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The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker, A Give Away

November 15, 2011, 2:34 am
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After helping out Susanne Winnacker with her cover reveal for her YA apocalyptic thriller, THE OTHER LIFE, I asked her if she'd be interested in doing an ARC tour, dropping the not-so-obvious hint she could start it in France. Susanne had already planned a tour with the Apocalypsies (a group of authors with MG/YA releases in 2012), but she was able to set aside a copy for me, which I received last week. Here's to the kindness of writers living abroad! (Susanne lives in Germany.)


But instead of an ARC tour, we decided I'd pass the book on in a giveaway. 


Which means somebody has the chance to win this phenomenal (and spine-chilling) debut! 




3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I'd seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.
While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

THE OTHER LIFE is not for the weak of heart. Think 28 DAYS LATER or Will Smith's I AM LEGEND and add a little romance along with a dark and dangerous twist. The concept of time plays a major in Susanne's writing; you can feel the clock ticking, getting ready to explode. And I really loved how Susanne involved all the senses in her descriptions.


Click. Click. Click.


A real page turner, the tension builds from the very first paragraph. 


I did not put THE OTHER LIFE down until I finished it.

The surprising ending left me begging for more.


(I can't wait for the next installment)


Sold?


To win my advanced copy of THE OTHER LIFE, which won't be released until Spring 2012, please do the following:

Two points will be given if you follow my blog and, three more if you follow Susanne's blog.



Tweet the contest? Add three points!


Don't forget to add THE OTHER LIFE to your Goodreads, if you have one! You'll receive another 2 points!


Add up your points, leave them in the comments and bonne chance!


NOTE: This giveaway is for US/Canada and European/UK residents only. The winner will be chosen next week. If said winner is from the US/Canada, I will ship the book when I'm back in the states for the Thanksgiving holiday. If you live in Europe or the UK, I will ship the book upon my return.
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Tell the Truth Tuesday – 7 Truths

December 5, 2011, 11:40 pm
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1) Amanda won Susanne Winnacker's The Other Life. Stina, you were close! One number off. Maybe Amanda will have a contest?

2) I just got back from 10 days in California (which turned into 12, thanks to the public sector strike in London). Maybe next year I'll be able to convince my husband to come eat a 24 pound turkey. I caught this shot mid-carve.


His name was Pedro. I bathed him in a Grand Marnier/Citrus brine, shoved butter into his skin, rubbed him with brown sugar, and dressed his body with a variety of fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme). Yes, he got the star treatment. Yes, he was juicy good.


3) When I was home, I donated all my YA/MG books to a local children's charity. Of course, I had to read three of them before I sent them off. (Imaginary Girls, What I Saw and How I Lied, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks). Anyway, there were a good 40 books in the pile - all in great (gently read) shape.

4) I had some champagne worthy good news, which turned really, really bad. I'll be writing about it soon, but not for this blog. I know I'm being a little bit cryptic here.

5) Because of the above, I really haven't been in the bloggy kind of mood. All I can say is life happens.

6) I think it's hysterical when French people tell me they speak American.

7) At the end of November, I had a real flip out moment. I received an email from my agent, alerting me to the fact she was leaving the business. Yikes.

Well, that's it on my end. What's your truth?

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Francophile Friday: A Christmas Surprise!

December 13, 2011, 6:22 am
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My little village in France has got some Christmas spirit going on. After dropping le fil off at rugby practice, we rounded the corner to find seven drummers and one super limber aerial artist practicing their act...while hanging from a crane about three hundred feet in the air.



The troupe is called 'Transe Express' and their organic mobile-like set is reminiscent of the American sculptor/painter Alexander Calder.


The vivid colors of Calder are captured by the drummers, who are costumed like court jesters.




Naturally, we had to come back for the night performance, which did not disappoint.




To bring you into the experience, here's a video I found of the performance:




Happy Holidays, Tout le Monde! May the season be filled with excitement and unexpected surprises! Gros Bisous!
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Tell the Truth Tuesday: 7 Holiday Truths

January 3, 2012, 1:38 am
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7 Holiday Truths...


1) We spent Christmas at my sister-in-law's house in Provence, where Isabelle and Richard have an insane collection of "Santons de Provence." Santons, or "little saints," are hand painted terra cotta nativity scene figurines depicting Provençal villagers. All I can say is WOW! Well, that, and holy moly!




The set-up was about five feet in width by eight feet in length,
featuring three different sizes of the Santons. Isabelle and Richard have well
over 100 of the figurines! Some collection!


The villagers on their way to visit Mary, Joseph and
Baby Jesus (who is placed in the crèche at midnight on Christmas Eve).
 I played a little joke on Richard by placing the giant rooster
from the larger Santons area into the smaller set-up. Oh, the holiday pranks!


2) If I never have to eat again- that's fine by me. Christmas day we had two full course meals, the French way.

Take Meal One, for example

1) Oysters
2) Salmon
3) Shrimp
4) Foie Gras
5) Lobster served with a cognac sauce and rice
6) A cheese platter
7) Dessert --- seven of them

Add the wine and champagne and, well, I'm still full.

Let the diet begin!





3) We played a new game called "Time's Up," basically charades. I've never laughed so hard in my life at with my husband. Two words: Mona Lisa.

4) We let the kids open up all their presents at midnight on Christmas Eve. Santa brought me a new "robot," what the French call a blender/mixer/chopper, an iPod dock, slippers, and an escargot platter. (Doesn't everybody need a special platter for snails?)

5) I've been using my robot every day.

6) Jean-Luc's mother told me I spoke French very well. Apparently, the last time she saw me she didn't understand one word that came out of my mouth.

7) New Year's Eve was spent with my good friend Oksana, where a good time was had by all and where we ate another enormous meal. Again, the diet must begin!


