Writing

Writer Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! It’s a snowy day here in Connecticut and that means some time this afternoon I’ll be outside spending some quality time with my snowblower, ah…the joys of working from home. Until I have to venture out, I’m staying put inside with my coffee. When I first came into my study this morning after breakfast I reviewed my to-do list for the day which I have to say isn’t bad. I made the decision last week to switch out my planner after making the decision to switch out my planner. Can someone say indecisive?

It’s a very, very long story but I’m back to using my Erin Condren planner and life is so much better now because of it. I’ve learned to not schedule my day as if I had 48 hours. Yeah, I was over-scheduling myself for weeks and that’s not a good thing for me. What’s on tap for today is writing a few blog posts, completing a form for my upcoming blog tour in March and continuing with an online class I purchased over the weekend. I’ve finished the outline for book 3 in the Food Blogger Mystery series and I’m going to let it set for a couple of days before diving back in and polishing it up. The 26 page document will go to my editor and then I’ll begin writing the book (between you and me, I’ll probably start writing the book sometime next week).

I also scheduled some time to begin brainstorming the 2nd book in the Resale Boutique Mystery series. Book 1, Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, is still with my critique partner. The final edits are about half done with that book so as soon as I get the last chapters back from Ellie, I’ll dive into those pages and finish prepping the manuscript for me editor.

Being in this phase of writing, which is all about the creation of the plot is kind of odd. It’s hard to quanitify the work I’m doing, somedays I plot out more of the story than others but I’ve learned now after 3 books that this is necessary time spent and not to beat myself up if I end my workday early because in the coming months of actually writing the book I’ll be putting in longer days. Besides, this is a very creative period of the writing process and I know it sounds corny, but the creativity needs to be nurtured and protected.

Well, the snow is still falling outside so I better get going on my day so I’ll have the time later clear the snow.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

D.

 

 

Reads

January Reads

We’ve had a whole lot of weather here in Connecticut – frigid cold, snow, rain and record warmth. We’ve gone from below zero temps right up to 50 degrees that included two days of rain and fog and ice. That old saying about New England weather, “wait an hour” has never been more true.

I rarely need an excuse to curl up with a good book but I think this month I have a few good reasons. 🙂 Making time to read for pleasure has been a top priority since the new year. Looking back at December I didn’t get much reading done between finishing the second draft of Murder Wears a Little Black Dress and doing a final read of The Hidden Corpse, both had a deadline of December 31st (note for future self – don’t ever do that again) and all the Christmas stuff that needed to be done. Yeah, I think there was a little burnout by January 1st.

In hopes of not repeating last month, I’ve carved out time in the evening to read a book rather than check my iPad for Facebook and Instagram updates or see if I’ve gotten a new email. Step away from the electronic devices, Deb. So far, it’s been going well and I’m sleeping better too! Win-win, I think. Okay, so what’s on my reading list this month? I felt like more supense rather than cozy or romance. Luckily, I had a few books on my shelves that fit the bill.

 

The Woman In Cabin Ten by Ruth Ware

I haven’t read her first book, In a Dark, Dark Wood, butit’s on my to-buy list. I read a sample on The Woman in Cabin Ten on my iBooks app and knew I had to buy the book and while browsing in a local bookshop there it was! The opening of the book immediately drew me in and I’m curious to see how the story unfolds as Lo Blacklock embarks on an assignment of a lifetime that turns out to be a nightmare.

Even If It Kills Her by Kate White

The Baily Weggins series is one of my favorite series and I was so excited when I learned Kate White was writing another one after writing a few stand-alone titles. I devoured the book in a matter of days and loved the twist at the end. I’ve read there’s another Bailey Weggins book is coming soon. Can’t wait!

Where All The Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

The book description sounded so interesting for this book that I just had to buy it. A mystery set in a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Done! Had to have the book and I’m so looking forward to diving into it.

There you have it, my choices for this month. What are you reading this month?

 

Life, Writing

Welcome 2018!

Happy New Year! 2018 is finally here! Can you tell I’m excited?

Too be honest, I didn’t ring in the new year instead I woke to it bright and early this morning. Considering what 2018 is bringing me, getting a good night’s sleep seemed to be the responsible and smart thing to do. It’s been a busy time here coming off of the holidays and preparing for 2018. I’ve had to take a good, hard look at my organization process I’ve been using because 2018 is going to be a year full of new demands on my time and energy. What has worked well for me in the past isn’t going to cut it this year because I’m no longer just writing.

No, it seems once you’re published writing competes with dozens of other tasks and it’s so easy to not write. While everything else that needs to be done is important, writing is the most important thing because writing is the reason why I have to do all these other things. I think the word of the year will be FOCUS.

