Summertime Fun

Thanks for stopping by today! If you found me by way of LaNora Mangano, welcome! Today on the Romance Weekly Blog Hop, Fiona Riplee wants the inside scoop on our summer. She's posed three questions for us to answer. 

What is your favorite summer memory?

I don't think I have one specific summertime memory, but I have lots of little memories I hold dear. Camping at Lake Cachuma with my family as a kid, and going to church camp in Big Bear as a teenager are two of my favorite memories. As far as this summer goes, I would have to say my favorite memory will be watching my daughter finally learn how to swim. Until this year, she's always struggled with her confidence in the water but is finally overcoming her fears. Hopefully the video of her swimming works.

What you enjoy the most about summer?

You'll laugh, but all you teachers out there know what I'm talking about. What's best about summer? 

1. I get to pee whenever I want to. I don't have to pee on a schedule dictated by my school. 
2. I don't have to wake up at 5:15 to get ready for work. I can sleep in every day of the week. Like until 6:15. 
3. I can spend huge chunks of my day locked away in my room, writing. 
4. I can pretend to be a fabulously organized housewife and stay at home mom. I cook more, get the house cleaned and organized, and spend time with my kids dragging them to swim lessons and the public library. Pinterest and FlyLady.com become my favorite go-to websites for recipes and cleaning challenges. 

How do the warm days and sunshine affect your writing habits?

C.C. 2.0 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/124075341@N03/14480063966 

I live in SoCal, where most of my days are warm and sunny except for the crazy weather we've had this past week. 

But for me, warm days and sunshine means school's out and I can spend my days writing. This year, my in-laws took my kids on vacation with them to San Diego for six days. I missed them like crazy, but with a quiet house and no swim lessons to get to, I was able to complete all of my revisions on Assassin P.I. I even had enough time to participate in #Pit2Pub, a pitchfest held on Twitter. Within an hour or two I had four different editors request my manuscript. Now I get to spend the rest of my summer waiting on pins and needles while Carina Press and Soul Mate Publishing review my submission. In the meantime, I'll be busy plotting out book number three. 

Next up? Check out what Jami Denise http://jamidenise.com/blog enjoys about summer. 

Composing a New Career

Welcome to the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop. We're a merry band of writers who love to chat about romance, writing, and pretty much everything else under the sun. If you found me by way of Xio Axelrod http://www.xioaxelrod.com, welcome! I hope you're enjoying this week's blog hop.

This week's question comes from Xio Axelrod. "If you weren't a writer, what other creative career would you most want to try?"  

Ooh! Such a fun question this week with so many options to choose from.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/ 

I think of myself as a pretty creative person. It's just part of who I am. When you think about it, most of the jobs I've held in my life, require a lot of creativity. Teaching definitely allows me to tap into my imagination when I'm building my unit lesson plans, especially now that we have a bit more freedom with Common Core.  No two days are alike. 

Photography allowed me to view the world (and people) in a more artistic way, finding the beauty within each of my subjects. It's a relaxing but expensive hobby of mine. 

Designing websites was the perfect blend of art and science and allowed me to use the skills I'd learned as a type setter. I could let my imagination run wild with the design, yet had to be meticulous in order to make everything run smoothly. 

Heck, I've even been a color guard instructor for a local high school. I taught teenagers how to spin a flag and rifle and then wrote routines for them to perform. In a way, it allowed me to bring the music to life for the captive audience. 

But if I could choose any artistic endeavor to pursue, I would want to be a composer. I began writing music, or at least composing songs, when I was around 14. I'd only been playing the piano for a year but I'd been singing in the church choir for kids since I was six, so I'd been raised around music. You know how writers say they can hear the characters talking in their heads? Yeah, music was like that for me as a teen. I could hear the songs playing in my head and would stay up until midnight working it out. 

Composing music is one thing but actually putting it to paper? That's a whole other beast. My skills are seriously lacking in that department. To the right is a picture of my piano/keyboard and some of the songs I've written. My music isn't pop or rock music, though. I tried to include a clip, but fortunately for you, Blogger was too horrified to even let me share it with you. 

