#Spring Into #Reading #Giveaway! $120 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Into Reading Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 40 prizes, and the grand prize is $120 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

The #Romance Reviews 7th Anniversary #Party #Contest!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I donated a book to The Romance Reviews 7th Anniversary Party contest and today is the day you could win it! :-)  Just click on the link below and answer the trivia questions there to earn chances to win. There are lots of other great books and prizes you might also win, including a $500 cash grand prize! And best of all, it's free to play! So don't miss your chance! Good luck! :-)

http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

#APC #Spotlight: Bound To Blackwood: House Blackwood Book One By Sharon Lipman!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Sharon Lipman in my APC spotlight, today! Sharon is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her supernatural, vampire, paranormal romance novel, Bound to Blackwood, looks great! Here's the description:

Would you surrender your soul for the love of the King?

Lena, a vampire and a Guardian of the Order, has been honour-bound to protect human souls all her life. Acting first and thinking second is what's saved her skin time and again in the war against the Fallen, but her disregard for orders soon catches up with her when her boss is seriously injured. Forced to take responsibility for her actions, Lena is thrust into the path of her very own kryptonite; Thorn. The raw power of his soul calls to her and his mere presence lights a fire within her that she cannot contain.

With Vampire magic waning and the race in crisis, can either of them afford to ignore Nature's call? If they do, the future of the race is in jeopardy. If they don't, they will both lose the most precious part of themselves. Their souls

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 714

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Seven-Hundred-Fourteen:

At first, I thought my hominid-servant meant to aid my work by driving away the hostile canid. The moment she exited my domicile, she engaged with the beast, yelling at it to leave and flapping one of her textile panels at it. Unfortunately, the belligerent animal was quite obstinate and refused to depart. Instead, it made its loud, sharp vocalizations at her, which combined with the haranguing of my hominid-servant created such as cacophony as to almost drive me mad. Naturally, with such a raucous chorus in progress, I was unable to concentrate on completing any research.

Eventually, my hominid-servant did succeed in chasing the aggressive canid away. However, she then, regrettably, turned her considerable energy towards reacquiring possession of my person. At first, she attempted to lure me from the tree by tempting me with some of her exotic edibles. But, while the scent of such delicacies is certainly a siren's song to any self-respecting DPCIL Agent, I do know my duty. And gathering information through a careful study of the local environment must come first. So, despite my hominid-servant's clever ploy, I endeavored to persevere with my research.

Of course, my hominid-servant is not easily deterred once she sets her mind to something, and it wasn't long before she abandoned her efforts to entice me from the tree in favor of a more direct approach. At first, she attempted to scale the trunk of the tree with her bare hands. However, in spite of the arboreal origins of the ancestors of hominids, the current, local representatives of the species are not well suited for unaided vertical ascents. Thus, it was not long before my hominid-servant's efforts succumbed to gravity, and her descent from the tree occurred much more rapidly than she had managed her pain-staking climb.

Despite her undignified, and likely rather painful, fall, my hominid-servant remained undeterred. Since her initial attempt at ascending the tree failed, my hominid-servant did what most hominids are prone to do: she acquired a tool that would compensate for her physical deficiencies and assist her in achieving her goal. In this case, she retrieved a ladder from within my domicile and used it to climb up to the branches where I was attempting to record some useful data. I strove to evade her grasp by retreating to a higher branch, though doing so meant abandoning any progress I had made in my work. But my hominid-servant inflicted the outrage on me of grabbing my tail and using it to pull me closer to her as I turned to flee.

I was so shocked by her outrageous affront against my person that I failed to react in time, and before I knew it she had acquired a grip on the loose skin at the base of my skull and used it to lever my body out of the branches and into her arms. She maintained her grasp on that skin as she descended back down the ladder and, as you well know, there is no effective defense for us against such a tactic. What's more, I'm certain my hominid-servant knows it as well, as she took full advantage of this weakness in her campaign to return me to my domicile.

To add insult to injury, she then spent an extended amount of time lecturing me about "running away" and "making her worry." I despair of ever succeeding in impressing on my hominid-servant the vital nature of my work and how her persistent, if well meant, efforts to confine me to my domicile make it all but impossible to complete. In order to recover from the abuses and affronts I had suffered, I found it necessary to retreat from my hominid-servant's presence, lest my temper get the best of me and cause me to react in a way that we both would have regretted. I am currently beneath her sleeping platform because it is one of the few places she has trouble accessing me, and I am so thoroughly disgusted with all the wasted effort that I may remain here for quite some time. Or, at least, until my hominid-servant offers me a tasty incentive to emerge.

