My Writing Process Blog Tour

Sunshine makes me want to go on vacation.  (Not that there's any sunshine today, but there was last week.) So, with the sun shining, I agreed when Kristin Nador (of Kristin Nador Writes Anywhere)  invited me along on her My Writing Process Blog Tour.  

Hey, I’ll take any vacation—even a virtual one.  Would you like to join me?

Taking a break at a writing retreat

Before going on a trip, there’s always paperwork. So, here's where I earn it.

What am I working on?

Picture books.  I've written a couple of novels and was well into another, when I decided to take a detour. It feels good to travel off the beaten path for a change.

How does my work differ from other of its genre? 

Whether it's novels or picture books, I like to write about possibilities in a world where what you think you see isn't always what you get. I play with the idea of "Okay, it's not real, but why not...are you sure?"

Why do I write what I do?

I write about "the magic of everyday life" on my blog. Most of my YA work has fantastical elements with hints of magic in our regular world, which lends itself nicely to picture books. Recently, I decided to practice the “write what you know” adage.  We devour picture books in this house.  We have stacks and shelves of them. In my former life as a high school teacher, I felt that I had never really left high school. Now,  I'm living and breathing picture books.  Everywhere I turn, I see magical possibilities through the sparkling enthusiasm of my children as well as their intense, face covering drama.  Children see the world as a magical place full of possibilities, and I like the idea we share that perspective. I enjoy parallel worlds where something isn't quite what it seems.   That explains childhood pretty well.

I enjoy writing novels, but labyrinthine plot lines require large chunks of time from me.  With picture books, I can work on a single big idea. Writers go into the world to gather ideas and feed their creativity. I just have to listen to the kids' stream of consciousness chatter. I've heard of writers doing drugs to have creative injections. I have psychedelic creativity padding into my bedroom at 5:58 AM whispering, " Mom.  Mom.  I wanna tell you a story."

How does your writing process work? 

Give me tea (preferably one with bergamot), a baked good, and either a computer or journal, and I'll write. I envy people who churn out novels while chaos surrounds them. That's a challenge, but I'll take what I can get.   Still, a nice, three hour chunk is ideal. It allows me to revisit my most recent writing adventures, experience more and then review them. It's a nice vacation from life into my imaginary world. However, I usually get an hour.  I work best when I get time on a consistent basis so my brain can play with problems and possibilities for the characters before I return to the computer and write it down. I love that feeling of living my writing life in my head while I'm doing something mundane like folding laundry.

Thanks for your interest in my writing process. Mark your itinerary for next Monday when each of the following authors will tell you about her process.

Sonia Gensler is the award-winning author of THE REVENANT (2011) and THE DARK BETWEEN (2013), both from Alfred A. Knopf. She blogs a little about writing, but more often about reading, travel, TV and movies over at www.soniagensler.com.

Gayleen Rabakukk enjoys creating stories that explore the mysteries of days gone by, both real and imagined. Find her online at www.gayleenrabakukk.com

Stephanie Clinton is a mommy blogger who writes about family, food, and all that goes with it (including the hard stuff) over at Hugs, Kisses, and Snot. She will also be featured in Oklahoma City's 2014 Listen to Your Mother Show.

Happy travels!

Winter Soups: Valarie Lawson and Nana's Potato Soup

This winter has been exceptionally...wintery.  Our snow days have been extensive, but who minds those when you have good soup and good friends?  Thanks for joining me again for another Tasty Tuesday and a virtual potluck. I'm so glad you did because Valerie Lawson is here!

Aside from her mass of curly hair, the first thing I noticed about Valerie was her t-shirt. Like her, it was smart, artsy, and funny. To this day, when I see her at an SCBWI event, I look to see what she's wearing because I know she'll make me smile. 

And she brought potato soup for Saint Patrick's Day week. What luck! I'm definitely smiling now.

Valerie Lawson...she's wearing a funny t-shirt beneath that smile, y'all.

I’m so thrilled that Brandi invited me to participate in this virtual potluck. As many of you know who follow my blog, I am no cook. I was raised by my father, the microwave king, who still thinks cut-up hot dogs in macaroni and cheese is a fancy meal. He actually served this meal to my daughter recently, much to her horror. I think we’ve spoiled her. Or rather, my husband has. He is the cook in the family. He has a natural intuitiveness in the kitchen, lucky for us. Otherwise I’m afraid we’d live off fast food and cold cereal. My husband can look at the contents of our pantry and see what might work together as a meal. He does this weird thing called experimenting with food - and it almost always turns out fantastic. If I tried this, I’d end up with a fried crispy mess and a fire extinguisher.

