The Bee's Knees

Today I'm taking part in a special one-day blog tour. Lovely Caroline's newest book releases next week, and hopefully readers will be flocking to it like bees to honey. *Grins*

Each chapter of her book is featured on one blog today. To begin the tour, start here and follow the links. I'm hosting Chapter 22, and the tour continues on Liz Fenwick's blog.

UK readers can order a copy of Like Bees to Honey on Amazon UK, while reader elsewhere can purchase it from The Book Depository, which offers free worldwide shipping.

Without further adieu, here is Chapter 22. Enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing

Beer at 30...

It's been busy around here the last two weeks. Last Wednesday was husband's 30th birthday (yay!), so I spent my time planning, cooking, and shopping. I was exhausted by Saturday, but the outcome was fantastic--we celebrated his birthday with a 'Tarts & Vicars' Dirty Thirty Party over the weekend. Here's a sample of what I've been doing:

(Top: Making Czech Goulash and bread dumplings.)

(Bottom: In honor of Husband's dual love for beer and jelly beans, I etched pub glasses and filled them with jelly beans for the party favors.)

Husband and I grew up in the Pacific Northwest--arguably the center of craft microbrewing in the United States. Portland, OR has more breweries per capita than any other city, and we grew up in a town with one of the best and most-well known microbreweries in the country: Deschutes Brewery. In college husband and I studied abroad in London, where he was introduced to traditional English beer and grew to love it above all but his PacNW microbrews. We stayed with a host family, and the dad was an avid 'Real Ale' fan (introduced us to CAMRA, and etc.). The very first night there, he took Husband out to the garage to make his first beer. Adam's Ale. Then he took him to the pub and gave him an education in cask-conditioned real ale. It's no wonder husband became such a beer lover. So for Christmas I got him his first beer-making kit. His second batch was finished just in time for the party this weekend.

A friend hosted the party at his house--his built-in bar and back yard were much more fun than our tiny condo. We ate and drank 'around the world' with food and beer samplings from various locales. The original menu included most of the major beer countries, but we had to whittle it down to avoid drowning in food and beer, so instead we sampled the following: England, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Pacific NW, California, and India (random, but our friend makes a mean curry, and wanted some Maharaja).The end result was quite a blast. Any guesses on my costume? Here's a hint: I went with a bookish stereotype, while Husband--standing next to me--decided that as the birthday boy he should be the pope. :)

A Winner

I am SO excited!

I entered a contest last week. I should mention that I never ever win anything. Ever.

But.

I won!

Over at Women on the Web they are running a contest called Words Move Me. To enter the contest, you have to submit a 'literary moment' that inspired you. The prize? A rose-colored Sony Reader Pocket Edition. (!!)

It looks quite lovely. I can't wait.

Here's the announcement, and my winning entry:

OMG, I won!**

I believe there are two chances left to win...

(**Because I am obsessed with language, I must note that there is a stray comma in my entry that shouldn't be there, but it wasn't in the version I submitted. Grammar Geek out.)

Falling for Fall

...all over again.

I love autumn. I think it might be my favorite season. Of course I say that with the advent of spring and summer as well. And Christmas, if it can be considered its own season. (I love the snow of December, not so much February and March, so winter is out of the running.)

With the arrival of fall, all I can think about is pumpkin food!

pumpkins Pumpkins PUMPKINS

Pumpkin scones, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin frozen yogurt and ice cream, pumpkin muffins and bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli. Gordon Ramsay made a gorgeous pumpkin risotto the other day that had my mouth watering. (I found the recipe! Yay! Must try that next...)

My friend Kristen made a tasty pumpkin chili last night that was to die for. By the way, she just started a new blog called Frosting and Froth that focuses on food, fitness and books, where she also shares her yummy baking recipes and escapades. Check it out. She promises to try her September muffins with pumpkin puree soon!

The one thing pumpkin I don't like--brace yourself--is pumpkin pie. I didn't realize my love of pumpkins until later in life, because pumpkin pie clouded my judgment. Husband is one of the few others I know who doesn't like pumpkin pie. At Thanksgiving we have the fruit pies and the chocolate pie to ourselves, which is brilliant. However, we've discovered that we love pumpkins in just about every other form.

My love of fall foods doesn't end with pumpkins however. I've also developed a love for gourds. There, I've said it. Gourds. Particularly butternut squash. (And did I mention pumpkins?) And also sweet potatoes. None of these foods graced my family table growing up, so I've discovered them slowly over the years, and it's as if a gorgeous autumnal veil has been lifted from my eyes. Behold baked sweet potatoes (with marshmallows if I'm being naughty)! Butternut squash soup! Sweet potato fries! Butternut squash ravioli!

