Debatable Negotiations...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Here's a little bit more of the third installment in the Petri Dish Chronicles! As always, the disclaimer is that this is a draft and, as such, it's unedited and likely full of errors and is subject to revision, revamping, and being completely scrapped and rewritten. But, with that in mind, I'm reasonably satisfied with the basics of it, at least at the moment, or I wouldn't have bothered posting it. Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from the third Petri Dish book:
Daji waved away her question. “I do not know all the details. What I do know is that this entity and the Arcanum have conspired together to advance some mischief that will somehow be to the detriment of us all, but they now require your assistance to continue with this scheme. Thus, your, Chessie’s, and my own presence are required at a facility the Arcanum have prepared, where we will undoubtedly be told only what they wish us to know.”

Petri shook her head. “You two, maybe. But they can’t hide their true intentions from me. I doubt it would even occur to them to try. What about Sadaka?”

“They did not mention the child.”

“They didn’t really have any interaction with her before,” pointed out Chessie. “Me they noticed when you almost killed a few of them, and Daji tried to attack them, but the kid stayed pretty quiet and kept her head down while we were there. Maybe they forgot about her.”

Petri considered her friend’s words, but the explanation didn’t add up. "No. They know about her. They know every mind, no matter how young or old, that comes anywhere within their sphere of influence. But they know I don't consider her an adult. I think this is their way of trying to be reasonable.”

Daji snorted.

Petri raised her eyebrows. “From their perspective. They don't consider any of you people, so to make any concessions at all is their way of saying they are open to accommodating my wishes as long as they achieve their goal. Whatever that is.”

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. As we're two days away from the new year, this will be my last video share for 2019. So, I thought, in the spirit of the holidays, I'd take a step down off my soapbox, for once, and share something that falls more towards the side of entertainment than education; though, to be fair, it does still have some interesting points to make. But I'll let the video speak for itself. Enjoy! :-)

Brown Rice Risotto In A #Crockpot #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With winter here, I'm always on the lookout for easy stick-to-your-ribs recipes that don't need to be babysat. This one is one of my favorites. :-)

Ingredients:
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup white wine (your favorite kind)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tbsp butter
2 cups brown rice
1 14oz package of sliced button mushrooms
1 14oz package of sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
2 onions chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
4 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp sage
1 bay leaf
1 cup Pecorino Romano grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your crockpot by turning it on high and allowing it to warm up.

In a saucepot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of butter. Heat until the butter melts and the oil begins to sizzle. Add the onions and cook them until they start to caramelize. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook them until they soften. Add the garlic, oregano, sage, bay leaf, and salt and pepper and stir the contents of the pot to combine them. Add 5 cups of the vegetable stock and use it to deglaze the pan. Cover the pot and continue heating until it boils.

Put the rice in the pre-warmed crockpot and pour the boiling stock and vegetables over it. Stir it all together until it's thoroughly mixed. Put the cover on the crockpot and leave it to cook on high until the rice is tender, approximately 3-4 hours.

Once the rice is cooked, in the same saucepot you used before, put the remaining olive oil and butter and allow the butter to melt and the oil to heat. Add the button mushrooms and salt and pepper (go heavy on the pepper here) and allow the mushrooms to soften. Add the wine and use it to deglaze the pan. Add a little more pepper and the remaining stock to the pot and bring to a boil.

Transfer the boiling liquid to the crockpot and add the cheese and frozen peas. Stir vigorously until all the ingredients combine and the rice becomes creamy. Serve hot with a side of crusty bread.

Buon appetito!

Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Christmas!  Please take a moment to check out the Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 42 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 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! :-)

Uneasy Lies The Head...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Since Christmas was just a couple days ago, I thought it might be a good time to take a peek into the Winter Court of Fairie and see how the Fae make merry. Happy Holidays! :-)

Excerpt from Captivated by the Winter King:

When she reached the exact middle of the room, Kate paused and allowed herself to take in her surroundings. The ballroom was always a morbid wonder, but the servants' hurried preparations had managed to make it beautiful as well. This room was the true seat of the power of the Winter Court of Fairie. Ankou hadn't had much use for a throne room or audience chamber since Brona's death, but that was what this room was intended for. The room was massive, more than capable of serving the purpose of a ballroom, but it was only his less formal style of ruling and absolute confidence in his power that had made it so.

The intimidating chamber had been designed as a symbol of authority for the Winter Royals and a reminder of where the power of the Winter Court truly lay. At its essence, this was a space that was intended to awe and cow those who entered it. The floor was made of a solid, shiny, black stone. To Kate, it looked like an enormous onyx. The walls were made of ice that was lit from within by a cold, flickering, ghostly glow.

Behind the surface of the walls, the ice swirled blue and white and silver. The odd currents in the ice were a mystery to Kate, but she knew it wasn't an optical illusion because every now and again they would serve up a peek at a body or skeleton that was trapped within. Some of the remains looked human to her, though they may just as easily have been human-looking Fae, but some of them were strange and grotesque to her eyes. When she had first seen the macabre display, she had assigned herself the goal of one day being able to put a name to each type of creature that appeared behind the frozen walls.

The walls were eye-catching, but it was the ceiling high above the room that stole the show. As the heart of Winter's power, the room was situated at the base of the colossal tree that both housed and guarded the palace. Roots from the tree crawled and twisted over the ceiling, dangling down into the room and clinging to the tops of the walls. Within the roots, small, pale yellow nodules grew which gave off a dim, sickly glow. The anemic yellow light combined with the cool blue/white glow of the walls to give the entire room an eerie cast.

Kate had been informed that the nodules were a luminescent fungus and that some of the arthropods that crawled amongst the roots fed off that fungus. Some of the larger arthropods, in turn, fed upon the fungus eaters. It was not unheard of for both predators and prey to drop from their home in the tree onto the floor below. Or onto those who occupied the floor.

On occasion, one of the creatures would try taking a bite out of the roots themselves. The tree objected to such activities and responded by loosing a cascade of electricity across the ceiling. Those mini lightning storms often had the effect of causing the inhabitants of the roots to rain down into the room. Some well cooked, some injured, but others just seeking to escape the holocaust above. The arthropods that preferred meat were not picky, they were happy to dine upon any flesh that was convenient. Including that of any people who were unlucky enough to be standing beneath them when they fell.

Overall, the room made Kate's skin crawl, but she saw the value of such a psychological effect. Some of those who sought an audience with the Court monarchs might reconsider the tone they chose to use when finding themselves in such surroundings. Thinking about it, she realized the fact that Ankou had chosen to use the chamber as a ballroom was a not-so-subtle hint as to his opinion of formal dances. Suppressing a smile, she twinkled at him from the corner of her eye.


Want to find out what happens in such a sinister room? Grab your copy of Captivated by the Winter King at the link below. Thanks so much for stopping by today and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistral Dawn's Musings. Happy reading!! :-)

Captivated by the Winter King

#APC #Spotlight: The Clay Remembers: Book 1 in The Clay Series By Sharon K. Miller!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Sharon Miller in my APC spotlight, today! Sharon is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her contemporary romance, personal growth, paranormal, women's fiction novel, The Clay Remembers, looks great! Here's the description:

Oppressed by a husband who treats her as his property, Anna Robinson flees to the Southwestern desert. As an archaeologist, she knows each sherd, each scrap of cloth holds something of an earlier life. And each artifact draws her more intimately into the stories of Esperanza Ramirez, a nineteenth-century homesteader, and of the Hohokam woman before her. Can their experience here beneath a rugged ridge in the Santa Catalina Mountains, joyful and tragic both, give Anna the strength to face Foster, the armed and dangerous husband on her trail?

