My Writing Process...

I'm blogging today as part of the My Writing Process blog-hop. Thanks to the lovely (and very hardworking!) Erika, who juggles writing with life as a first-generation farmer, I've been introduced to #mywritingprocess via Twitter. This blog hop showcases as many different writing styles as it does ways of working. That's why it's so useful. It gives encouragement, ideas and inspiration to everybody, whether they're new writers or old hands, as there's always something more to learn. It's also a great chance to  spread the word about the work of great writers who are taking up the blog-hop baton next– Jean Bull, Cara Cooper, Jenny Haddon and Margaret Mayo.

So, down to blog-hop business...

1. What am I working on?
Right now I'm juggling two jobs: publicising my latest historical romance,  Jewel Under Siege and polishing the final draft of the The Survivors' Club, which is the first book in my new Brackenridge trilogy. The Survivors' Club is contemporary fiction, combining romance and mystery. It's set in and around a fictional town on the border between England and Wales. This is the countryside where I live and work. It's such a beautiful place, I want to share it with other people!

2. How does my work differ from others in the genre?
Jewel Under Siege developed from some non-fiction research I did about what "luxury" meant in the Middle Ages. At a time when most people didn't know where their next meal was coming from, travellers' tales of the temptations and excesses of Constantinople must have been intoxicating. I couldn't resist setting a romance in an exotic place like that.
The Survivors' Club brings together a downtrodden heroine and a man who lost everything because he worked for a corrupt firm. I wanted them to make a success of their lives and their love affair, despite their backstories. I believe no one should give up, no matter how many rotten choices and bad mistakes they make in life. There's always hope.

3. Why Do I Write What I do?
I live in the Wye Valley, on the border between England and Wales. It's a stunningly beautiful place, and by writing about it in both my fiction and non-fiction work I can try and capture the essence of the place so others can enjoy it, too. Adding fictional characters and stories to this incredible landscape is the ultimate in escapism.

4. How does my writing process work?
Like many writers, I keep close to office hours. Experience has taught me I do my best creative work first thing each day. After a half-hour session of thinking while I jog (I have a serious cake-habit to control) I do the school run, then start work around 8:15am. When I sit down to begin a new book I've already developed detailed studies of my central characters, together with a rough time-line. My first draft is a waterfall of ideas, and consists mainly of dialogue. I love the internet but find it a terrible distraction, so I do a lot of this initial work offline. Writing on paper with a pencil is  my favourite way of working, but as I hate typing up my notes it's a rare treat. I usually use an Alphasmart  Neo, which is a simple keyboard with a memory, but no internet connection. At the end of every writing session, I upload the work I've done straight onto my computer. Once my first draft is finished I then go back and add details, rewriting and editing as I go. When it's complete I hand it to one of my Beta readers (often my OH or DD), who then gives it a good working over.  Constructive criticism is always helpful, and time spent in refining written work is never wasted.

I've really enjoyed "hopping to it" today, and hope you'll bounce along with the authors who'll each be telling you about their own writing process next week...

Margaret Mayo Margaret has been writing since 1974 and has produced scores of top-selling romances for Harlequin Mils and Boon.

Jenny Haddon  has published a wealth of category fiction and short stories under the names Sophie Weston and Sophie Page, which have been translated into twenty-six languages. With Elizabeth Hawksley, she has also produced an invaluable non-fiction guide to punctuation.

Jean Bull has loved books all her life.  She has worked in everything from teaching to the hotel industry and lived all over the UK, which has inspired her writing.

Cara Cooper writes short stories for women's magazines, and novellas for People's Friend, My Weekly and Ulverscroft.

Writing The Next Big Thing...

Gwen Kirkwood, who you can meet at http://www.gwenkirkwood.blogspot.co.uk is the author of Another Home, Another Love and has kindly invited me to take part in a blog event entitled THE NEXT BIG THING - a series of questions and answers about what is happening in my writing life.

What is the title of your book? 

My current release is called Lady Rascal, because my starving heroine Madeleine makes the most of being mistaken for someone - and something!- she’s not.

How did you come by the idea? 

At the time I was studying The Age of Enlightenment with the Open University, and to be honest I was finding the work a bit dry. I wrote Lady Rascal as a welcome escape from philosophy, and into romance. 