Oddly enough, despite this obsession with fall (and pumpkins), it's ridiculously hot outside, so I can't dive into the baking. It was 95 here yesterday, and today promises a high of 91. I think the autumn season became confused because it's late. I hope it arrives soon. I can't wait for the changing leaves and the arrival of gorgeous fall bounty at the market.

But while I wait, does anyone have any pumpkin recipes they'd like to share?

Obsession

WARNING: This video might make you melt and or spontaneously combust. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ever since I saw James Morrison live earlier this year, I've been obsessed. (The link is from the actual show I went to, but it's not the best quality video...the performance, however, is raw and divine. I was there! I didn't faint! Woot!) Prior to the concert, I loved his music, but he was so amazing live that I fell in love...and his voice was so beautiful it made me want to cry. I think Mr. Morrison secretly wants to be my lover and sing to me every night. Otherwise, why else would he serenade me so?

Footloose and...Appendix Free

I planned to write a post this past weekend about my fabulous celebration dinner with husband. We went up to San Francisco and enjoyed a dinner at the hip Absinthe Brasserie & Bar--much fancier than our usual fare. I even took pictures to share. However, that evening I developed a stomachache, which progressed as the weekend went on, until I ended up in the ER Sunday afternoon. Appendicitis. Eight hours later and I finally made it into the OR for an emergency appendectomy. Needless to say, I haven't gotten around to uploading my pictures!

I'm at home now, recovering. I was planning to finish my last tweaks to the final draft over the next two weeks before I head home--I have a little niece on the way--but I think that will be delayed another week now.

In other news, I finally sent out my Pay It Forward gifts after a very long delay. I really enjoyed participating and hope everyone else has fun as it goes forward.

Thanks for all the comments over on Facebook. You are all lovely!

p.s.

I'm finalizing my gifts for the Pay It Forward participants and I still have one spot open. I would love it if three people participated. All you have to do is repay the gift to three new people on your own blog. If you'd like to join, leave a comment and send me an email with your mailing address (and favorite color). Don't be shy, it's fun!

Spring

April showers bring May flowers, or so 'they' say. Our flowers began blooming last weekend when it was gloriously sunny, but spring showers followed nonetheless, bringing along overcast skies and darkened mornings.

Husband's jasmine is blooming on the patio, leaving a gorgeous aroma outside, and I've put a cluster of daffies on the table to brighten up my writing area. I love daffodils. They add a small dose of sunshine and cheer.

We spent last weekend in a flurry of spring cleaning, and since we didn't finish, the remnants are piled here and there, disrupting our space and forcing us to attack the remainder of the cleaning next weekend. I finally worked up the stamina to clear my closet, dresser, and even (*gasp*) my shoe and bag collections. I come from a family of hoarders, so I always feel satisfied when I remove unnecessary clutter.

Speaking of unnecessary clutter, I'm making progress (however slowly) through my edit. I'm on chapter 10 of 15, and I distilled the first three pages of this chapter into three post-it notes, which was satisfying. I also cut a few pages entirely. The pages look like a bloody mess, but hopefully the aggressive cuts will improve the writing and the story.

Woeful Winces

I'm wincing at the stupidity of publicly pronouncing my goal completion date for this draft. I'm woefully behind, and although I thought it was a realistic goal, I have yet to meet my targeted number of pages for the day. I am making progress, but it's been painfully slow. I linger over sentences for ages--dwelling on each word--maybe finishing a page an hour at the most. I wish I could work faster, but I suppose this is my process. Any advice from the cheering section? I need a little shove, but please don't be too hard on me if I miss my mark.

I don't have any volunteers for the Pay it Forward gesture yet, so I'm making one final plea. I would love to put together parcels for three participants, and I swear it's fun and inspirational! If you want to participate, leave a comment on my post. By volunteering you agree to pay it forward to three more people on your own blog once you receive your package.

Sensory delights

The roundup:

Watching - I've been eager to see Slumdog Millionaire since I read an enthusiastic review over Thanksgiving, and Husband and I finally caught it last weekend. It was well worth the wait and definitely lived up to all the hype. It was touching, funny, sweet, sad, and beautiful.

I just found the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I can't wait for July!

Reading - In need of a light, humorous read, I picked up a copy of An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England, which fits the bill so far. The narrator is a self-deluded, quirky character who accidentally burned down Emily Dickinson's home and many years later inadvertently sets himself up to be blamed for other fires. At first it was a page turner, but now that I'm halfway through it, I'm struggling to empathize with the character. I find myself simultaneously laughing at him, while constantly feeling the urge to smack some sense into him. I'll report back when I finish the book to let you know if it's a recommended read.