Writing music was always a way to process my emotions. Like writing, it's a fairly solitary process for me. I truly wish I could have taken my music farther. Maybe in a different life, I could have played a ton of different instruments and been a composer. Who knows?!

Next up on the blog hop is Fiona Riplee http://fionariplee.com/blog. Hop on over to see what artistic career choice she would like to try. 

Saved by a Superpower

Love to read? Love romance? Then you've come to the right spot. Each week, a crazy troupe of romance writers put together a blog hop for your personal reading enjoyment. We chat about just about everything under the sun: love, sex, writing, food, and this week's topic . . . superpowers.

If you found me by way of Leslie Hachtel http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com, welcome! This week's fun topic is courtesy of Susan Scott Shelley. She asked, "You've been gifted with a super power. Which would you choose? Why?"

Just one?! I imagine when Susan posed this topic, she did it with a maniacal laugh, knowing choosing only one superpower is downright torturous for me. Well played, Susan, well played.

 

www.flickr.com/photos/venosdale/6109506769

I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I am not Superwoman. This pains me something awful to admit, but I can't seem to get my sh** together recently. I can either do all the errands or get the kids to their swim and soccer practice. Either write or clean the house. Not both. The house is clean (for the most part) by the way, but the edits are crawling along slower than a sloth at this point in time. If it weren't akin to career suicide, I'd be tempted to just send my editor my first draft and say to hell with it. 

If I had to pick a superpower to be imbued with, it would have to be the ability to clone myself. One of me could take the kids to the park, library, and sports lessons each day, while another me takes care of the housekeeping and cooking. Of course, I'd have to clone another me to be the dedicated teacher I want to be, while another me can spin stories all day long, becoming the prolific author I so long to be. It's a nice dream, don't ya think? 

What about you? What superpower would you like to have? 

Next up on the RWW blog hop?  Victoria Barbour http://www.victoriabarbour.com/blog. 

Character Interview

I'm finally back. Whew! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, but today I'm back where I belong on the Romance Weekly Blog Hop. If you found me by way of Fiona Riplee's website http://fionariplee.com/blog, welcome! 

To refresh your memory (and mine!), Romance Writer's Weekly is a motley crew of romance writers. Each week, RWW puts together a blog hop where we chat about pretty much everything under the sun. Writing, books, romance, love, sex, recipes, nothing is taboo with us. Once you've finished reading my blog, you can follow the link at the bottom and hop on over to the next writer's blog and so on. See? Totally fun, right? 

This week, Xio Axelrod challenged us to interview one of our characters and gave us five questions to answer. Since I'm still totally obsessed with the hero from Assassin P.I., my current work in progress, I decided to interview Jack Gaines, former cop-turned vigilante assassin. 

1. What's your favorite word?

Justice. The world needs more of it. If Ellington Bay P.D. can't do their job, I'll just have to do it for them. 

2. What is your fondest childhood memory?

When I was a child, my father and I would spend a couple weeks in a cabin in the woods each year. We'd go fishing and he'd teach me how to hunt. He's the one who taught me how to shoot a gun, taught me right from wrong. He was the one who inspired me to become a cop, just like he was. But it was a simpler time back then. Now he's dead, and I'm left to finish what he started. 

3. What one thing in your past do you wish you could do differently?

Everything! But if I could only do one thing differently, I would take back all the hurt and pain I caused Angie. I should have never walked away from her. Now, it might be too late to get her back.

4. Vanilla or Chocolate?

Vanilla. It's one of those simple pleasures in life. Uncomplicated. 

5. If you could have lunch with one famous person (alive or not) who would it be and why?

Sam Spade. Fictional or not, that man knew how to solve a crime.  

Next up on the blog hop? Carrie Elks http://carrieelks.com/blog/! Hop on over and show her some love. See y'all next week! 