What genre does your book fall under? 

It’s an historical romance, set in France and England just before the Regency period. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Madeleine’s new happiness is threatened by a terrible secret that torments her dashing rescuer, Philip.

Is your book self-published or traditional? Lady Rascal originally appeared in both hardback and paperback versions for the Harlequin Mills and Boon Masquerade line. I’m releasing it now as an ebook on all platforms, so it’s available everywhere - from Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Waterstones, etc.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? About five months on and off, as I was working full-time in journalism at the time.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? 

I wanted to invent opportunities for my poverty-stricken heroine Madeleine in a period when anything seemed possible, before the Reign of Terror took hold in her native country.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

You can watch a book trailer for Lady Rascal here: http://bit.ly/STCfUy which gives a glimpse of the images behind the story. Hero Phillip thinks he is whisking Madeleine off to the safety of the English countryside, but soon discovers first impressions can be deceptive.

I hope you enjoy Lady Rascal, and my thanks go to Gwen Kirkwood for giving me the chance to take part in “The Next Big Thing”. There's a signed book from my backlist on offer to a comment here picked at random.

Margaret Mayo has kindly agreed to pick up THE NEXT BIG THING baton at http://www.margaret-mayo.com/blog/ next Tuesday, 4th December. Thank you, Margaret!

If You Like Chocolate and Christmas, You'll Love This...

By Johnathunder, via Wikimedia Commons

This time last year, I was getting ready to make our usual rich fruit cake for Christmas when my daughter suggested we try something new. She loves chocolate courgette cake (which was a bit of a leap of faith for me at the time!), and wanted to try this odd-sounding recipe. I was apprehensive beforehand, but it really works and we all love it. 

There are a few things to note: it’s not gluten free, and you really need the dots to be white chocolate - I didn’t have any when I first tried this recipe out, and the ordinary milk-chocolate dots I used were virtually invisible in the finished cake!

CHOCOLATE MINCEMEAT CHRISTMAS CAKE

150g softened butter 

150g soft brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

185g  self-raising flour

40g cocoa powder

400g mincemeat (I used my own recipe of mixed dried fruits, plus grated apples and brandy)

80g each of sultanas and raisins

20g quartered glace cherries, washed & well dried.

50g blanched almonds, chopped

100g of white chocolate dots

METHOD: 

Pre heat oven to Gas Mark 3/Electric 160 deg. C, Fan 140 deg C.

Line a 20cm/8” tin with a couple of layers of greaseproof paper.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat for 1- 2 minutes, until well mixed.

Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for between 90 minutes - 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  You’ll probably need to cover the cake with tinfoil toward the end of the cooking time, to stop it browning too quickly.

Leave the cake to cool in its tin for a while before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This cake doesn't freeze and is unlikely to keep for as long as a traditional rich fruit cake, but this doesn’t matter as it vanishes in a very short time!

Make Money From Your Writing - 3 Top Tips...

By Kili

1. AUDIENCE Selling your work relies on producing suitable content to the highest possible standard, for exactly the right audience. Always write first and foremost for your own pleasure, but have a very clear idea of your readership and tailor your work accordingly.  Whatever you write, pour your heart and soul into it. Believe in your work, and so will your readers - and making money means appealing to the widest possible audience. Read widely, join book clubs and talk to people. The more research you do, the more you’ll find out what people enjoy reading.  That is what sells.

2. HELPING HANDS: Find yourself a successful mentor, preferably through your local creative writing group. You need someone who will be honest about your work, and suggest ways you can improve. If you can't find any face-to-face guidance, go on line and check out popular writers whose work you admire and see if they’ve produced any guides to writing that will help you. Kate Walker's 12 point Guide to Writing Romance and Liz Fielding’s Little Book of Writing Romance are both brilliant, and will take you step-by-step through the process of crafting the novel of your dreams. 

3. THE WORD ON THE STREETS: Once your book is published, the hard work of marketing and selling begins. Word of mouth recommendations drive the majority of book sales, so think creatively when it comes to getting your books into the hands of willing readers. If your book is good, they’ll spread the word at no expense to you.  Offer free copies to your local libraries, donate books as prizes on your website, during blog tours and to your local fundraisers - raffle prizes are always in demand, especially approaching holiday seasons.  Be generous, and make sure everything has your contact details on display - you want repeat purchasers to come straight back to you.

