In Case You Missed It Monday

Source: opcf.tumblr.com via Vinobaby on Pinterest

 Hunker down in a bookstore: official Hurricane Sandy shelter?    

If you take a break from storm/cold front/election coverage, here are some of the most helpful and inspiring blog posts of last week.

Food for Thought

Barbara O"Neal shares her wisdom about learning to let go of worry and accepting ourselves, flaws and all.

Has the constant cool detachment  of the internet age ironically rendered us unable to form "real" relationships? via Thought Catalog

Writing Life

The always informational Chuck Sambuchino gives us stats—REAL numbers about Building Your Writer Platform — How Much is Enough? via Writer Unboxed

How to pitch like a Rock Star via Heather Webb

How to make a clip list for freelance writing by Gigi Ross (aka Kludgy Mom)


Blogging

Why you should have a blogger media kit even if you don't have much traffic & great how-to advice by Katy Widrick 

 

Big Screen

I'm still trying to imagine the surreal Life of Pi brought to the big screen. The trailer is amazing. Martel: Life of Pi ‘stunning’ film version of book via the Chronicle Herald

Salman Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' comes to screens [Video]via LA Times

A darker, seemingly less snarky Iron Man 3 trailer hits via Mashable

Source: authoroutfitters.com via Vinobaby on Pinterest

Now I must go bury myself in my manuscript. Stay safe out there everyone. See you on the flip side.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Mouse?

If you want to hear me scream like a little girl screech like a ax murder popped up from under the bed, just be in within my zip code when I step on a rodent.

Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
It all started with a scratch, scratch, scratch in the middle of the night a few weeks earlier...

I shot up in bed. A branch scraping on the window? Scurry, scrape, scratch, bang! . . . right above my head.  Something had invaded my attic crawlspace. Hubby grabbed a broom and banged at the ceiling while I cowered under the sheets.

Let's be clear: this is NOT my typical behavior. I don't mind the creatures most people freak out over. I catch and release spiders, lizards, and frogs when they make their way indoors. I watch bees with curiosity, not fear. I get excited each time I find a snake in the yard. (I once doubled over laughing when a baby snake slithered up my son's leg into his bathing suit. They both lived.)

I simply do not do rodents.

Ugh...I get shivers just typing that word.

Yet rodents have invaded MY domain.

 photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

Okay, so they probably look more like:

After nights of torment, weeks of hearing those creatures squatting in MY home, I sent the hubby into the attic to do something. He squeezed through the hot crawlspace like a caver and found...nothing. Well, an area that may have been a nest (I couldn't handle the details) so he sealed up any holes in the eaves and we crossed our fingers they wouldn't return.

Banished from the attic, they took over the yard.

We have a lovely little backyard, and  the Sunshine State's balmy weather allows us to make use of it year round. Unless there are rodents.

I saw the first one scurrying along the beam on the edge of the hedge. Was that a squirrel with a birth defect? A baby possum? A ginormous insect? (Seriously possible— we have roaches/palmetto bugs the size of kittens here.) Each evening, right before dusk, I'd spot a dark blur jetting across the periphery of the yard before it disappeared into the thick tropical elephant ear philodendrons. As they leaped atop the retaining wall I spied that long, hairless tail.

Chills crawled up my neck. I wondered if I could buy snakes wholesale.

Hubby investigated and unearthed a warren of holes under our greenery. I tried not to puke. We thinned out the plants, filled in the tunnels with dirt, and bought rodent bait. Guilt weighed me down. I don't kill wasps when they get trapped inside. I cry when the cats mangle an innocent lizard. And here I was ordering the deaths if a family of . . .eeewww, nasty creatures that could NOT get back inside my home. This was war. There would be casualties.

The poison package informed us that our problem critters would be soaring though the big cheese in the sky within about a week. Each morning hubby patrolled the yard, checking for bodies. He never found any.

I found each one.

Snipped some herbs. Dead mouse. Watered a plant. Dead mouse. I flung the watering can aside, ran indoors, and drew the blinds. Not my job. Hubby could have some presents when he arrived home.

I should have just stayed inside for the rest of the week, but like the chick in slasher movies who HAS to go into the dark basement when there's a killer/monster/giant rodent on the loose, I tempted fate. I went back into the garden alone.