Flash Fiction Challenge: Spring has Sprung

Spring is in the air. If you're a teacher, you know what I mean. Normally sweet and sane children turn into Tasmanian devils, causing chaos at every turn. For a writer, though, Spring is the perfect setting for a love story. Each week, the authors of Romance Weekly tackle tough questions, chat about the craft of writing love, and in general, have a great time. Welcome, and enjoy your stay. 

If you found me by way of Tracey Gee, you've made it to the right place. 

Veronica Forand challenged to do some Flash Fiction this week. Using 100 words, include the words: Spring, coffee, and lizard. 

Y'all know my difficulty with following rules. Technically I did use the three words within the first 117 or so words. But . . . I can't stop there. I had to see where the scene led me. Since I'm beginning to plot out Sophie and Mateo's story, I decided to let the two would-be lovers have some fun. This scene probably won't even make it into the book, but it was fun to write. 

A shriek from the playground tore Sophie's attention away from her computer screen. Heart suddenly shifting into overdrive, she bolted upright, spilling her coffee in the process as she scanned the expanse of the schoolyard through her office window, searching for a melee. But everything looked to be in order. Clumps of happy kids swung on the swings in the tepid Spring air or milled about waiting for their turn at basketball. No fight brewing, no blood flowing.  

She let out a sigh of relief and gave the yard one last cursory glance. As soon as her eyes lit upon the lizard dangling by its tail  in a kindergartener's face, she knew what had caused the commotion. She scowled, shoved her window up further and shouted, "Jimmy Wallace! You put that creature down and leave Ava alone right this instant!"

"Tough day?" 

At the sound of Mateo's rich voice, her head swiveled his direction. What was he doing here? Propped against the doorjamb, his presence seemed to fill the room, filling her body with an unexpected jolt of awareness. For a moment, she gawked at him unable to tamp down the inexplicable desire to walk over to him and taste his delicious looking lips.  

Mortified at the unbidden thought, her face flushed. The man had a wicked sense of timing, if nothing else. She looked away and shrugged. "Spring has sprung," she said by way of explanation.  

The laugh that erupted from his body took her by surprise. "Anything I can do to help?" 

A trickle of hot liquid now cascaded over the edge of her desk and splattered on her new high heels. She bit back the oath that rose in her throat. Fumbling with the soaked papers on her desk, her fingers sought out a box of tissues. 

Without waiting for an answer, he crossed the room in long strides, and dropped to one knee at her side. 

What the hell? 

To the casual bystander, the pose would almost give the appearance of an old-fashioned marriage proposal. All that was missing was the diamond bauble for her ring finger. 

He gazed up at her with an endearing look. "May I?" 

May he what? Have her hand in marriage? Hell no! She barely even knew the man. 

When she didn't answer, Mateo slipped the shoe off first one foot, then the other. He pulled a rag from his back pocket and patted her legs and feet dry, then swiped away the drops of coffee from the floor. As he worked, his fingers massaged her insole, a fluttering touch was almost absentminded on his part. 

Staring at the back of his head, a surge of naughty thoughts raced through her mind. His thick mane of hair was close enough to touch, to tangle her fingers in. All it would take would be one word, one pleading word, and she'd be willing to let him touch whatever part of her body he wanted. The zing of awareness that had started in her  heart had worked its way down her body, turning her insides into molten lava.

"There. Like new again." He stood and smiled down at her. "Better get back to work." 

Then he was gone. Sophie dropped her head down onto her desk. Oh my God! What the hell was that all about? 

I kind of like the idea of Mateo always shaking thing up with straight laced Sophie. How about you? I always welcome your comments and feedback. 

Next up? Leslie Hachtel http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com. 

Romance Weekly: St. Patrick's Day

Yippee!! I'm finally back on the RWW blog hop! It's the hippest place to be each and every Tuesday. This week, author Betty Bolte challenged your favorite romance writers to spill the beans on how they celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

If you found me by way of  Leslie Hachtel http://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com, welcome!

If you've been following this blog for a while, you know I'm not so great at following basic directions. In fact, once I get my hands on our assigned weekly topic, it often morphs into something altogether . . .  well . . . different.

