Mona Karel Author

I knew going low carb would be difficult, especially during a time when I’d really like to be digging into some yummy pasta.  But so far I’ve stuck to my guns, and have even managed to avoid the deadly foods when I’ve had to do a drive through.  I generally order something that looks edible, and throw away the bun.  At my favorite Chinese restaurant I discovered the grilled chicken appetizers on sticks, and could pretty much forget Crab Rangoon and Singapore Rice Noodles.  Okay, can’t totally forget the noodles but can put them behind me for now.

What has helped immensely in this effort is cauliflower and kale.  Seriously.  As a straight up veggie, cauliflower has never done much for me.  But steamed and mashed, with butter and/or cream cheese?? It’s truly a comfort food, and can be used in a modified Shepherd’s pie, over some grilled chicken strips and peppers.  I “roast” the kale in a bit of olive oil (either in a pan or the oven) until it’s crispy, and use it as a base for eggs or maybe shrimp.

The other night I was really craving pasta, and fortunately found a spaghetti squash at the market.  Halved it, cleaned out the seeds, roasted it.  Then forked out the strands of squash, made up a home made marinara sauce.  I had intended to use some tomatoes with Italian seasonings but they had SUGAR in them.  What fool puts SUGAR in canned tomatoes??  As if they weren’t sweet enough on their own?  Fortunately had some plain tomatoes, so I threw out the seasoned ones, and set the extra can of those aside for the donation bag.  Add some grilled garlic, some Parmesan cheese, and pull out the immersion blender.  Yummmmm.

So far, cooking low carb for one is going well.  And finally the scale is beginning to show results!!!  Guess I can’t use the diet as and excuse not to get started on the next book, can I?  This one will concern the Atrahasis again, this time with a young woman orphaned when her parents died while visiting Earth.  She’s grown up a logical woman of science, no fairy tales for her.  She doesn’t believe any of that Gaia stuff, especially when she’s told she’s one of Gaia’s handmaidens.  Isn’t it grand to mess with your characters’ lives???

Happy Thursday everyone!  What makes Thursdays so special?  Well it is one day closer to the weekend.  And this Thursday, Leslie Wright is joining us for an early cup of green tea and an introduction to Alexa Martinez.  Yeah, green tea–it’s all sorts of good for us, you know.  If you’re still getting your caffeine level up to bearable, pour another shot and sit back.  This is going to be fun.

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Character Interview:  Alexa Martinez, the heroine in Basement Level Five: Never Scared

Blurb:  Alexa Martinez was raised to believe that murder, deceit, and lies were a part of life. A trained killer, she follows in her father’s footsteps, specializing in political assassinations for Martinez Security—contracted through the CIA. She thrives on the power, money, respect, and—most of all—the adrenaline rush.

Despite the danger associated with her profession, Alexa strives to give her children a normal life. But when her past catches up with her, they become pawns in a deadly game of revenge. Operating from a secret base five levels below ground, Alexa struggles to unravel the puzzle, uncovering secrets that will alter their lives forever. Now she must make a choice—is she willing to die to give her children a life outside the bullet proof glass?

Hello, Alexa!  Thanks for agreeing to do the interview!

Thanks for having me!  I don’t usually do interviews, but you asked so nicely…and I’m trying to be a little more open.

Give me two words to describe yourself.

Loyal. Stubborn.

If you could pick one person, who has had the greatest impact on your life?

I would have to say Daddy.  I’ve always been a Daddy’s girl, and his presence in my life has always been a constant.  It seems as though he’s always there…watching.  He definitely keeps me on my toes and he’s taught me EVERYTHING I know.  I always knew that I could count on him.  I remember when I was a teenager.  I ended up getting this ugly tattoo.  I cringe every time I think about it, even now.  Instead of punishing me for disobeying him (he always told me never to mark my body), he went and got a matching tattoo.  I knew it before, but it really cemented, for me, the fact that he would always have my back.

Let’s talk about Dro… When did you fall in love with him? What is it about him that attracts you to him?

