ANWA Conference Prep, Unrelated News & Suggestions Please

See that little widget on the sidebar? The numbers are displaying the start time of the ANWA conference and yes, it is getting closer as I post this. But there is still time, if you ever wanted to come check out what ANWA is all about and hear from awesome authors, agents and editors this would be the time to do it.
Here is the link to the conference page 
(or you can click on the widget)


As for me, I'm figuring out what I have left to do (everything) and when exactly I'll do it (after youngest is in bed, I'm sure!)

As for the other unrelated news I advertised in the title:
I went to Kohls and learned I do not love ruffles on my shirts. Yeah, just not in a ruffly mood. So. That and it looks like coral or salmon or whatever else you call that muted shade of pink- is on every other rack.  Love it or not, now you know so you can shop accordingly.

Oh, and did I mention I'm pitching my Christmas novel at this conference?  I'd love suggestions on the first thing to say. Do you know what I mean? Do I greet? Thank? Tell a joke? Okay, not a joke. So, ideas? 

Oooh, Christmas is Coming

Children are almost out of school. As in two hours and they are home for the duration of the Christmas break.

Why didn't anyone tell me when I was a student that all the excitement I felt over the last day of school, would turn into strange trepidation over the same day, as a mother? Really, I'm two parts excited and only one part wondering how I will keep the shelves stocked with enough cookies!

Not sure how much blogging or writing I'll do over the next two weeks. But creating memories with my kids is my best creative endeavor yet.

Merry Christmas!

I Still Want To Know & Wrapping up the Summer Contest

What Did You Read This Summer?

I know.
This post was supposed to happen at the end of Summer. Originally planned for the end of August. I thought I could squeak by with it at the end of September, but now there really isn't any way out of admitting I'm late. For the record I started this post in October (hmm, don't know why I'm admitting that.) SO even though it is November 1st, I'm wrapping-up the Summer Contest anyway. That means I will give away an amazon gift card and I still want to know what you read - and I don't even mind if what you said you were going to read and what you actually read ended up being two different things. The fun is sharing what you read, picked up, put down, or stumbled upon- right?
(In case you have completely forgotten, this is the post where I started the Summer Reading List and gift card give away. Here is where I compiled the list from the awesome readers.)
Be sure and leave a comment, short or long, letting me know what you read & I'll announce a winner sometime next week. Really!

Here is my summer break-down by books:
Possession by Elana Johnson
What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage by Amy Sutherland
A Heart Like His  by Virginia H. Pearce
and
The Science of Trust by John M. Gottman

I'd like to tell you all about them, but I'll have to save that for another post (otherwise this one won't get posted until mid-December.)

The First Day of Autumn, Really.

September 23rd and the calendar reads, First Day of Autumn.
Really?
The high today is 106. 
Living in AZ on the first day of Fall is like living far away from one of my dear friends when they are having a birthday party. I can think of them, but miss all the fun. As they say, 'you have to be there.'


To honor the change of season, aside from hopping a plane and taking a fall foliage tour, I thought I'd post my apple-picking poem today. And - I have a have a fall-inspired recipe, too. (Does that mean the recipe is inspired by fall or it will inspire me to think about fall? - Either way - the bars are delicious.) Oh, and for my AZ readers- if you ignore the part about turning on the oven on a triple-digit day - the caramel-apple-cookie smell is wonderful!


Poem first, then recipe. Enjoy!


Hand Picked Fun

I don’t know what happened to my bathing suit

Summer up and left                                                                                       

Mom moved the sweaters

From my big sister’s drawer

To mine

And the sun inched west a little sooner each day

Taking all the fun with him

Until we piled into the maroon station wagon

And drove north

Long enough for us to wonder if Dad got lost

We found the trees. Green leaves gone to yellow and orange.

Did the colors bring the cool air?

I thought so, but they told me it was the other way around.

Rows and rows of heavy laden trees.

We picked for hours, climbing, stretching

Dropping, joking

With cold noses and fingers

We filled our bags and bushels full of red, ripe apples.

And the country store had heated, fresh pressed cider.

One sip and my brother laughed at my eyes

Popping from the burst of flavor

Sweet and spicy

And warm.

Like those apples had figured out a way

To store all the rays of summer sunshine.

Just for me.

Tamara Passey

Easy Caramel Apple Bars by Betty Crocker

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Total Time 2:55 Hrs:Mins

Makes 36 bars

1/2 cup cold butter

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1 egg

1 cup finely chopped peeled apple

3/4 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1.) Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2.) In large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using fork or pastry blender. Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly.

3.) Reserve 1 1/2 cups cookie mixture. Press remaining cookie mixture into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle apple evenly over crust. In small bowl, mix caramel topping and flour; drizzle over apples. Sprinkle reserved cookie mixture over apples.

4.) Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

Makes 36 bars

I know it's been a while . . .

But I haven't abandoned the blog, I promise. In fact, I'm still planning on wrapping up the summer contest I announced. It won't be at the end of August (ahem, since that has come and gone like a monsoon storm), but closer to the end of September.

Meanwhile, I have started posting again over at MMW. So check that out and let me know what you think.

And leave comments here or there. Even if they are comments scolding me for my summer-induced,  unintended, blog-leave-of-absence! I can take it, really. I love hearing from awesome blog followers, otherwise known as friends!!

Simple Gifts

a call from a friend
a hug from my daughter
a book from my husband
     because he remembers I prefer them to flowers
a scripture like "come unto me"
a day to finally be over a cold 
     and be able to taste sweet things again (like birthday cake)
a good laugh with my sister
and a good cry for gratitude
     for kindness and love, forgiveness and joy
     for the simple gift of life.
     

Super Awesome Summer Reading List 2011

I asked and you answered.

I complied and now I'm showing off the 

Super Awesome Summer Reading List

30 titles, a few classics, one about to debut (check out Possession, June 7th). Fiction, non-fiction, a few series & lots of great reads!
Thanks Everyone!

Possession by Elana Johnson
Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Ruth
Sapphique (Incarceron) by Catherine Fisher

The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1) by Robert Jordan

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
Freefall, A Novel by Traci Hunter Abramson
Cold as Ice by Stephanie Black

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Akasha by Heather Tregaskes
Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle) by Christopher Paolini

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel

Dracula: Complete, Original Text by Bram Stoker
Justice by Karen Robards

Skin Hunger (Resurrection of Magic) by Kathleen Duey
The Battle for Skandia: Book Four (Ranger's Apprentice) by John Flanagan

Devil's Food Cake: A Culinary Mystery & Key Lime Pie: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack
Queen in Exile by Donna Hatch

Fire by Night (Refiners Fire, Book 2) & A Light to My Path (Refiner's Fire, Book 3) by Lynn Austin
Lady of Milkweed Manor & Silent Governess, The by Julie Klassen

Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Sense And Sensibility by Jane Austen

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder by Le Grand Richards
To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson by Heidi Swinton

She Got Up Off the Couch: And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel

The Assignment by Jean Matthews