My husband learned much of his instinctual cooking techniques from standing at his mother’s elbow while she cooked from scratch all through his childhood. She was also a natural cook who never wrote down a recipe, never used a measuring spoon. Thankfully, my husband had the foresight to write down a few of her favorite dishes before she died last year. I’m happy to share it with you, today.

This soup is simple and yet comforting on a cold, winter night. It is a meal all by itself or with some warm, crusty bread. I hope you enjoy it.

Nana’s Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 peeled and cubed Potatoes

½ cup chopped Celery

¼ cup chopped Onion

1 Tbsp Butter

1 ½  cups Milk

¼ tsp Greek Seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Suggested garnish:

Crumbled Bacon

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Chopped Green Onions

Instructions:

Cover the potatoes with an inch of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil for ten minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the celery and onions in butter over a medium-high heat until translucent, about four to six minutes.

Pour off half the water from the potatoes, leaving the remainder of the water in the pan. Add the milk to the pan, along with the vegetables and seasonings. Turn the heat down to medium. Let flavors come together and allow the soup to simmer for about twenty minutes. Then your soup is ready.

Garnish as you please.

Nana's Potato Soup

Grab some soup and spend more time with Valerie over at her blog Barbies on Fire. For me, the title of her blog was enough to tempt me to check it out, but once I got there I loved what she did with the place. She publicly challenges herself and shares her progress with the world while making it completely fun and mixing in great book reviews, author interviews, and more. 

Have fun with Valerie. I'm so glad I could introduce you!

List Maker, List Maker, make me a list!

Santa doesn't check his list twice because he fears improperly categorizing children--magic doesn't make mistakes, silly.  He does it because checking things off feels good.

I understand this addiction. I, too, am a list maker.

Each January provides the opportunity to create a new list of goals.  When someone asks me if I made a New Year's Resolution, I struggle not to roll my eyes like a twelve-year-old girl.  Resolutions are made to be broken. Ask anyone whose bank account still sends money straight toward the local gym even their gps forgot how to locate.

And a single resolution? pu-leeez.

This girl (moi) makes a measurable list of goals with a plan to achieve them. It's fun.

Plus, coming down off the high of the holidays isn't so bad when one has the opportunity to check a list and see improvements in existence.

The list for 2014 is 2 1/2 pages long.  Single spaced. 11 point font.  My husband and I select a theme (Live More in Two-Zero-One-Four) that becomes a mantra, influencing decisions throughout that year. We categorize goals for each of our children, our family, our home, our relationship, and our office. We list personal goals and sometimes add a separate category depending on the year.

Obsessive? Perhaps.  But we find satisfaction in measuring growth and acknowledging what we need to improve. For example, two years ago I didn't accomplish a single goal on my personal list, but in 2013 I accomplished most of them. I had to see it on paper before I recognized how I was cheating myself at life. Progress!

When we didn't make annual goals, we shuffled through life beating ourselves up. If one doesn't pause to reflect, it's easy to get bogged down in the major stresses.  If one doesn't pause to plan, it's easy to lose sight of hope.

This year, my blog has goals of its own.  Several series are planned that I'm really excited about. Since connecting people is one of my favorite pastimes, I will continue to do so. Recognizing the magic in everyday life is another.  I'm going to be more thoughtful and courageous in what I share as well as more helpful.

Because this year will pass, I want to make it count.  What about you?

Check out Lisa Marotta's blog on planning goals for your year.
If you are in a relationship, check out Shel Harrington's post for improving that in 2014.

I find magic in everyday life and shout it to the blogosphere. 

What little thing happened to you recently that felt magical to you? 

Talking Turkey

My mind flew all over the place. I might have talked up this craft thing a bit much. I possess no gift for glitter and glue. In fact, it makes me a tad nervous.

But my friend Lisa had just taught a Thanksgiving song to our four enthusiastic preschoolers and toddler, and I couldn't resist the great segue.

And a mother is obliged to help her little turkeys spread their wings.

And I had a lot of toilet paper rolls ready for recycling.

The kids were all giggles and excitement. The baby loaded wiggly eyes in her mouth. The preschoolers grappled for the too-few scissors.

I panicked.

Clasping my hands, I tried to look more delighted than desperate. "Next, we're going to trace each others hands!" My knuckles were white. Might they jab each other with the giant pencils?

Nope.

The big brothers traced their sisters' dimpled little hands. The little sisters traced their brothers'. They cut some paper and smeared some glue before skedaddling off to dump boxes and rummage through book shelves and wrestle.

I wanted to quit more than once, but Lisa powered through. So I did, too.