So here's my short answer to how I celebrate today's most green of holidays.

I DON'T. I usually don't have time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day because . . . well mostly because I'm too lazy to go through all the effort it would take to find cool friends who would invite my Mr. and I to a raging party.

See? Boring, huh? That's not even worth the effort you expended to find my blog. But lucky for you, that's not the whole answer.

I love Ireland. I always have. I'm just not a big fan of Irish food. Or of getting pinched, and I look terrible in green.

Nineteen years ago, I was part of the Riverside Community College Marching Band and Colorguard. Each year, the band took a big trip to some exotic locale. One year, the college-aged kids went to Japan, another year it was France. Over the years, the group has been around the world. When the Band Director, Gary Locke announced that he'd be taking a small group of members to Ireland, I leapt at the chance to go.

Let me tell you, that trip was not cheap. My parents couldn't afford it, so I fundraised as much money as I could (which surely wasn't much). Now, mind you, I was only 19 and lacked any skills I might need to make money. The only thing I had going for me was my grandmother's recipe for Fresh Apple Cake. Each cake took a ton of time to prepare. I sold each cake for $10. Thirty cakes later, I had a whopping $300, but it was enough to convince my parents to pitch in the rest. (To date, I've only made one Apple Cake since that time.)

We landed in Shannon, Ireland and traveled around the southern tip of the country, performing nearly everywhere we went. I distinctly remember performing in in a shopping mall in one city and even had the privilege of marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland. While I was technically part of the flag team, because I could play the piano, I was asked to play keyboards for one of the songs. At first, it was all so new, so exciting. I'd expected Ireland to look like this:

And it did. Sorta. There were lots of rolling green hills. Only the castles I saw looked nothing like in the pictures. What I saw were less impressive crumbling ruins of castles. Still beautiful, but after the tenth one, they all start to look alike, especially from a fogged up charter bus window.

http://pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=&pg=6085 

And the sheep usually had been tagged by their owners with something like spray paint.

And it rained. All. The. Time.

And the food? Let's just say I spent a lot of time eating at McDonalds.

I was young and dumb. I know. Nineteen was way too young for me to actually appreciate the opportunity I'd been given. To make matters worse, I was a lousy photographer at that time, so none of my photos came out.

However I did manage to take something away from my trip (besides a handful of Irish coins and terrible photos). My parents loved me enough to send me on a trip of a lifetime, surrounded by friends who watched out for me, despite any fears or reservations they felt. I may not have truly appreciated the trip then, but my memories I'll always keep with me. Someday, I hope I'll have the strength to watch one of my kids board a plane for an adventure of their own.

And next time I go on an international trip? I'm taking a better camera!

Next up on the blog hop? J.J. Devine http://definingjjdevine.weebly.com/ramblings-of-a-writer

It's a crazy busy week for me. Thursday and Friday I'm off to the CUE Conference (Computer Using Educators) and Saturday, my family will celebrate my father's life. Sometime before then, I'm supposed to write the eulogy, so you may not hear much from me until next week.

In the meantime, I hope you come back and join me on Thursday, when I interview author Ryan Jo Summers.

Romance Weekly: A Space to Write

I'm finally back on the blog hop train! For those who don't know, each Tuesday, the fabulous authors at Romance Writers Weekly spend the day chatting about love, writing, and pretty much anything under the sun. To join in on the fun, simply hop from blog to blog and listen in as we spill all of our secrets . . . trade or otherwise!

If you found me by way of Eden Ashe http://edenashe.com/, welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay.

This week, I posed a question to the group. I want to know where everyone works their writing magic. How many authors have cozy little writing caves they hole up in while they plot their stories? Are they taking up residence at their local Starbucks? Or do they have the luxury of writing on location, traveling around the world on a whim?

I would love to say I have an office to call my own, a place where no one would complain if I plastered my walls with photographs and sticky note reminders. A whiteboard filled with plotting notes and character analysis would line one wall, while I sit at a huge desk with plenty of space to spread out. Of course I would have to have a cute, comfy couch tucked under a bank of windows where I could read or zone out at will. Of course, my view from my cave would be overlooking a sparkling lake or ocean, or even a forest. I'm not all that picky about this. Outside, a cute guy, would periodically wander by, shirtless, of course, and I'd have a new muse to inspire me each day.