Ummm… I think I fell in love with Dro shortly after I turned eight.  Lol.  Just kidding.  I’ve always loved him because he’s been a part of my life forever.  But I realized I was in love with him on my 17^th birthday.  And let’s just keep it at that.  He’s a very attractive guy, but his spirit has always attracted me to him.  He doesn’t trust easily, but I love that he trusts me.  That attracts me to him even more.  And the fact that he is so smart and capable and strong…really turns me on.

What is your favorite part about being a mother?

I love every part of being a mother.  I never realized that motherhood would change me in such a profound way.  Being a mother and raising beautiful, intelligent children…it’s been more rewarding than anything in my life. It’s something to see someone grow from infant to tween to teenager.  I can see parts of myself and Dro in them and…it makes me proud…that I could be a part of such an exceptional life.  And my children make me want to be a better person.  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them. 

What do you hope your children remember about you?

I hope they remember that their mom protected them to the best of her ability—that I loved them unconditionally—that I encouraged them to follow their dreams.

Rapid Fire Questions:

Favorite Song? Never Scared by Bone Crusher. lol

Favorite Movie? Believe it or not… My Best Friend’s Wedding

Favorite Season? Winter

Favorite Food? I don’t have one.  But I HATE beans

Favorite Vacation Spot? Puerto Rico

Any parting words? Not really.  It was fun, though.

 ***

About L. R. Wright:  I’m a devoted wife of many years and mother to 3 wonderful children who inspire and motivate me to follow my dreams.  In addition to writing, I love romance novels, fine wine, and hanging out with my friends and family.  I crunch numbers for a living, and plan events for fun.

Website:  www.thebasementlevelfive.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeslieWrightAuthor

Twitter: @LWrightAuthor

Bev’s not only giving us virtual yummies,  she’s also come up with a fantasy setting.  Let’s join her around the tiny table and watch Parisians stroll past.  I think I’ll have some roasted kale and seared shrimp, and pretend the cream sauce.

HI BEV

Hello, Mona

Thank you for inviting me to brunch today. I’ll just sit here and drink my French Vanilla Cappuccino and have a few crackers and cheese.

My alter ego is sitting at a cafe in Paris enjoying the sights and lapping up all that French culture and creme. Just watching and listening to the Parisian people and the tourists from all over the world is giving me goosebumps. The coffee is hot and the men hotter.

Come join me. If cappuccino is not to your taste how about a demitasse of expresso. Company would be wonderful.

After Paris, I’m on to Tuscany, and later to the French Riviera to droll over the gorgeous French men in skimpy bathing suits. I’ll swoon as they speak one of the most romantic languages in the world.

Sure you don’t want to come. I’ve just ordered some delicious crepes. There’ll be enough to share, or maybe not.

Do you know the history behind Crepes Suzette? This delicacy evolved by accident. Fourteen year old French sous chef, Henri Charpentier accidentally set his crepe sauce on fire while he was serving the Prince of Wales, Britain’s future King Edward VII. When asked what he called his creation, Charpnetier replied, Crepes Princess but the prince asked if he would dedicate the dish to the daughter of one on his guests. Voila, Crepes Suzette was born.

Oh, la la, my order is coming now. Doesn’t it look delicious?

CREPES: 1 cup all purpose flour; 1 cup 2% milk; 1 teaspoon sugar; dash fine salt;   3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted;  2 large eggs; 1/2 cup beer

ORANGE BUTTER: 1 orange, zested; 1/4 cup sugar;       3/4 cup unsalted butter;  1/3 cup fresh orange juice

CREPES SUZETTE:   2 tablespoons sugar;  1/4 cup cognac; 1/4 cup orange liqueur

DIRECTIONS: Crepes

1. Whisk all ingredients but beer until smooth (or blend in food processor). Let batter rest for 30 minutes. Stir in beer.
2. Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or non-stick pan over medium heat and grease lightly (you may have to play with your heat adjustments for the first few). Spoon about 2 Tbsp of crepe batter into center of pan and swirl to completely coat the bottom of the pan. Place back on the heat and let cook for about 2 minutes, until top of crepe loses its shine. Flip crepe with a spatula (or be daring and toss it in the air!) and cook 30 seconds more. Slide crepe onto a parchment-lined baking tray and continue making until all batter is used.
3. If preparing crepes in advance, wrap in plastic and leave at room temperature or freeze (never in the fridge!)