Above all, enjoy your writing and remember - success isn’t only measured in financial terms. To have completed a book you’re proud to have written is something few people achieve. It’s a triumph in itself. 

What’s your top tip for writing success? There’s a signed copy from my backlist on offer for a comment picked at random.

Epublishing: DIY or Bespoke...

White Mask with feather by Mark J Sebastian

This week I went to a session on ebooks and epublishing, organised by my local branch of the Society of Authors. The talk was given by author John Seely, and it was well worth my cross-county drive. You can find more details of John and his work at http://www.epublish10.com and his book ePublish! comes out on 31st October. John's background in educational publishing means it's an easy read, packed with information and all writers - whether working in non-fiction or fiction - will find it invaluable. 

As a total technophobe, I used a turnkey epublishing package from eBookpartnership  to produce and distribute my first ebook release, Lady Rascal. It was easy and trouble-free, but John Seely's step-by-step approach made me consider producing some of my non-fiction work straight to ebook myself. The only problem is something that plagues all writers. I would have to buy and accustom myself to using some new software packages. That would take time and money, while distracting me from my main task of writing. 

It's a decision everyone has to make for themselves. If you love learning new computer skills, DIY publishing is an exciting way forward. On the other hand, if you're happier typing than typesetting, it's a relief to know there are people who will do everything for you - although at a price.

What's your own experience of epublishing?

Self Publishing - The Story So Far...

Back on 4th August, I wrote a blog called "Smashwords - the future of Ebook Publishing at RWA 2012". This created such a lot of comment both here on my blog and via my mailbox (christinahollis@hotmail.co.uk), I did some more research. Much as I love browsing in bookshops and handling real books, I couldn't resist trying it out myself. The process was really easy, and led to the release of Lady Rascal, an historical romance set in Paris and the English countryside during the French Revolution. Over the next few months I'll be reporting regularly on what happens. If there's interest in a conventional version, I'll release it as a paperback title, too. Lady Rascal was originally published as part of the Harlequin Mills and Boon "Masquerade" line, so I've already had a lot of feedback from readers of the original hardback and paperback versions.

The new ebook version is now widely available on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo and elsewhere. And remember - if you like Lady Rascal, please don't keep it to yourself! Word of mouth recommendations and on-line reviews are great ways to let other people in on the secret.  They give a writer a real boost, and I'll be delighted to hear what you think.

The Romance of Writing versus the Reality...

Masquerade Ball by Mark J Sebastian

I didn't realise how exhausting writing was until I began to do it full time. When I was fitting in a bit of note-taking while on the bus to or from work, or writing up my diary last thing at night writing was a restful break from routine. Putting my words down on paper was a way to download my brain ready for either the trials of office life or sleep, whichever was most appropriate at the time.

Now writing is my life,  the stakes are much higher. Readers know what they like, and it's my job to give them exactly what they want. At the same time, I always want to write from my heart. Without conviction there can be no emotion, and without emotion writing is lifeless and without passion. And we all want to read about passion, whether it's the romantic or the dangerous type, don't we?

Every writer I know puts in a full working day at the computer screen, notepad or in my case, the Neo. Family life comes before work, but in between the two time has to be found for research and promotion. I find it hard to decide which of these two aspects of the writing life I like best. Surfing the net or spending a few hours in the library is pure indulgence for me. On the other hand, I really love chatting with readers and other authors. Especially if there's tea and cake involved...

If you're a writer, which non-scribbling part of your work do you like best? If you're a reader, do you like meeting authors face to face?

So Here She Is At Last!

The Finished Article

The waiting is over - here's my new release, the historical romance Lady Rascal. The ebook is already up on Amazon (see the panel on right) and as it's available in both Mobi and ePub forms whatever device you have, there's a version for you! 

This release is by way of testing the water -I had so many comments and emails after my recent blogs on the epublishing explosion, I decided to try the system for myself. If the response to Lady Rascal as an ebook is good, I'll bring out a paperback version and my other historical novels will be issued in both 'real' and virtual formats. I'd love to know what you think, and if you've had any experience of epublishing. You can add your comment below, or mail me direct at christinahollis@hotmail.co.uk

To celebrate the release of Lady Rascal, I'm giving away new edition bookmarks and pens to the first ten new subscribers to my newsletter. Visit http://www.christinahollis.com and click on the link to subscribe. Don't worry, I'll never pass your details on to any third party.