But I don't.

Instead, this is where I do most of my writing.

I usually sit on the bed, surrounded by snacks, laptop open, noise-canceling headphones on, and try my darnedest to avoid any and all distractions. Which I usually fail at doing. But once I get in the zone, I can easily spend the entire day here, hopefully capturing my characters' conversations.

On a side note, the afghan at the bottom of the bed is one my mom crocheted. It use to hang over the back of our couch when I was a child. Just a little thing to keep her close to me.

While searching the net for cool images for my post (which I never did find), I managed to stumble upon a nifty link on setting up a writing space. http://stacyennis.com/5-tips-for-setting-up-a-writing-space/

Someday, I'll get my cool and cozy writing cave, but until then . . . . You can find me locked in my bedroom, surrounded by unhealthy snacks, chatting it up with waylaid lovers and killers on the run.

Next up on the blog hop? Dani Jace http://www.danijace.com. Swing on by to see how her writing space stacks up against mine!

Romance Weekly: #LoveWriteChat

Have you ever read a book and wondered how in the world the author came up with the plot? Or created characters you could fall in love with? Or made you laugh out loud? Each week, the amazing authors of Romance Weekly share their trade secrets and chat about their craft.

If you found me by way of Gemma Brocato http://www.gemmabrocato.com/blog, welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay. This week's topic is courtesy of Mishka Jenkins. She asked:

What would you say your writing strengths and weaknesses are?

Romance Weekly: Setting the Stage

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all..... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

If you found me by way of Victoria Barbour http://victoriabarbour.com/blog, welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay.

This week's question comes from Brenda Margriet. She asked . . .

How do you choose the setting for your book? 

Does where you live inspire you? 

This can apply even to books set in paranormal worlds - what do you use from "real life"?

Rydin' The Storm Out by P.J. Fiala

I hope all of you are having a great week so far. It's been a bit insane around school for me. The Great Kindness Project, Science Fair, and the Imagination Machine assembly have all converged on our school at the same time, more or less. It all equates to hyped-up kids and stressed-out teachers. Despite it all, we're still having a pretty great time in my classroom reading Spy School and writing our SciFi stories.

But one of my favorite (and stress-free) tasks I get to do this week, is introduce you to another fabulously talented author I just happen to know . . . P.J. Fiala. Her contemporary romance novel, Rydin' the Storm Out, is the second book in the Rolling Thunder Series and has only been on the market for less than a month.

Romance Weekly: Great Beginnings

Love to read romance? Want to know more about how your favorite authors created all those sizzling love affairs you secretly devour? Each week, the authors of Romance Writers Weekly host a fun-filled blog hop, where they chat about everything under the sun. Best of all? You're all invited to join in on the fun. 

If you found me by way of Gemma Brocato http://www.gemmabrocato.com/blog, you're in the right place. Welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay. 

This week's challenge was issued by the ever lovely Sarah Hegger: 

Great Beginnings - A great opening line draws the reader in, makes them want to know more and compels them to read further. Share a great opening line, can be a classic or a more recent novel, tell us why you like it and then share the opening line to your newest WIP.

I am so excited about this week's challenge. Like, seriously, too excited to sit still kind of excitement. I love getting the chance to share my favorite stories with people. Especially people who are taller than 4'5 and older than 10. Sarah's totally crazy if she thinks I'll be able to restrain myself to sharing only one great opening!

I'm going to start off with sharing the opening line from my favorite classic novel.

VINDICATED by Jeana E. Mann

This week's Thursday Talent author is Jeana E. Mann. Jeana writes Contemporary Romance and is here with me today to announce the release of  book 2 in her Felony Romance Series, VINDICATED. She also just happens to be part of my very supportive, Romance Writers Weekly gang.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Life has never been easy for Karly Eriksson. Raised in a dysfunctional and abusive home, she struggles to break the chain of misfortune. She’s determined to finish college and rescue her little sister Emma from a similar fate at any cost, including her self-esteem.