Foster does not yet suspect there is another man in Anna's life, a man with his own story of pain and loss. Resist Nick Anderson as she will, Anna is hopelessly attracted, fearful of her husband's crazed jealousy, and only beginning to sense the deep love and fulfillment in the lives of the women who preceded her.

The eternal story of a woman struggling to find her voice and power, The Clay Remembers unearths the legacy of the past, deepening and enriching life in the present.

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 1056

Hey Everyone! :-)

Merry Christmas!!! :-) Today, 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 One-Thousand-Fifty-Six:

My hominid-servant, of course, has engaged in her intermittent ritual of bringing a dead tree into my domicile and decorating it with shiny, dangly objects. But, to be honest, I have not taken much notice this time, since she insists on making it so difficult to properly investigate this periodic anomaly. It seems to me, that there are so many unanswered questions that I have with regard to this planet and its inhabitants, that expending so much effort to examine what is, after all, not even a living specimen is simply a waste.

The juvenile felid seems to agree with me, as he has also not spent much time attempting to thwart my hominid-servant’s efforts to protect her bauble-encrusted tree corpse. I have attempted to discuss with him the psychological quirks that might cause such odd behavior, but he has shown no interest in that topic, either.

An additional irregularity worth noting, numerous parcels have appeared at the base of the tree that my hominid-servant seems determined to ignore. I’m uncertain as to the purpose of these packages, or the reason my hominid-servant is steadfastly refusing to open them, but I will continue to observe and report back on any further developments.

Hominids certainly are odd creatures. ;-) 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!! :-)

Every now and again, I like to post something that's a little nonsensical to lighten up the mood around here. Since it's the holiday season, not to mention Christmas Eve, I thought this would be a good time for such a post. This is something that happened a couple of months ago, I posted it on Facebook at the time, but I thought I'd share it here too. Enjoy! :-)

My oldest kitty, Squeaky, has been feeling a little under the weather. He's about 15-years-old, so I was concerned and took him to the vet on Monday. My youngest kitty, The Muffin, saw me pick Squeaky up and put him in the carrier and thought he'd be next, so he took off and hid.

Squeaky came home with me the same day -- he just had some blood pulled to be tested, no overnight stay -- but Muffin was still freaked out. Yesterday, he quasi-accepted Squeaky back, but I was absolutely persona non grata. He wasn't talking to me, he wasn't looking at me, if I came into a room he was in, he hissed and ran out. He spooked around my apartment like he'd never seen it before -- he has lived here for years -- and acted like he expected a carrier to appear and snatch him up at any moment.

Today, I'm back in good graces, but the other kitties are completely unacceptable. Muffin will talk to me and ask for pets, but if he sees the other kitties he gowls and hisses. Now, my second oldest cat, the Sin cat, doesn't like anyone anyway, so she just acts like the queen, diva bitch that she is and hisses back and smacks him. My second youngest cat, the Small, is generally neurotic. He hisses and growls back, but then flips out and runs around like his tail is on fire until he comes and hides between me and my chair. Because apparently everything is okay as long as you're being crushed by mom.

Now, Squeaky, he's a chill little dude. This is his house, and he is lord and master of all he surveys. So, when Muffin hisses and growls at him, Squeaky just looks at Muffin like he has lost his mind and goes on about his Squeaky business. Because that's how Squeaky cats roll. There's no harshing a Squeaky chill.

But they've all managed to make it to the food and water bowls and to the litter pans, so I guess they'll work it out for themselves eventually. *sigh* Who's crazier, the nuts or the nut who loves them? 🙄

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. A while back, I wrote a post about an experience I had as a kid that taught me an important lesson about healthy skepticism. If you want to read it, you can find it here: Is That A Bubbler? This video reminded me, once again, of that lesson. The skepticism I was advocating in the post I wrote was towards what you see on social media, and that still stands, but this is a good reminder about how you should also be skeptical of stories from mainstream media. Especially, when those stories seem to conveniently serve the interests of those in power. But I'll let you watch the video and decide for yourselves. Peace!