Orange Butter

1. For orange butter, pulse orange zest and sugar in a food processor, to extract the zest oils. Add butter and orange juice and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl or shape into a log and chill until form.

Crepes Suzette

1. For Suzette, arrange a platter with crepes, a small bowl with the sugar, the orange butter and the cognac and orange liqueur already measured. Have a spatula, a carving fork and a ladle at hand. It’s performance time!
2. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and melt orange butter – let it bubble for up to 5 minutes – it will thicken and become syrupy. Reduce heat to low and lay in a crepe, flipping it over to coat both sides. Fold the crepe into quarters (a carving fork works best) and move to the side. Repeat with remaining crepes.
3. Sprinkle sugar over completed crepes. Pour cognac into the ladle and over the crepes and do the same quickly with the orange liqueur. Carefully tilt the pan toward the flame (if you wish) to ignite – take care to keep back as the flames can come up quickly. With the ladle, spoon the flaming sauce over the crepes until the flames subside, about a minute. Serve the crepes, 2 per person and spoon sauce over.

Maybe I’ll come back for lunch and desert.

After strawberries have been chilled, drain and reserve juice. (If using thawed frozen berries, drain and reserve juice. Add enough water to make one cup of juice.)Mix sugar, water and lemon juice together until sugar dissolves. Pour over sliced berries and refrigerate for at least four hours. Stir at least twice to distribute juices. Note: For this step, you may substitute frozen, sweetened strawberries that have been thawed.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the juice, zest and liqueur. Stirring constantly, reduce sauce to ⅔ cup. Add reserved berries and stir to heat berries, no longer than 15 seconds so that berries remain whole.

Very delicately add each crepe to the pan—one at a time—and coat it in the sauce. (We used a fork rather than a spatula for this.) Fold each one in quarters, and arrange three on each plate, repeating until each crepe has been dipped and plated. You may overlap them or arrange in a circle as we did in the picture above, with a scoop of ice cream in the middle and extra sauce over the top. Scrap up the extra bits of lemon zest and add extra strawberries as your garnish.

Oh, dear, I really want to go to France. I have my make-up bag with the Eiffel Tower on it all packed, a journal with Paris, and again the Eiffel tower, (and on every page inside) ready to record my journey, now I just need the plane tickets and a place to lay my head. I guess money to pay for all this would help.

So I’m visualizing my books being my ticket there. Do you think I have a chance? Anyone want to come along.

Here’s me, but you won’t see me in one of those skimpy bikinis.

Award-winning author, Bev Irwin, lives in London, Ontario, with three assorted cats. One that hid in her car when she moved from the farm and two others dropped off by her daughter on two different occasions. Her three children have flown the coup, but her granddaughter, Jasmine, is a frequent visitor.

As a registered nurse, she likes to add a touch of medical to her romance and mystery novels. She writes YA, children’s, and poetry. She prefers spending time in her garden, writing, and reading to being in the kitchen.

Her debut novel, WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE, a contemporary romance, came out in December of 2011 with Soul Mate Publishing under the pen name of Kendra James. Her YA paranormal, GHOSTLY JUSTICE, will be released by Black Opal Books on April 14th, 2012. MISSING CLAYTON, a suspense novel, will also be published with Black Opal Books later this year.

He promised he’d be back by the full moon. But that was days ago and Jason Sharmon’s father hasn’t returned from his prospecting trip. Now the fourteen-year-old must battle the Ontario North and his own fears to find his father. He encounters several obstacles including a wolf encounter, a raging river, and a fall down a cliff. After finding and caring for his injured father, Jason learns to believe in himself and his own abilities. He and his father learn to accept their differences and mend a troubled relationship.

If you witnessed an accident on a lonely stretch of highway, would you stop or continue on your way? For nurse Molly Tanner the choice is clear. Risking her own life, she pulls the seriously injured driver and his young daughter from the car. When Pearce begs her to pose as his wife to keep Gracie from foster care, memories of her unhappy childhood rush back. But can Molly keep up the charade without her own secrets being discovered and her heart from being shattered?