Hominids can be so unreasonable! ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

The Inmates Are Running The Asylum...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got a little more of Alyce's adventure to share with you, today! Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from sci-fi satire novel:
"So, they pay money to a company each month and that company guarantees to pay if anything happens that applies to the type of insurance they provide?"

I nodded. "Yes, though, like I said, in theory. Insurance companies only make money if they don't have to pay out too much, so they try not to pay if they can get away with it."

"How do they do that?"

"It depends on the type of insurance. Most types of insurance have limits on the payout, so the insurance company won't pay anything above that limit. Aside from that, they'll try to find excuses for why they shouldn't have to pay."

"What kind of excuses?"

"Again, it depends on what kind of insurance we're talking about. For medical insurance, which is supposed to pay for medical treatment if the insured person gets sick or hurt, there are a few different ways insurance companies try to get away with not paying. For example, if a doctor prescribes a certain medication for a person, their insurance company might refuse to pay because they have decided that medication won't be covered. So, the patient then has to either get their doctor to prescribe something else that is covered or pay for the medication themselves."

"What if the medication that isn't covered is the only medication that will meet the patient's needs?"

I shrugged. "They might be able to get the insurance company to pay for it if they argue the case and get their doctor to back them up, but they might not. And even if they do, they usually end up having to pay a higher price for that medication than they would for a medication that was covered."

"Wait a moment, I'm confused. If they successfully make their case that the medication should be covered, why does the patient have to pay anything for it? Doesn't that mean the insurance company will pay."

"Ah, well, that's one of their other tricks. Most medical insurance policies have what are called 'deductibles' and 'copays'. The insurance doesn't pay for anything until the patient has paid out enough money to cover their deductible, which is usually thousands of dollars, for the year. And even after the insurance company starts to pay, they only pay for a percentage of the costs. The rest of the costs have to be paid for by the patient. That's what's called a 'copay'."

"And patients have to deal with all of this while they are sick or injured, possibly fighting for their lives?"

"I'm afraid so, sugar."

"I have to agree with Paxtiguantialablingondintalblinganham, your system for healthcare is barbaric."

I shrugged. "I won't argue with you. It used to be worse. It used to be that medical insurance companies were allowed to refuse to pay if they claimed an illness or injury had existed before the patient bought their insurance. Guess how often that claim was made?"

"From what you've described, I'd wager that it was more often than not."

I nodded. "And they also used to be allowed to set limits on how much they would pay for a patient for a year and also for their whole life. But a law was passed that made it illegal for them to do that, so they don't anymore. But there are still plenty of other tricks they use to get out of paying."

"It occurs to me, that depending on the circumstances, if one of your insurance companies can play such games long enough and prevent the patient from receiving care, the issue of their having to pay may become moot if the patient dies, in the meantime," observed Squid-boy.

"Yep. That's certainly a possibility. And having a specialized staff who are trained in how to argue with insurance companies and convince them they have no choice but to pay is why doctors and hospitals have to pay for billing staff."

"And the expenses that your healthcare providers are forced to bear are the reason why patient's lives are allowed to depend on the caprices of private industry?"

I shook my head. "No. The reason that happens is because my country has allowed our healthcare system to be controlled by for-profit corporations. Since their profits are dependent on not paying for healthcare, there's a built-in perverted incentive structure that can't be overcome. And as long as those corporations are allowed to continue to control our healthcare system, people will continue to die from lack of care. The expenses that providers have to cover are the reason why they sometimes are more concerned with a patient's ability to pay than they are with the patient's health status. But the reason some patients aren't able to pay is because our government has failed to prioritize ensuring that all our citizens healthcare needs are taken care of."

"And there's nothing that can be done about that?"

I shrugged. "There's plenty that could be done. Every other modern country on our planet has some form of guaranteed healthcare coverage through their government, which they pay for with taxes. But, so far, the politicians in my country have lacked the political will to do anything like that. Mostly, because they've been bribed by the same corporations that are currently running the healthcare system."

"Which ties back into the rampant corruption in your political system that we discussed before," said Yax.

"Yep."

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. I think everyone has probably heard the name Cambridge Analytica by now. After all, it's been all over the news. But I thought this video did a good job of explaining who's involved with it and why that's a problem for everyone but the 1%. Honestly, I don't know that there's any action any of us can take, at this point, but I thought it was important for us all to know more about how we've been manipulated so that maybe we can try to keep it from happening again. Peace!