Listening - I picked up the new album by The Fray just before my holiday and I've been listening to it on repeat (as I do when I'm obsessed with a new CD). The only competition right now is the rain pouring down outside in sheets. The sound is soothing, until Drew needs to go out for a pee, and then it sounds like the soundtrack for a horror film!

Eating - I've been cooking from scratch a lot lately, which is unusual for me. I cook probably 5-6 nights a week, but I usually make simple dishes that require little planning and work. Last week I prepared five homemade meals as well as a batch of no pudge fudge (box) brownies! I felt inspired to be creative with the ingredients sitting in our cupboards and here's what I came up with:

*Spicy Thai coconut chicken noodle soup
*Coconut macadamia pancakes (I made these in honor of pancake day, which I've never celebrated, but all day the news talked about pancakes and it made me hungry for them!)
*Crustless Quiche with red pepper, tomato, cheese, and basil
*Whole wheat pizza with prosciutto, roma tomato, and basil
*Baked (Light!) Macaroni and Cheese with sweet peas

Not to brag (too much), but they all turned out really well, which is not the case for all of my kitchen experiments. Tonight I plan to try a Thai-inspired stir fry with the remaining coconut milk.

So. What have you been watching, reading, listening to, and eating lately?

The Horror

...and some nice things.

We really know how to live it up here. We spent a wild and crazy Saturday night attempting to pull two ticks from Drew's belly. Unsuccessfully. Eurgh! It's no secret that I have severe arachnophobia, and that includes all the other nasty critters with creepy wiggly legs. I was a very brave mama holding the Drewser while Husband attempted the impossible feat, and I was bitten at least five times for it! (By Drew, not the critters!) If only Drew knew how much I love him in order to actually look at those nasty beasties. I nearly jumped out of my skin. *Shudders*
First thing Sunday morning we visited the vet, who pulled the buggers out and tested for Lyme Disease. All clear, thank goodness.


Now if I haven't already scared you away with my nasty tale, I do have something more positive to share. A "Love Ya" blog award from Aspiring Writer, Joanne. Here's a description of the award:

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

I don't feel like I deserve an award since I've been neglecting my blog lately, but I'm thankful for the acknowledgment, so this award means a lot to me. Cheers!

Like Joanne, I'm going to pass this award on to three lovely writing bloggers:

JJ over at Tea Stains has the most excellent taste in brew and is a lovely, supportive friend too. (Oh, I rhymed!)

Marmite & Tea has blogged about books for some time, but began the novel-writing journey last year and is a cheerful and enthusiastic blog chum.

I began blogging around the same time as Yvonne at It Had Better Be Good and we've been buds ever since. She recently finished the second draft of her first novel and is always an inspiration.

Love ya, ladies!

Pay It Forward

Back in January JJ over at Tea Stains was involved in a Pay It Forward gesture. She received a gift and was offering to pay that act of kindness forward to three people. I joined in because I love receiving packages and thought it was a neat idea. When I arrived home from Maui (more on that later), I received a lovely package from Thailand containing a writing notebook, a traditional Thai embroidered purse, a silver necklace made in the Karen Hill tribes, and a cute orange elephant.JJ is wonderful and I love everything!

I am now appealing for three people who’d like to receive a gift from me. You’ll owe me nothing. If you join you only have to agree to pay it forward, link back to me, and blog about it. What you send is up to you. The gifts don’t have to cost much--and can in fact be handmade--but should be fun, inspiring or uplifting.

Like JJ, I’m happy to send the package anywhere in the world. If you’d like to be one of three recipients for my Pay it Forward, then please leave a message in the comments. The first three to indicate that they’d like to join in will be the winners. And then I’ll need your postal addresses.

Best of luck!

My Holiday Formula Broken Down

Racing the rain to replace windows and a sliding glass door
+

two cars breaking down in two days
+
another car break in
=
Pre-Holiday Madness and no blogging

~~~

Five bottles of wine
+
Five best friends
+
Husband's wonderful cooking
=
A perfect holiday party

~~~

Twelve books
+
Husband
+
Boxcutters, Exacto knifes, glue and a paintbrush
=
My most difficult Christmas craft to date
(Secret book boxes)

~~~

Nine hours of driving (one way)
+
One foot of snow
+
Bald California Tires
+
One Crazy Dog
+
Three Families
=
A Wild White Christmas with Chains

~~~

Drew Got Mail

Book Group Expo

This weekend I'm heading to Book Group Expo in San Jose. I'm volunteering tomorrow and Sunday I'm attending as a regular reader. (Rumor has it they gave out awesome goody bags last year!) I'm super excited. I'll be working in a Salon--where authors discuss their books--to help make sure everything runs smoothly. Hopefully I don't get too starstruck.

If you're in the bay area this weekend, you should check it out. It's a two day event, and there are fabulous Authors, from a range of styles, attending.