Let me introduce you to our turkey:

Yes, that's a turkey.

I got the idea on Pinterest. It was supposed to look different.

Of course.

Pinterest: the place where moms everywhere "pin" their delusions of grandeur.

According to the many photos on Pinterest, our art should look more like a bird and less like some modern statement of the cock-eyed insanity that is the holiday season.

But that's why I love it.

The messy parts make life memorable and unique. Striving for perfect Pinterest holidays or prime-time tv ideal ultimately leads to disappointment. Reality can not live up to the fantasy.

During holiday season 2013, I plan to embrace the cock-eyed individuality of the moment. This year, I hope to find beauty and happiness and thankfulness in the authentic.

How about you?  Have you ever had a fantasy holiday/event/moment turned upside down...and been happier for it? Tell me about it.

If you'd like to focus on stress-busting this holiday season, check out Dr. Lisa Marotta's series on her blog here.

Summer Salad Virtual Potluck Round Up

Summer is officially over which means that so is our Tasty Tuesday Summer Salad Virtual Potluck.

Don't be sad. We'll party again soon. Thanks for joining us!

Since party favors make every party more fun, I have a parting gift for you: A round up of all of the salads from the summer. Just click on the picture for the link.

 Oh boy, there were some goodies.

Jennifer McMurrain's Mac Daddy Macaroni Salad

Dee Dee Chumley's Black Bean and Hominy Salad

Brandi Barnett's Tortellini Salad

Lisa Marotta's Mama Mia Pasta Salad

Kelly Bristow's Mississippi Cornbread Salad

Heather Davis' Oh Crap! I Forgot! Salad

Tom Barczak's Summer Chicken Salad

Shel Harrington's Peach Fluff

Malena Lott's Avocado Feta Tomato Salad

Lisa Czlonka's Kalua Pig

Mari Farthing's Orzo Veggie Salad

Heather Ezell's Caprese Salad

 
I love introducing people and watching friendships form. If you haven't already, please visit my fellow bloggers on their home pages.  Who knows? You may find a new place to visit.  After all, they're fascinating people... just like you.

Thanks for coming to the party and come back soon!

Summer Salads: Heather Ezell

For those of you who regularly read my blog, you'll know Heather Ezell from Hang Zen yoga on Lake Tenkiller or this post about SUP yoga, this post from Oklahoma Women Bloggers and this post about Inklings 2013 summer retreat. 

She's cool.  She's fun.  She's adventuresome.

I was thrilled when Heather finally decided to start a blog because she has a variety of interests.  I'm hoping to live vicariously through her travels.  Heather's also a bit of a foodie and loves wine. These traits I can aspire to, but...she also flips houses.  (Will I learn some DIY pointers for my home so I can dazzle the hubby with some yet-to-be-learned mad skills?) I'm looking forward to reading more of Heather Ezell's Never Zending Story.

I'm happy you joined us today for the last guest post of the Summer Salad series. Check out what Heather brought to the virtual potluck.

 For me, Salads are a staple. Whether I'm cooking something only for
myself, the two of us, or for a crowd, I almost always have a salad of
some sort. As well, it is not unheard of for me to do more than one.
They're light, delicious and versatile. I DO love a salad. I have many
that are included in my rotation but this one may be my favorite. (It
is often requested when people come to visit.) It's simple and
elegant. Also during this time of year, the ingredients are fresh and
in abundance. Most of the time, I use what I have grown in either mine
or my neighbors' garden.

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad

AKA Fancy Name: Caprese Salad

Ingredients list: (Tip--the fresher, the better)

Tomatoes--your favorite variety, or whatever you have on hand from the
garden, the farmer's market, etc.

~ Do not refrigerate tomatoes. It will zap the flavor.

Basil--a bunch or a handful

Mozzarella--Fresh is vital for this recipe. I generally use buffalo
mozzarella packed in water.

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Greens--again whatever is fresh and available. Sometimes I use spinach
or microgreens or whatever I find at the farmer's market.

Directions:

Pour a glass of wine. (Or sparkling/mineral water) Slice tomatoes and
mozzarella according to your preference. Sip beverage.

Take basil and stack it from largest to smallest leaf. Roll it up in a
tight package. Run knife through, cutting small ribbons into the herb.
It is best to only do this once and no more than twice to avoid
obliterating the basil and turning it into mush. Voila'! This is known
as a chiffonade. (Fancy French cooking term)

Take another sip.

Place greens in individual bowls or a serving dish. Layer tomatoes and
cheese alternating each. I prefer even amounts but it's up to you if
you would rather have more tomatoes vs. mozzarella or vice versa.
Sprinkle basil ribbons over everything.