*STOP PRESS* My New Release Is Almost Here!

So new, it's still got its watermark!

I had so many comments and emails after my recent blogs on the epublishing explosion, I decided to explore the subject in more depth. As a result I'm putting one of my historical novels, Lady Rascal, out as an ebook. It will be released within the next few days in both Mobi and ePub forms, so whatever device you have, there'll be a version ready for you.

This release is by way of testing the water - if the response to Lady Rascal as an ebook is good, I'll bring out a paperback version and my other historical novels will be issued in both 'real' and virtual formats.

I'll post more details on here soon but to be sure of hearing the latest, you can sign up for my newsletter at http://www.christinahollis.com. To celebrate the release of Lady Rascal, I'm giving away new edition bookmarks and pens to the first ten new subscribers to my newsletter!

Three Tips To Instantly Improve Your Chances of Getting Noticed...

The publishing business is a crowded market. Everyone's either looking for the next Harry Potter/Fifty Shades, or trying to write it. When the book of your heart is finished, here are three tips that will help your work get noticed.

1: Give Them What They Want.

Know your audience.  Write first to please yourself, but if you want to entertain others as well, make sure you tailor your work to their likes and dislikes. Check out author guidelines, like the ones produced by romance publishers Mills and Boon. http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/.Read the sort of books you want to write. Popular authors get to be that way because they know what readers like, and expect.  

2: Keep It Clean!

This has got nothing to do with sex - the level of heat you're happy with is up to you. When you're showcasing your manuscript to agents or publishers, first impressions count. They can make or mar a reader's experience of a text. While William Shakespeare would still have been a genius if he'd scratched ogham with a stick on unnumbered wax tablets, his texts would have been chucked straight in the midden without a second glance. He knew how to present his work. Times have changed, but some basic facts remain the same. If an editor's got a dozen manuscripts to read, the ones presented in the commonly accepted, easily readable fashion are going to be dealt with first.  It's human nature to assume that if a writer can't be bothered to make an effort with presentation,  their ratty text might not be worth reading.  It you're sending off a paper version of your manuscript, make sure the lines are double spaced, and printed in an easily-read font (Times New Roman 12 point is a good one) in black on only one side of white paper. Always include a front sheet with title, word count and all your contact details. Type "The End" in the appropriate place, so the editor or beta-reader isn't left wondering, and add your details again. That's it - no fancy bindings, Gothic script or coloured ink. Clean and clear. If you are sending a submission by email, make sure you know whether your contact wants attachments, or samples in the body of your message. If you use a Mac, make sure you supply your text as a Word document too, just in case. And always, always keep copies.

3: Aim Carefully.

Times have changed. In the Seventeenth century, the only people who wrote fiction were geniuses and people with time on their hands, and there weren't many of either. These days, it seems like everyone wants to be a writer. With the world population now around 7 billion, that's an awful lot of competition.  Whether you go down the route of getting an agent or going straight to a publisher, make sure you choose carefully. Research firms and individuals via the Internet, or an up-to-date specialist publication such as The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook. Don't send your steamy sex-saga to a publisher who only deals in children's books, for a start! Make sure you send off exactly what is asked for, too - no more, and no less. If your book isn't finished, tell them so, and how long it will take you to complete it.

Finally - good luck!

New Books Online Soon!

A few weeks ago, I posted a couple of blogs here about ebooks and epublishing. At the time I wasn't sure I liked the way technology was galloping ahead, leaving book-lovers like me worried that the feel, smell and experience of "real" books would soon be lost forever. The debate has had such a lot of interest, both here and through my mailbox at christinahollis@hotmail.co.uk that I felt I had to do a bit more research. There are so many writers hovering on the brink of self-publishing that I thought I'd take the plunge, on the basis that "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em".  The catalyst for this was getting back all the rights to some historical novels I wrote for Harlequin Mills and Boon's Masquerade line a while ago. I've chosen one of these to test the epublishing waters, so I can report back to you all on how the system works, and how easy it is to launch a book into the flotilla of writing already available on the net. 

