My musings on books, movies, and anything that comes to my mind late at night..
Title
Monday, December 13, 2021
The Adventures of Super Alert Dog Gail Morin
Thursday, December 9, 2021
Rogue Unbroken Legends and Shadows Saga Book Three Angie Day
Excerpt 1:
Alec lifted a hand to my face but lowered it again. “But then you came back to me. You fell for me again. I saw it. If you say you’re done with me, then why can’t you just do the honorable thing and stop loving me?”
Alec looked down at the floor and he never looked so sheepish and small.
A trick. It had to be a trick.
But he was so small and broken and careening in his own mind. I knew what that felt like, all too well.
“I want to.” I leaned back on the shelves again. “You’re despicable and psychotic. You hurt the people I care about. You tortured me, manipulated me—”
“And yet that’s not good enough for you to kill me. All you can do is leave, and I’m sitting here hoping I can somehow get you back.” Alec raised his arms like he didn’t know where to put them anymore. “Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not an answer. Why?” Alec moved closer to my face.
“Because you won’t let me.”
“Ha.” Alec grinned before his eyes turned dark again. “I wish I had that much control over your decisions. Try again.”
I shoved him away. “I don’t know, Alec.”
“Yes, you do,” he came right back. “Think, Mara.”
“Because you’re home to me!”
His mouth fell open and the pain created lines around his eyes. I just stared at him for a moment. I saw all the same years of complications that I felt in mine. We weren’t just similar. He and I were mirror images of each other.
“No matter what you do, no matter where I go. When I think back on my life, you are all I can see for centuries,” I said.
“I get it.” Alec backed off. I caught his arm.
“You don’t. You’re a terrible person. You’re the nightmare that just won’t go away.” I looked at the floor. “But you’re also a huge part of my life, whether I hate you or not.”
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Holiday Recipe - Crumb Cake
Holiday Recipe - Crumb Cake
Greetings! My name is Amy Winters-Voss and I write urban fantasy based on Japanese mythology. Being that the holiday season is a wonderful time to focus on family traditions and the things that bring us together, I'll be sharing one of my favorite recipes, passed down from my Aunt Phyllis—Crumb Cake.
This isn't a specific holiday recipe. But it's one of our most requested by the family for anytime we need to celebrate. This is the cake I always ask hubs to make on my birthday. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Crumb cake
Ingredients
Crumb mixture: (part of it goes in the cake)
2 c flour
1 c sugar
2/3 c shortening
Rest of the cake:
1 egg
1 t baking sode
1 t cinnamon
1 c milk
12 oz chocolate chips
Directions
Grease a 9x12 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the Crumb mixture ingredients together until like cake crumbs. Save 1 c of this.
Add the rest of the crumb mixture to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth. Then add most of the chocolate chips and stir.
Pour into greased pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips and the crumb mixture you set aside.
Bake for 1/2 hour. (I often have to cook it a little longer. Test it with a toothpick to ensure it's done.)
What is your favorite recipe to celebrate with?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/I2YoMKWt4IQ
Excerpt:
“To make things worse, yesterday I heard you’re covered in irezumi tattoos. Nonogawa may be in the sticks, but we all know what that means here.”
I blink. Why are little old ladies so rude?
“Well? Are you?” she presses.
While I deserve the disdain, I don’t want my boss to take heat for me. “Ma’am, the community respects Satou-san. I’ll do my best for his sake.”
She draws out the syllables. “You dodged.” As she crosses her arms, her sharp eyes shift to a predatory glint. “If you won’t answer, roll up your sleeve. I know yakuza ink when I see it.”
My head swivels. Satou, where are you? Make your vicious aunt heel. She’s really causing my hackles to raise, but I don’t want to do anything stupid. “Ma’am?”
In the Hiragi clan, I was good at remembering names, because the alternative could be costly. What did Satou say her name was? Oh yeah—Nakamura Hisako, the town’s beloved matriarch. When I was yakuza, I would have never let a little old lady corner me. But I’m caught flat-footed because I can’t use any of the in-your-face phrases that bubble up to get her to lay off. I haven’t done a damned thing to her. What gives?
So, I take a deep breath. No attitude. “Nakamura-sama, it’s becoming more common in the cities. People keep ‘em out of sight to avoid the stigma.”
