Decisions...decisions!

Hello again.   After much contemplation and sleeping on the matter,  I have decided how to continue with my writing and the "Perilous Quest to Being Published."    The "Toe Pads"  were just to get your attention.   Worked, didn't it?
I will continue to submit my Picture Books to established publishing houses with the hope of finding a "home"  for my nature based books.  The reason:   when it comes to illustrated books this is still the best method of producing a quality work.
As for my other Titles...I am going to venture into the world of E-books.   The 1st research project will be to find the publisher that fits my needs.   There are more and more of these "publishing formatters"  every day.   Some want up-front money and do part of the work for you.  Some take their money as a percentage of sales along with other fees.  You can still end up with as much as 65% if you choose the right one and if...the big if...you sell books.   You also need to set the price correctly.  Too cheap and people may think it's not a good item.  Higher prices mean higher profits, but who will pay $9.99 for work by an unknown?
The 2nd project is the marketing.  OK.  I have a blog.  I'll need a FB Page for my books.  Gack...I may even need a website!   More cash outlay, since I am completely a moron when it comes to all things related to the way of the programmer. And get this... People are now posting their own Book Trailers on You Tube!  Another scary project for an amateur like me.
Once I get these things researched and  decisions made I will put myself out there...very, very frightening.  Which book should it be?  Right now I'm thinking "LITTLE CAT ON HIS OWN."  It was originally going to be a book for Middle Readers, but all my friends..(.I know. They're biased)...are cat lovers and all have really enjoyed the story.  One of them already has it sold to the movies and has stars picked out for all the voices.   An optimist, indeed.
My other choice would be "NUNS, NOUNS AND NIGHTGOWN RULES."   This one is my fictionalized account of the time my mother spent in an Ursuline Convent/Boarding School in the 1920s after the death of her father.  The Convent is now a Museum in Quebec and some day I would really like to visit.  I wrote this a few years ago for my family.  I would probably offer this one for 99cents or just for free.   Let's face it.  The market for stories about French Nuns is pretty small.  
Anyway.  That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...unless anyone has a better idea.
Thanks for stopping by.   Come back soon.

To publish or not to publish...

Hi, friends.  Today  I face a dilemma.  I really don't want this blog to turn into a page of whining and I certainly don't feel the need of a "pity party," but sometimes a bit of advice is a good thing.   Perhaps I need a Mentor!  Any takers?   OK...on to the dilemma.
   I have several books already written, but can't seem to find a Publishing House that wants to take a chance.   I have been submitting stories since 2008 and tho I've had encouragement from a few Editors, I have yet to be published.  My only foray into self publishing was for a fictional memoir of the time my mother spent in an Ursuline convent in Quebec, ca. 1921.   I used Lulu and only printed enough copies for my family.  It's a cute little story, but how many people want to read about French Nuns? (thank you, Kevin)  I made a lot of mistakes with their formatting and am not anxious to put myself out there again and I certainly would choose some other venue.
On the other hand...after several trips through the Writers' Digest "2012 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market,"  I've found a shrinking base for the printed page.
Smaller publishers that were operating 2 years ago have either closed or been swallowed up by the giants in the industry.  The ones that remain, that publish the type of story that I write, are few and far between.   So many now will only accept agented material or their guidelines are so specific that the choices for submission become very limited.   Some houses seek only religious material...some are strictly regional, some want no work that has been self published and some want NO stories at all.  Why they remain in the guide is a mystery.
I belong to several Writing Groups on LinkdIn and most of the authors there feel that self publishing and promoting yourself are the only way to get noticed.   Some of these people are quite successful and sell many copies of their work, more than the average from a traditional PH.    My fear, justified or not, is that if anyone can and does publish...how much of it is really well written and how much is just out there taking up space?   Do people look down on self published work?   There's a reason it was called "Vanity Publishing" and you won't find any of today's SP authors using that word.
Another facet of the SP road is the marketing.  An author is expected to have a Blog, (guilty) a Facebook page, a website, book trailers on You Tube and promotions at local events and Libraries.  My question...if you're spending all your time on marketing, when do you get to write?   It's hard enough to get taken seriously when you work at home, but there simply aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you'd like to do. 
Another thing to take into account: picture books require pictures.  Many e-book publishers can't handle illustrations and many writers can't DO illustrating.   Illustration is one thing the PHs do very well.   Me...not so much.
So, my dears.  What is a writer to do.  We all know what opinions are like so I guess it's something that each writer or artist or crafter must decide for herself.  We can only try, and hope we make the right choices.

and some more cooking.

