Diana Gabaldon and me

Is there someone in your life who made a huge difference even though you’ve never been introduced? Well, I have and her name is Diana Gabaldon.

Diana Gabaldon
(Variety - Terence Patrick photo)

How did she impact my life on such a grand scale? It started with a gift. My eldest daughter gave me a paperback book for Christmas. On it was a little handwritten tag. ‘The story of the most perfect man in the world.’ Yup. Outlander, the story of a time traveler and the man she fell in love with.

The story reignited my fascination with time travel that H.G. Wells had lit when I was a teenager. When checking her website to see if she had more books, I noticed we were born the same year and both attended the same university at the same time. I wondered if she had endured the same jerk I had for Freshman English. Until he came into my life, I loved writing. What stuck with me, though, was her declaration that if you love to write, WRITE!

My passion to create stories had returned. What would happen if I fell into Outlander? I couldn’t get that idea out of my head. Little themes kept sprinting through my head, twisting through forests of elaborate scenarios, bumping into encounters between her fictional characters and mine.

So, overcoming the literary passion-gutting of my Western Literature professor at NAU thirty years earlier, I started to write again. Working full time and with a daughter in school, all I had were late nights and stolen moments for my new obsession. Of course, I couldn’t use Outlander, so I created a different fictional time travel story. The premise remained the same, though: an older woman is rejuvenated and awakes in a different time, interacting with fictional characters from her favorite romance novel.

I didn’t publish anything for a long time, but I did continue to write. Did I even want to be published? Well, sort of. I wanted my novels to be available to my daughters and granddaughter (no male heirs). Being published had to be the best way to do that. Photocopies and journals were easily lost. Searching library systems for Nana’s name would be easier. That’s how we found my husband’s great-grandmother’s story (Under the Southern Cross or A Woman’s Missionary Work in Africa).

I had four books written before I published my first one. The first two in the series still weren’t ready to be shared and I knew it. I cringe when I look back at my early drafts. But you know what? The passion kept me going. Now if I reread my stories, I smile with pride. I didn’t give up. I didn’t think I’d ever finish that first book, Naked in the WinterWind, but I did. Oh, and the ebook version is free to read everywhere.

No matter who inspires you, take the inspiration and work toward your dream, revel in your passion. Do no harm and be respectful, and who knows, maybe you’ll be an inspiration to others, too!

Thanks, Diana.

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Who's the mama?

I’m the mama because I create people for my books, color their bodies and their personalities, and decide where they work and live. Every mama wants her children to have friends. And readers are my babies’ best friends.

My first baby (Naked in the Winter Wind) came to me in 2008. I wondered what would it be like if I could interact with fictional characters, something like those in Outlander? The idea (okay, obsession) wouldn’t leave, so I started putting pen to paper so to speak, thinking that by typing it out, I would quiet the thoughts. Nope. What it did was give my thoughts fertile ground for germination, runners now able to spread to new genre territories, a forest of tales from Alaska to Australia, involving everyone from cops to kids, heat levels from sweet to saucy. I was hooked on writing. Being a fertile mama to dozens of babies.

The rest, as they say, is history and a rapidly expanding backlist.

I grew rather fond of the characters and some of their props so created a series, The Fairies Saga.

One of my next books out in that series, TIME IN A LITTLE BLUE BOTTLE, involves a few very colorful folks. I didn’t want this story to get stagnant, so I invited Elvis and a vampire, a pickpocket and Mark Twain to come by and liven up the party. It's a blast! Oh, in case location makes a difference to you, it starts out in London and winds up in Australia. Enjoy the ride and the companions!

While you’re waiting for Time in a Little Blue Bottle to be released (June 1), check out a sweet stand-alone romance based in Oregon. BE MY ANGEL is also part of UNFORGETTABLE WEDDINGS, a bundle of eight romances (all heat levels) available now for 99 cents or read for free with your Kindle Unlimited account.

Precious and Free

Just because something is free doesn’t mean it has more value than an item that cost hundreds of dollars (or more).

Is that heavy diamond ring you received from that *#!% ex-husband more precious than the beach glass and copper wire ring your now departed daughter made you for Mothers’ Day, years ago?