Warm-You-Up #Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I don't know about you, but for me this is the time of year I love to make those stick-to-your-ribs, warm you up no matter what the thermometer outside says, delicious like mom used to make recipes. But, as always, my version has a little twist. In this case, a scrumptious shepherd's pie with no meat. I hope you like it as much as I do. :-)

Ingredients:
3 cups vegetable stock
1.5 cups uncooked lentils rinsed and drained
4 lbs potatoes peeled and chunked
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded (optional)
1 12 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 onion diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 stick butter (or more if you like)
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they're fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot to allow remaining moisture to evaporate. Set them aside.

In another pot, add the olive oil and onion and saute until the onion caramelizes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and hot sauce (optional), and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes and lentils and stir to combine. Add the vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix together. Reduce to medium heat and cover, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft.

Add the butter, milk, and a good amount of black pepper to the potatoes and mash them until they're smooth. Taste them and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Set them aside.

When the lentils are soft, add the remaining vegetables to the pot, stir to mix, and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes. Make a slurry of the water and cornstarch and add it to the pot. Stir and taste the mixture and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Put the lentil mix in a buttered baking dish and then spread the mashed potatoes over the top of it. Use a spoon to swirl the potatoes and pull them into small peaks throughout the dish. Sprinkle small pieces of butter and/or shredded cheddar cheese between the peaks for additional richness. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown. Serve hot with a side of crusty bread.

Bon appetit!

Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Christmas!  Please take a moment to check out the Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 42 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 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! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 1050

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 One-Thousand-Fifty:

In my continued efforts to properly train my hominid-servant as to the correct prioritization of filling my food bowl upon rising from her sleeping platform, I have experimented with attempts to charm her by deploying the P.U.R.R. in response to her displays of affection. Unfortunately, the results of this experiment are mixed.

I have found that she does respond to the hypnotic effects of the P.U.R.R. positively, with even greater expressions of affection, but this does not necessarily translate into my food bowl being filled. Instead, she offers verbal compliments and attempts to tempt me into mindless but entertaining games with dangling objects. However, it’s also not uncommon for my efforts to also result in the proffering of treats, which are always interesting and welcome.

I find these results rather confusing, and so am not able to decide if I should consider this training technique a success or a failure. One thing I am certain about, however, is that hominid behavior is utterly erratic and illogical.

Hominids really are frustrating creatures. ;-) 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!

#APC #Spotlight: Ronaldo: The Reindeer Flying Academy: Ronaldo the Flying Reindeer children's book series (book1) By Maxine Sylvester!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Maxine Sylvester in my APC spotlight, today! Maxine is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her children's, Christmas, fantasy, adventure story, Ronaldo: The Reindeer Flying Academy, looks perfect for the holiday season! Here's the description:

"MOVE OVER RUDOLPH - RONALDO IS HERE TO STAY!"

Ronaldo is the top flying cadet at the prestigious Reindeer Flying Academy. He dreams of getting his flying license and becoming one of Santa's reindeer, just like his hero, Vixen.

In the first adventure in the Ronaldo series, the second year flying cadets face their toughest ever flying test – The Endurance Challenge. Will Ronaldo be victorious and lift the silver cup? Or will mean brothers Dasher, Comet and Prancer ruin his chance for success?

 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! :-)

#December2019 #IndieBooksBeSeen #Indie #Author #Books #Monthly #BookReview!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

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

Brain Dead by Stuart Kenyon:

In this fourth installment of the Augmented series, some of the political machinations that have been ongoing come to a head. John, our hero, continues to find himself swept along by the tidal wave of events that leave him both breathless and disoriented. In spite of that, he powers through and manages to lead others to safety. But with the dangers piling up on each other, will his luck continue to hold? You'll have to read to find out!