Well...it seems I haven't mastered this blogging thing yet.  I couldn't get back to my draft to add the "finishing touch"  to my Grandmere's Pudding.
Aldina's Tart Sauce  

1 cup sugar                                               1 cup boiling water
2 T. corn starch                                         2 -3 T. cider vinegar

Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan.   Add boiling water and cook on low till thickened,  stirring constantly.     Add vinegar to taste.
Again, to taste is somewhat hard to define if you've never had the sauce, so use your own judgement .  The sauce will be a lovely golden color.

Christmas Eve was always such an "event"  when I was a child.  We had a very large house and my Grandparents lived down while we lived up.  All the holiday dinners were held in the very large formal dining room and attended by Aunts and Uncles, cousins and any other "shirt-tail" relatives , as my father called them, who happened to be in town. (some of them were very large, too)  First it was Midnight Mass, and it actually was held at Midnight!   Then it was back to the house for the traditional  food and a bit of toasting.  Then...here's the important part...we were allowed to open our gifts.  Joyeux Noel!  I don't recall the actual getting into bed, so I must have been carried or sleep-walked to my room.  No need to get up early the next day.  Come to think of it, there was always a Christmas dinner, too.  Someone lost some sleep.  I must ask my sister, who is much older than I,  who cooked that Christmas day meal. 
Now that we've had a non-writing , memory sort of page, I'll have to actually use my imagination and write for the next post.   Till then....read, dance, enjoy!

A bit more cooking.

As promised, I'm back with more of my Grandmere's recipes.
This Xmas Pudding is steamed in a double boiler and every time I see the recipe I think of Dickens'  "A Christmas Carol,"  or at least the Alastair Sim movie version.  Tiny Tim says to his sister on Christmas morning.  "Come, Martha.  Let's go hear the pudding singing on the hearth."
The original recipe called for diced beef suet, but that word is anathema to most people today, so I "modernized"  the recipe for this lower-fat generation.
  Aldina's Xmas Pudding:
1/3 cup canola oil                                         1/3 cup applesauce
3 cups sifted AP flour                                   1 cup molasses
1 cup milk, sweet or sour                             1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder                                        1 cup raisins
1 t. each, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix together the oil and applesauce, then milk and molasses.
Add to dry ingredients and mix.  Fold in raisins, dredged in flour.
Grease top portion of a good sized double boiler and ladle in pudding.  Fill only 2/3 full since pudding will expand as it cooks.
Cover and steam on low heat for 3 - 3 1/2 hours till set.  Serve with warm Tart Sauce.

A bit of Fronsh Cooking.

Hello fans, I thought I write about some traditional family recipes today.  French Canadian, that is.
Shown in the photo is a Tarte Aux Pommes, that mon mari made this morning.  The recipe is from "The Essential Pepin,"  so no directions for this one.  Jacque's mother made this every day for her restaurant and it is a simple patted- in crust with quartered apples and a bit of sugar.  Simply made and simply delicious.

I will give you the recipe for my Grandmother's Tourtiere...a meat pie that was traditionally served on Xmas Eve, but is so good I now make it other times of the year.  I have been enjoying this dish from childhood, but some may find it a bit strange.  Many other cultures make a similar pastry and it was probably originally made with "game" rather than pork.  We always served it with cranberries, but any fruit side dish complements the pie... I make a Vesta Salad or a simple Citrus Salad with mint sugar.     Here you go.    For 1  9" pie.
About 3 lbs of ground pork, 20 -25% fat is needed. I like to use fresh ham and have the butcher grind it for me.
Unbaked crust for 2 crust pie.
1. med. onion, chopped and 2 chopped celery stalks.
Salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice and cloves.  this is done "to taste," but I'll try to get you started.