My anniversary fell on a lovey spring day.  I ventured outside to check on my tomato seedlings and see if any of my peppers had sprouted. Hubby swore the coast was clear. I waltzed by the pool, enjoying the perfect weather and crossed to my veggie garden. Something soft, pliant, and NOT a stepping stone mushed under my foot. I screamed as if I had just fallen into a pit of knife-wielding evil clowns. I'm surprised the cops didn't show up, guns drawn.

My husband, at least, came running. (If we hadn't been dealing with a rodent problem, he probably would have come armed.) He knew not much could make me bellow such blood-curdling scream. Happy Anniversary.

The shoes were thrown away, the mouse dealt with, and I hid inside for a few weeks. The rodents were eradicated—for a while.

 photo credit: Abe K via photopin cc

I think they're back, but we've agreed to an uneasy truce. They stay outside, attempt to be stealthy, and stay out of my line of sight. I pretend they don't exist and send the cats on patrol . . . for now . . .


Which creepy crawlies make you swat, shiver, or scream? What are you afraid of?  Come on, share your story so I don't feel like such a wimp, please?

PestWorld.org is your go-to resource for everything you need to know about bugs, rodents and other household pests. You can identify your infestation, find helpful prevention tips, pest photography and videos, educational articles on a variety of pest topics, and more.
In the fall, pests often enter our homes seeking shelter from colder weather, so it’s important to take steps to pest-proof your home. Pest issues are better handled by licensed pest professionals. They have the knowledge, training and tools to properly identify a pest species and recommend ways to safely remedy an infestation before it becomes a serious problem.

 You can find a pest professional in your area by entering your zip code in the Find a Pro database on PestWorld.org: http://www.pestworld.org/find-a-pest-control-professional/.

 This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the National Pest Management Association. The opinions and text are all mine.

In case you missed it Monday: Best Posts of the Week

   WritersMarket.com shows you How to Get a Book PublishedImage compliments of Writer's Market 

  

Thought I'd share some of the most useful, inspiring, and/or entertaining posts of the week:

What’s So Good About Goodreads Anyway? Part 1: Using Goodreads as a Reader via Hugs and Chocolate

10 Ways to syndicate your online writing and 30 ways to promote your blog posts.via Media Bistro
 
Johnny Depp seeking "authentic, outspoken and visionary ideas and voices" for his own book imprint, Infinitum Nihil. via NPR 
 
 Seven lessons of advertising writing to help writers of all genres make every word “sell.” via Rachelle Gardner
 
Four key elements of writing success in the 21st century via Writer Unboxed

Facebook is the new resume? via Big Think
 
How to feel beautiful on the inside and out by Karen Walrond (a.k.a. Chookooloonks) via Upworthy.

Meet the Mom Bloggers Behind @PaulRyanGosling via NYMag

My Berlin Kitchen: Review and Recipe

My latest review for Bookshelf Bombshells, My Berlin Kitchen, is a delightful tale of how one thoroughly confused, kitchen-mad romantic broke off her engagement, quit her dream job, and went across the ocean in search of happiness. And food. Lots of food.

 Some of you may know author Luisa Weiss from her popular food blog The Wednesday Chef.  Inspired by other excellent food blogs and drowning in stacks of recipes she'd clipped from the Wednesday food section, Weiss set out to test the recipes, just for a year. That year flew by. She gained a dedicated readership following her mix of personal journal and cooking diary (and now reading her "love story with recipes").

Now according to Luisa, there are two camps of potato salad eaters: mayo (rich and creamy) or hot vinegar (light and sour).  Being a Southern girl, I was raised with both feet firmly planted in the mayo camp. Potato salad should contain big old Idaho potatoes, hard boiled eggs, onions, MAYO, and MUSTARD (but NO relish, please). It should be firm, creamy, and yellow with sprinkles of salt, pepper, and maybe paprika on top.  My mom, despite growing up in Germany, is renowned for her Southern potato salad (based on one of my dad's family recipes). I stand as firm as a scoop of that divine salad: mayo & mustard rule.

But I'm also totally open to new foods. I had to give it a try.