Sip.

Now lightly dress with a good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Sip.

Now, bon appetit!

Magical Meal Combination
When choosing a wine to pair with this salad think, light. A Reisling
or a Pinot Noir would both be appropriate. You want to take a walk on
the wild side? Give a Spanish Rioja-Crianza a whirl.

Friday Favorite: Giveaway and Getaways

I have some cool news: My blog was mentioned in the Muskogee Phoenix.  Earlier this summer I wrote about Glamping at Girl Camp on Oklahoma Women Bloggers, and it is a hot topic right now. Click here for your how-to-glamp guide.

You know how Hollywood always chooses younger, prettier actresses to portray real-life people?  The Muskogee Phoenix kindly does the same thing.  Valarie Olson's photograph was featured in the article this morning and showed our pal Moria Kinsey playing...me.

Here's a link to John Kilgore's article in the Muskogee Phoenix about Camping for those not so inclined to camp. Check it our for some great glamping websites.

Photo of the article: The lovely Moria Kinsey is playing me in the photo above.

If you are looking for a weekend getaway close to home, glamping might be just right for you.

Of course, if you don't want to leave the house at all, you can grab some Wailani's Body Scrub and have a mini Hawaiian spa experience in your own shower. Thank you to everyone who entered and shared your ideal weekend getaway.

And now...

through the magic of random.org...

I'd like to congratulate Peggy for winning the mango and green tea scrub! Thank you for telling us about your grownup slumber party experience.

Email your address to brandi at brandibarnett.com, and I'll mail your prize as soon as possible. Please drop by my blog and visit again soon.

Summer Salad: Mari Farthing

 

 

When I first met Mari Farthing, I felt like I'd met her before.  I'm not sure if it's because her name was familiar because she was a (now former) editor at MetroFamily Magazine or Senior editor at Buzz Books. She also blogs at Oklahoma Women Bloggers and Mari's Virtual Notebook and shows off her musical addiction interests at The Music Mamas. We officially met at the table reading of the Listen to Your Mother Show. 
 

We chatted. She's funny and unassuming and humble and passionate. That's when I realized Mari is just one of those people. You know...the kind you meet and it's like you've always known each other and what took so long for it to be official? After making her salad, check out her blogs.  You may feel that way about her, too.

 

 

Orzo veggie salad

1/2 box cooked orzo pasta, rinsed, drained and cooled

1 package herbed feta cheese chunks (6 oz)

1 cup of small cherry/grape tomatoes, quartered or 1 md tomato, chopped

Good handful of baby spinach, chopped

bottled Greek vinaigrette salad dressing (or Italian dressing or homemade)

Dice veggies to be of similar size:

1/2 ea: red, yellow & green bell pepper

1 md. cucumber, peeled & seeded 

1/4-1/2 red onion

Italian seasoning, salt, pepper to taste

Optional: black or Kalamata olives, pickled banana peppers, pepperoncini (all chopped in a similar to above fashion)

Combine chopped vegetables with pasta and gently toss. 

Add in seasonings at this time, plus a small amount of dressing. 

Gently combine and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Just before serving, add cheese and a little more dressing (or a lot, if you like a lot of dressing) and toss.

 

Magical Meal Combination

This is great if you're going to have Greek food, such as kebabs or souvlaki-marinated pork (the optional ingredients are a perfect tie in for Greek food), but works equally well with just about any grilled meat or as a stand-alone pasta salad. The add-ins are very flexible to what you have available; use your leftover vegetables from a previous meal, add a protein like grilled chicken or shrimp in the salad to make it a full meal. I would enjoy this with a nice Sauvignon Blanc, but then I think the only requirement for a nice Sauvignon Blanc is a lovely summer day!

Summer Salads: Malena Lott

I meet some of the nicest people during lunch at the annual conference held by Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc.  One such lunch I sat across from a lively, charming woman who had one novel under her belt and really had a head for marketing. 

Since then, Malena Lott has written more novels and her branding consulting firm the Athena Institute (don't you love that name?!) has created Buzz Books.  Get to know her on her blog. She loves sisterhoods as much as I do, and her cheerleader spirit shines through.

I'm thrilled Malena dropped by our virtual party.  Check out what she brought as her potluck.

 

Confession: I like appetizers more than I like meals, which means appetizers are often my meal. For me, summer is one salad, dip or nacho after another. Here's one of my favorites.

