Food and Writing

Food and writing are the two things authors & I love. This post is going to have tons of food pictures and recipes if ones are needed; along with my writing stuff.

So lets start off with the fact that CampNaNoWriMo is in full swing. I m 3 days ahead right now. Though this weekend will be slow writing.  Below is my project stats. WIP- Nessa is coming out of her shell as the novel continues; however, Marrick is lost. Typical male!

 As I take breaks from writing I have been using my birthday presents my kiddo-2 and her boyfriend gave me. Check it out. I'm loving it! Coloring keeps my mind calm when it won't focus on words.

 Now for the food part. Here are my writing and Netflix snacks. Cauliflower, carrots and ranch dip. Then there is the store bought fresh crab stuffed mushrooms.

Since kiddo-2 isn't home much because of school and friends I have been eating salads and omelets. 

Lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, diced ham, blue cheese crumbles and colby/jack cheese.

No blue cheese crumbles :(

Omelet- green peppers, diced ham, red onion, orange peppers & colby/jack cheese

When kiddo-2 is feeling off or is sick we make homemade chicken noodle soup. Doesn't it look yummy? 

 Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
4-6 Chicken hind quarters
Chopped carrots
2 Chopped or diced onions
Fresh Basil (2-3 TBsp)
2 TBsp oregano
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 cups chicken broth
2 stalks of celery (chopped)

In huge pot put the chicken, spices and veggies in. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 hours adding water if chicken isn't covered.  After that add in the broth. Simmer for another 2 hours.

Noodles
Click here for recipe

Serve hot. Store leftovers in frig. Freezes well too.

Before I go off to my writing cave I'll show you a new picture of me...

First Post of The Year

The last several months have been hell on earth in my life. I have made progress in coping with everything.

Anxiety level dropped yesterday when I found out the cysts in my breasts are just that and not cancer 🙌. The thought of cancer had me shaking and anxious for the last 4 months.

Money 💰is still an issue since my hearing for disability isn't for at least another 6 months. The process is long and dragged out but I understand. I know many people that have tried to get it and are able to work. The process saves tax payers money and keeps lazy people off of it. There it is the word 'lazy'. The last few months I have been called that for not working. HA! If I could work I would. There are days I wish my illnesses away just so I can get a paycheck I earned. Yes, that's right, I want to work. Doctors tell me it's not possible. My legs keep swelling, my arthritis is in more joints than before, my anger & rage is not always under control & my anxiety around people is worse. The pain of it every day gets worse but I manage. I could work, my opinion, not the doctors. If I even try to get a job it's blocked by several of my doctors. Then you have the people that say 'why didn't you fight it before now?' Well, I didn't have enough wrong with me to fight with appeals and that would have made it impossible to apply for disability until 2019.

Enough of that. My writing has been slow and a chore. Today is the first day since Nov. 20th 2016 that I have been able to write and I can see my skills are a little slacking. I'm going to push myself to write tonight and every day for the next 30 days. I want to write at least 500 words a day. In preparation today I set up my faithful Aeon Timeline 2© for the new story-line and I have many ideas written down in a notebook📒. Scrivener© is set up as well. Now all I need to do is put those notes into a story. Easier said than done. My mind won't focus for long periods of time and the words don't seem to come. I can picture the scenes in my head but the words are lost. Here is what I know:

• How the species🐺 began
• First 18 chapters of characters
• When it starts (2011)
• Ages of characters (18-20,000+yrs old)
• What is happening in the first 2 chapters
• The species' history
• Laws
• Hierarchy

What I need to know:

• Professions of characters
• Likes & dislikes of characters
• Ceremonies' process

Once I have that I should be able to write it without many issues. Though my mind keeps jumping back to the previous series I was working on. This new one has no connection to that series and is making it hard.

Snow Storm for End of January 2015

 Snow and Reading
Iowa is holding our breath as we await the 1st real winter snow storm. I'm in the area that is forecast for 8 inches (20.3cm). It has been spitting rain all day so it'll be icy under the snow. I'm in the area that say we should get 8 inches (20.3cm), just above the 1 in 8.1".

In preparation I have hit the store and stocked up on everything I need for 3 days. I have cleaned house and done laundry. Charged all my electronics (nook, daughter's nook, laptop, phone and rechargeable flashlights). All my candles are ready to go. With ice you never know when the power will go. I also have my paperback books in case my nook dies after reading for hours. I've made up fry sauce and taco stuff is all ready to just toss together.



Reading music for now is 


Hoping power will NOT go out. I'm re-reading Guardians of Eternity series by @AlexandraIvy Hoping to read the rest of the series this weekend. If you like paranormal romance you should check out this series.


I'll take pictures as the snow falls and post when I can.


To buy Guardians of Eternity books check them out here.
Amazon
BnN

One Holiday Down!

With Thanksgiving done and over with I'm doing better than I thought. I wrote all day instead of being with family. Yes, I know holidays are to be spent with family, well you don't know my family, at least most of it. Plus I'm a bit antisocial and would rather be in my own little world with my characters. My kids had a good time with their other side of their families which I'm grateful for.

Those of you know me, I've started yet another #WIP (work in progress) since I finished and won #NAoNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with just over 50k words. It's in the same series as the last 2 that aren't finished. #WIP1 is only 2 chapters away from being done and #WIP2 has a ways to go. The nasty plot bunnies decided I needed to jump to #WIP3. It's flowing nicely so I'm sticking with it for now. As those bunnies stop with #WIP3 I'll finish up the 1st once and hand it over to an editor. Then work on second. Hoping to finish by March plus have edits done to my YA (young Adult) #WIP that I started 5 years ago.
Remember that the excerpts I post here are ones unedited. There will be many changes in the future I think.

Here is an excerpt from current #WIP3
"She tossed and turned. The smell of woods and power lingered in her nose and mind. It was nothing she had ever really paid attention to. Scenting was the one thing she tried not to do. All she would scent was if it was male, female or human. When she finally fell asleep it wasn't a good sleep. Her dreams were full of fear, terror and pain."

Well, now it's time to tame those plot bunnies and get back to writing. Have a productive week.