And I'm delighted I did. Though the hot vinegar mix made my house smell like a German restaurant (tip: open windows before boiling), the finished salad was crisp, vibrant, and not at all overpowering. Everyone in the house liked it. The tart/sour flavor mellowed  over time (it makes a good-sized batch, so we ate it over several days).

Though I don't think it will replace my family recipe, it was a nice change and would be a hit at any party or potluck. Try it!

Kartoffelsalat (Potato Salad)

from My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

2 lbs. Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup beef or chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley

1. Wash the potatoes and put them in a pot with cold salted water just to cover. Bring to boil with the lid on; then reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are just tender. Depending on their size, this should take between 20 and 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for at least an hour or two and up to overnight.
2.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into very think slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Put the potato slices into a serving bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a 10-inch saute pan and add the onions. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Pour in the vinegar and the broth. Add the mustard and stir well. Let the mixture simmer over low heat for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Carefully y whisk in the oil, and then pour the hot marinade over the sliced potatoes and mix well. The potatoes will take a few minutes to absorb all the dressing. Add the salt and add as much freshly ground pepper as you'd like.
5. Just before serving, add the minced parsley to the bowl and mix well. taste for seasoning and serve.

Variations:
If you'd like bits of bacon or Speck in your salad, dice up 3 1/2 ounces and fry the bacon or Speck in the butter for a few minutes before adding the chopped onions (reduce the amount of butter by a talbespoon0.

Or add 1/3 cup of diced French cornichons to the finished salad to bump up the sour, crunchy flavor.

****

I used red potatoes (I had 5 pounds just begging to be used up), red onions (ditto), and about 2 ounces of Speck. I also let the potatoes sit overnight (as Weiss recommended) and they were ridiculously easy to slice by hand. (I've sworn off mandolins because I have an overwhelming desire to keep all ten digits.)

Try it. You'll like it.

And don't forget to drop by Bookshelf Bombshells for the full book review.
 

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Poke Cake

It's October, and the first hints of fall are in the air some of you already have temps dropping into the 30s and SNOW! Our idea of fall down here in the Sunshine State means temps in the mid-80's, but it's still time to bring on the pumpkin: pumpkin cookies, pumpkin candies, pumpkin air fresheners, and pumpkin lattes. I like an addiction—I just can't get enough. {Though, from now on I'll splurge on some Dunkin Donuts pumpkin coffee beans or pumpkin spice creamer instead of spending four bucks on that Starbucks concoction. I know, I'm in the minority.}

In honor of this sweet smelling season, I decided to experiment with a new pumpkin recipe. All of the moist, gooey poke cake recipes floating around Pinterest have me salivating. Hmmm. . . One of my favorite cakes is spice cake. Spice cake usually has cream cheese frosting. But I wanted something with less guilt and lower fat than traditional cake, something like . . . pumpkin poke cake.

Yes, I uses mixes, but I never claimed to be a from-scratch baker. But there is no oil, healthy pumpkin, and sugar-free pudding. Not completely guilt-free, but a ton less fat and calories than traditional cake.

Oh, and did I mention it's quite tasty?

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Poke Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box (18.25 oz)  spice cake mix
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)**
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup water

• 2 boxes cheesecake instant pudding
• 4 cups milk
• cool whip (or your own whipped cream if  you insist)
• cinnamon butter pecans (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine cake mix, water, eggs, and pumpkin. Beat with electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds then high speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan and bake according to package directions.
4. Let cake cool for a few minutes. Take a chop stick, wooden spoon handle, or other similar shaped object and poke holes all over the cake. Poke down to the bottom.
5. Make pudding according to directions (pudding mix + 4 cups milk — whisk for about 2 minutes).  Pour pudding over cake. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, gently push some pudding down into the holes. It wont all fit, but go over a few times. 
6. Chill in refrigerator.
7. Add whipped topping once completely cool.
8. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar buttered pecans (recipe below) just before serving. 
9. Enjoy!

 Cinnamon Sugar Buttered Pecans

• 1/2 pound pecans
• 1 tablespoon clarified butter (or just add a splash of evoo to your regular butter)
• 1/8 teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar (or 1/4 teaspoon Sweet Leaf Stevia)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

On a lightly greased cookie sheet, LIGHTLY toast pecans for 5 about minutes. Watch so they don't burn. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients. Melt butter & evoo in pan. Add in toasted pecans. Mix and coat for 2 min. Toss with sugar mix. let cool. Store in fridge.

