that this modern relationship between the US and UK military means a great deal to us. It has a depth and an emotion to it that is profound.” –Major General Phil Jones
Proceeds to benefit Azalea Charities Aid for Wounded Warriors program at http://azaleacharities.org ”
My Take: This was an easy-drinking wine, and the soda water and lemon made it go down even easier. I tried and failed to find the wine on-line; the label is a beautiful painting of two soldiers, one wearing a US flag, one wearing a UK flag. I wish I knew more about the wine; and where to get it. As it was on close out sale, my guess is its gone from the places I usually get wine.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Perfect for a Spritzer, but just as drinkable without the extras.
Discoveries Vineyards 2009 California Chardonnay Alcohol 13.5% by Volume 
$7.99 at Vons
On The Label: “It’s not always the journey that changes our lives. It’s often the discoveries we make along the way. Our first discovery shows the silhouette of Ventura Pier and Anacapa Island in the distance warmed by the setting sun. Our second discovery is this Chardonnay. Both are soft and tranquil. Only one has fresh fruit and toasted oak in the finish.”
My Take: I sipped this wine straight out of the bottle after Tom made me a spritzer with it, just so I could get a sense of it. I went back to the spritzer. It turns out the lime/lemon added along with the soda water really made a difference in how the wine tasted, which made it perfect for a spritzer.
My Rating: ~ Perfect for a Spritzer ~ A new rating. I would otherwise rate it on the Barely Drinkable to Drinkable scale.
Two More Wines For Summer (that I would not use for Spritzers):
If you haven’t yet tried Cupcake Vineyards 2011 Angel Food, do give it a try. At first taste it does remind me of angel food cake, which is my all-time favorite. It’s got a great vanilla flavor with a little more than a hint of sweetness, cut by some green apple. I was vastly surprised that I liked it. My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ Under $10 at Vons, on sale.
Also new to the stores is Be. Fresh Chardonnay 2011. Introductory price under $10; don’t know how long that will last. It’s a Beringer Vineyards wine, so the lineage is strong. I liked it; fresh, fruity, and when really cold, revitalizing. It was not in a typical Chardonnay-style bottle, but I got over it pretty quickly, lol. My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ (I couldn’t grab a picture of the bottle – but here’s the web page http://bewinery.com/fresh.php .)
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, how many political ads I’ve been bombarded with, and if Mercury is in Retrograde or not. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
DEMON HUNT Arrives July 16, 2012!
My Rating System: Undrinkable, Perfect for a Spritzer, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Observations, Writing
This week has been an up and down week. Sure, I’ve gotten 6k in over three days, an excellent total for me lately; but the book is turning on me. It’s not keeping the tone I had set at the beginning; rewriting already is a PITA. I can’t say who the target publisher is, so I won’t. Ahem.
Of course, I’m working on something out of my comfort zone. Well, I’m working on TWO projects – whoops, make that THREE – out of my comfort zone; one is going swimmingly, being half done, and I’m itching to get back to it. The other – that’s got the 6k in it. One-tenth done. SIGH. But I’m finding that if I just keep my head down and do the work, some words – even words with the wrong feel to them – are better than no words. (The third project? That’s a new play. No, seriously. STOP LAUGHING!!! Okay, it’s a comedy, but really…must you bust a gut?!!)
I’m also thinking that maybe I started this story in the wrong place. As much as I REALLY like the opening scene, maybe that should just be the heroine’s intro? Maybe, in order to make the hero much more sympathetic, I need to open with him and his travails? See, he’s a grounded-for-life pilot who now runs his family’s private charter plane company…his brother died over in Iraq and his parents (who don’t like him in the first place) can’t forgive him for not enlisting, too. So…well, he does something his parents REALLY want him to do because he just doesn’t care anymore. And then he meets this girl. In a bar. Who will never get a tattoo because she’s boring as hell, as she puts it. And meeting her changes everything he thought he knew about himself and the world around him.
Hm…I’m just thinking this might be the way to go. Sometimes I need to talk out a book over coffee or wine…and when I’m at work, I can’t really “talk out” a book aloud, so I’m using the blog for my “talk out”. Hope you all don’t mind!
Well? Am I on the right track? Is this a book you’d want to read, or should I toss the idea? Let me know!
One lucky, randomly-selected commenter will win an ARC of DEMON HUNT if I get more than just me talking to myself here…so let your friends know, too, and make sure you leave your email address in your comment!
by Christine | Wine Friday
There are so many empty bottles of wine on my desk, that the cat now refuses to come up and sleep in his box. The wine bottles scare him when they fall, and the last time it happened he glared at me and went off in a huff.
As I looked at the bottles, however, I realized there were a couple that I either didn’t like or I couldn’t remember how they tasted, and my notebook had gone missing. So…those got tossed. No big loss; one was a Concannon Petite Syrah that I wasn’t that impressed with, and the other I couldn’t remember but was a new label called Handcraft – a Pinot Noir, both from 2010. I will get back to the Handcraft because I don’t have bad memories of it, and because it’s still a new wine to me.
So on to the wines that are left!
Clos du Bois Pinot Noir 2009 North Coast – Alcohol 13.5% by Volume. Regularly $14.27 at Vons; $6.99 on sale
On the Label: “Grown in north coast vineyards influenced by cooling ocean breezes and persistent morning fog, our Pinot Noir exhibits aromas and flavors of red cherry, raspberry, and hints of cranberry harmonized with vanilla and spice from aging in oak barrels.”