Quick And Easy Pan #Sauce #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is just a really quick, easy pan tomato sauce that's good served over almost anything. Enjoy! :-)


Ingredients:
6 tomatoes diced
2 zucchini chopped
1 fennel bulb cleaned and chopped
1 onion chopped fine
1 28oz package button mushrooms sliced
2 cups fresh basil chopped fine
2 cups fresh oregano chopped fine
1 cup fresh parsley chopped fine
8 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp fennel seeds
4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large, deep-sided skillet, put a quarter cup of the olive oil with the onion and saute until the onion starts to caramelize. Remove the onion from the skillet, reduce the heat, and add the rest of the olive oil, the fennel seeds, the garlic, and the red pepper flakes (optional) and heat gently until the seeds start to perfume the air. Add the zucchini, fennel bulb, and mushrooms to the skillet and increase the heat slightly. Cook until the vegetables start to wilt and add the onions back to the skillet. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and water and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine the ingredients. Add the oregano and half the basil and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes break down. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the rest of the basil and the parsley. Serve hot over pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, or a nice, toasted crostini.

Buon appetito!

#CheckOut The Latest Edition Of Indie Publishing News! #Free!

Hey Everyone!!

Do yourself a favor and check out this latest edition of Indie Publishing News by Claire Plaisted! It's a free eMag that's chock full of interesting and fun tidbits. Just click on the link below. Enjoy! :-)

Indie Publishing News

#Interview With Jacky Dahlhaus

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Jacky Dahlhaus is here with us, today. Jacky, can you please us about yourself and how many books you have written?

Jacky: I’m a Dutch-Australian-almost-fifty-years-old girl. I only began to write in 2015, when my children encouraged me to write down a dream. I didn’t leave my computer until I wrote 50K words even though I had never written anything other than a high school essay before. Writing gives me immense pleasure, and I can’t imagine doing anything else now. Since that dream, I’ve written a trilogy of three novels, a novelette (the prequel), and a bundle of short stories.

Me: That's great! My first novel started with a dream, too. ;-) What's the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

Jacky: I just finished the last book of the Suckers Trilogy. It’s called Killing A Vampire. I wrote the first two books both in 2015 and spent the next two years to improve my writing. I hope it shows in this third instalment of the trilogy.

Me: Congratulations on finishing your trilogy! What are you working on now?

Jacky: At the moment, I’m a free woman! I hope to read a lot and work on the renovations of my Victorian schoolhouse. I have several ideas for new books, though. I’m not sure which one it’s going to be.

Me: Ahhhh... That lovely time of ease between projects. :-) What authors, or books, have influenced you?

Jacky: The book that got me into fantasy was Urshurak, by the Brothers Hildebrandt and Jerry Nichols. It’s a story very much like Lord of the Rings, with beautiful images by the brothers. I love the Dragonriders of Pern chronicles and the Discworld stories by Terry Pratchett. I own nearly all their books and even met Terry Pratchett once! I love how he sees the world through a stranger’s eyes.

Me: That's so cool! :-) I love Anne McCaffery's books, too. What are you reading now?

Jacky: As I have just finished writing the last book of my trilogy, I haven’t had the time to pick up a new book. The last book I read not so long ago was Lullaby of the Dead by Lynn Lamb. Great story. I’m hoping to read as much as I can before I get into my new project. I’ve got over seventy books lined up!

Me: Lynn Lamb is awesome. :-) For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?

Jacky: I found it hard to categorize my books as they have so things happening into them. There’s suspense, action, humor, a bit of thriller and horror, and a lot of drama and romance in there. Books 1 & 2 are romances at heart, but Book 3 is more of a whodunnit. In all three books, the stories are more about the relationships of the people, in particular the main character Kate, than about vampirism. There isn’t any gore or explicit sex in any of the books, but the themes of the books are more for young adults, especially Book 2 in which I write about topics like adultery, rape, and abortion.

Me: Sounds interesting. What's your favorite part of being an author?

Jacky: What I like most about writing is that I can stay at home and work the hours that suit me. I also love it when I’ve plotted out a path for my characters to follow, and they decide to go in a completely different direction, making me work hard to get them out of the most awkward situations.

Me: Ha! Yeah, characters can be really uncooperative, at times. :-) Do you have a day job as well?

Jacky: I’ve given up on paid work since 2009 when I had brain surgery. I decided then and there that life is too short to be unhappy and have dedicated my time to my family and finding happiness. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family very much, but they all leave me every morning :-D. So I had to find something that made me get through the day. It took me six years, but I’ve finally found happiness in writing. It is what makes me get out of bed each morning.