**Wondering what to do with that extra pumpkin? Wait until my next recipe. I used it up in a yummy, healthy snack.

Review: Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

BLACKBERRY WINTER: a period of cold weather in late spring when the blackberries are in bloom.

As a native Floridian, I had never herd the term blackberry winter. A late-season snowstorm? In MAY? I was intrigued. Then the story began...

May 1, 1933. A late-season snow storm blankets Seattle. Struggling single-mom Vera Ray must leave her young son bundled in their shabby apartment while she slogs through the snow to work her night shift as a maid in the upscale Olympic Hotel. She kisses her son good-bye. . .and never sees him again. Police refuse to search for the boy and consider the 3-year-old to be a runaway, just another faceless loss during the class struggles plaguing the Depression Era. Her simple life disappears faster than the snow melt, and Vera forces herself to grasp ANY option that may help her find her beloved Daniel.

May 1, present day. A late season snowstorm surprises Seattle reporter Claire Aldridge. She has been stumbling through the last year in a haze of grief, unable to come to terms with the results of a horrific accident. With a marriage on the rocks and a disintegrating career to save, she delves into the 80-year-old mystery of the missing boy.

The story bounces in time between the two women, sharing snippets of their stories, pulling us along until we find the connections which bind them together. And whether it be fate, serendipity, or artistic license, the coincidences cropping up during Claire's search for the truth are as heavy as a foot of wet snow.

As a mother this story hit me with a a punch. Losing a child is a parent's greatest fear, and watching both women throw themselves into the search for the vanished toddler and cope with a devastating loss will pull at any parent's heartstrings. Claire's quest to discover what happened to Daniel is really a quest to save herself. If she can just find out if that lost child survived, if his story had a happy ending, perhaps she can start living her own life again.

Both women's stories are revealed with an air of mystery. In Claire's present day story we wonder what happened to her marriage. Will she be lured away from it by the kind guy at the coffee shop? What's the major trauma that broke her spirit? Yet I found Vera's strength and story far more gripping. Who is Daniel's father? Why is he allowing her to live such a destitute life? And will she ever find her child?

And if you loved Sarah's debut novel The Violets of March, you will appreciate a cameo appearance during Claire's visit to Bainbridge Island. Sometimes it's so nice to catch up with old friends.

I've been a fan of Sarah's since her days on The Debutante Ball blog, and Blackberry Winter did not disappoint. While the plot is slightly predicable, the story is highly readable and tough to put down. Blackberry Winter is a perfect light read to snuggle up with during an early fall cold snap. Keep a box of tissues nearby, just in case.

Blackberry Winter
by Sarah Jio
$15 [paperback] $9.99 [Kindle] 
320 pages

Sarah’s website | Twitter | Facebook





Blackberry Winter is the October She Reads Book Club selection. For more about Sarah Jio, links to other blogger's reviews of the book, or suggestions for other great reads visit SheReads.org.

*I received this book courtesy of Plume and the She Reads Blogger Network. All opinions are my own.

Creating Fun Photos with PicMonkey Halloween Themes

I know you all have discovered PicMonkey by now. This user-friendly app stormed the photo editing scene just before Picnik shut down, saving us all from boring, unedited pictures.

The site has improved rapidly, adding more fonts, collage options, textures, frames, and effects each month.  And now it seems they've gained some holiday spirit and added an entire Halloween collection full of fun editing treats.

They offer six brand new Halloween themes from kiddie-appropriate graphics to grotesque zombie gore. All are fun to play with.

And all are still free.

The Trick or Treat theme features sweet goodies like candies, not-so-scary ghosts and goblins, 

and scrapbook-like cutouts. It would be perfect for designing a Halloween party invite.

With the Witches theme you can channel your inner enchantress,
wicked or glam, naught or nice.. .

(And no, that's not a giant jello shot, but that would be a fab idea.)

 Let me clarify: my child is NOT a Demon. Not even close. He's an angel 98% of the time.

 This picture just cried out to be played with, and I couldn't stomach turning him into a gory zombie.