So how was your holiday? Good food? Good company? Good times?

Happy New Year and gros bisous!


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Wednesday is all write: An Author Spotlight with Stephanie Hayes

January 11, 2012, 12:18 am
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I am so psyched for today's author spotlight, featuring the very funny (and adorable) Stephanie Hayes. Stephanie and I met on twitter a while back. See, a reporter by day, Stephanie tracked me down after learning we were both newly signed agency mates over at Dystel & Goderich. For a while we just stalked each others blogs and twitter feeds, but the stalking soon blossomed into friendship.

Doesn't it always?




Anyway, as you will soon learn in our interview, SHE. IS. AWESOME.

And so is her novel, OBITCHUARY.

(How's that for a smooth transition, eh?)


   OBITCHUARY

Penny Perkins, cute and blond and usually well-behaved, just killed her date. Smashed him on the head with a bottle of Misty Mangoberry Merlot juice wine.

She is tipsy and panicked. She is wearing a heinous pink bridesmaid dress that makes her irrational. Penny knows she should call the cops and explain her date’s grabby hands, his crazy eyes. She should woefully admit to self-defense. Instead, she flees inside her apartment and drinks tequila until she passes out.

The next morning, resplendent in wedding ringlets and gut-sucking shapewear, resigned to life in prison, Penny steps outside to find the body has vanished.

Her phone rings. It’s Noah Dolan, her editor at the newspaper where she works. A press release has arrived with news of the tragic death of Gregor Johnson, Tampa playboy and heir to his father’s mattress company.

Gregor was Penny’s date.

The press release calls the death natural. Penny knows that it was not natural at all, that Gregor died with shards of glass cranberry glinting on his eyelids in the moonlight. Who is covering for her?

The editor assigns Gregor’s life story to Penny. She is the newspaper’s obituary writer. 


If I could buy this book today, I would. But for now, I'm turning the tables on Stephanie, asking the hard hitting questions, and settling for an interview. Well, an interview AND Chapter 1 of OBITCHUARY.



7 Questions with Stephanie Hayes

1) Tell us about your journey on this road to publication. How did you end up signing with Dystel & Goderich?

I was invited to read something at a local writer’s event. I had planned to read a newspaper story I wrote, and at the last minute, downed a glass of wine, chucked it and read the first chapter from a novel I’d been pecking out during lunches. The place roared. My fancy friend Roy Peter Clark, a DGLM client, suggested after the party that I contact Jane Dystel. She was completely wonderful, but I didn’t end up with the agency because my manuscript was a half-finished hot mess of poo at that point. I finished it, queried some other agents and realized I needed to edit like a boss. Then last year at a writing conference, I ran into Jane (OK, stalked her from behind), and after a chat, agreed to write her a non-fiction proposal. That later fizzled, which was fine because it opened the way for Stephanie to scoop up my finally polished, edited, non-poo novel. She’s since left, and I’m with Morris Shamah now.

We’re submitting. The industry is in such flux right now, though, that I felt compelled to try something nuts, too. I’m video blogging the chapters, guerrilla style, with crudely drawn illustrations. My thinking? If I was writing songs, I’d be singing them on YouTube. If I was making crafts, I’d have them on Etsy. If I was a makeup artist, I’d be doing video tutorials. Why was I holding back now? My agent was really supportive. One thing I love so much about DGLM is their commitment to being innovative and open-minded about publishing, and looking at what’s possible via technology. I think they’re going to foster a lot of new success stories.

Without further ado, here, live before your very eyes, is OBITCHUARY: CHAPTER ONE:


 



2) You say you're into wacky. What kind of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

As a kid, I was obsessed with Roald Dahl, namely one of his less-popular works called Revolting Rhymes. It’s really gross. People get eaten, beheaded. Children fire pistols. I loved it. In college, I wandered around in hot pink track suits and pigtails carrying non-fiction books about cult leaders and mass murders. My friends were concerned. I like the marriage of cherubic and innocent with dark and subversive. There can be a really sweet spot in the middle.

I love Tom Perrotta. He has the keenest insight into our mundane weirdness – milk-buying, job-going, burger-eating human nature. I tend toward comedy and satire, like Carl Hiaasen and Dave Barry. I love Lisa Lutz and Jennifer Weiner. I am reading Mindy Kaling’s genius book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) right now, and also Darcie Chan’s The Mill River Recluse. I want to read more self-published books and e-books this year. The great love story of my life, though, will always be Bridget Jones. There is serious, timeless magic in the deep flaws of that character, somewhere between the giant panties and the fear of dying alone, eaten by Alsatians.

3) How has your experience as a reporter influenced your writing? Did you ever write the obituaries?

Being a reporter for nine years is the reason I’m worth anything as a writer. It taught me everything about discipline, description, writing scenes, writing quickly, writing slowly, writing cleanly (and avoiding six million adverbs, like I just used). It killed all (or most of) the cliches. It forced me to come up with new ideas every week. It gave me a good ear for dialogue and rhythm, and an endless supply of crazy experiences from which to draw. And it also made me recognize the meaning and comedy and tension in even the simplest things. I like to write fiction in public so I can draw from the world. Coffee shops, airports, restaurants. The material is RIGHT THERE. People just give it to you!

I wrote feature obituaries for a year and a half. It was pretty harrowing, as I wrote one a day and they were expected to be great. The death beat taught me the most about writing and about people. All told, I did about 350 obit features, from circus performers to a mob member to a guy who refused to wear shoes.

4) Did you learn anything from writing OBITCHUARY and what was it? Will we, as readers, be able to get away with the perfect murder?