Me: Good for you! What are the hardest and easiest parts about being a writer?

Jacky: As I grew up in The Netherlands, English is not my first language. I thought I knew English, but writing is a completely different ballpark. I’m still learning every day. Being a writer also means you never have a holiday. You’re always thinking about your storyline, your word choices, and your next project. Not to mention the continuous promotion you have to do to keep your books visible. I guess the easiest thing about being a writer is that you can do it anywhere, any time, anyhow. No matter where you are, what time of day it is, or whether you’ve got a pc or just a pen and paper, writing is always possible.

Me: I think writing is a different ballpark even for those of us whose first language is English. ;-) What genre do you place your book in?

Jacky: At first, I called my books paranormal romances, but since the third book isn’t a romance, I’ve changed the subtitle of the trilogy to paranormal suspense novels. It’s hard to categorize them as they could also be classified under thrillers, humor, or urban novels. It depends on what attracts you in the books the most.

Me: Cool! Is there anything else you’d like to tell your readers?

Jacky: My eBooks are available on Amazon, Kobo and my website. Book 3 is stuck in KDP Select at the moment, so only available on Amazon for the time being. If you buy my books from my website, you get a 20% discount if you use the voucher! BookFunnel will then give you the option of downloading the format you prefer. You can find my bookshop at https://jackydahlhaus.com/books/. I’m very proud that one of my short stories won entry in the Create50 horror contest called Twisted50 Volume 2. The book will come out soon, so keep an eye out for it! I also run a local writers’ club and write short stories with them, and set up a film club with which I film the short stories I’ve written. Great fun!

Me: Congratulations on your win! And so these fine folks can find your wonderful stories, are there any links you’d like me to post?

Jacky: I try to be as active as I can on social media and you can find me on:
My website: https://jackydahlhaus.com (blog and shop!)
Twitter: @JackyDahlhaus
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jackydahlhaus/pins/ (check out my Wicked Dark Stuff board J)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackyDahlhausWriter/
Instagram: jackydahlhaus

Me: Awesome! Thank you so much for stopping by, today, Jacky. And thank you to everyone else who joined us, as well. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: The Chosen (Zincian Legend Book 1) by Sheenah Freitas!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Sheenah Freitas in my APC spotlight, today! Sheenah is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her young adult, coming of age, mythological, sci-fi/fantasy novel, The Chosen, looks great! Here's the description:

Fourteen-year-old Kaia’s entire life has erupted in flames after an assassin appears and burns her village down. She’s rescued by priestesses who serve gods from another planet because Kaia’s the descendant of their last savior. They tell her that she must help them. Together with Reeze—the only other survivor from her village and her newly appointed guardian—they set off on a quest to find the treasures of the gods in hopes of preventing a dire prophesy.

Kaia and Reeze quickly meet the Tueors, a group of people many thought extinct, and they are searching specifically for Kaia. Their intention: to protect the truth. As Kaia discovers more about the truth and her family’s past, she also learns of the Tueors’ bloody secret. Will Kaia be the savior the gods have been waiting for? Or will she let the prophesy come true?

If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 713

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Seven-Hundred-Thirteen:

Success! Or, at least, a qualified success. Yesterday, I succeeded in evading my hominid-servant's grasp and escaping into the world beyond my domicile. Unfortunately, a large, hostile canid was also present in the area outside my domicile and immediately focused its attention on me!

It's possible I might have warded the creature off by deploying the C.L.A.W.S., but engaging in violent encounters with massive specimens of the local fauna is not in my mission statement. Therefore, given the disparity in our sizes and the beast's unreasonable, aggressive behavior, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor, in this instance, and retreated up into the branches of a nearby tree. The canid, needless to say, was unable to follow, though it did persist for an extended amount of time in issuing loud, sharp vocalizations at the base of the tree. I'm not certain what it thought to achieve by this activity, but the animal was clearly deranged, so it's possible that it was an entirely random or spasmodic reaction to my evasive maneuver.

Regardless, my research was not impeded by my strategic withdrawal, but rather focused. Unlike with the dead specimens my hominid-servant periodically brings into my domicile, the living tree that I found myself in was home to entire ecosystems of native life. I could quite easily spend many planetary revolutions studying nothing but the organisms that live within and upon that single tree.