The mistakes of her past complicate her future when she hooks up with Randy Mackenzie, the tattooed bouncer/bartender from the infamous Felony Bar. They shared one night together during the previous summer, and now he’s back in her life. He’s hot, intense, and tortured by emotions he’ll never reveal to anyone, especially her.

Despite Randy’s feelings for Karly, he can’t tell her what she needs to hear. She’s the only sunshine in his bleak existence, illuminating the dark and dusty corners of his life. The mother of his child left him because he couldn’t say those three little words, and it cost him the most precious thing in his life: his son. Will he lose Karly, too, or can he overcome his irrational fear of emotional intimacy?

Romance Weekly: TBR Pile

It's that time of the week again! Time to blog hop your way around the internet with a few of your favorite romance authors. If you hopped on over here from Mishka Jenkins' website, https://awriterslifeformeblog.wordpress.com/ you're in the right place. Welcome and enjoy your stay.

This week, I asked the authors of Romance Weekly to dish on what's on their own to-be-read pile. And if their TBR pile is anything like mine is, you'll surely find a few new titles to pick up.

So what's on my own TBR list?

A Kiss for Miss Kingsley by Collette Cameron

Merry Christmas Eve! 

Any last minute shoppers out there? 

For once, I'm done with all my shopping (I hope!) and have even wrapped all but one gift. Unfortunately that doesn't mean I get to relax yet. My kids will be in the Children's Pageant at the church, and then I'll be heading off to Midnight Mass at my childhood church. Tomorrow will be even busier with breakfast with the inlaws at my house, lunch with my family, and dinner with my husband's cousins. 

With so much scurrying around to do, I thought I'd deliver your present a bit early this year. Here let me unwrap it for you. 

Tada! 

I deliver unto you, the ever fabulous, best-selling author Collette Cameron.

The Calum by Xio Axelrod

This week, I get the honor of helping another one of my Romance Weekly peeps announce the release of her new book. The Calum by Xio Axelrod is a contemporary romance that hit stores only a few hours ago, just in time for Christmas. Ready to find your next favorite book? 

Christmastime Romance

Tis the season for snow falling, gift giving, and cuddling up by a warm fire. Romance at Christmastime? What could be better than that? Not much. 

If you found me by way of Veronica Forand http://veronicaforand.com, welcome! This week author Carrie Elks wants to know about our favorite Christmas story. 

Sing Me a Song

It's time for another Romance Weekly Blog Hop! Each week the fabulous authors of Romance Weekly get together to chat about sex, secrets, and those hot, hot guys you know you love to read about. Oh, and of course we dish on our writing process as well. If you like what you read, please leave some love in the comments! 

If you found me by way of A.S. Fenichel, welcome! I hope you enjoy your time with me today, and please come back again soon.

Are you in the mood to sing? Well, I always am. This week, Xio Axelrod wants to know what our favorite holiday song is, which is nearly impossible for me to answer since I am a huge music lover. 

But if I could only pick one?

Giving Thanks

Love to read? Love romance? Then you've come to the right place. Each week, the authors of Romance Weekly dish about what it's really like to write those romance novels you love to read. We'll chat about love, writing, and our lives. When you're done reading this blog, hop on over to the next writer for a different perspective. And don't forget to leave a comment below before you leave. 

If you found me by way of Ronnie Allen http://ronnieallennovel.com/blog, welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay. This week, in honor of Thanksgiving, we're doing our virtual version of going around the dinner table to count our blessings.

Romance Weekly: Holiday Recipe

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all..... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

This week, we were challenged to divulge a family favorite holiday dish. With the holidays right around the corner, it's the perfect time to pick up a few new recipes to try. If you just hopped on over here by way of Elaine Jeremiah: http://elainejeremiah.co.uk, welcome!

