I’m off to Anaheim for the annual Romance Writers of America conference. Looking forward to the workshops, but also seeing so many old friends and hopefully making new ones. My flight was thankfully uneventful and so far the weather here has been great. Did a walk around the area and discovered the hotel is directly across from Disney, but I don’t plan on going there. There’s too much else to do, including presenting a workshop on Friday. Also, there is a book signing on Saturday and it’s open to the general public. The signing is from 1 to 3 pm at the Anaheim Marriott and I hope you’ll be able to attend.
Lean and Mean or a Big Bear
Happy Man Candy Monday! It’s hard work looking for all these photos, but someone has to do it! LOL! So this morning I need your advice for a future cover model. Do you like Lean and Mean like our THIS choice or do you like someone a little more burly like the Big Bear on the THAT choice? Personally I prefer the Big Bear but I’d love to know what you think. This is for the cover of my upcoming romantic suspense release The Fifth Kingdom.
Kohlrabi Slaw
As part of my lifestyle journey we’re eating more fruits and vegetables. To accomplish that, I’ve joined a CSA (community sponsored agriculture) where once a week I pick up vegetables and herbs from a local farmer. The vegetables are whatever are in season and it’s been interesting so far since I’ve gotten produce that I’ve never eaten before. One of the items last week was kohlrabi which is a root vegetable similar to a turnip and it’s also known as turnip cabbage or German turnip. I looked up some recipes and since we were having some delicious brisket that night, I decided to make a slaw and am sharing that recipe with you! If you would like some more recipes, check out the Cook’s Treat section on my website.
Ingredients
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 medium kohlrabi, chopped into small sticks
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
4 Persian cucumbers, chopped into small sticks
1/4 cup celery leaves, finely chopped
Directions
Mix the honey and rice wine vinegar until honey has dissolved. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, but I find that rice wine is not as acidic and I like that. Place the onions in this mixture and let sit while you chop the other vegetables. This slight “pickling” helps mellow the onion flavor.
Peel the kohlrabi and cut into small sticks. I hauled out my mandolin for this, but I think it would have been easier to hand chop it and I like the chopping. It’s somehow relaxing. Set aside.
Peel and grate the carrot. You could also just hand chop the carrots into small sticks. Set aside.
Chop the Persian cucumbers into sticks. DO NO PEEL THEM. Their skin is very thin and edible and adds a nice color to the slaw mix. Set aside.
Finely chop the celery leaves. I use only the leaves because I am not a big celery fan and the leaves have a gentler flavor that adds some pop to the slaw. Set aside.
By now the onions have mellowed enough. Add the mayonnaise and mix until smooth. Add the kohlrabi, carrot, cucumbers, and chopped celery leaves and mix well.
I recommend making the slaw a few hours in advance of dinner or even overnight as the flavor will meld. If you want to cut down on calories, you can substitute light mayo. It works just as well. Alternatively, omit the mayo for a lighter slaw.
You mix things up by adding chopped apples or fennel to the slaw.
Exciting Adventures in Mexico
I recently released Aztec Gold which is a paranormal romantic suspense set in Mexico and revolving around an Aztec demi-goddess and a missing group of archeologists. I’ll shortly be releasing The Fifth Kingdom, another romantic suspense set in Mexico which is about a CIA Agent trying to find an archeologist kidnapped by terrorists who believe a world-ending weapon might be found in Montezuma’s lost tomb. Why Mexico? I was lucky enough to spend lots of time there when I visited with clients. Those visits let me learn a great deal about Mexican culture that I included in the stories. One of my most fun visits gave me an opportunity to visit the National Museum of Anthropology and see many of things that I included in my stories. Today I’m sharing some photos from that visit!
33 Pounds Lost and Health Found
I haven’t posted in a couple of weeks about my lifestyle journey and wanted to share with you what’s been happening! First and foremost I’m over the hump and have now lost 33 pounds. I’ve been happily eating healthier by including a lot more fruits and vegetables. The vegetables have been courtesy of a CSA (community sponsored agriculture) that we joined and that’s been providing us with a lot of new and sometimes unusual vegetables. I’ll share more on that on Friday! It makes me think of an Italian expression: Chi mangia bene, vive bene. It translates to “He who eats well, lives well.” Couldn’t be more true. The workouts have been a mix of walking, the elliptical and a new addition: pickleball. Hubby and I have been playing regularly and we love it! All that combined and I am feeling so much better. If you’re on a similar journey, please share!
Action, Romance, and Puppers!
Action, romance, and puppers! What could be better? How about a free read of my K-9 romantic suspense DECOY TRAINING on Kindle Unlimited. Today’s teaser is a slow build that leads to a huge explosion of the need between military veteran Shane and dog trainer Piper. You can also read several other books and novellas for free on Kindle Unlimited! Take a moment to check them out at https://amzn.to/3X0UvTT.
WARNING: Only for mature audiences!
Excerpt
PIPER BLOCKED HIS arm and took hold of his hand as he sat up in bed, bare-chested. His scars, both emotional and physical, revealed to her.
“You were having a nightmare,” she said and smoothed her hand across his chest. His skin was damp and chilled from the night air.
“I’m okay,” he said, but when his gaze focused and settled on her, he cupped her cheek, almost as if to confirm she was really there.
“You’re okay. Everything is okay,” she said, trying to reassure him.
Shane rubbed his head, as if trying to dispel the last remnants of the nightmare. He looked away for the briefest moment before settling his gaze on her once more.
“It was different this time,” he said and ran his thumb along her chin and the slight dimple there.
She squinted, trying to figure it out, but couldn’t. “How was it different?”
“You were in my nightmare,” he said, shocking her.
She laid a hand on her chest and squeaked out, “Me. I was in it?”
“You, Piper. You were there, trapped. I was trying to reach you, but I couldn’t,” he said.
“I’m here, Shane,” she said.
“You are,” he said and wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her close. As he lay down, he took her with him, and she ended up lying along his length.
His body was so hard beneath hers, calling to the woman who hadn’t experienced emotions like this since her husband’s death. But as she inched up to meet his lips with hers, she knew it was about more than physical longing. Shane had breached the walls of her heart and she could no longer deny what she was feeling.
She kissed him, moving her mouth along his. Taking in his breath as if she needed it to breathe. Dipping her tongue in to taste him because she wanted to know everything about this strong and caring man.
As he cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her nightshirt, her nipple beaded against his palm. Her breast heavy with need, she covered his hand and pressed it to her, moaned when he tweaked her hard nipple with his fingers.
*
HIS BREATH EXPLODED from his chest at the sound of her needy moan and the feel of her breast against his palm, beneath his fingers. The softness of her belly cradled his erection and he wanted nothing more than to strip off her thin cotton nightshirt and make love to her, but not like this.
Not when their emotions were running high from the danger threatening Piper’s life and his. He had no doubt that if the intruder needed to get to Piper, he’d kill Shane to do it.
“Shane?” Piper asked and leaned a hand on his chest to look at him in the dim light of the room.
“I… I care for you, Piper. I really do, but things are too unsettled now. We’re both not thinking straight.”
Her eyes widened at his words, and she scrambled off him, but stood by the bed for a halting second. “I care for you, too.”
Then she burst from the room, Chipper barking and hopping up and down as she chased after Piper.
This or That? Casual or Suit?
When I’m writing, I often have to decide how to dress my characters. Oftentimes they’re usually only wearing casual clothes since they’re busy investigating, but I have to confess I find nothing sexier than a well-dressed man in a suit. So for today’s Man Candy Monday, share whether you prefer a man in casual clothes or all dressed up in something more formal.