 They scare me. I can't decide if this editing makes him look like an adorable supe or The Exorcist.

The Day of the Dead theme lets you experiment with Día de los Muertos face painting
without without a drop of artistic talent or magical makeup skills.
(If I tried this in real life I would look like my face was painted by a toddler with finger paints.)

Come November 1st, the official Mexican holiday, this will be my profile pic.

 And you too can painlessly transform into a Vampire just in time
for the last Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 movie.
You can be monstrous or gorgeous, from the Bella Lugosi or Eric Northman clans.

No sparkle available though. If you want that you're going to have to get more creative.
 I'm ready to join the Cullen family now...

NOTE: This is NOT a sponsored post. I just spent far too much time playing with these Picmonkey effects and think you waste a day messing with them, too. Have fun. It's an easy way to play dress up without buying a costume!

The Politics of Facebook

Whoo-hoo!  It's election season and the countdown until Super Tuesday is on! Only now instead of just sucking up our political coverage from the nightly news or morning paper, we are bombarded by posturing, heated arguments, and links we may consider offensive to our intelligence and/or core beliefs every time we scroll through our Facebook feed. It doesn't matter if you hang to the left, to the right, or dangle somewhere in-between: the comments grow uglier as tolerance wears to snapping point.

What do you think about political wars being waged on Facebook?

Opinions are like assholes—we all have them. Social medial platforms are all about expressing your opinions and freedom of speech. Whether it's an "Look at my cute kid" or "Look at your stupid candidate," the reason we post anything—photos, memes, links, or status updates—is to share our opinions, our news, and our beliefs.

But some people believe others are crossing that tenuous line, that friends and relatives may be sharing opinions that are spawned from hate or anger opposed to a desire to educate others about political topics. Some can be misconstrued as racist, misogynistic, or homophobic—or worse, perhaps they are NOT misconstrued.

Others comment that it's not the fact that others are stating their opinions, it's the name calling, the vehemence, and the statements that anyone who does not share the same beliefs is an idiot.  And while many may think this, is Facebook an appropriate venue to state this?

Political posts/links/rants are not going to sway anyone who is set on Candidate A to vote for Candidate B. Period. If someone always votes for one party no matter what, nothing we say or post is going to do anything except annoy them or get them riled up to post about why their side is "right."

 But perhaps you also have friends who are swing voters, who {gasp} don't follow politics, don't vote, and have no real concept of why any of this "political stuff" matters to them. Their only source of news is . .  Facebook. Yes, it's true. Some of us feel obligated to educate them, to explain why it matters, and how Candidate X will improved their lives/destroy every value they believe in. But do they even pay attention? Should they?

What if you feel like you'll have to skip Thanksgiving if you have to listen to one more of Uncle Harry's political rants? Do you ignore him? Do you unfriend him? Block him?

What can you do to avoid the political noise:

Hide offenders. Hover over the Friends button at the top of a friend's timeline and select Show in News Feed to turn their updates on or off. You can also select Settings to control how many and what kinds of stories you see from them.

Hide a person or a type of story (ex: quizzes or games)
Hover over the top-right menu of a story, click the drop-down menu and choose what you'd like to hide:

• Hide story will remove the story you're looking at from your news feed
• Hide all by and Unsubscribe from will remove the story you're looking at from your news feed, as well as all future news feed stories from a person, Page, group, event or app
• Report story or spam will remove the story you're looking at from your news feed and help keep your news feed clear of stories like it in the future

If you accidentally hide something you want to see, click the Unhide link.


Install Social Fixer. This nifty plug in allows you to filter out any annoying status updates.  Lifehacker has an excellent quick tutorial on how to get rid of any status updates involving any range of keywords {ex: debate, Romney, Obama, election}. While it doesn't block photos, with a little maneuvering you can block those infinitely annoying Clint Eastwood links. {You can also use it to block sports/baby posts—the possibilities are endless!}

Unfriend. This is the measure of last resort. Before you hit that button take a moment to think if the relationship should just go on a temporary hiatus or if it should be severed like a rotting limb.



Do you tolerate political posts? Do you look at both sides and/or see them as a method of educating yourself about the issues? Have you taken any action to avoid them?