Fifteen-year-old Daria Brennan doesn’t want to hear people’s thoughts. She doesn’t want to see ghosts or talk to dead people. And she definitely doesn’t want to help Amanda solve herforty-year old murder. But Amanda wants revenge, and Daria is the first human contact she’s had since the day she died. Now the killer is after Daria and her friends. Can they solve this Amanda’s murder in time, or will they become the next victims?

COMING SOON!   Release date April 14, 2012

Web site

www.bevirwin.com

www.blackopalbooks.com/

www.kendrajames.net

www.soulmatepublishing.com

Life has been complicated lately, and it seems like there’s never enough time to get everything done, in particular sharing with the blog.  Since it seems the other Black Opal authors are having the same issues, it looks like we’ll be chatting about my Sunday dinner with the Salukis.

I’ve mentioned Salukis, or ‘lukis, before, and you might wonder what the heck they might be.  So glad you asked!  Salukis are one of those exceptionally old breeds of dogs.  We’re fairly certain they originated in the Middle East, but they might actually have come from ancient China, and I mean millenia ago.  We know Salukis are found in cave paintings in Northern Iraq and on Chinese scrolls, so the debate has support on all fronts.

Salukis have been part of my life for over forty years, I met Tom at a Saluki show and we shared all the highs and lows of raising dogs.  Tom’s favorite Saluki visited with him whenever possible when he came home, and the Salukis were with us on that last night.

Our dogs eat what is officially known as a species appropriate diet, which means raw food.  So they’ll be munching on chicken and tripe tonight.  Not the white tripe that’s used for Menudo (something I just can not gain any appreciation for!) but ground green tripe) It smells kind of like a cow barn (guess why?) but it’s super nutritious for them, and they do love it.

Me, I’m having a chicken breast baked with salsa, and mashed cauliflower.  Steam the cauliflower (frozen works just fine) then mash with an immersion blender to get a really creamy texture.  Add some cream cheese and butter, and you have comfort food heaven for a low carb diet.  Yummmmm.  Yes, the Salukis like this also so I have to guard my bowl.

I’ve been taking a slight hiatus from writing, giving myself a break after finishing final edits on the next book, Teach Me To Forget.  The gorgeous cover is done, and they tell me it will be available as an e-book May 12.  YAAAAAAAAA.  In the meantime I’m back to writing again, this time another story of the Atrahasis, though Mykhael and Kendra will only have a short appearance.  And starting this Wednesday we’ll have more guests, so even more eating vicariously enjoying yummy foods!

In the past few months people have told me how much they admire what I went through for my husband. They say I’m special, that I went above and beyond what most other people would do.  I try to correct them, but they insist on make something out of these past eight months.

Fact is, everything I did was to fulfill a promise, or maybe several promises.  We stood in front of John Smyser, a minister friend who played a wicked game of volleyball, and promised forever to each other. Including for better or worse, in sickness and in health. For burnt meals and missed laundry and shoes in the middle of the room. For TV football marathons and piles of books everywhere. I didn’t promise to obey, since I don’t like promising something I can’t fulfill.
And too much had to do with being angry. Angry with him for being casual about his health. Angry with his doctors for not listening when he said he lacked energy for the last year or so. After his successful surgery, when it could have been sunshine and smiles, the occasional poor hospital care infuriated me, but not as much as his lack of initiative. Always before after surgery he’d been eager to get up and moving, and could be found thumping around the hospital halls.
But nothing made me as angry as the doctors telling him bluntly he wasn’t going to make it, and he couldn’t go home to die since his wife (that would be me) couldn’t take care of him. Yes, I acknowledged his survival chances were slim, but why couldn’t he spend those last few days at home, and where did they get the idea I wasn’t competent? That anger carried me through three very good months, and a week of not so good.
Some of the anger has since died off but some will remain for a long while. I’m working hard to release it as we started a “goodbye tour” with a trip to a favorite high pass at a nearby mountain. The cutout he had made when he was a young teacher will be coming along on any trip where I have space. It’s pretty big, but in so many ways he was larger than life.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Hug those you love and forgive those who don’t love you.