Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Apple Harvest Time in Michigan, Apple Salad Recipe

It's apple time in Michigan!
And what an apple harvest it is! A record 31 million bushels of apples is expected this year. An increase of 7 million bushels from the 2015 harvest.

If you haven't bitten into a fresh, crunchy apple, you're missing out. Apples are so versatile too--desserts, salads, sauces, jelly, but especially delicious as a snack or in your lunchbox.

YOU TUBE VIDEO:
Take a Bite of Pure Michigan Apples 

At our family dinner on Sunday, I made a favorite apple dish--Autumn Waldorf Salad. The dressing keeps the apples, grapes, celery and nuts fresh and tasty for several days. My friend Elaine shared this recipe with me. I'm happy to pass it on to you. Serve it in a clear glass bowl to make a festive table at your next holiday (or family) dinner.

Autumn Waldorf Salad

Dressing

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. water
Boil till thick.
Add:
1 tsp. margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir well, then allow the dressing to come to room temperature.

Fruit

6 c. cubed apples
2 c. grapes
1 c. celery
1 c. walnut halves

Pour dressing over fruit, refrigerate. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite apple dish? Please share it with us. Thank you.


Wednesday, September 21, 2016

International Day of Peace, Author Diane Burton's SFR Mission to New Earth

Peaceful view--Florida Gulf of Mexico
Photo by J.Q. Rose

September 21 is International Day of Peace

declared by the United Nations Resolutions.

"Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples." --United Nations 

We can all work toward peace within our families, neighborhoods, communities, regions, countries. Wishing you peace within your heart.
~~~
Fellow author and Michigander, Diane Burton, is my guest today. Well, actually her character, Sara Grenard is here. She is the main character and narrator of Diane Burton’s new science fiction romance novella, Mission to New Earth. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway found at the bottom of the page to win a $10. Amazon gift card. 
Mission to New Earth by Diane Burton
Earth is dying. They were chosen for a MISSION TO NEW EARTH
Hello, Sara. Thank you for visiting today, Please introduce yourself.
My name is Sara Grenard. I’m commander of the mission to Serenity. That’s the name my team gave to the Goldilocks planet that might be just right for humans. We’ll explore, build a settlement, and start families.
Tell us about your family?
I don’t have one. A few distant cousins, I guess. I have no sibs, and my parents were killed in an auto accident 10 years ago. That made it easier to leave everything behind to go on a one-way trip to a new planet. Although I have no blood family, my team is my family. The six of us have bonded better than relatives.
Are you athletic?
You bet. I can’t sit still. That’s why teaching wasn’t my best choice of occupations.
Why didn’t you continue teaching?
A student who was much bigger attacked me. My principal didn’t support me, so I filed a police report. That didn’t go over well. I figured it was a losing battle. When I saw that the United Earth Space Agency was looking for volunteers to go on a one-way trip to new planets, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. To be a pioneer.
What’s your favorite sport?
To watch? Baseball. I know, seems contradictory with me not being able to sit still. But Dad liked to watch the Detroit Tigers on TV, and I loved that time with him. As far as participating, I love surfing and swimming. Running and taekwondo. The latter I learned so I could defend myself. No one will ever attack me again and get away with it.
What’s the best part of being an astronaut?
The challenge. Our training has been demanding. Mentally, physically, emotionally. We’re going to make sure humankind has a safe place if an evacuation is necessary. From all the crises on Earth, that may be necessary sooner than we think.

Here are the deets about Diane Burton’s Mission to New Earth.
Genre: science fiction romance
Release date: August 31, 2016
Length: 88 pages (25k words)

Back of the Book: Mission to New Earth
Would you go on a one-way trip to explore a new planet? Would you do it to save humankind?

Earth’s overpopulation and dwindling resources force the United Earth Space Agency to expedite exploration of new planets for a possible new home. When new crises ensue—a giant tsunami and the threat of nuclear winter—the timeline changes. Eight years of training crammed into four. Sara Grenard and her team prepare for launch, but are they ready for the one-way trip? Will the Goldilocks planet prove just right for Earth’s inhabitants? Before time runs out.

Excerpt:

From the pictures sent back by the probe of the Earth-like planet we named Serenity, our new home would look as natural as Earth itself. I wanted so badly to believe the reports that the surface would have breathable air, that we would be able to walk outside without our enviro suits, that we could live there as we lived on Earth. After two years in an enclosed environment, I was going a little stir-crazy. More than a little. Being an outdoor girl, cabin fever had hit me a lot sooner than the others. Rather, I used to be an outdoor girl.
So how did a California beach girl like me end up on Saturn’s moon, preparing to make history? It was a long story, best reserved for a starlit night in front of a campfire overlooking the dark waters of the sea, and accompanied by a cool glass of wine. With Marsh, of course. Even he didn’t know my whole story. Just like I didn’t know his.
The short version: I volunteered. Slightly longer version: my parents died in a car accident; teaching bratty kids sucked, especially when a kid eight inches taller and a hundred pounds heavier attacked me, and the principal didn’t support me. Believe me, I was ready for a change.
And what a change.
I never imagined I’d be selected. Not when over fifty thousand applied within ten hours. Or so I heard. Out of five hundred thousand applicants, the eighteen of us became the chosen teams. Oh, not as easy as that. The tests they put us through—physical, psychological, intellectual—still boggled my mind.
And I used to think teaching high school kids with more money than smarts was a challenge. Nothing prepared me for the adventure of a lifetime.
Being a pioneer.


About the Author:
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance
Author Diane Burton
Switched
and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and the Alex O’Hara PI mystery series. She is also a contributor to two anthologies: Portals, Volume 2 and How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and three grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com
Goodreads: Diane Burton Author  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2902110.Diane_Burton
Amazon author page: http://amzn.com/e/B00683MH5E
Sign up for Diane’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf
# # #

Sign up to win a $10. Amazon Gift Card 
at the Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY! 

Click below to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway






Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Encouragement and Help for Writers, FREE e-Books on Writing

Tips on writing from experienced talented authors
Do you remember when you started your first job? How excited you were? How you wanted to soak up everything you could about it so you could do your job better?

Do you remember when you learned to play an instrument, stepped on the stage in your first class production, learned to swim (or not), cooked your first meal, and all the other firsts in your life?

And do you remember all the things you did not know about that first experience? All the questions you had to ask from someone with experience?

Do you remember writing your first poem or story? How thrilling it was to put it down on the paper and share it with someone? Do you still feel like that when you are working on a writing project?

Somewhere along the line, we learn about the job or the instrument or baking a cake. Then we study and experiment so we can get better. Sometimes learning a little bit makes us realize we'll never be perfect at it because there's so much to know, so we get discouraged.

In writing and publishing, the project can become overwhelming, so we quit.


1
Don't Quit!