Haha. My boyfriend is always concerned because I watch these true crime Dateline NBC-type shows right before bed. So he’ll open the door and it’s all, “She bound his feet, and then dragged him down the hall…” That kind of stuff fuels my imagination. I’m still not sure I’d be able to pull off the perfect murder, because I’d have a hard time lying. I’d end up blabbing to a friend over happy hour, and then I’d be on the ground in cuffs, asking how much a good lawyer costs.

And now for some fun:

5) If there was a soundtrack for OBITCHUARY, what songs would play?

Fun! Well, you’ll see soon that Kenny Loggins factors heavily into the story, as does a variety of 80s power pop. But I could imagine some punky girl rock like the Donnas or the Runaways playing while Penny tries to get the Chinese food and regret out of her hair.

6) Who would play Penny Perkins in OBITCHUARY: The Movie

If it ever becomes a movie, I’m sure whoever gets the role is in diapers right now. Dakota Fanning? No, she’s an adult now. Ack, that is so wrong! Um, I think Kristen Bell would be great, actually. And I LOVE Kaley Cuoco on Big Bang Theory. She kind of plays the straight guy, but she has the best comic timing.

7) How many times have you been a bridesmaid? Did you ever have to wear a heinous pink dress?

I've only been in one wedding! And mercifully, I had a lovely black dress. At that event, incidentally, I ate an entire pat of butter that I had mistaken for cheese. It was all caught on camera. I try to really class things up wherever I go.

And now for some random.(choose one)

1) Misty Mangoberry Merlot juice wine or a Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir, less deadly)
2) Matt Damon or Taylor Hanson (Matt, now that I’m grown)
3) Corgi or Greyhound Legs (Corgi)
4) Lily Allen or Beyonce (B!!!)
5) People Magazine or US Weekly (People)
6) 90210 (the original) or Gossip Girl (90210)
7) Short Hair or Long Hair (Short, this week, at least.)

Stalk Follow Stephanie! Check out her BLOG,TWITTER and FACEBOOK page!  And be sure to watch OBITCHUARY: CHAPTER DEUX!

Thank you so much for your time, Stephanie! We'll see you in print real soon. 

Until then, I'll be watching you...


***cue in "I always feel like somebody's watching me" by Rockwelll***


(No restraining order necessary. As you know, I live in France.)
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Rebel Writer's Pledge.

January 23, 2012, 8:21 am
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As my friend S.A. Larsen has pointed out on her blog, writers need to set goals. We also need to support one another.

So here's my rebel yell. I cry more, more, more...




Et, alors, here are my writing goals for 2012.


1) Write more! I get so caught up in life and the publishing process, sometimes my lips are doing the talking (fear), but my fingers aren't.

2) Read more! Or less. I set a goal last year to read 52 books. I came close at 48, but the pressure of reading so much affected my writing. Go figure! This year, I pledge to read 24 books--much more manageable.

3) Challenge myself by revising! Never let critiques get me down. Part of being a writer is being able to accept, rewrite and move on. I can do this.

4) Continue to put myself out there. I feel a vlog coming on...



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Melting Pot Monday, where random is a way of life!

February 6, 2012, 5:40 am
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Skiing in the Pyrénées with a Yeti. Ah, life in France. It's great....and a bit harried!


First off, I have to apologize for not making my blog rounds last week. That will change this week! I've been busy...


1) Last weekend, we took the kids skiing in the Pyrénées, about a two hour drive from Toulouse. The Frog's brother, "Mr. Yeti," made a surprise appearance on the slopes.



I took a picture of the kids with their "uncle", but this isn't it.
So who are these people? I haven't a clue.

2)  I didn't ski with the frog or the tadpoles, opting for lessons instead. This, my friends, was a very good idea, considering the first time I went skiing with Jean-Luc I rolled down the mountain, smashed my head, and twisted my knee. Although my instructor didn't speak ONE word of English, I was able to get by with my French. And I didn't fall down once. For this, I am proud. Huzzah!



3)  I brushed the snow off a trunked manuscript and entered it into a writing contest. Anyway, I get a bit obsessed, so last week was spent breathing some new life into the words. Word CPR. Hey, I just may coin that. Nothing like bringing a manuscript (and character) you love back from the dead. We'll see. It could be a crap shoot, but, I figure, there's no harm in trying.

4) In the next few weeks, I'll be finishing up revisions to my memoir, as well as finalizing the proposal. As it stands, the proposal is around 70 pages, and the manuscript, itself, will be about 80-85k, down from 96k. Yep, I'm making some major cuts, shaking things up, and shuffling things around. And, nope, in this draft, I'm not holding back.

5) When I'm not working on the above, to give myself a little break from my "life," I'll also be working on my YA, FLYING BACKWARDS.

Well, that's it on my end. What have you guys been up to? Any news? Any fun? Have you ever met a real live yeti?
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Francophile Friday: Le Fut (not really)

March 2, 2012, 12:41 am
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France loves soccer. Ay caramba. With players like Olivier Giroud and Yoann Gourcuff, what's not to like? 

Google  Olivier Giroud and Yoann Gourcuff?


You decide.
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It's Time to Stop the Bullies

March 9, 2012, 12:25 am
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"The problem is real." 

"The problem is being ignored." 

And despite the 241,000+ signed petitions seventeen-year-old Katy Butler hand delivered to their offices yesterday, the MPAA isn't budging, still sticking by their nonsensical decision to give BULLY, a documentary on said subject, its much needed PG-13 rating because of six or so "f-bombs."

Well, I for one, would like to tell the MPAA to visit some local middle or high schools and listen in on some conversations, to learn first-hand how kids really talk to one another when their parents or teachers aren't around. Maybe, after another child is bullied to death, they could attend his or her funeral, explaining their reasoning to the family.