I enjoyed this book both for what it revealed and what it didn't reveal. Again, I found myself drawing parallels between the fictional events in the book and the real-life events I see on the news every day. People ignoring potentially species-level danger to pursue petty rivalries or protect the little bit of power they've accumulated for themselves. Jealousy and spite overriding common sense and causing disregard of obvious facts. The dismissal of reality because it doesn't jive with someone's preconceived ideas of how the world works. All the incredibly frustrating, incredibly human, parts of leadership and politics.

And that's really what it comes down to. Stuart Kenyon does a masterful job of illustrating exactly how the course of human history really is dictated by the myriad of small choices normal, every day, fallible humans make. He captures the interpersonal aspect of decision-making, and how personal relationships influence important choices. This glimpse into the human psyche makes for excellent story-telling, but it also makes one think about how the same type of dynamics are affecting our culture and our government today. Five stars, and I can't wait to see how this story ends!

Messed Up Messages...

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Here's a little bit more of the third installment in the Petri Dish Chronicles! As always, the disclaimer is that this is a draft and, as such, it's unedited and likely full of errors and is subject to revision, revamping, and being completely scrapped and rewritten. But, with that in mind, I'm reasonably satisfied with the basics of it, at least at the moment, or I wouldn't have bothered posting it. Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from the third Petri Dish book:
"Why did they do that to you? You weren't crazy enough to go after them after we left, were you?”

Daji snorted. “No. They came after me. They appeared on my ship as I was departing from a delivery and abducted me.”

“They can't have done this just to test me. There’s got to be a reason they would go to all that trouble. I know you think they’re evil, but they're not irrational. They wouldn't just put an entire planet's worth of people in danger simply to get my attention.”

“They didn’t,” said Daji, shaking his head, at the same time Chessie exclaimed, “What?"

Daji turned to face Chessie. “She's correct. The energy the Arcanum infected me with would have spread if Petri had been unable to neutralize it effectively. It would have eventually reached every sapient organism on this planet, entered their minds, and torn them apart. It’s even possible that it would have gone farther than just this world if effective quarantine measures weren’t implemented in time." He crossed his arms over his chest and turned back to Petri. “Which certainly seems to qualify as evil in my estimation. I warned you that you should choose a less populated world; anywhere you go, you’re a danger to those around you.”

It was Petri’s turn to cross her arms over her chest. "I'm not the one who brought it here. You are.”

“I was given no choice! The aliens you defend so determinedly manipulated my mind and planted a compulsion that forced me to seek you out.”

“I don’t defend them; I just don’t see the point in purposely antagonizing them if they're willing to leave us alone, which they were until you did something to change that. What did you do?”

“I did nothing," Daji hissed. “I have already told you; they sought me out.”

“Why?”

“To give me a message to deliver and a task."

“What message?”

“They wish me to inform you and Chessie that they require your presence at a location they have designated. My task is to convey you to this location. By whatever means necessary, provided you are not permanently harmed. Failure to complete this task will result in the destruction of my homeworld. So, you see, it is not only the people of this planet you endanger, but mine as well. If it were not for your…”

“…Existence?” interjected Chessie. “You're blaming Petri when none of this is her fault. She didn’t sic the Arcanum on you, and she certainly didn’t tell them to harm you or anyone else. On the contrary, as soon as she saw what they had done to you, she immediately acted to save you. Without any hesitation or thought about whether there would be risk to herself!”

Petri put a hand on the older woman’s arm. Chessie turned to her, breathing hard with indignation. Petri smiled and her friend smiled back, putting her hand over Petri’s. "You don't deserve this from him, hun.”

“It’s okay. Let him get it out of his system. Then maybe we can find out what’s really going on."

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. Again, it's about something I think everyone should know before casting their vote in the Democratic primaries next year; and, once again, it's something I don't think the mainstream media will give the attention it deserves. But I'll let the video speak for itself. Peace!