Many authors online or in your community are willing to help you. I was surprised at how generous writers can be and how much we want each other to succeed. That's what kept me writing. Not only because I want to write, but because there's such a wonderful world of helpful writers who will encourage you, teach you, understand your feeings, make you smile.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group
I belong to a wonderful group of writers who want to help. 


IWSG MISSION STATEMENT:

"The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support." 


Our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh began the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop held the first Wednesday of every month. (If you type in IWSG in the search box at the bottom of the sidebar, you can bring up the posts I have shared with the group and get connected.)
Compilation of helpful writing tips by members.
Click here to learn more about this e-book.
IWSG has grown so much there are 100's of writers participating in the blog hop. A website is now available with all kinds of writing tips and information. IWSG members contributed writing tips for the FREE e-book,
The Insecure Writers Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond.

Find out more about the IWSG at these following links:
IWSG Website
IWSG Newsletter
Join the IWSG Blog Hop
IWSG Critique Circle Facebook Page
IWSG Facebook Page
# # # 
Guest authors on the J.Q. Rose blog shared writing tips on the writing process, publishing and marketing. It was my privilege to share the tips they posted here plus many more in an e-book, 
Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing eBook Available Now
FREE September 14-16. 

Grab the IWSG tips book and the Romance and Mystery authors tip book so you can learn more about this crazy writing and publishing industry. Please leave a review so we can spread the word about these valuable resources for writers.


Where do you go for help with your writing? Do you have a blog, a book, an online class, a mentor, a writer's group? Please let us know in the comment section below. Your tip may encourage and enlighten another writer. Thank you.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

IWSG Blog Hop: Structuring Your Story, IWSG Question of the Day

Hello and welcome to the monthly meeting of the 
Insecure Writers Support Group(IWSG) blog hop! 

Internet Writers Support Group Blog Hop
First Wednesday of every month.
What is IWSG? Founder of the  Insecure Writer’s Support Group and author Alex J Cavanaugh explains the group's purpose is "to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!" You're invited to become a member of this supportive group.

The group blogs the first Wednesday of every month.  The list of bloggers is always available so you can hop around to the author blogs filled with humor, advice, and thought-provoking topics on writing and publishing. You can find the list of participants at Alex's IWSG page.
IWSG Question for the Month

IWSG Question for September IWSG Blog Hop: How do you find the time to write in your busy day?
I discovered while writing my latest mystery, Deadly Undertaking, in order to complete the project, I had to set a time every day to write, just as if I had a doctor or dentist appointment to keep. I chose to write after lunch. At first, it was very difficult to just stop my activities for the day and go to the laptop. But I later discovered I couldn't wait to get lunch eaten and the kitchen cleaned up so I could write. Perhaps if you develop this "habit" of choosing the one time of the day you can actually sit down and do it, you'll begin to look forward to writing and hop to it. Best wishes!
# # #
Structuring Your Story
Structuring Your Story

I read this article by Marcy Kennedy on story structure. She writes, "These are your major plot points. I call them the Commitment Point (20-25%), the Flip Point (50%), and the All Is Lost (75%). (The percentages are approximate.)"

I have never believed in using a strict structure like this for a plot line. I've read numerous authors' articles on using this "formula" for story structure, but  
I never considered trying to write my cozy mysteries with the guidelines because I didn't want to write to a "formula." 

Marcy opened my eyes to the idea that readers expect the story to develop along these lines. Now I am wondering if I should try to use the formula because I want my readers to have a good reading experience. 

Do you structure your plots according to the "rules?" Do you agree or disagree with having events occur at the percentage points in your book? I would love to get your feedback on this idea.

Marci has four excellent articles in the series. They helped me examine my thoughts on writing novels. If you have time, click this link to take a peek at it. 

The link will take you to the article on structure and to the others in her series on Dissecting Books.

Thanks for stopping in.

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Happy Labor Day, Holiday Special Free E-book: Romantic Suspense Deadly Undertaking



Thank you to all those who contribute to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the USA!

Wishing you a great holiday weekend.

HOLIDAY SPECIAL-- FREE E-BOOK
You can pick up my romantic suspense, 
Deadly Undertaking, for FREE this weekend 
to enjoy during your time off from the festivities.

Deadly Undertaking, FREE this weekend!
at Amazon US Click here to order.

Here's what readers are saying:

***** Deadly Undertaking:  “J.Q. Rose's Deadly Undertaking. What an exciting mystery with a thrilling ending!There is so much going on in this book: drugs, gambling, adultery, a mother with Alzheimer's, and a ghost... a mystery inside of a mystery. Susan B.

*****Up All Night Reading Needless to say, Deadly Undertaking was a major page-burner. I really did read all night and miss an appointment the next day. Well-drawn characters, suspense, humor (fortunately, my neighbors are either night owls or hard of hearing because I laugh loudly) combined with good editing—I was in heaven! Rochelle Weber, Roses and Thorns Reviews

**** What a fun read filled with tension and sexy pizazz. I just finished Deadly Undertaking. What a fun read, filled with tension and sexy pizazz. I enjoyed the interaction between the supernatural and love. They provide a lighter note to the darker themes of murder and a drug ring. The small town setting contributes a twist to the action and characters, as each one's dilemma evolves to a resolution. Amazon Customer

Thank you.

Books We Love Publishing--my publisher.




Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) Blog Post: Now About That AI! #IWSGbloghop

  Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop #IWSGbloghop What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group? Founded by author   Alex J. Cavanaug...

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