Tangled Tuesday - #

#amwriting #amediting #amtalkingtomyself #ampromoting #amsocialnetworking #amblogging #amsubmitting #amnotsleeping #amgoingtothegym #amcooking #amataxiformykids #amhelpingwithhomework #ampullingmyhairout #ambusy

Excuse my alter ego while he #hashtags himself. You know how gargoyles are.

#MeatlessMonday - Wickedly Healthy Pizza #vegetarian

Because my teens do not willingly eat vegetables, I’m forced to hide them in my cooking. I've been known to sneak spinach juice into brownie batter, a shot of wheat-grass into smoothies, and parsley into cookie dough. Over the years, my daughters have become suspicious to my wicked ways.  But here's a recipe they've grown to love. If your kiddos like "cheese pizza only," you can use the food processor on the veggie toppings, add them in with the spinach, and cook it all down in the sauce.
*evil laugh* They'll never know.... Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Foodies via Flickr

WICKEDLY HEALTHY PIZZA

Crust

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110°F/45°C)
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups bread or wheat flour
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

In a bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.
Let stand 10 minutes until creamy.
Stir in flour, salt and oil. Mix until smooth. Let rest 5 minutes.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a round.
Transfer to oiled pizza pan or baking sheet.

Pizza Sauce

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped extra fine in food processor
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
½ tsp. oregano
1 tbsp. olive oil

Combine all ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes. Makes 1½ cups.

Toppings

Mozzarella cheese, grated
Feta cheese
Sliced zucchini
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced yellow peppers
Mushrooms
Sliced red onions
Olives

Spread pizza sauce over pizza dough crust. Add cheese and toppings.
Preheat oven to 450°F or 230°C
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cover Reveal and Re-Release of PRADEE

It's been 10 years since I wrote PRADEE. Since then, I've had two books published via Musa Publishing, have another due out May 19th via permuted Press, and yet another I've submitted to several publishers for consideration. I've learned a lot in 10 years about writing, editing, cover design and the business of publishing. It's been in the back of my mind to "someday" re-edit PRADEE and give the cover a face-lift. Which is exactly what I've been doing for the past two weeks! With no further ado...welcome to the re-lease of my very first book.

In the tradition of The Dark Crystal by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, PRADEE will pull the reader into an exciting, otherworldly adventure.

*Second round finalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award Contest 2012

Pradee

What if there were an artifact that had the power to change the future? Would you use it?

Three friends are accused of poisoning an Elder in their village. They escape to the mysterious region of Vel to search for the Guardian of a mythical artifact, one with the power to see the past and change the future. If they find the artifact, it could prove their innocence. However, if it falls into the wrong hands, it could destroy the future of their world as they know it. 

BUY LINKS

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

#Paranormal Wednesday - Strays from the Spirit World

I’ve always been a half-way house for every stray animal that roams the neighborhood. There was a time, before kids and my husband, that I housed no less than twenty cats. Sad, but true. The downtown area I lived had a huge stray problem and for some reason, they always ended up on my back porch. I worked hard to assure they had proper veterinary care, and yes, it helped that I was in the veterinary field.

Nowadays, with my kiddos and husband, I seem to get less strays coming my way. Different neighborhood, I suppose, but we do get them. There’s the four pound cat that followed my husband to his car after work, a goldfish with a defective swim-bladder that needed to be hand fed, freshwater crabs that came to us as ex-classroom pets, a dog that had been chained in someone’s back yard for years and hadn't the slightest idea of what “inside” meant, an iguana that had broken every bone in her body because she was fed iceberg lettuce for years, the list goes on.

But what about attracting strays when it comes to writing? Is that possible? I've talked before how my paranormal novel BETWEEN came to me. I was working on my fantasy series when I was hit by two characters that didn't belong. Though I kept setting them aside, they wouldn't leave me alone and seemed determined that I write their story. Which I did. In retrospect, the novel came “out of the blue.”

This gives me pause for thought. Can writers attract “strays” when it comes to the spirit world? Is that possible? We’re open to ideas and thoughts and commit them on paper. Given that there are probably many people in history with stories to tell, would it not make sense that the spirit world would take advantage of that? I guess we’ll never know but it’s certainly up for debate.

#MeatlessMonday - It’s All in the Sauce #Vegetarian Lasagna

These past two months, I've been on virtual tours for both BETWEEN and STRUCK.
I let my blog ride on the shoulders of my fellow authors and would like to extend a huge thank you to them. I hope you discovered some awesome talent.

Last week had its share of ups-and-downs (see posts below). I'm slowly rising from the ashes and moving on. Let's get this blog back on track! This recipe is very versatile and great for teens/children who hate vegetables. Feel free to hide add vegetables of choice into the sauce.

Photo courtesy of Martin Cathrae via Flickr

It’s All in the Sauce-Vegetarian Lasagna

Sauce:

1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 cups fresh spinach chopped
¼ cup carrots, chopped
¼ cup mushrooms, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, diced

Combine all ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are cooked through. Blend in a blender until the sauce is smooth.

Pasta: 

9 sheets of lasagna noodles

Boil lasagna noodles for 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse in cool water and set aside.

Cheeses:

2 cups mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese

*1 can chopped olives

Instructions:

Layer sauce, noodles and mozzarella cheese in a 9x12 glass baking dish. Top with Parmesan cheese and olives (if you wish). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more.

Serves 8-12

BETWEEN and STRUCK New Cover Reveals!

Musa Publishing closed its doors as of February 28th. It's been a joy to work and grow with them. I'm sad to see this happen but publishing is a very competitive business. The good news is that both BETWEEN and STRUCK have been re-released and are available on Amazon as ebooks and in print.

My Amazon reviews should transferred soon to the re-releases but you can read reviews for both titles HERE.

Stay tuned for availability on Barnes and Noble.

BETWEEN

How far would you go to redeem yourself?

As a young girl, Lucinda was able to see spirits, a gift that didn't come without its problems. Now, a dedicated young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that every life can be saved.
After a devastating accident, Lucinda tries to escape her past by moving to a small town. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. But there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire.
As Lucinda is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.

BUY LINKS: Available in ebook and paperback
Amazon

*********

STRUCK

Struck by lightning...claimed by shadows

Caught a storm, Gwynneth is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of a mysterious stranger. Following her release, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift—one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.

BUY LINKS: Available in ebook and paperback
Amazon

BETWEEN Virtual Book Tour - Winner of the Giveaway

Thank you everyone for following my tour for BETWEEN.
The winner of my ebook giveaway is.... Michelle F.
I sent you an email, Michelle!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest! And a special thank you to my publicist, Amber Marr of Sapphyria's Book Blog. She did a fabulous job at organizing my book blog tour and kept things running smoothly.