#Quick Roasted Veggie Pasta #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With the holiday season here, everyone seems to be busy, busy, busy. So, I thought I'd share a hearty pasta recipe that can be whipped up in just a few minutes and never fails to hit the spot. :-)

Ingredients:
2 lbs pasta cooked al dente (your favorite shape)
2 cups broccoli chopped
1 cup Brussels sprouts halved
2 large carrots chunked
1 16oz can chickpeas
1 cup milk
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tbsp rosemary
2 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp sage
2 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet, toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and half the herbs. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until roasted. Transfer roasted veggies to a large skillet. Add the chickpeas, the remaining herbs, garlic, red pepper flakes (optional), and wine. Reduce the wine and then stir in milk and cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your taste. Stir in the pasta and serve warm with a side of garlic bread.

Buon Appetito!

Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Christmas!  Please take a moment to check out the Stuff Your Stocking Author/Blogger Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 42 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 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! :-)

Announcement: The Magic of Stories By Karen J. Mossman!

Hey Everyone!!

My friend, Karen Mossman, is back, today, with a new announcement, and this one is by her! So, Karen, take it away!

Karen:

The Magic of Stories

Description

In conjunction with The Magic of Stories website, multi-genre author Karen J Mossman, brings you this delightful collection of short stories, poetry and flash fiction

Visit The Magic of Stories website where there will be a week-long celebration of articles relating to the stories of this book.

Website - https://magicofstories.net/

Buy Links
Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Stories-Just-Book-ebook/dp/B07FZPXKV7
Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Stories-Just-Book-ebook/dp/B07FZPXKV7


Author Bio and Social Media Links
Karen J Mossman comes from a family of journalists with her grandfather and uncle having been newspaper editors. Further back a 2x grandfather wrote for his local paper and also published a book based on those articles. Karen is the only one to go into fiction.

An avid blogger, Karen is also a book reviewer, reviewing every book she reads.
"It's especially important to me to have feedback from my readers, I hope you leave a review when you have read this book."

Karen lives on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey off the north Wales coast with her husband and two dogs. She has two grown-up children, who were both born on the same day, two years apart.


Social Media Links
Magic of Stories on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/karensmagicofstories/
Amazon - author.to/KarenMossman
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9814921.Karen_J_Mossman
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KarenJMoss
Magic of Stories website - https://magicofstories.net/
Author Website - http://karenmossman.weebly.com/

 
Excerpt:

My Child

Lego bricks on the floor

Cups and saucers, spoons too,

Turtles and Batman's galore

And a fluffy white kangaroo

A long line of cars,

A plastic track for a train,

A book of football stars,

And a supersonic plane.

On a Power Ranger beanbag,

With a Lion King toy,

Fast asleep on his back

Is my little boy!

Please like the Electric Eclectic Facebook page, and join our group.
https://www.facebook.com/ElectricEclecticBooks/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2268210063403750/

See all Electric Eclectic books on our website
https://paulznewpostbox.wixsite.com/eebooks

#APC #Spotlight: Man Of Two Planets (The "Circe" Series Book 2) By Judith Rook!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Judith Rook in my APC spotlight, today! Judith is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her futuristic, space opera, action/adventure, sci-fi novel, Man of Two Planets, looks great! Here's the description:

Borto Claibrook-Merjolaine, born and raised on Circe, the planet with a mind, is the only man of his generation to become a warrior. As he learns combat skills on the neighbouring planet of First Home his mentor, Hal, detects a dark creature hidden deep inside Borto’s personality. Coming from Circe’s own shadow, the being adds extra strength to Borto’s normal Circean abilities.

Also living on First Home, Borto’s sister, Tethyn, realises that she must go to find the source of a great danger which is threatening both Circe and First Home. Another planet farther away in the galaxy has learned about First Home and is preparing an invasion force.

Against the wishes of her beloved man Lewis, First Peer of the High Forest family, Tethyn asks his greatest adversary, Darland Courvenier, to take her to meet a man from the enemy planet so that Circe can learn about the advancing peril and prepare to defeat it.

