#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 1075

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-Seventy-Five:

I made my first attempt at presenting my list of expectations regarding how my domicile is to be administered to my hominid-servant and, unfortunately, I have to say it was a dismal failure. To be frank, at this point, I’m so disgusted with the obtuseness of hominids that I’m not certain I will make another attempt.

Naturally, the first item on my list pertained to the door, and her insistence on keeping it closed. I explained that my expectation was that she either leave it open or install a smaller door within it that I would be capable of operating without her assistance. Her response to this utterly reasonable demand was to pick me up--physically lift my body off of the floor!—and cradle me in her arms as if I were a hominid infant! The indignity of it!

It may take me some time to recover from this outrage, but I will endeavor to persevere. Thoth, out.

Poor Agent Thoth! ;-) 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!

We're Being Mugged

Hey Everyone!

Happy February! Now that the holiday season is over, I thought this might be a good time to reflect a bit and consider some of the issues that you should be taking into account when casting your vote in the primary elections that will start this month.

Imagine your world is crumbling around you. Your ability to continue working at your job is in serious question. Your family and closest friends are constantly worried and on edge, and that anxiety is causing strain on those relationships. Your own body is betraying you, breaking down, not functioning the way you need it to, actively causing you pain. And then, as you're walking down the street, hurrying to get to work or your doctor or even just home so you can rest, someone steps out of the shadows and sticks a gun in your face. "Your money or your life."

That's health insurance. That's what millions of Americans face every day when life happens and all the sudden they or their family members are confronted by their own mortality and find themselves fighting to survive due to serious illness or injury. When life is most difficult, the insurance cartel shakes them down and makes things just that much harder. And woe betides those who can't pay up. Because that's a death sentence.

And this is what some politicians keep claiming that the American people want to preserve? This is what they say we're afraid of losing? Seriously? We are clinging to our right to be mugged by thugs who do nothing but take our money and threaten our lives? Medicare For All is the only way to put a stop to this, and the polling proves that most Americans understand that and want it.

Peace!

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. Two videos, actually, but one I've shared a couple of times before. But I'll let you watch them both, and then you can make up your own minds what to think. Peace!

Easy #Cheesy Snacks #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With the Super Bowl today, I thought I'd post one of my favorite, easy snack recipes. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
1 tub Alouette or Rondele garlic herb cheese spread
2 cans crescent rolls (whatever brand you like)
2 onions chopped fine
1 20oz container button mushrooms sliced
16 broccoli spears or asparagus spears
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to tasted

Put the olive oil and onions in a skillet and saute them until the onions soften. Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper and continue sauteing until the onions caramelize. Cool completely.

Open the crescent rolls -- you know the kind, you peel off the wrapper and then pop open the can against the edge of the counter -- and spread them out flat. Spread the cheese spread in an even layer over both cans of rolls. Separate the rolls into individual crescent rolls along the dotted lines with the cheese side up. Place a spoonful of the onion and mushroom mixture in the center of each roll. Place a broccoli spear or asparagus spear on top of each roll and roll the dough up around the spear, keeping the mushroom and onion mixture inside. Bake according to package directions and serve warm.

As always, I prefer my snacks without meat. But, for those who are so inclined, you could easily add a slice of ham or roast beef to each roll before adding the mushrooms and onions. Just be careful to adjust the salt in the mushrooms and onions so that you don't make the rolls too salty since both the deli meat and the cheese have a lot of salt in them.

Bon Appetit!

We Love Reading Valentine's Day #Giveaway! $30 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Valentine's Day!  Please take a moment to check out the We Love Reading Author/BloggerValentine's Day Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 20 prizes, and the grand prize is $30 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! :-)

#CoverReveal #Announcement: The Coin By Maria Elena Alonso Sierra!

Is proud to reveal the NEW book cover for the international thriller, The Coin.