Who is the MPAA trying to protect with an "R" rating? I'm thinking – themselves. I don't think it should be up to them to make this decision. It's up to the kids and to parents and schools if they want to see/show the movie or not. Unfortunately, if BULLY isn't given a PG-13 rating, schools–  where it can make the biggest impact – won't be able to show it. Here's what teachers are saying about BULLY:

I'm a middle school teacher and know my students are far more ready for this kind of movie than adults give them credit for. If they are blocking it because of language, they are living in the dark ages, and that is a dangerous place to be.

I taught middle and high school for many years. We are protecting our children from the wrong things. Bullying will do FAR more harm than watching a movie to help prevent it.

For BULLY to get its PG-13 rating, the MPAA wants to delete or bleep out the few used expletives, thus dumbing down the movie's message. I can't say firsthand, as I haven't seen the film (it's yet to be released), but I've heard the swearing is far from gratuitous. What is the MPAA's point? Do they think a GLEE version of the movie will keep it real? How about one of those lame after school specials? You know, because we all took those so seriously.

Over the years, bullying has reached new levels of cruelty and the stories are endless. Taunted by classmates after she accused an older student of rape, fourteen-year old Samantha Kelly committed suicide. Nine teens cyber-bullied fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince until she hung herself. Would they censor the text messages and facebook messages she received? What about fourteen-year-old James Rodemeyer who was relentlessly teased by kids because he was gay? On September 9, James wrote the following on his Tumblr site: 'I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens. What do I have to do so people will listen to me?'

Well, he killed himself.

I've been a member of change.org for about three years now. I don't sign every petition that comes into my in-box, only causes I believe in. So on February 28th, when I was alerted to Katy Butler's story, it took me one second to make my decision. See, I was bullied in middle school, the abuse not physical, but emotional. So much, in fact, I begged my parent's to send me to the private Catholic high school a couple of towns over. Here's the thing: I'm not Catholic.


Ultimately, the change in schools was a good one for me, but not every kid has a choice or can run away from their problems. Alas, this movie can bring awareness to a growing and dangerous epidemic, shedding light on a REAL issue in a very REAL way. Not only could the film play a role in saving a child's self-esteem, BULLY may be able to save lives.




Katy Butler's petition to give BULLY its much needed PG-13 rating is still going on – alive and strong. It took over 240k signatures to get the MPAA to listen to Katy's plea. Maybe with more, we'll be able to get the MPAA to overrule its decision.  So raise your voice and stand up for the silent. If we don't, who will? Sign the petition! Click; STOP BULLY FROM BEING BULLIED TODAY!

On that, I'll leave you with the trailer of BULLY.




Comments have been disabled for this post. Instead, please, use your time to sign the petition and spread the word. If you don't have time to write your own blog post, feel free to tweet and share mine.

p.s. Hey, Katy Butler. I may not be a celeb like Ellen, but I'm damn proud of you, too. I said it before. I'll say it again. YOU ROCK! To Lee Hirsch and The Weinstein Company, thank you for making this film.

Gros bisous to all of you! Raise your voice!

 Sam
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I've been remiss on my blogging activities.

April 19, 2012, 9:44 am
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<<< And there's a very good reason.





Forget about taking a vacation together. Nothing tests a relationship like renovating a kitchen, especially when you do all the work yourselves- destroying the old kitchen, laying down tiles (UGH!), the plumbing, cutting the 'plan de travail', installing new furniture, complete with a new stove, cooktop and sink. Man, I never thought I'd ever use a jackhammer. I swear, I'm so sore I can barely lift a wine glass. It's almost finished. And we survived. Here's a before and (almost) after shot. (And, yes, the heating system is now hidden in an armoire.)



 


***exhales a sigh of relief***

I think I'll be recovered next week. Somebody lift a glass in my honor.

Gros Bisous.

A self-proclaimed princess who may change her name to brico-woman.


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Wednesday is All Right: Celebrate and Win!

May 2, 2012, 12:29 am
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Two of my favorite writing people in the whole wide world are both celebrating their book launches and copies of two phenomenal reads are up for grabs.
First up, is Susan Oloier's FRACTURED. A story of love and loss, Susan tackles the subject of miscarriage and a failing marriage with gripping emotional honesty. It's raw. And it's wonderful.

When Anna Kincaid has a miscarriage, her world comes crashing to a halt. Grief overwhelms her life, and she combats it with prescription medication. Her husband Lloyd does not see the event as tragic. In fact, not ready to be a father, he is relieved at the news. This creates a chasm in their marriage and splits them apart. Both Anna and Lloyd find themselves moving in different directions. Anna finds hope in a young, male colleague named Ben and comfort in her narcotics. Lloyd loses himself in work. Will their marriage survive the miscarriage, or will it always remain fractured? 

Win a copy of FRACTURED! Enter today!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Susan's book is available to purchase as an ebook at  Smashwords and Amazon. FRACTURED will also be available in print soon through Create Space.

You can find more about Susan on her Blog or Facebook page and connect with her onTwitter and Goodreads.

(p.s. Be sure to wish Susan a very happy birthday! It was yesterday!)

And...


You might remember my interview with the fantabulous, Rachel Eddey. Well,
Rachel's memoir, RUNNING OF THE BRIDE, will be released on May 15th! HUZZAH!
To celebrate, her publisher, Globe Pequot Press is giving away a wedding cake and a signed copy of RUNNING OF THE BRIDE. Click HERE to ENTER. 



 

When Rachel’s handsome studio exec boyfriend proposes on the Sex and the City movie set, she can’t fathom the dizzying adventure ahead. Accepting a once-in-a-lifetime venue deal helps their budget but puts them on a crash course to get married in just four months—and time isn’t their only challenge. They battle a wacky host of vendors, including a hair stylist who fakes a car accident and a makeup artist channeling Marilyn Manson, all while testing their love amid tastings and tulle.