Circe is also in danger from First Home. Darland and his close friend and lieutenant, Vaire, have begun to realise that Circe is a very special planet, possessing strange powers. They want to learn her secrets. Vaire goes to Circe to discover what he can about her, at the same time drawing Tethyn’s best friend, Rayanna, the woman he has come to deeply desire, unwillingly closer to him.

Returning briefly to his home planet, Borto finds that contraband weapons have been hidden on her surface, infecting the planet with the negative force they carry. As he helps to defeat the arms smugglers the thing that Borto has been dreading happens and his new powers are revealed. But Borto learns that what has happened to him is right. Even as a changed man, he can remain true to himself and go confidently into the future.

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 1047

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 One-Thousand-Forty-Seven:

My hominid-servant, who is well-meaning but often rather dim, seems to be under the impression that my attempts to train her as to the correct priority of tasks upon rising from her sleeping platform are requests for affection. Even when I stand right next to my food bowl and vocalize at the top of my voice, she still misinterprets, deliberately or otherwise, my demands. She almost always does respond to my coaching in some positive manner, but rarely in the appropriate way, by filling my food bowl.

Sometimes, I believe she does understand what I am requesting, because she will inform me that there is already food in my bowl. I have tried explaining to her that it does not matter if there is already food in my bowl, that she is still required to fill my bowl with more, preferably different and more enticing, food upon her rising. But this seems to be a concept that escapes her.

However, I am still unsure whether this is confusion on her part is a genuine belief that she did not understand me correctly, or a purposeful refusal to perform her duties properly. Because her responses to these reminders from me generally provoke over-the-top displays of affection from her, both in verbal and physical form. She will speak to me, praise me, caress me, and even pick me up at times, which I do not particularly enjoy but tolerate due to our difference in height and a recognition of the lumbar weakness inherent in any bipedal physical structure that does not also include a tail.

The end result of all this is that I am left with inconclusive evidence as to her motivation for evading her feeding duties. Which is only exacerbated by the fact that she always does, eventually, attend to my food bowl, just not on the schedule that I prefer. At this point, I can only reiterate my observation about the irrationality that hominids are plagued by.

Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between stupidity and laziness. ;-) 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!

Announcement: A Flash Of Horror By Karina Kantas!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

My friend, Karen (Kazz) Mossman, is back with another book she'd like to tell you all about. Karen, take it away!

Karen:

Blurb
A flash of horror is a collection of short and flash fiction in the horror genre taken from Karina Kantas’s two collections, Heads & Tales & Undressed.
12 chilling and though-provoking tales that will stay with you for nights to come.
Are you ready to delve into the dark side?

Excerpt

VIRUS

“Well, that's it. Now we wait again,” Maria announced.
Phil watched her sit at a cluttered desk to scribble yet more failure notes. But his eyes did not linger. He scanned the laboratory. It might be the last time he'd see it. Beds lined the walls of the spacious room, all but hiding its sterile, white-tiled floor. “How long until we see results this time — if any?” he asked.
“Same as the others. Twelve hours.”
“That doesn't give us much time to administer a vaccine.”
“No. And — yes, before you say it, you're right — there's no guarantee we'll ever find an acceptable vaccine.”
On each bed lay a test subject. Even those that had succumbed remained, since the examination of their rotting bodies still offered the faint hope of a cure.
But Phil knew that the virus had won this war. There was no hope. Eight months of this, and nothing but 665. The committee was right.
Phil turned his face away from the rotting, deformed victims, and stared at his co-worker. It was time to tell her, although he knew how she'd react. Maria was obstinate — so certain she'd find a cure.
Phil walked to his colleague’s desk. Each step weighed heavily on him, like the weight they'd shouldered as a team these past few months. He rested his hand on her shoulder.
“Maria?” he whispered.
Her eyes shimmered. “Yes?”
Phil blinked and spoke. “The committee decided if this last trial is unsuccessful, they'll go with 665. They've already begun to manufacture.”
“What? You're joking?”
 “They say there's no more time to be choosey. It's 665 or total annihilation.”
“Choosey! Don't they realise what will happen? 665 has such awful side effects.”
“Sorry. Maybe choosey was the wrong word, and yes, they know the peril. I agree with them. What other choice do we have?”
“I'd rather die.”
Phil turned and looked at the bed beside him. Clear plastic sheeting did nothing to hide its demonic deformities. IT was the only way to describe this once-person. Its new facial appearance removed any identification of what sex, race or age test subject 665 once had.