Unfortunately, my hominid-servant was alarmed by the belligerent canid and so demonstrated an unwarranted, though determined, concern for my well-being that caused her to engage in a single-minded campaign to reacquire possession of my person. As I have said in the past, my hominid-servant's tendency to fret over my safety and comfort is gratifying and appreciated, but it is also often inconvenient and annoying. In this case, it was more the latter than the former, as she managed to effectively thwart my intentions by distracting my attention with her histrionics. (to be continued…)

Argh!! Canids and hominids, oh my! ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

Time For The #People To #Speak!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I just want to remind everyone of something, really quick. Trump and the rest of the Republicans did not win in 2016 because they were popular. The majority of Americans didn't want Trump for President. Hell, he lost the popular vote, and that's just of the people who bothered to cast their ballots. No, the reason he won is because the majority of people in this country who could vote chose not to do so. And the Idiot in Chief remains deeply unpopular with only around 35% of Americans approving of the job he is doing. A level of unpopularity that is almost unheard of for a President this early in their first term.

We can't vote to replace the Monster in the White House this year; we have to wait a couple of years for that. But we can neuter him by flipping the House and the Senate. And, yes, I know the Democratic Party has serious issues, as well. I'm not going to try to defend neo-liberals, they're the reason we're in the mess we're in now.

But if you want real choices come November, if you want the opportunity to not only hamstring the Swamp Thing in Chief, but also to elect representatives who will actually do something to help this country, you can get that. All you have to do is get off your asses and vote in the primaries, some of which have already started.

If you're reading this, you're on the internet. Pull up another browser window and open a Google search. Find out when and where your primaries are. Open your state's elections site and confirm that you're registered to vote. If not, register. Find out if your state has open or closed primaries. If closed, then make sure you're registered to vote as a Democrat.

Yeah, I know, I'm mad at the Party, too. And I feel like drop-kicking the leadership. But registering as a Democrat doesn't make you beholden to the Democratic Party leadership. You can still vote for whoever you want, Green, Democratic Socialist, People's Party, whoever. All registering as a Democrat does is give you the ability to vote in Democratic primaries in states with closed primaries. Which, actually, makes the Democratic Party leadership beholden to you.

You want to change things? Great! Now's your chance. Get your asses in gear, do your research, and vote in the primaries so that we can vote for some serious candidates in November. Because Trump and the Republicans may be deeply unpopular, but unless we Americans get up off our sofas and vote, they'll still win elections. I don't want that, do you?

Peace!

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. With things the way they are, it's been really hard to choose just one news story per week to focus on for my video share. For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you might have seen my post comparing trying to keep up with the News with playing wac-a-mole; you no sooner catch yourself up and there're six new stories you need to read up on.

So, I know there are lots of other things I could have shared with you this week, but this story isn't really getting much press, and I figured I'd help spread the word. After all, this kind of government overreach is exactly the kind of fascist tendency that We, The People, need to stand united against. So, go ahead and watch the video, and then consider reaching out to your elected representatives and let them know what you think. Peace!

#March2018 #IndieBooksBeSeen #Indie #Author #Books #Monthly #BookReview!

Hey Everyone!! :-) (RRBC)

It's the 18th again, so time for my #IndieBooksBeSeen monthly indie author book review!! Enjoy! :-)


Angel of Death by Jennifer Hinsman:

Two girls from different sides of the track meet in college and find common ground in the fact that they've both dealt with their share of pain. As they move on with their lives, becoming fast friends, finding romance, and then delving into the shadows of the past, the two help to solve a cold murder case.

I enjoyed this book. The sex scenes were steamy, the plot was interesting, and I thought the supernatural twist was clever. The only thing I didn't like was how slowly the story moved at times. So, four stars, but I'd definitely read another book by this author.

#Lucky #Reads #StPatricksDay #Giveaway! $100 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for St. Patricks's Day!  Please take a moment to check out the Lucky Reads St. Patrick's Day Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 30 prizes, and the grand prize is $100 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

Versatile Pasta #Salad #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes because it's something you can serve either warm or cold. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
1 lb Orecchiette or Farfalle pasta
4 cups asparagus cleaned and chopped
4 cups crimini mushrooms sliced
1 bell pepper chopped
1 onion diced fine
1/2 cup green onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1/4 cup basil chopped
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated
1/2 cup olive oil
1.5 cups Italian salad dressing (your choice of brand or homemade)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the pasta in boiling, salted water and cook until just tender. Drain and set pasta aside. In a large skillet, place the olive oil, salt and pepper, onions, pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus. Saute until vegetables start to soften and add the basil and parsley. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Toss vegetables with the pasta, cheese, and salad dressing. Serve warm or chill and serve cold.

Buon Appetito!