Using her nervous energy productively, Rachel enters every contest she can find, winning diamond earrings, a honeymoon, a photographer, and two wedding gowns. Her pop culture obsession lands the wedding party on two hit reality TV shows. There’s just one problem as the clock ticks down: Her staunch perfectionism and fear of dancing threaten to derail everything. She has to redefine perfect and embrace the mistakes—or risk losing it all.

Please take your seats. The wedding is about to begin.

Did I mention you might win a FREE wedding cake. Everybody loves cake! (And everybody will love this humorously delicious read!!! I know I did. Nom nom nom! Don't like cake? BUY RUNNING OF THE BRIDE!

I'm SO proud of these two ladies. I'm raising a glass of bubbly (or two) in their honor. Well, a bit later. It's only 10:00am...



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What the...Opera???

May 8, 2012, 5:14 am
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Imagine...

You and your partner have been given tickets to celebrate your second anniversary at an opera in France – a nice romantic evening sans les enfants. You're anticipating to be swept away by the beautiful music, a score that predates Mozart. And then...





A bunch of naked people come prancing out onto the stage.

Oh yes, one French director definitely found an innovative way to interpret a classic. And, yes, in case you're wondering: in the opening act those people were definitely naked- dancing on the stage, showing off their Full Monties, if you will. Nobody in the audience of grey hairs was, how do I say, expecting a performance quite like this. A few of them left.

Thankfully this opera wasn't a reinvent of The Magic Flute...

This eyeful of a production had me a bit stunned...but thankfully I didn't leave the opera house with a black eye. (Which could have happened, considering we were seated in the third row.)

Three hours? And I didn't even fall asleep once. How could I?

In honor of Maurice Sendak, I say...let the wild rumpus begin!

Here's to creativity...and taking risks.


Gros bisous from France.

xoxoxo
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So You Want to Taste My Clafoutis, Eh?

June 4, 2012, 7:38 am
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Aw, get your minds out of the gutter, would ya? I'm not being dirty. It's all good clean fun. See, summer has hit the South of France. Which means certain fruits are in season. And when you have a tree in your backyard that bears an abundance of juicy mouth watering gifts it also means it's CLAFOUTIS (pronounced cla-foo-tee) TIME.  Which shouldn't be confused with hammer time - although after eating too much clafoutis you just might need your baggy pants and some of MC Hammer's moves...





Our first batch of cherries in the largest of IKEA bowls.
Oh, yes, there are more. Nom, nom, nom.





CLAFOUTIS is a French dessert typically made from black cherries, but, really you can use any variety, save for maraschinos. We're talking fresh here. Speaking of fresh, this year our cherry tree went full on crazy, yielding more cherries than I've ever seen outside of a grocery store or the market. So after we collected our bounty, and after I delivered sacks overflowing with cherries to our neighbors, the hubs and I decided to make a clafoutis.

Here's the first of many clafoutis. Make yours prettier!
 We ran out, but you can sprinkle powered sugar on the top.

Today, I'm going to share the frog's recipe with you. And if you're so inspired to make one, I'd love to see yours. Hey, I showed you my clafoutis; it's only fair. I'm serious. Just post a picture on my Facebook page by clicking here.


Also, note this batter is the exact same one my frog uses for crêpes!  So you're getting two recipes in one! For free! But wait there's more...

Here we go. And here's what you'll need:

 cherries (one pound or more)*

4 eggs
1 tablespoon oil (sunflower or canola)
1.25 cups milk (room temperature)
2.5 tablespoons of melted butter (used to butter your baking dish)
teaspoon vanilla extract
1.25 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 pinch of salt

optional
1/4 cup rum (yum, yum)
or
tablespoon fleur d'oranger
and
powdered sugar for decorating
and served with creme fraiche, yogurt, or whipped cream


*The frog says: DO NOT de-seed the cherries or they will turn watery and won't hold their form. Also, the seeds give the clafoutis a "nuttier" flavor. Don't argue with the frog! He's French. (But you can de-seed the cherries if you want to. Sssh! It'll be our secret.)

STEPS:

1) Pre-heat your oven to 375
2) Butter your baking dish. Fill the entire bottom of the dish with cherries.
3) Mix the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk together with a whisk.*
4) Mix the salt, cinnamon, and flour together, slowly adding and whisking it into the egg mixture until smooth.*
5) Add the rum. Whisk it. Whisk it good.*
6) Pour batter over the cherries.
7) Bake it. Bake it good for about 40-50 minutes.

*These are the steps for making the crêpe batter. To make crêpes, just heat up a pan, use a ladle to pour the batter into it, make sure it's evenly spread, cook until the edges are nice and brown, and repeat! You'll have a pile of crêpes in no time. Fill your crêpes with nutella and bananas, freshly squeezed juice from a lemon and sugar, fresh fruit, or what-evs!

When your clafoutis is puffed and brown, it's ready. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve warm, and enjoy!

Bon app!

Note: I'm following a regime. So after the first clafoutis, I had to decline the second and the third. So while the rest of the family enjoyed their clafoutis, I had a low-cal dessert. 2 teaspoons of brown sugar mixed into Greek yogurt with, you guessed it, a nice heaping serving of de-seeded fresh cherries! It's seriously delicious and perfect for those hot summer nights. Cherries! Nom, nom, nom.


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On a Blog Break!

July 17, 2012, 3:56 am
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I hope everybody has a fabulous summer! And I'll see you in the fall! Until then, meet me on Twitter or Facebook!

(Comments are disabled! Get off your computers, get out, have fun and enjoy your special selves!)

Gros Bisous!
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Francophile Friday: Seven Things I Did This Summer

September 7, 2012, 7:22 am
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Bonjour, salut and coucou, mes amis!