I chose Lady Rascal for my foray into epublishing. It's a lighthearted romp set at a deadly serious time - the summer of 1789. France is in turmoil, and an English aristocrat puts his life on the line for a beautiful woman. Philip Adamson thinks he's saving Madeleine from the mob, but she is hiding a guilty secret. Beneath her borrowed clothes, Madeleine isn't a lady, she's laundry maid! She was finding herself some nice new clothes in the looted streets when Philip swept her away to safety. Quick-thinking Madeleine sees his innocent mistake as her chance to get the job of her dreams. As a lady's companion, she looks forward to doing nothing all day - but  soon finds herself joining forces with Philip to fight for his family's home and fortune.

Over the next few weeks I'll be tracing Lady Rascal's route from "real" paperback to brand new ebook let loose on the international stage. I think Madeleine will approve, and I look forward to hearing what you think!

What's Your Opinion?

My new ebook, Lady Rascal, comes out  in a few weeks' time and I've taken this opportunity to redesign my bookmarks. When my first Harlequin Presents, One Night In His Bed, was released I followed the example of lots of other authors and had thin, glossy bookmarks printed advertising simply that book. They were lovely but of course their life was only as long as the book! Learning from that experience, I had a local printer produce some longer lasting thick card bookmarks, which I tuck inside the books I send out as competition prizes. As they aren't advertising one particular book, I like to think they're more of a keepsake. 

I like this new gold leaf design so much, I may make it the background for my blog as well. What do you think?

Monday Fun Run - Part 4

Wendy Beeler: photo Antarctic Photo Library

I'd now reached the stage in my running apprenticeship of running for one minute, then walking for two minutes and doing an increasing number of repetitions. I was now managing nearly half an hour of vigorous exercise per day, four times a week. This doesn't sound like much, but only a few years ago I couldn't walk any further than the kitchen door. A severe allergic reaction had left me with cellulitis and reactive arthritis. I've never been one for dashing about, preferring cake and couch and writing is a pretty sedentary occupation. I was really pleased with what 'd achieved so far, so when my sister told me she'd started Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred system, I thought I'd give it a try. The DVD was on special offer at Amazon, so that was this week's prize when I kept with the Running Made Easy plan from Zest magazine. It was great, though as a born couch potato I kept the remote control to hand so I could stop it for a rest when things got too frantic!Within a few days of working through the basic exercises I could keep up with the DVD, but found I didn't have enough energy left for running. Deciding to concentrate on one thing at a time I stopped the exercises, but I'll start them again when the days get shorter. Running in the cold and dark really doesn't appeal to me!

Monday Fun Run - Part 3

My first running sessions had been done in private, on a treadmill, well out of sight of anyone. As a reward for being brave enough to go out running on the roads, I bought myself a cheap sports watch so I would know when to alternate my minutes of running and walking. It was either that, or keep on carrying the kitchen timer! The thought of being seen running at all was embarrassing enough. For someone to spot me with the timer would have ended my running career before it started.

It was my birthday during the week, which luckily fell on a rest day. A bad reaction to an insect bite on my foot meant I could barely walk anyway, so I spent the day in the garden being waited on by my lovely family.  I made this my weekly treat - a whole day doing nothing but reading, writing and generally pottering about.

Going out for a run the next day was a bit difficult, but it was amazing how much better I felt once I made the effort and got out into the fresh air - and drizzle, which was fast becoming a fixture in my running life! 

My Latest Release

We don't have another Bank Holiday here in England for months, and with the Rainy Season apparently here to stay, I thought you might like a little distraction. My July release for Harlequin Mills and Boon, The Count's Prize is available from http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/books/Modern/The-Counts-Prize.htm.  

Josie is a sensible academic, who's landed the job of a lifetime. The catch? It's based at the home of notorious playboy Dario. Josie and Dario are drawn together by irresistible forces, but she has more sense than to entrust her damaged heart to a rogue, while his flippant exterior hides a pain darker than he can face.

Here's a little taste of it...

It was only when her hands slid around his waist that he stirred and gave a wordless moan of longing and regret Then he reached around and grasped her wrists. That one simple movement woke Josie from her trance. With a spasm of alarm she realised how close she had come to total surrender. She stood back and stared at him, shocked.