#APC #Spotlight: Heshayol (The Blood of Dragons Book 2) by Joshua Robertson & JC Boyd!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Joshua Robertson in my APC spotlight, today! Joshua is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and his new release, sword and sorcery, dark fantasy novel, Heshayol, looks great! Here's the description:

Over a millennium ago, at their father's command, Tyran and Drast sent the Horned God to the Netherworld in hopes of gaining everlasting life. Instead, they sparked a chain of events that led to the near destruction of the Ash Tree and the liberation of the old gods. Now, with the world waning, the two brothers are freed from Anaerfell to travel to the frozen realm of the dead and resurrect their enemy with hopes of restoring balance. Tyran and Drast journey between time and space with limitless magic at their fingertips to face demon legions, forsaken immortals, and the realization that the malevolence of their father is not yet done.

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 707

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Seven-Hundred-Seven:

The average temperature outside my domicile is once again beginning to rise, as the planetary revolution is causing the portion of this planet on which my domicile is located to once again move closer to the local star due to the planetary tilt. My hominid-servant refers to this phenomenon as the "changing of the seasons," which I find to be a charmingly colloquial, if non-technical, description. The "season" we are entering, she calls "Spring," though I have not observed many springing motions among the local flora or fauna, so I am not certain from where the term originates.

Regardless, as I stated, the temperature is rising and this has resulted in a greater variety, and more importantly an increase in activity, among the local flora and fauna. Unfortunately, due to the fact that my hominid-servant has still not relented in her determination to keep me confined within my domicile, my studies of this change among the local life forms is severely hampered. What's worse, the change in weather patterns seems to have affected the juvenile felid's mental and emotional equilibrium.

The young pest now regularly engages in wild, unrestrained bouts of seemingly random movement, to which he employs a frenetic, almost frantic, energy. I'm not certain if the small irritation is deliberately attempting to disrupt my research for some nefarious purpose of his own, or if the interruptions are simply a natural result of his uncontrolled frenzies. Either way, I find myself frustrated far more often than informed. Naturally, I will report on any progress I may make in overcoming the obstacles I am currently struggling with, as I find it likely that other DPCIL Agents have faced similar challenges and may benefit from any problem-solving strategies I may be able to devise.

Isn't is annoying when others interrupt you when you're working? ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

The Condition Of Their Condition

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got a little more of Alyce's adventure to share with you, today! Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from sci-fi satire novel:
"One thing we heard was quite common in your healthcare system is a 'wallet biopsy', but we couldn't discern enough about what it was to even begin to create an exhibit about it. It certainly didn't seem credible that it could be a literal descriptive term."

I held my stare on Squid-boy for another half a second and then turned to look at the taller alien. With a bitter laugh, I said, "Well, sugar, that's actually almost exactly what it is."

"What do you mean?"

"A 'wallet biopsy' is when a doctor, or more often a hospital, focuses on a patient's financial condition instead of their medical condition. They first find out if a patient has insurance and, if so, what that insurance does and does not cover and how high their deductible and copay are. If the patient doesn't have insurance, they find out if the patient has the cash on hand to pay for their treatment. If they determine that a patient can't pay and doesn't have insurance that will pay, they do the absolute minimum required by law and then send the patient away. Basically, they just make sure the patient isn't going to immediately drop dead and refuse to do anything more." I gestured at where the robot in a paper gown was turning in circles by the bus stop bench. "That might be what happened to her, I don't know."

"How can they do such a thing?" exclaimed Squid-boy.

"What is 'insurance'?" asked Yax.

I rolled my eyes. "They can do it because they're more concerned about money than they are about patients' health. There are reasons for that; it isn't cheap to keep a hospital open or to operate a physician's practice, there are all kinds of expenses involved. And health insurance is something where people pay a company money every month and if they get sick or injured, that company is supposed to pay for their treatment. In theory."

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. This one is actually a little bit of good news. And, on the theory that good behavior should be acknowledged and rewarded in the same way that bad behavior should be punished, if you agree that this is a good idea, you might want to call your Senators and tell them that. If they're already supporting this plan, hearing positive feedback from constituents will help cement their endorsement. And if they haven't signed on, having voters call and praise the plan may convince them to get behind it. Peace!