Every year the family gathers at my house for Thanksgiving dinner. Ironic, since I am terrible in the kitchen. These funny cards are very true for me.

As much as I hate cooking, this is the one time of year when I absolutely love being in the kitchen. There's just something comforting about making all my family favorites. It's like remembering or honoring all those that we have lost. And I am a huge stickler about traditions. No holiday is complete without my Grandma Nana's candied yams and my Grandpa's Napa Cabbage Salad.

Some years we wind up with 30 or more people crammed into my small house, and other years we have around 16-20. No matter what happens, someone always begs me to make my Baked Potato Salad. Hope you like it!

Baked Potato Salad
Ingredients
8 potatoes
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
3/4 C sliced black olives
1 C mayonnaise
1/2 C onion (optional)
Paprika

Directions:
Peel, cube, and boil potatoes. Fry bacon until crisp, then cool and crumble. Both can be done the night before, if desired.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with Pam or other non-stick spray. Layer potatoes in the bottom of the pan. Cover potatoes with Velvet cubes, chopped olives, and onions. Spread mayonnaise over the top. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and paprika. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Notes: Whatever you do, don't boil the potatoes until they turn to mush! It just won't taste the same. I usually double the recipe and use a 10 pound bag of potatoes and a large box Velvet. It's usually enough to make a 9x13 dish and a 8x8 dish. We keep the smaller dish on hand in case we run out.

What to do with the leftovers:
The next morning, fry the potato salad up in a skillet and add scrambled eggs, leftover ham, and bell peppers to the mix. It's a great way to start your day!


Next up on the blog hop is author A.S. Fenichel. Click the link to check out what recipe she's cooking up for us. http://asfenichel.net/blog/ 

Romance Weekly: #LoveWriteChat

Love to read? Enjoy a good romance? Then you've come to the right spot. Each week, the fabulously creative authors at Romance Weekly, host a fun-filled blog hop especially for you! We spill the beans on what it's like to be a writer, give you the inside scoop on our writing process, and at times, tackle flash fiction assignments. Like honest book reviews, comments are always welcome. 

If you are joining me for the first time today, or found me by way of Mishka Jenkins, welcome! And a big hello to my returning friends. *waves hello*

This week, Mishka Jenkins challenged us to write a love letter using the following three random words: sweet, pumpkin, and brush. Oh, and it has to be under 400 words. 

Before I unveil my attempt at this assignment, you should know that I suck at stuff like this. I tend to have an unusual ways of following directions, so my projects always seem to take an odd twist. For instance, the assignment directions never specifically stated that the letter had to be written to a lover. 

Don't say I didn't warn you. 

This love letter clocks in at 271 words 

Dear Addy, 

We’ve never been introduced, not officially anyway, but I thought you should know I’m in love with you. 

The first time I saw you across the room, our eyes locked. Standing amidst the crowd, steeped in the heady aroma of pumpkin spice latte, you gazed into the depths of my soul, trying to unlock all my innermost mysteries. As the crowd parted, you tucked a lock of hair behind an ear and flashed me that sweet smile, the warmth of it caressing my soul. Had I found my soul mate? My one and only?

Finally we stood only a mere foot apart. I was dumbfounded by your beauty. And then you spoke and asked my name. You let your fingers brush against mine, lingering past what common courtesy would deem appropriate. By this time I have to admit, I was beside myself, so tempted was I to sweep you into my arms right then and there, to drown myself in your forbidden kiss. But I refrained, as only a proper gentleman could.

From afar I watched you work as you mixed my drink, a concoction of coffee and pure ecstasy in a cup. And then you handed it to me. That smile, that lingering touch. When I saw the way you wrote my name - spelled properly and capitalized even - I knew you felt it too. 

It was with regret that we parted ways. I take solace in the knowledge that I will see you again soon. Kindred spirits always find their way back to each other somehow. Until tomorrow morning, my dear.

Forever and always yours,

Sam

I hope you enjoyed Sam's love letter to his favorite barista. Next up on this week's blog hop is Xio Axelrod - www.xioaxelrod.com. Thanks for dropping by!