As if I’ll tell this biddy the full truth. Later, I can scream rebellion in gokudou drawl all I want. But her outburst is the proverbial piano hanging overhead, threatening to crash down on the little hope I have in this town.
At twenty-four, I should have a high school diploma and a college degree or employment experience. This is my only chance. Suck it up, Umeji. So, I bow deep. “I apologize that my tattoos offend. If I could turn back time, I’d not have done it. How may I help you?”
Harrumphing, she turns on her heel with the grace of a ballerina, leaving me with some serious heartburn. Hiro, my big brother in the Hiragi clan, had taught me to ferret out everything that seemed out of place. How does an old lady move that fast?
When I finish stocking, I grab my baseball-style jacket with its embroidered fox on black and gold silk and beeline it to Satou. Just my luck, his aunt beats me there.
I wait behind her and examine my shoes. Faint reflections of fluorescent lights show on the tile floor.
“That tattooed punk is bad for business.” She points, doubtless aware of how rude she’s being. “He dares to flaunt his past wearing that rebel jacket, instead of considering this store’s reputation. I’ve heard all manner of rumors. Mark my words, Kazuo, people will stop shopping here.” Full-to-the-brim grocery bags strain her arthritic knuckles.
While Nakamura’s concern is understandable, does she care that this ‘rebel jacket’ is the only one I own? I was fortunate someone dropped it by the penitentiary after emptying my apartment. My fists clench, pulling on the stitches from yesterday’s wound. Why does this town love her, anyway?
New Year's Day in Japan
Greetings! My name is Amy Winters-Voss and I write urban fantasy based on Japanese mythology. Today I get to share about the culture of one of the places I love most—Japan.
New Year's Day in Japan
The big winter holiday in Japan is New Years. It's an official government holiday and many businesses are closed from December 29th through January 4th. It's a hectic but fund time filled with New Years office parties, putting out special decorations such as a stack of rice cakes with an orange or a bundle of pine and bamboo tied with straw, the annual cleaning of the house from top to bottom, feasting on traditional foods, the temple bells ringing in the New Year, giving kids a red envelope with cash, surprise bags (where the contents aren't known before hand) purchased at retailers, fireworks displays, watching the first sunrise of the year, and visiting the local shrine or temple.
Why not the Lunar New Year?
Unlike much of Asia, Japan doesn't celebrate the Lunar New Year anymore. Though it used to. Many aspects of China's scholarship were imported to Japan about the 6th century—from the symbol based writing system to the lunar calendar. That changed in 1873 when the Meiji Era government, in its sweeping changes to modernize and be recognized by the West as a major power, adopted the Gregorian calendar. Events were shifted to match. Thus, Japan celebrates New Years on January 1st.
What about Christmas?
Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas like the west. It's not a time of family gatherings, gift giving, and big holiday feasts. Instead, Christmas Eve is considered a romantic day. It's not a government holiday. Though, you'll can see Christmas light displays. And through a clever marketing ploy, KFC became very popular on Christmas and Christmas Eve.
New Years Cards
One of the most popular traditions is sending New Years cards, called nengajo, to family and friends, expressing gratitude to those who have helped you during the year. The post office puts in extra effort to ensure that these special greetings are delivered early on the morning of January 1st.
Let's Make a New Years Card
Even though Japan doesn't follow the lunar calendar any more, they still enjoy reference the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. 2022 will be Year of the Tiger, so it will be a popular theme for cards. Mt. Fuji is also a popular icon on cards.
I've collected a few designs from Freepik (one of my favorite graphics places) that you can download for free and print on cardstock.
https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/2022-new-years-greeting-symbol-with-cartoonish-tiger-face-text-translation-tiger_16312693.htm
Here are some of the common greetings in kanji and kana (the Japanese writing system), a Romanized version so you can see how it's said, and an English translation.
- 明けましておめでとうございます。[Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu.] - Happy New Year
- 昨年はお世話になりました。[Sakunen wa osewa ni narimashita.] - Thank you for all your support last year.
- 今年もよろしくお願いします。[Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.] - I'm looking forward to the goodness of our continued friendship/relationship. (for relationship here, think work or office).