In a heavy pot, cook the onion and celery for a minute or two  in a bit of canola oil and then add the ground pork. Cook over medium heat till meat browns then add some salt and pepper, a pinch of cloves and about a tsp. each of cinnamon and allspice.  If the mixture looks too dry add 1/4 cup or so of water.
Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently and adding more water , if needed.
Now the hard part...adding the spices.  since I grew up with this dish, I know how it should taste, ergo it's difficult to put down an exact amount.  The only direction I can give is to taste and season until it's the way you like it.  I would approximate 1 T. for cinnamon and allspice and I always add a t. of nutmeg, just because I like it.  BUT...the taste is entirely up to you.  You should be able to taste salt and a combination of spices that is pleasing but not overwhelming.
Pour this filling into your unbaked pie crust.  Cover with top crust and bake til the crust browns.
About 45 minutes at 350 should do it.
I hope you like it.  Let me know if you make it or if you're familiar with this pie or one similar to it.
Tomorrow I think I'll give you the recipe for my Grandmere's Xmas Pudding with Tart Sauce.
Bon Appetit!

The Ruby Slippers

  It was suggested that I should have explained the picture of the "very odd shoes"  that accompanied yesterday's blog.   It's a long story and involves a project for my Niece;s 40th Birthday.  Her husband had an idea ..  ".Let's   ask the friends and relatives that live out of the area to send a video Birthday Greeting.  We'll watch them at the party."  It seems I can never do anything in half measures, so I decided to put on a little play.  The story would be from the Wizard of Oz.
    The cast :  Dorothy- reluctantly played by my husband, costumed in a blue jumper, white pinafore, homemade wig and of course....ta -da...the Ruby Slippers.  An old pair of sneakers sprayed red and sprinkled with glitter.  He also carried the famous basket inhabited by a stuffed animal that may or may not have been a dog.
      Wicked Witch - that of course would have been yours truly.  Green faced, hatted and broomed, I told  "my pretty and her little dog, too,"  about the hazards of turning 40.  If I remember rightly they involved orthopedic shoes, muumuus, wrinkles and granny panties.  Oh, my!  
      Glinda -   my partner in many a crime , Sheryl "the Crankster,"  Crankshaw.   Credit where credit is due...she did not appear on camera but provided the voice of Glinda along with the camera operation.  Smashing good job!
    It was quite an endeavor....cue cards, music from the movie and so many laughs that it's a wonder that we accomplished anything at all.   It was a big hit...SRO...at my niece and nephew's house and of course I made a copy for my own viewing enjoyment.   Kudos to my husband for letting us dress him up.  BTW...he only had one line in the production...  "Toto, too?"  And of course he blew it.  leaving us doubled over and ad-libbing like crazy.  Wait...the whole thing was crazy and that's what put the fun in funny.

A Pair of Shoes

   A pair of shoes can hold infinite possibilities.   Just think about the names  we give them:     Loafers,  sneakers, slippers,  pumps, stilettos, sandals, spectators,  f#ck me,  saddle, white and dirty bucks , oxfords, sh*t kickers,  platforms, clogs and the ubiquitous flip-flops.   No other piece of apparel has such a flair for the dramatic...panache, as it were.
    Think about a tall, self confident business woman.  Add a pair of 4 " heels and suddenly she's got it...power, standing eye to eye with her male counterpart, perhaps even an inch or two taller.  Maybe she can intimidate the one who's used to intimidating.
   A pair of shoes can make music.  Think Tap Shoes, rhythmically carrying the tune and practically singing the words.
   Toe Shoes, so elegantly showcasing the beauty of the dance while sometimes hiding the pain of the dancer.
    And then there are the baby's...not the soft knitted booties, but that first pair of real shoes.  Infancy is gone and now there is an inquisitive, growing individual, gradually growing away from home toward a life with friends.   Growing into those expensive Athletic Shoes.  So many possibilities...so many sports and activities...so comfortable that they carry us for most of our lives.
  Yes.  there are shoes for every occasion, big and little.    Marking time.  Marking our memories.