#Vegetarian Tortilla #Soup #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Today, I'd like to share a really easy, but really delicious, spicy soup recipe. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
5 cups vegetable stock
1 20oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup brown rice
1 14oz can hominy drained
1 14oz can black beans drained
1 14oz can kidney beans drained
1 14oz can corn drained
3 chili peppers chopped
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
1 poblano pepper roasted and chopped
2 onions diced fine
1 cup cilantro chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
4 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups peanut or corn oil
6 corn tortillas

1 lime cut into wedges

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the olive oil and onions in a soup pot and saute until onions soften and start to brown. Add the rice, peppers, dry spices, and the garlic and stir continuously until onions are caramelized. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the beans, corn, hominy, and half the cilantro and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and stir periodically.

Put the corn or peanut oil in a small frying pan and heat to approximately 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the tortillas into strips or wedges and drop them into the hot oil until crispy. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the tortillas from the oil and toss them in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as necessary. Stir in the remaining cilantro and remove from heat. Serve hot garnished with lime wedges and crispy tortillas.

Buen provecho!

#Lucky #Reads #StPatricksDay #Giveaway! $100 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for St. Patricks's Day!  Please take a moment to check out the Lucky Reads St. Patrick's Day Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 30 prizes, and the grand prize is $100 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#Interview With Ashley Uzzell!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Please join me in welcoming the wonderfully talented Ashley Uzzell, today! Ashley, will you please tell us about yourself and how many books you have written?

Ashley: Hello, my name is Ashley Uzzell and I write family friendly fiction. Poetry, children’s books, young adult romance, and clean romance are my specialties. My daughter, Kyra, is my co-author and illustrator of our Spunky’s Magical Adventures series. I currently have eight books published and have participated in three anthologies.

Me: Wow! Sounds like you've been a busy lady! What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?

Ashley: My most recent publication is called Winter Wishes of the Heart. This is a book of four short stories that take place during the winter season, some during holidays. I wrote each story at different times, only realizing after the third one was written that I had a kind of theme going. Short, sweet stories about family, friends, and finding love? Sounds like a nice holiday collection. So that is what it became.

Me: It does sound like a nice holiday collection. :-) What are you working on now?

Ashley: I just finished the second draft of a middle-grade fantasy adventure. This will be the first in a new series aimed at eleven-year-olds and up. It’s a bit darker than our usual children’s stories, but still fun to read. Basically, five children become stuck on another planet that is similar to Earth. They have no idea when they will be able to return home, so they have to figure out how to survive there. The first book is an introduction to the characters and the world itself, but ends on a cliffhanger. The series will be full of action, adventure, and lots of magic!

Me: Oh, no! The dreaded cliffhanger! ;-) What authors, or books, have influenced you?

Ashley: I read a wide selection of genres, so that would be a long list! As far as children’s books, I adored Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. Her ability to create a complex world alongside our own fascinated me when I was younger. Natsuki Takaya’s Fruits Basket mangas really showed me that gray area between good and evil and how most characters reside there, unawares. Her books illustrate how changing your entire mindset can positively affect your life.

Me: Nice! What are you reading now?

Ashley: Right now I am reading Zahara by Mara Reitsma and One Snowy Night, an anthology of short romance stories.

Me: Hmmm...I think I'm sensing a theme. ;-) For those who might consider reading your books, what would you tell them to expect?

Ashley: Our books are an enjoyable escape from reality that often include magic, love, cats, or even cupcakes! There is a little something for everyone.

Me: Cats! Who would ever write about cats? ;-) What is your favorite part of being an author?

Ashley: I would have to say that my favorite part is creating new worlds that I can dive into at any moment, and sharing these worlds with others. Also, that feeling of accomplishment when you finish something new. It’s like when an artist paints that last stroke on the canvas or the mother holds their baby for the first time. Yes, I just compared writing a book to having a kid. Our books are our children and we hold them dear.

Me: I agree, I love the world-building aspect of writing. Do you have a day job as well?

Ashley: I am a stay at home mom. I am also co-founder of a new publishing company starting up this year called Hollow Hills.

Me: Congratulations on your new venture! :-) What is the hardest part of being a writer?

Ashley: The hardest part about being a writer, to me, is getting others to take you seriously. I think many people see what I do as a useless hobby, which is frustrating because this is not a job to be taken lightly. That would be the equivalent of the child who dreamed of becoming an astronaut actually becoming one when they grew up, only to have others tell them they need to get a real job. What we do is actual work that we spend hours, days, and weeks on. This is a real job, just as much as any other.

Me: Amen! What genre do you place your books in?

Ashley: We write in various genres, and some of our books don’t fit comfortably in just one. I like genre-spanning books, myself. We don’t need no stinkin’ labels!

Me: Ha! Definitely! It's so much more freeing that way. :-) Is there anything else you'd like to tell your readers?