It's official. Summer is coming to an end, the tadpoles are back in school, and I'm back from my blogging break. So what's been keeping me so busy this summer? Right. Glad you asked...


1) Hello. My name is Samantha and I'm a word cutter.

I revised my manuscript, cutting more than 20k and adding (OH FREAKS ALIVE) 60k. No, these changes weren't self-inflicted. I'm working with an extraordinary mentor/editor. And the slices and dices feel so good.

2)Not wanting to be influenced while in edit mode, I caught up on some reading after I sent the revise to my mentor— namely two memoirs I'd been meaning to get my grubby little paws on: Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. Next on the list are Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened and our monthly book club pick, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach.



3) This is the way I roll. I taught myself how to make sushi 'cause you can't find shrimp tempura or caterpillar rolls in France. And I was jonesing for them.



I also made homemade coconut ice cream.


And a lot of other rolls.

4)

When The Frog (a dive-master) took me into the Med on the annual company scuba trip our conversation went a bit like this:

Me: Aren't you going to give me any instruction?
The Frog: You've done this before.
Me: One time. Two years ago.
The Frog: So?
Me: She didn't speak English. I might have missed something important! I could die!
The Frog: Ready to descend?
Me: Noooooo!

Hello, panic attack. Alas, I swam back to the boat, fins between my legs. The Frog ended up giving me private scuba lessons in his sister's pool...instead of the middle of the choppy sea. We're going diving again in two weeks. If you don't hear from me, well, accidents happen.

5) I may have wimped out in the water, but I was still an adventuress. We hiked and played in the pyrénées mountains, zipping through the trees. He, Tarzan. Me, Jane. Kids, monkeys.



6) Great love alive!
(Blond) Highlights from the Summer of Love

The frog, tadpoles, and I partied all night long at his sister's wedding. French weddings don't end until five in the morning. And, man, can my frog bust a move.

A brilliant idea! Each table was assigned a "chef" (a.k.a. guest) who carved up the main dish!

7) I saw Provence by voiture, vol, and voile. (Okay, it was a speedboat, not a sailboat. Humor me.)





Phew! So that's what's been keeping me from the blogosphere. I'm really looking forward to catching up with all of you! I'll start blog hopping on Monday. In the interim, tell me: What was the highlight of your summer?

p.s. It wasn't all fun and games. The air conditioning was out for a bit. "Refinishing" les volets is never fun.
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Wednesday is All Write- 7 Questions with the Amazing Susan Oloier

October 3, 2012, 5:43 am
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Every now and then someone enters your life and you just know you're going to be friends. Fellow author Susan Oloier is one of these people. I met Susan online over a year ago while searching for a beta reader for my memoir. Long story short, we've been exchanging our work ever since and she's pushed and helped me to grow as a writer. (I hope she can say the same!) Susan is not only a talented author, she's led an amazing life. She is courageous and generous and never lets anything bring her down— she'll tackle any mountain. (see the above photo for proof) Read on and you'll soon see why I have complete and utter respect for this inspirational powerhouse. She is a woman who dared. And I'm so happy to have her in my life. One day, I hope to celebrate with her in France. And, Susan, that is an invitation.


7 Questions with Susan Oloier


1) Tell us about your journey. You've recently self-published three books? Why did you decide to self-publish? What has the experience been like for you so far?

The decision to self-publish was the result of life giving me a few, harsh slaps in the face: The realization that there's no promise of tomorrow for any of us. Three things happened over the past six years. My youngest son was born with Trisomy 18, an often fatal diagnosis; my sister-in-law died tragically at 36 in a car accident; and I was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. I've been writing for over 20 years. Those events made me understand that I may not have the time to wait for the approval of an agent or publisher to validate my work. So I took matters into my own hands. It's been quite the journey. A lot of work. But that's okay--I was raised with the Midwest Work Ethic anyway.

2) You're a cross-genre writer, tackling memoir, women's fiction, YA, and even screenplays. Which genre is your favorite to write and why?

I've written some essays that have been published in online journals (one was published at The Daily Beast), and I used to be a magazine columnist. I've also written a spec script for Friends and another for The Office. They're sitting on the shelf behind me right now. I mostly wrote them to see if I could. My favorite genre? Screenplays are a blast, but maybe that's because I've always loved the notion of working in Hollywood! But if getting a book published is hard, having a screenplay produced is even more difficult. I'd say nearly impossible. One of my fellow screenwriters told me that he loved my descriptions in my screenplays so much, he thought I should shift to novels and narrative. So I did.


3) In FRACTURED you tackle a serious subject using your own personal experiences in dealing with miscarriage. Was it hard to write? 

My first draft of FRACTURED was cathartic. It was mostly a way to express the pain and anger over my own miscarriages. So I found the first draft to be easy. In subsequent drafts, the book turned into a tale of a broken marriage rather than about miscarriage on its own. That was harder to shape.

For more on Fractured, click HERE.


This book is written from the heart! Believe me.



4) Tell us a little more about your latest young adult release, SUPERSTITIONS. Where did the inspiration come from? 

I used to live in Phoenix where I hiked and rock climbed in the Superstition Mountains. The legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine is well-known there, and it has always intrigued me. I secretly dreamed of finding it myself. But since so many people have died looking for it, I thought I'd make my characters do it instead of me.

For more on Superstitions, click HERE.


Totally cool.


5) Your little boy, Zane, has Trisomy 18 and needs more hands on care than other children do. How in the world do you balance writing with being a super-mom and super-friend? How do you find the time to write, blog, take care of a family, deal with life, AND support other writers? 