Dario's expression was a mask of regret. His eyes squeezed shut as he whispered, 'No...I can't...I'm sorry... Arietta...'

Josie's longing drained away replaced by the old familiar mix of anger, shame and humiliation.

'You could at least call me by the right name!' She spat.

That broke the spell.

'I should never have done anything at all,' he said grimly, dropping her hands and striding away across the glade to his horse.

Josie and Dario's story has echoes of Cinderella. I love that theme, but of course there are lots of others. What's your favourite? There's a signed copy of The Count's Prize on offer for a comment drawn at random  week on Wednesday, 20th June. 

Some Summer!

At the beginning of this year, England was given dire warnings of drought after a year or so of below average rainfall. This had the predictable effect of covering us with clouds of unremitting gloom for weeks on end! If you saw the pictures of Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee, you'll know that London has been suffering from some horrible weather. Here in Gloucestershire, the parties went on under cover, but my poor bees weren't so lucky. The weather was so miserable, I had to give them several doses of sugar syrup to keep them going. I keep bees for the pleasure of watching them work and for their pollination services so honey is a bonus. That's just as well - at this rate there won't be much surplus to take from the hives. I'll be leaving it all on for them to support the colonies.

This has been a difficult year so far for me. Losing my father was hard, and there's been so much involved in winding up his estate, social networking has had to take a back seat. Tweeting, Skype and going on Facebook was such a part of my life for a while, it came as quite a shock to discover how much time it had been absorbing! It's a real tension reliever to chat but having got out of the habit over the past few months, I'm hoping to get back into the old routine and catch up with all the news. What have you been up to while I've been away from the keyboard? Did you see the Jubilee celebrations? 

Of Cakes and Chain Letters...

 I've been keeping the same sourdough starter going for nearly a year. It makes incredible bread, but to keep it going I have to feed it regularly with flour and water, throwing away the excess on days I don't need to bake. This always seems such a waste. Yesterday, I asked my sister if she'd like to take on my next batch of excess starter, to save me having to throw it away. She responded with news of the school-gate phenomenon that is 'Herman the German'.  This is a chain letter in the form  of cake mix - you take on the responsibility of a fancier version of my own sourdough starter, giving the excess batter away and baking a Friendship fruit cake with the remainder.  The cake sounded a good way to use up my own excess starter on the days I don't need to make bread, so I tried it out. It was delicious, so that's taken a weight off my mind (even if it has moved straight to my hips). While looking up the recipe online, I came across this on the web. It's the only good example of a chain letter I've ever seen - unless you count 'Herman the German'!  Please pass it on to any idealistic teenager - or pin it up in plain sight as I have. It's a reminder of how (relatively) easy our lives are now and how we could all save a bit of energy here and there. 
       The Green Thing
          In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. 
       The woman apologized to her and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”
        The clerk responded, “That’s our problem today.  Your generation did not care enough to save our environment.”
           She was right — our generation didn’t have the green thing in its day. Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.  So they really were recycled.
            But we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.
            We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
             But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.
             Back then, we washed the baby’s nappies because we didn’t have the throw-away kind.  We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.  Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that lady is right; we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.
             Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.
              In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us.
             When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.  Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.  We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
             But she’s right; we didn’t have the green thing back then.
            We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
            But we didn’t have the green thing back then.
            Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.  And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
           But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn’t have the green thing back then?
            Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person.
I hope that piece made you smile, but there is a serious point. Please feel free to pass it on, like Herman the German!

Looking Forward To Those Long Hot Summer Days...

Cheers!

...well, we can live in hope!
A while ago, I wondered aloud - or rather on line - about Limoncello. Julie Newberry heard my plea, and had been kind enough to send me this recipe. Here it is:

You'll need:
5 Unwaxed lemons
1 lire bottle of vodka
1lb 10oz caster sugar
1.5 pints boiling water

Use a potato peeler to thinly peel the lemons, trying not to include any pith. Put all the zest in a large jar and pour over the vodka, covering with a tightly done up lid. Now for the waiting game. You must put it in the fridge for a week, shaking the jar every day. After the week is over, put the sugar into a heatproof pan or bowl and pour over the boiling water, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Now add all the vodka & zest to the sugar water, stir in and when cool pour it into the jar again. Do up the lid. Now more waiting. Put it in the fridge for a further week, shaking it every day. After the week is up, strain the liquid into bottles, adding a few strips of lemon zest to each.
When completed, it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.