More to come…..

Author Bio
Karina Kantas is the author of the popular MC thriller series, OUTLAW and the loved romantic fantasy duology, Illusional Reality.

She also writes short stories and when her imagination is working overtime, she writes thought-provoking dark flash fiction.

When Karina isn't busy working on her next bestseller, she's a publicist, author manager and VA. She's also the host of the popular radio show, Author Assist on the Artist First Radio Network.

Karina writes in the genres of fantasy, MC romance, Young Adult. sci-fi, horror, thrillers and comedy, romance, PNR, dystopian and erotica.

Her inspirations are the author S.E.Hinton and the rock band, Iron Maiden.

You can find her on Facebook and Twitter, where she loves hanging out with her readers.

Titles to date:
Electric Eclectic book
Toxic – dystopian Erotica

***The OUTLAW series***
In Times of Violence
Huntress
Lawless Justice
Road Rage

***Collections***
Heads & Tales
UNDRESSED

In Times of Violence Young Adult Edition / MC romance
Stone Cold / YA supernatural thriller

***Illusional Reality duology***
Illusional Reality / YA romantic fantasy
The Quest / fantasy paranormal romance

***Coming soon***
Broken Chains (MI5/mafia  romance)
Predator (erotic horror)

Author Links
http://bit.ly/FBFPKK FB Author page
http://bit.ly/INSTKK INSTAGRAM
http://bit.ly/TwittKK TWITTER
http://bit.ly/BLOGKK BLOG
http://bit.ly/KKGRE Goodreads

http://bit.ly/FBMCSERIES OUTLAW MC series
http://bit.ly/AOMCA - Authors of MC Anarchy FB group

Get samples from Book 1 and Book 2 of Illusional Reality duology when you sign up to my mailing list.
http://eepurl.com/daKief


Why I wrote this book?
I never thought of myself a someone with a dark side. I always thought of my flash fictions as scifi, thriller maybe a little creepy. But then I was a guest on a podcast and the host made me realise that, a lot of what I do write does fall into the horror genre. And so I decided to take out some of the best horror flash from my two collections Heads & Tales and Undressed and make this small collection for those that don’t mind sleeping at night.
Enjoy.

Where to buy
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XP8C5L6


Please join the Electric Eclectic Facebook page: https://facebook.com/ElectricEclecticBooks/
Visit our website for some more great books: https://paulsnewpostbox.wixsite.com/eebooks

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. Basically, I just wanted to share a reminder that if We, The People want to win next year, we need to get out in the primaries and vote. Because the forces aligned against Our candidate, Bernie, are many and powerful. Peace!

A Leftover Mashed Potato Pancake #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With the holiday season in full swing, I figure that some of you may, at some point, end up with some leftover mashed potatoes. So, I figured this would be a good time to share my recipe for mashed potato pancakes. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
2 eggs
2 oz cheddar cheese shredded
3 tbsp green onions chopped
6 tbsp flour
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sriracha (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until completely combined. Form into 2-inch diameter balls and place in a skillet that has an inch of vegetable oil in it that has been preheated. You want the oil to start sizzling immediately when you put the potato balls in it or your pancakes will be greasy. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; it may be necessary to cook your pancakes in batches. Use a spatula to flatten the balls and flip them over when the first side is golden brown. Continue cooking until the second side is golden brown and then remove them from the pan and place them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm with a side of sour cream, if desired.

Bon Appetit and Happy Holidays! :-)