If you are sending your card to Japan write 年賀 (Nenga) on it so the Japanese post office will know it should go with the new year's cards. Cards sent to Japan should get to the local post office by December 25th to be guaranteed to arrive on New Years Day.
What are your favorite New Year's traditions?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/I2YoMKWt4IQ
Excerpt:
“To make things worse, yesterday I heard you’re covered in irezumi tattoos. Nonogawa may be in the sticks, but we all know what that means here.”
I blink. Why are little old ladies so rude?
“Well? Are you?” she presses.
While I deserve the disdain, I don’t want my boss to take heat for me. “Ma’am, the community respects Satou-san. I’ll do my best for his sake.”
She draws out the syllables. “You dodged.” As she crosses her arms, her sharp eyes shift to a predatory glint. “If you won’t answer, roll up your sleeve. I know yakuza ink when I see it.”
My head swivels. Satou, where are you? Make your vicious aunt heel. She’s really causing my hackles to raise, but I don’t want to do anything stupid. “Ma’am?”
In the Hiragi clan, I was good at remembering names, because the alternative could be costly. What did Satou say her name was? Oh yeah—Nakamura Hisako, the town’s beloved matriarch. When I was yakuza, I would have never let a little old lady corner me. But I’m caught flat-footed because I can’t use any of the in-your-face phrases that bubble up to get her to lay off. I haven’t done a damned thing to her. What gives?
So, I take a deep breath. No attitude. “Nakamura-sama, it’s becoming more common in the cities. People keep ‘em out of sight to avoid the stigma.”
As if I’ll tell this biddy the full truth. Later, I can scream rebellion in gokudou drawl all I want. But her outburst is the proverbial piano hanging overhead, threatening to crash down on the little hope I have in this town.
At twenty-four, I should have a high school diploma and a college degree or employment experience. This is my only chance. Suck it up, Umeji. So, I bow deep. “I apologize that my tattoos offend. If I could turn back time, I’d not have done it. How may I help you?”
Harrumphing, she turns on her heel with the grace of a ballerina, leaving me with some serious heartburn. Hiro, my big brother in the Hiragi clan, had taught me to ferret out everything that seemed out of place. How does an old lady move that fast?
When I finish stocking, I grab my baseball-style jacket with its embroidered fox on black and gold silk and beeline it to Satou. Just my luck, his aunt beats me there.
I wait behind her and examine my shoes. Faint reflections of fluorescent lights show on the tile floor.
“That tattooed punk is bad for business.” She points, doubtless aware of how rude she’s being. “He dares to flaunt his past wearing that rebel jacket, instead of considering this store’s reputation. I’ve heard all manner of rumors. Mark my words, Kazuo, people will stop shopping here.” Full-to-the-brim grocery bags strain her arthritic knuckles.
While Nakamura’s concern is understandable, does she care that this ‘rebel jacket’ is the only one I own? I was fortunate someone dropped it by the penitentiary after emptying my apartment. My fists clench, pulling on the stitches from yesterday’s wound. Why does this town love her, anyway?
The Romance Novel Formula by Alicia Leigh
Excerpt:
“Romance novels are written to a specific formula.” The number of times I’ve heard this insulting and patronizing phrase throughout my career as a romance writer would fill its own book! Yet, regardless of urban legends and popular culture tales, the simple fact is this: There is no romance novel formula.
Let me repeat that with emphasis: There is no romance novel formula.
Now, it might seem like I have contradicted the title of this book by saying that. However, there is more than one way to write a romance novel. This book is intended as a guide to assist you while giving you the freedom to find your own version of a formula.
While there is no set formula per se, there is a structure you can follow that will aid you in writing your breakout romance novel. This structure isn’t used solely by romance writers. Different forms are used by all novelists (see, for instance, books such as Story, Save The Cat! Writes a Novel, The Plot Whisperer, and Story Engineering, which have a variety of formulas, guides and suggestions). In that regard, writing a romance novel is almost the same as writing any other novel. I say almost because the romance genre has necessary inclusions that are applicable to it alone. This applies to every genre. These are called genre conventions.
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned writer, this book can lead you through the quagmire of structure and help you find the unique path for your characters to follow on what I call the lovers’ journey.
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