 

 Avocado Feta Tomato Salad
Yep, just those three ingredients, but toss in some lemon or lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add some lettuce if you'd prefer it in "salad" form or just use the AFT for the dip. You can use tortilla chips (lime chips are pretty awesome with it) or pita chips. Very filling and pretty GOOD FOR YOU!

Magical Meal Combination
It pairs well with a pinot grigio wine and grilled chicken.

Malena's fifth novel, FAMILY CHARMS, about three sisters who travel the world to see where their mother has been the last twenty years and what kept her away, is available in trade paperback and ebook. Connect at malenalott.com.

Summer Salads: Tom Barczak

Males are a novelty at writing conferences. So, what I noticed first about Tom Barczak when I met him was how calmly he handled a bunch of women asking questions, sniffing out if he were single. He was a perfect gentleman and a nice guy. 

Later, I learned Tom is a Renaissance Man who holds down a day job. He is devoted to his three boys. He cooks from his garden. He's the author of Veil of the Dragon, Awakening Evarun, and Fall of the Chosen. 

Read his blog and you'll know even more why I wanted you to meet him. 

 Because, above all, Tom Barczak is genuine.

 Even if he does write fantasy.

 Blog readers, meet Tom. He brought salad. Let's party!

photo swiped from Tom's Facebook page

***

So, I got to make dinner, a salad, tonight for my girlfriend.

My 3 boys and I keep a small garden in our backyard, so I actually got to use a few things from that, which I always like to do.

The end result was wonderful, savory but not too heavy.

I love to cook. I am an Architect, a Writer and a Painter, so I like to have fun with different textures and flavors when I do. I enjoy all of the senses.

Salads, however, are a new thing for me. But I actually felt like I had a meal with this one.  

And also important: I know it’s something that my kids will eat.

Oh, and though I had my doubts when I first imagined it, the Feta cheese was absolutely killer in this.

Summer Chicken Salad

Spinach and salad greens.

Grilled chicken breast (Sliced flatways). Then sliced and laid over the salad.

Crumbled feta cheese.

Crumbled bacon (Of course).

Light Honey Dijon Mustard Dressing.

Carrots (From my garden)

Cherry Tomatoes.

Fresh Greek Basil (From my garden) for garnish.

And as far as what drinks go good with that, well, we had Kool-aid.

Summer Salads: Shel Harrington

My friend and fellow Inkling Shel Harrington is at the party today.

 

My own grandma regularly served a version of this magical goodness, and I'm pretty sure I've had the meal Shel describes in the Magical Meal portion.  This sweet concoction makes me nostalgic for family gatherings of yesteryear, which is fitting because Shel believes in traditional family values.  By day Shel is many things. One of them is a divorce lawyer--who doesn't like divorce.

If you are in any stage of a relationship, check out her blog.  She offers sage relationship advice with a dash of humor, compassion...and attitude.

But first, whip up her recipe. It won't take long!

Shel Harrington's Peach Fluff

This picnic-worthy salad is a blast from my past. With only four ingredients, it can be whipped up and ready to contribute to that potluck in minutes. This is my “you need it by when???” salad.

             

The ingredients are so accessible that even in a pinch I know I’ll be able to find everything at the local grocery store in my small town. Here’s the list:

 

                        16 oz. Cool Whip                       

                        4 cups cottage cheese

                        Large box of peach Jello

                        Large can (or two small) sliced peaches, drained

(reserve 5 slices for decoration, dice up remaining slices)

Step 1

In an electric mixer, mix the cottage cheese, Jello, and diced peaches until the jello powder is thoroughly blended (it won’t be smooth).

Step 2

            Fold in the Cool Whip.

Step 3

Scoop your lovely concoction into a serving container and garnish with a peach-slice flower. (I added a blackberry center)

I told you it was easy!

Complete Magical Meal Suggestion

For a magical meal, step back in time with grandma’s fried chicken, potato salad with crunchy celery, and deviled eggs to compliment your fluff. Finish off the meal with bite-size brownies or homemade cookies for a taste of chocolate. What to drink? Sparkling cider is a festive family-friendly beverage choice reminiscent of days gone by. The over 21-crowd might may prefer a fun-flavored hard lemonade.  

Special Tricks
In addition to being tasty and quick, this salad is versatile. If you are serving a small group, you can use the smaller sized Cool Whip, Jello, and cottage cheese (but stick with the larger sized peaches so that you have enough slices for your garnish). Fun alternatives include using fresh peaches when in season and experimenting with different combinations of jello flavors and complimentary fruits (how about mixed berry Jello with blueberries?).

Whether contributing to a potluck, entertaining guests, or whipping up a meal for the family, this light tasty salad fills the bill and transports you back to a simpler time.