I have become an expert at multi-tasking. Truly. I can write, do laundry, hook up the feeding pump, and schedule a medical appointment in the span of twenty minutes. Before Zane was born, I used to teach in a district that promoted brain-based learning. I discovered then that the human brain is not wired to multi-task, which I found absolutely amazing since so many of us are required to do it and since I now do it myself every day. I'd prefer to focus on one or two things, but that's not how things work for me. So I suspect someday I may actually go crazy. We'll see.


For more on Zane, click here: My Life with Zane


6) Were you really a misfit? Or the head of a clique? 

I was a total misfit. Braces, acne, flat-chested. Plus, I carried around a whole stack of SE Hinton books in junior high even though I only read one at a time. My brother once told my dad that I was a nerd. My dad answered, "Yeah, but she's a cute nerd." 
I still love that!
Check out Susan's hilarious memoir: MY LIFE AS A MISFIT.






7) Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Honestly, I have no idea. I hope to be a successful writer by that time, making enough of a living through writing to replace a day job. I also hope to be proclaimed cancer-free five years from now. But since Zane's birth, I've learned to stay in the present. Life has a sneaky way of changing your game plans when you least expect it.
(I couldn't have said it better.)

And now for some random.

1) Rock Climbing or a Margarita on the Rocks 
Can I rock climb, then have a margarita on the rocks? Blended is even better.

2) Beach or Mountains 
Definitely the beach, though I live in the mountains.

3) Crêpes or Pancakes 
I had crepes recently, and they were far better than pancakes.

4) Traditional or Self-Publishing 
For me right now, self-publishing. Though I have nothing against traditional publishing.

5) Twitter or Facebook 
Facebook

6) Striped Tights or Thigh Highs 
Striped tights.Though black tights would go better with my wardrobe.

7) Oliver Giroud or Camille Lacourt 
 I seriously had to Google these two. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed in Google Images. That being said, I'd have to go with Oliver Giroud. Can't have a man who's prettier than I am.


Buy Susan's books here:

Amazon

 Barnes and Noble



Link up with Susan here:

Goodreads

Susan's Author Blog



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Wednesday is All Right- Mormon Diaries by Sophia L Stone

October 17, 2012, 6:00 am
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Hey, everybody!

Today I'm very pleased to feature the MORMON DIARIES by fellow memoirist and friend Sophia Stone. While I typically tend to stay away from books and discussions relating to religion on this blog, Sophia's story is more of a personal journey, the reason, in which, I am very comfortable talking about it here. Whether we are Mormons or Jews, Muslims, Christians, or Hindus, even Athiests, no doubt, we've all questioned our faith and, in some cases, lack there of it.

Admittedly, at first I thought MORMON DIARIES was trying to spread the message of becoming a Mormon and I put it down a few times. And then I read on and realized just how wrong I was. Sophia never preaches-- she just tells her story like it is. What makes Sophia's journey interesting is that she was raised in a very strict Mormon family who followed all the rules. And then Sophia began questioning her faith and what she wanted out of life. Much to her parents' and husband's chagrin, she found what she was looking for by choosing another path...and another religion that spoke closer to her heart. In the end, I am deeply proud of Sophia's candor, heartwarming prose, and courage to put her story out there. Sophia is another woman who dared: she followed her heart.

"I believe there’s light and goodness in all religions, in all traditions, and in all people.”  


About Mormon Diaries

Brought up in a religious home, Sophia believes the only way to have a forever family is by following church leaders and obediently choosing the right. She goes to the right school, marries the right man in the right place, and does the right thing by staying home to raise her children. But when she starts asking questions about grace, love, and the nature of God, she realizes her spiritual struggles could rip her family apart.

The Book Trailer...
 


The Blurbs

“Sophia Stone has a fine eye and a searching heart. Her story of growing up in and reaching through her Mormonism for a deeper, more authentic spirituality reflects all the ways that religion can both keep us satisfied with easy answers and push us to more difficult and complicated realizations. We need a hundred more books like this one . . .” –Joanna Brooks, author of The Book of Mormon Girl

“Sophia Stone captured my attention from the beginning. This collection of personal essays, about questioning the legitimacy of Mormonism after having faith in the religion for the first 30-something years of her life, is not just a controversial quake to a reader’s heart and soul. Stone’s voice is brave, bold and intriguing. And surprisingly relatable to someone who is not religious.”—Jessica Bell, author of String Bridge 



Sophia is on Twitter! She will take any questions about Mormonism and
answer them (minus the usual spin) under the hashtag #mormonquestions.

Sophia Stone @ask_a_mormon


You can find THE MORMON DIARIES on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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Happy Birthday Lenny!!!!!!!

October 19, 2012, 11:30 pm
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This is a special birthday message to our favorite (now thirteen!) blogger! Lenny, you should be receiving a card in the mail from me soon!


Do wish Lenny a happy birthday on his blog! http://lennys-world.blogspot.fr/

Comments are disabled! GO WISH LENNY A HAPPY 13th!
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Wednesday is All Write: Speak Out Against...Book Tour

November 13, 2012, 9:50 pm
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Today I am participanting in the Speak Out Against…Tour, brought to you by Moxie Writers Susan Oloier and Rebecca Green Gasper. With the recent release of both Outcast and Break from You, both authors hope to shed awareness on the subjects of bullying and teen dating violence.

My take:
Over the years, bullying has reached epic levels of cruelty and the stories are endless. Taunted by classmates after she accused an older student of rape, fourteen-year old Samantha Kelly committed suicide. Nine teens cyber-bullied fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince until she hung herself. What about fourteen-year-old James Rodemeyer who was relentlessly teased by kids because he was gay? On September 9, James wrote the following on his Tumblr site: 'I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens. What do I have to do so people will listen to me?'

Well, he killed himself.

On September 7th fifteen-year-old Amanda Todd posted the following video on YouTube:



On October 10th...Amanda was found dead in her home.