I'm currently trying this out, and wonder if it would work with orange or lime zest? I'll let you know how I get on!

Technology - How Do You Like Yours?

My lovely NEO 

Not many years ago, a writer's only real hopes of getting an audience outside their own little corner of the world was to either get their book taken up by a big publisher, win a competition or have their work accepted or reviewed by national magazines or newspapers.Things changed in a big way with the arrival of home computers. Now everyone can self-publish, and the Internet has opened up world-wide possibilities for getting your name and work in front of the public. There are all sorts of temptations, too. Who hasn't looked at the clock and gulped at the amount of time they've spent surfing on line? With everything from The Times to Lolcats just waiting to be explored, it's like having a whole sweetshop of treats at our fingertips. One of my New year Resolutions was to cut down on my non-work related computing time, but that's proved difficult to keep. It's so interesting to discover what other people are working on, or reading. Then I feel guilty for not taking part, so for example I've just loaded a few of my favourite books up onto my Goodreads page http://bit.ly/zGpWE9. Unfortunately as I'm not very computer savvy and resent toiling over inputting information when I could be writing, my online presence is rather patchy. I love Twitter, where I tweet as @christinabooks, but I'm not keen when sites want to burgle my email inbox for links. Call me suspicious, but I don't like the idea of a site keeping in contact with my computer even when I've logged out. That's why I use my Neo such a lot - all the benefits of a typewriter none of the distractions of a computer and work is easily transferred to my main computer. Then when the work's uploaded, it's back to Twitter and Skype for me!
What are your favourite ways of keeping in touch with your friends, indulging your interests and keeping up to speed with developments in your workplace?

Something Warm For A Cold Day

Sourdough Starter

Proving Basket (Bakery Bits)

It's been a very mild start to the year. That's both a relief after last January's relentless snow, and a reminder that, for whatever reason, our seasons aren't as predictable as they once were. The weekend was grey and gritty, with ferocious winds. It was a good excuse to make soup, and that always cries out for something crisp and home-made to go with it. I decided on sourdough bread. The name isn't very attractive, but it's delicious and very filling. Making it is an easy, although longwinded, process. I have a sourdough culture of wild yeast I've kept going since last year, which gives the bread a unique flavour. To make two big loaves, last thing at night I put about a pound of bread-making flour in a big bowl, add a ladleful of my sourdough starter and about a pint of warm water. After stirring this together I cover the bowl with cling film and leave it overnight in the kitchen to start fermenting. Next morning it will have bubbled up, ready to have another one and a quarter pounds of bread making flour added, together with a couple of teaspoons of salt. My amounts are bit vague as all flours absorb different amounts of liquid. If you've made bread yourself, you'll know it's difficult to be precise!  You want quite a soft, sticky dough to begin with. Knead it well for ten minutes (this is a good point to work off all those work-in-progress frustrations). Then persuade the dough back into the bowl, cover and leave it to rise for an hour. Tip it out, and using the minimum amount of flour that will stop the dough sticking to the table, knead it for a few more minutes. Cover and leave it to rise for another hour. Repeat this brief kneading and hour-long rising cycle twice more, then gently deflate the risen dough a final time and shape it into two or more loaves. These will be too soft to support their own weight so I put them in proving baskets (Bakery Bits online shop http://bit.ly/xGE5UJ will be the ruin of me!) for two or three hours, until the loaves have doubled in size. To cook the bread, I heat a heavy metal tray in the oven at maximum heat then, as fast as possible, ease the dough out of the baskets and onto the hot baking tray, give it quick spray of water, slash the tops and bake for ten minutes. Then I have a quick look at them - if they're still pale I turn the temperature down to 200 degrees Centigrade(170 degrees fan). If brown,  the heat's reduced to 180 degrees Centigrade (160 degrees fan) and they're cooked for another 30 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base. This bread has got enough character and flavour to be enjoyed as it is, but goes perfectly with soup and is even better spread with butter. Enjoy!