My Take: A lovely wine, at a lovely price. It definitely meets/beats the Smoking Loon test (is this better than a $5.99 bottle of Smoking Loon Pinot Noir?) and was a treat. We had this with a lovely home made red pasta sauce with ground pork, pureed tomatos and fresh zucchini, onions, carrots and mushrooms sauteed with the pork. That and a raft of garlic bread made a fantastic meal.
My Rating: ~ Very, Very Drinkable ~ Especially for the price!
Cut The Fluff Comique Revolution White Table Wine 2010 Central Coast
thanks to http://thymetoeatwell.com for the photo
Bottled by Central Coast Wine Warehouse – I could not find the alcohol content on the label. $6.99 (?) at Trader Joe’s.
On the Label: “We had no choice but to CUT THE FLUFF – our white wine smells like apple blossoms, juniper berries & honeydew. TASTES LIKE white peaches, custard & salted pain perdue.”
My Take: This was an interesting wine. It tasted smooth, went down very well, I had no problems with it at all. But surprisingly, neither have I gone out of my way to pick up another bottle, even when I’ve been to Trader Joe’s – and usually I’ll do so if I like it. Not sure what that says about the wine, lol.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ But not memorable. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
thanks to http://www.cellartracker.com for the image
Tato Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2009 Denominazione di Origine Controllata Alcohol 13.5% by Volume $6.99 at Trader Joe’s.
On the Label: “Dry Red Wine. Product of Italy” (Brief – gotta love it!)
My Take: Italian wines are, to me, luscious. When I was in Italy in 2004, I couldn’t get a bad glass of red wine, and I always asked for the house wine. Every restaurant seemed to have its own supplier; and while each glass tasted different, the wine inevitably was wonderful.
This wine is, I’m happy to say, no exception. It needed airing; but it was a lovely, full-bodied, rich red wine that went perfectly with hamburgers topped with blue cheese, and lovely roasted smashed potatoes.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ and at a great price! Plus the label is really cool.
As usual, this is just my honest opinion – which will depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available now. BLOOD DREAMS, a Caine Brothers Short Story, will be available on June 1st. Demon Hunt coming Summer, 2012!
My Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Wine Friday
Wow – after cover reveals and guests this week, I’m finally back with some tasty wines. Spring is here, and the weather is warming up where I live. It must be time for some Chardonnay! Today I’ve got three, and they’re all from California…and they were all on sale.
Edna Valley Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay Paragon ~ San Luis Obispo County Alcohol 13.9% by Volume. Regularly $13.98; on sale at Vons for $9.97
On the Label: “Our vineyards enjoy one of California’s longest and coolest growing seasons, thanks to sea breezes funneled inland through Edna Valley. Our Chardonnay has amazing flavors of lush white peach and sweet spice with a crisp, clean finish. You will love our Chardonnay with fresh seafood, grilled chicken or roasted pork.”
My Take: Edna Valley wines can be in the upper teens, so when I saw this one for under $10 I grabbed it. It was actually a chilly day and I wasn’t in the mood to cook; luckily Ocean Fresh, our local seafood monger, had sent me an ad for freshly made clam chowder and crab cakes ready to pop into a pan or the oven. (The food was divine!) This Chardonnay stood up well to both the creaminess of the chowder and the spice of the crab cakes. It was not a big, oaky Chardonnay, but it had the clean finish of a Pinot Grigio as well as the lush fruit, and it handled the seafood brilliantly.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ I shall have to check out more of Edna Valley’s wines.
Simi 2010 Sonoma County Chardonnay Alcohol 13.5% by volume; regularly $17.49,
on sale for $12.59 at Vons
On the Label: “Simi Chardonnay reflects the diversity of flavors found throughout Sonoma County. The area to the west gives pear and a luscious mouthfeel. The southern region brings citrus and crisp acidity, and vineyards in the north add tropical notes. These combine into complex fruit aromas, a creamy and toasty round mouthfeel with a brilliant balance that makes this Chardonnay delicious with cream-sauced chicken, salmon and mild cheeses.”
My Take: This was a lovely Chardonnay. It had that creaminess that I like, but it wasn’t over-oaked – in fact, oak was almost impossible to detect. I really enjoyed this wine, which we had with our “I doan wanna cook” meal of a rotisserie chicken from Costco and smashed potatoes. Add some fresh green beans to that, and you’ve got a delicious meal. Anyway – the wine went beautifully.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ But a bit on the pricey side.
Geyser Peak Winery 2009 Chardonnay Alexander Valley Alcohol 13.5% by Volume $11.12 regular price (HA!) at Vons, on sale for $7.78
On the Label: “At our winery in the heart of the famed Alexander Valley, our winemakers are impassioned to create wines that engage the senses and inspire the soul. To ensure the bottle you open delivers all the delicate aromatics captured here at the winery, we seal our Chardonnay with a screwcap closure.
Taste profile: Ripe pear and tropical fruit flavors with a hint of vanillin oak. Creamy and elegant with a crisp finish.
Enjoy with: Light pastas, roast chicken and light veal dishes.”
My Take: I really enjoyed this wine, but a part of that could be that I am partial to Geyser Peak. We visited the winery back in the late 1980s, on our first-ever wine tour, and had a blast, so the wine is suffused with rosy memories. I will say, though, I’ve never been disappointed in a Geyser Peak wine. This one has that hint of oak that I so adore.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~
So there you have it, three Very Drinkable California Chardonnays. Go forth, and stock up for the ever-changeable weather to come!
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and whether the cat has tried to kill me that day. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
BLOOD DREAMS, a Caine Brothers Short Story, will be out June 1st. DEMON SOUL is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet? Catch up, because soon DEMON HUNT will be out (summer 2012)!
Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