Ashley: Keep reading! I hope you enjoy our books, so please let us know that you do. Leave reviews whenever you can, whether it is just one line saying you loved it or that you hated it. There are so many amazing indie authors out there for you to discover, so be sure to try a new author at every opportunity.

Me: And so all these fine folks can do just that, are there any links you'd like me to post? ;-)

Ashley: I don’t mind being stalked a bit!

Website/blog – https://authorauzzell.wordpress.com/
Amazon author page - www.amazon.com/-/e/B010HEJ1DK
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorashley.uzzell.1
Goodreads – www.goodreads.com/author/show/14107354.Ashley_Uzzell
Twitter – www.twitter.com/UzzellBooks
Google + - https://plus.google.com/u/0/104614753307761813099
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/uzzellbooks/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/naturechild02/

Me: Perfect! Thank you so much for dropping by, today, Ashley. And thank you everyone else who joined us.  Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: Sigrun by Deidre Mapstone!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Deidre Mapstone in my APC spotlight, today! Deidre is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel, Sigrun, looks great! Here's the description:

The Lundgrens own and operate Sigrun: A family restaurant on the shores of Mount Desert Island, Maine. They are a hard working, every day, American family. But like every family, they have their secrets, some stranger than others. The way these secrets unfold may surprise you.

Their tale begins with a familial ease considered unique to most, but their seemingly perfect relationships are ordinary compared to what hides beneath the surface.

If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 701

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Seven-Hundred-One:

My hominid-servant has once again begun her periodic purge of my possessions. As always, I find this frenzy of activity disquieting, not just because it tends to result in random items among my belongings going missing, but because it inevitably causes a disruption to the routine and tranquility of my domicile. Frankly, it's a distraction from my research that I simply find insupportable, though I am not certain what I can do to put a stop to it.

I do not understand my hominid-servant's need to engage in this ritual on a seemingly regular basis, as everything she removes or cleans ends up being replaced or becoming soiled once again. I have attempted, in the past, to dissuade her from her obsession with cleaning and sorting, by pointing out the futility of her efforts. But, alas, my attempts to inflict logic on my hominid-servant have been to no avail. She remains determined to pursue her agenda of cleanliness and order regardless of the facts in evidence.

I will admit that the resulting, if temporary, absence of accumulated dust and detritus in even the most remote and difficult to access corners of my domicile is somewhat pleasing. But, as I said, the state is transient and not worth the disturbance to my existence that it necessitates. However, since all my pleas to that effect have fallen on deaf ears, I will attempt to focus on the positive results rather than the irritating means by which they are achieved.

Hominids can be so unreasonable! ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

#NewRelease #Announcement: Distant Time By Karen J Mossman!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

My friend, Karina Kantas, is back with another book she'd like to tell you about. Karina, take it away! :-)

Karina:

Distant Time is an Electric Eclectic book, novellas designed to introduce you to new authors.



Description Imagine visiting a village that has just been invaded by German WW2 soldiers. Now imagine you are no longer invisible. What would you do if you woke to find yourself in a strange place not knowing who you were? Running outside, you find yourself caught up in a war. Not only that - you run for your life and come face to face with yourself. Julie is time travelling and something has gone drastically wrong. Read this thrilling adventure where the future needs evidence collected from the past. Extract Every nerve in my body was on fire, my heart beating so fast, I could hardly breathe. I was about to run into the open, but saw a soldier aim a gun at a man on his knees. He fired. The man collapsed. I saw his family watching and heard their screams and cries. I stopped dead in my tracks, stared, horrified, before turning to vomit behind a wall. Wiping my mouth I crawled into a space between outbuildings. Balefully, watching the scene unfold, tears streamed down my face. Tanks were rolling through the village, crashing into buildings, running over fences, anything that got in their way. Some people were being killed; others herded up like animals for slaughter. Fear fizzed in the air and the noise of terror was just as deafening. Crouching down, my hands automatically covered my ears. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. I didn’t want any part of this, yet here I was. I had no idea what to do or where to go. I didn’t want to die.

 

About the Author Karen J Mossman is a multi genre author. This is her second novella under the Electric Eclectic brand. One Christmas was published in December 2017. She lives in north Wales on the Isle of Anglesey with her husband and Yorkshire Terrier, Tilly. See all Electric Eclectic book here.
http://amzn.to/2EI8HbX Join their FaceBook page here.

Social Media Website: https://magicofstories.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenjmossmanauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenJMoss
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9814921.Karen_J_Mossman
Amazon: Author.to/KM