I will be promoting the release of The Uninvited Corpse with a blog tour and some in-person events while writing the third book in the Food Blogger Mystery series. Come the middle of the year I’ll be promoting the release of Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, A Resale Boutique mystery, and writing the second book in that series. In addition to the writing and promoting for both releases this year I’ll be joining the group blog, Writers Who Kill where I’ll be writing a post a month. Early in 2017 I joined with a fabulous group of 2018 debut authors and together we work to support each other through social media. I’ve also just joined the International Thriller Writers Debut Author Program and I’m looking forward to all the program has to offer this author.

There’s a lot on my plate this years and it can feel overwhelming (I just need to remember to breathe) but the truth is I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Besides, what’s a little hyperventilation? 🙂

I’m confident (or blissfully ignorant) that I can tackle whatever 2018 throws at mebecause of my revamped organization/time-management processes. I’ve taken what has worked for me in the past and added a few new tools that I think should meet the new demands on my time. I’ll be sharing all the details on those upgrades to my organization process with you in my next post and maybe there’s something that can help you and maybe you have a tip or two you could share with me.

I hope you have a great New Year’s day!

Baking, Holidays

Mini-Eggnog Cranberry Pound Cakes

Once upon a time there was a writer who was in the midst of writing a manuscript while working a full-time job and caring for an injured dog at Christmas, and just when she didn’t think her to-do list could get any longer, it did. She had to bake for her 20-plus co-workers. She needed something quick, easy and had a high yield because she was short on time. The countdown to Christmas day had begun and she needed her own little baking miracle. Then a flash of inspiration hit and within a couple hours she was packing up the cargo space in her SUV with treats for her co-workers. What saved the day? Cranberry Eggnog Mini-Pound cakes.

That is the year I traded my made-from-scratch pound cake batter for a box mix and it was the best decision I made that holiday season. Billy has major surgery, he’d fractured his jaw and he needed care 24/7. He was droggy from the pain meds, he really couldn’t eat so I had to serve him pureed pumpkin with water (a soup only a pup could love) several times a day to keep him hydrated. And it was Christmas!

I looked through what I had on hand and that’s when the inspiration sparked and I quickly gathered all the ingredients—eggs, vanilla, eggnog, cranberries. I used the eggnog in place of the milk. Add in some chopped cranberries and a plain pound cake became festive. Bake them in pretty molds and they become giftable (is that a real word? probably not but you know what I mean).

I always have a large roll of cellophane on hand and various ribbons stashed away for any occasion. I did have a stack of cake boards that I cut into small discs for the cakes. But that was a little time-consuming so now I just wrap the cakes in the cellophane. If you’re really short on time you can bake one large cake or a couple of loaf cakes according to the directions on the box. I do love the smaller cakes though. They’re just so pretty.

These little cakes showed me that simple sometimes is the best thing we can do. We get so caught up in all the things we think need to be done for the holidays and yet these very easy treats have become one of my most requested desserts and I’m happy to whip up a batch.

Ready for the recipe? There really isn’t one. But here are the basics and don’t be afraid to experiment. I’ve made mini-petite cakes and added Bailey’s Vanilla Cinnamon to the batter.

You’ll need: 1 box of pound cake mix along with the ingredients listed on the box but you’ll replace the milk with eggnog and you’ll add 3/4 cup finely chopped cranberries to the batter along with a dash of vanilla. In addition, confectioners’ sugar to dust each cake.
Tips:
For the mini-cakes pictured above I bake them for 18-22 minutes, it all depends on your oven.
I typically get 6-9 mini-pound cakes from each box.
If you’re using mini-bundt pans be sure not to overfill each mold with batter or else you’ll never get the cake out. (Been there and it wasn’t pretty.)

Merry Baking!

 

Baking, Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s finally starting to feel like autumn. There’s a cool breeze, no humidity (thank you! thank you! thank you!) and the leaves are starting to become more intense in their color. Thanks to a storm on Monday night the walkway is covered with fallen leaves so when I walk to the street, there’s the comforting sound of rustling leaves.

Awe. Fall.

I had the urge to bake the other day and I wanted to make cupcakes. But I didn’t want to make the usual. I wanted something different. When I was in the grocery store I saw boxes of Pumpkin Spice cake mix and I thought “that’s it! I’ll make Pumpkin Spice cupcakes and the perfect frosting would be cream cheese”. I bypassed the boxes of mix because I’d make my own when I got home after putting the groceries away. And I did!

Biting into these cupcakes was like taking a bite out of autumn. Everything I love about the season was packed into this tiny little package of yumminess. The spices swirled with the pumpkin and the flavor burst in my mouth as the cream cheese frosting added a creamy richness. In a nutshell, these cupcakes were sweet, simple and very seasonal.

 
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