Book Description: WHOEVER THOUGHT FINDING A COIN COULD GET YOU KILLED? Set in the exotic French Riviera, The Coin is a story of hatred, betrayal, love, and duty—of terrible and painful choices that, nonetheless, bring about personal triumph.
A DANGEROUS FIND For artist Gabriela Martinez, life has become complicated: she suspects her mentor and friend wants her as his mistress, her husband is neglecting her, and her latest illustration is ruined. Seeking peace, she visits her favorite thinking spot in La Marbriére, the mountain overlooking her home in the Côte d’Azur. Distracted, she winds up in an unfamiliar clearing, where she discovers a 1945 French coin half-buried in the ground. Delighted with its beauty, she has it set on her favorite bracelet.
TREACHEROUS KNOWLEDGE Richard Harrison, an American intelligence officer, is livid. A simple favor for his boss has turned his vacation in the French Riviera into a hellish assignment. Now, not only does he learn the truth about the coin, but he must also protect Gabriela from a cunning killer who will stop at nothing to keep his secret safe.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT Together with Maurice Nôret, from French intelligence, Richard attempts to discover the madman’s identity, except his budding love for this beautiful artist is turning into a dangerous handicap. Every one of his moves is thwarted with brutal countermoves. Soon, the psychological games to terrorize Gabriela escalate beyond his control. If Richard doesn’t find a solution, it may be too late for them both.

 

Created by Scott Carpenter

Editorial Reviews: "In her debut novel, Alonso-Sierra blends action, suspense, and steamy romance to tell the story of an up-and-coming artist and the secret agent assigned to protect her against an anonymous terrorist. Alonso-Sierra wonderfully builds suspense, and her psychological-thriller plotline enhances the sexual tension between Gabriela and Richard in an intriguing manner; their restrained romance quickly becomes the driving force of the novel. The character development is on point as well, with unexpectedly multilayered supporting characters such as Albert, Gabriela's artist mentor; and Bernard, her alcoholic friend. A suspenseful, sexy romantic thriller." -- Kirkus Indie Reviews, 4/12/2014
"Suspenseful, thrilling, and action-packed are apt words to describe The Coin by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra, a mesmerizing story with great potential to have readers utterly captivated. It all starts with a coin, a mysterious, coveted coin, but what is the value of a coin that people are killed and the lives of many put in danger? Set against the lush backdrop of the French Riviera, this novel explores very powerful themes such as lust, love and betrayal, and many things in between. The setting is very beautiful and the idea of the "coin" is just brilliant and enigmatic, something of a mystery which adds to the pervading sense of danger that dominates the entire story. The characters are well crafted and explored in great depth, and the author does this without sacrificing her powerful plot points and her oh-so-beautiful prose. Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra's work is one of the craftiest stories that will make readers fall in love with the exotic French Riviera. The Coin is hugely entertaining!" - Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

About the Author: Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra is a multiple award-winning, romantic suspense author with a unique point of view. Her thrillers take place in locales across Europe and the United States, reflecting her international upbringing and extensive time as a global traveler. In her duology, The Coin and The Book of Hours, her characters, Gabriela and Richard, walk the same paths as their creator, though her life was never in so much danger. Her multiple award-winning short story collection, The Fish Tank: And Other Short Stories, is an imaginative ride through various genres. One section in particular, "Soul Songs", delves into the gut-wrenching experience of exile, with fictionalized Cuban Diaspora stories based on the author's own experience of exile. Another short story, "Retribution Served", is featured in the anthology Book Dreams: Volume 1, and has been well received by readers. Ms. Alonso-Sierra's writing career began circa age thirteen with a very juvenile science fiction short story, but the writing bug hit, and she has been writing, in one capacity or another, ever since. She has worked (and not necessarily in the following order) as: a professional dancer, singer, journalist, and literature teacher in both the university and middle school levels. She holds a Masters in English literature and loves to hear from readers. When not writing, she roams around to discover new places to set her novels. She is currently working on her fourth book, a Detective Nick Larson novel, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and her dog, Amber.

Where to find The Coin
iBooks, Kobo - https://books2read.com/b/49QpK0 
B&N - http://bit.ly/TCBNEB

Tour hosted by Author Assist

#APC #Spotlight: Fated Encounters By Stephanie Barr!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Stephanie Barr in my APC spotlight, today! Stephanie is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her fantasy, short-story, magical, mystery anthology, Fated Encounters, looks great! Here's the description:

Ever wonder why magic is so pervasive in history yet so absent today?
What if there were an explanation?

Have you ever wondered why smart girls stayed with men who mistreated them?
What if there was an explanation?

Every wondered why cats can be total jerks but we still love them?
Of course not, they're cats.

Encounters that change the trajectories of their lives.
Precursor tales to Catalyst

 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! :-)