These children are just a few examples of how bullying has gotten way out of control. And teens aren't only being bullied to death; they are also facing another kind of abuse— teen dating violence. Here are some disturbing statistics taken from the Attorney General, via a 2008 study commissioned by Liz Claiborne and loveisrespect.org:
69 percent of all teens who had sex by age 14 said they have gone through one or more types of abuse in a relationship.

40 percent of the youngest tweens, those between the ages of 11 and 12, report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships, and nearly one-in-ten (9 percent) say their friends have had sex.

Nearly three-in-four tweens (72 percent) say boyfriend/girlfriend relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger.

More than one-in-three 11-12 year olds (37percent) say they have been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.

One-in-five between the ages of 13 and 14 say their friends are victims of dating violence, such as getting struck, hit or slapped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and nearly half of all tweens in relationships say they know friends who are verbally abused.

One-in-five 13-14 year olds in relationships (20 percent) say they know friends and peers who've been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Only half of all tweens (51 percent) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship. In addition, significant numbers of teens (15-18) are experiencing emotional and mental abuse as well as violence when dating; it's even more prevalent among teens who've had sex by 14.

To stop bullying and teen dating violence, awareness is paramount. When it comes to abuse, it's important to speak out. I applaud both Susan and Rebecca for doing just so.





Outcast by Susan Oloier

Noelle dreams of a different life, one where Trina Brockwell doesn’t exist. Trina has bullied Noelle since junior high. Now she’s tired of it. With the help of her black-sheep aunt and a defiant new classmate, Noelle seeks revenge. But vengeance comes with a price: Noelle risks friendship, her first love, and herself to get back at those who have wronged her.





Amazon


Smashwords

Blog

Goodreads

Moxie Writers





Break from You by Rebecca Green Gasper



Love shouldn’t hurt this much…Brooke Myers wants to believe she has it all: the perfect guy, the perfect relationship, the perfect life. She wants to believe it so much that she's willing to overlook the fear, the isolation, and the pain her boyfriend has caused her. She knows it isn't right but tells herself that love isn't always easy. However, when a fire destroys the restaurant during homecoming dinner, she forms an instant bond with the boy who saves her, one her boyfriend wouldn’t like. With the pain of a concussion reminding her of how bad things can get, she is forced to re-evaluate the relationship she has with her boyfriend and face the ghosts that haunt her. Brooke once believed love was all it took…but is it enough? Is it truly love when you've lost yourself in it?


Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

Blog

Goodreads

Moxie Writers



Stop by the Moxie Writers blogfor a complete list of tour participants. Also, be sure to check out this post where you can win copies of both books!
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Talking Turkey on a Tuesday

November 20, 2012, 3:57 pm
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 I'm back in the US celebrating Thanksgiving with my family! With that said, I thought I'd post some Turkey Day tips. This is a timely re-post. Enjoy!


Make a martini. Drink it.

TURKEY: Give Tom a bath. It'll tenderize the meat. Okay, not really a bath, per se, but brine him the day before. Nobody likes a dry turkey. Some people soak overnight, but I'm not one of them.

How to make a brine: Put Tom in a bucket (or a cooler, or a clean kitchen sink). Fill said receptacle with cold water and lots of ice, covering Tom. Add some Kosher salt. Add cloves. Add Grand Marnier (1/2 cup). Add lemons, limes, oranges. Maybe some brown sugar. Let Tom soak and drink in the goodness for at least six to eight hours. DO NOT TASTE this mixture, no matter how good it may smell. We're talking raw poultry here. Put Tom back in the fridge covered with Saran Wrap and placed in one of those disposable roasting tins.

Make a martini. Drink it.

The following day, before you put Tom in the oven, cut into his skin with a sharp knife and shove pads of butter into the slots – about six to ten. (I'm sounding very Stephen King Misery here). Then, rub Tom down with brown sugar. Oh yeah, baby, he likes it. A little pain. A little sugar.

Boom-chicka-wow-wow. Moving on...

Stuff fresh herbs (Sage) into the creases of his legs. Only fill him up 1/4 of the way full with stuffing (recipe below) and maybe shove an orange in there too. (Why does that sound so sick?) Pour chicken stock into the roasting pan. While he's cooking, inject him and ladle the drippings onto his body. Also, tinfoil Tom the whole time EXCEPT for the last 45-minutes. Check on him. If he's getting too "tan," and your thermometer isn't at Turkey Time, tent him again.

Make a MIMOSA. Drink it. After all, it is a holiday...

STUFFING: I use Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.), green apples, celery, onions, salt, pepper, and DRIED CRANBERRIES. Follow the stuffing directions. Mince herbs. Chop celery/onions. Combine everything together. Bake.

MASHED POTATOES: Add a little cream cheese to make potatoes extra creamy.

FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE: Follow package directions on FRESH WHOLE CRANBERRIES. Add a can of MANDARIN ORANGES. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

Sweet!

GREEN BEANS: Make both the French's onion ring casserole with canned beans AND fresh green beans (l'haricots vert) with slivered almonds, which you will brown in butter.

Make a martini. Drink it.

GRAVY: Buy the William Sonoma Gray Base. Add drippings. Also, add shallots, after they've been minced and stir-fried in a pan with, yep, you guessed it, more butter.

BABY PEARL ONIONS: Bake in butter, brown sugar, and balsamic. Can we say yum? To save on time, I buy the already peeled frozen bags. I know. I know.

APPLE PIE: Soak apples in Grand Marnier...

Open up the wine! I love a good Pinot Noir on Turkey day. Heck, I love a good Pinot Noir any day.

Eat. Pass out. Repeat. (You may have left-overs???)

Have a great Turkey Day! For those of you who are not celebrating, some of the above tips are still great to try!

Gros bisous! And see you when I wake up from my turkey coma!

Samantha
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