Is a mass-signed hardcover copy of the current NY Times best-seller more dear than your great-grandfather’s journal of his trek across the Plains with a handcart in 1863? (I have really have this!)

I believe value is rated by the heart and not the calculator.

One of a person’s greatest blessings is to know this and to realize that the dearest in life isn’t always tangible.

Savor and recall those tender or giddy moments: the view of sunsets and rainbows of grandeur with that special someone, the excitement of helping that little tyke ride her bicycle by herself for the first time, the birth of that puppy that is now gray-nosed but still full of love for you.

These are most precious and dear and can never be purchased, at any price.

And be generous to yourself and others. Keep a journal and record these events that mean so much to you. Plus, you can relive them when you’re feeling blue and give yourself an attitude adjustment!

And who knows? Maybe your great-great-granddaughter will find your journal and enjoy those moments with you, long after you’re gone.

For a wide variety of free e-books, check out Date Promo. One of my books, Aye, I am a Fairy is free until February 14. There are many others listed and lots of giveaways on their site throughout the year. You may want to bookmark them.

He's not what she thinks he is

And if you miss the deadline for a free copy of Aye, I am a Fairy, don't worry. It's free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription, at least until April 14, 2017.

And don't worry about the series numbers when reading The Fairies Saga. This one is  2nd in the series, but The Fairies Saga is written so you can read in any order. Just think of it as released in Star Wars order. 😉

Remember to be generous with your smiles. They're free, too!

Gelatin: The Weight Loss Secret Revealed

The ad in the paper said ‘Lose 30 pounds in 6 weeks!’

That got my attention. I’d been trying to lose the ‘baby fat’ I gained with my last daughter for the past 20 years. It was time to admit defeat and seek professional help.

I paid for the program, a month’s supply of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and protein supplements the company insisted were essential for weight loss, and got the right mind set. 

I tried. Really, I did. I filled out my food journal; took twenty-six pills a day; made sure all my meals were high protein, low carb (protein: the key to weight loss) made in my own kitchen and from their list of 'approved foods;' drank 3 to 4 of their protein supplements every day; exercised moderately and came in twice a week (80 miles round trip) for my weigh-in and evaluation/pep talk. 

Ugh. Their clear protein drinks were okay, but the creamy ones were nasty. Plus that was a lot of pills to choke down.

Those products weren’t cheap, either. Add the cost of pills and supplements to the hundreds of dollars I paid upfront for their consult fee and I’m telling you, an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii would have been cheaper!

To make it worse I was tired and hungry all the time. Yes, I lost eight pounds those first two weeks, but then the weight loss stopped. I was tired, hungry and depressed. The counselors changed my diet twice. I actually gained half a pound! Now I was ANGRY, tired, hungry and depressed. When I told the counselor how dire the depression was, she laughed at me!

Screw it!

I stopped taking their pills, ignored the food diary, concocted my own protein supplements, ate chocolate cake at my granddaughter’s birthday and lost 2 ½ pounds that week.

I checked in at the clinic to rub my weight loss in their faces and was told, ‘Oh, it may take a few days for those extra calories to show up as weight gain.’

Nope. Those pounds are still gone.

I did learn something for all that money, though. I checked out the ingredients: all of the weight loss clinic’s sweet supplements were made with hydrolyzed gelatin and Splenda™. The soups  were gelatin-based, too, but skipped the sweetener.

Lesson learned: gelatin is a great (and very inexpensive) source of protein. Their source has 15 grams per serving. Their cost is approximately $1.85 per serving, three to four servings a day suggested intake.

Gelatin has 12.9 grams per tablespoon of dried powder. A one pound jar of gelatin has about 453 servings. At $17.09 a jar (price I pay online), that's less than 5 cents a serving!! And if you think egg whites are better, realize that gelatin is higher in protein, cheaper, and easier to incorporate into your diet.  

If you want to up your protein for (easy, cheap) weight loss, try this. It may work for you, too.

First basic rule you need to know is: powdered gelatin needs to be dissolved in cold water first. It only takes a couple of minutes for the cream-colored granules to ‘bloom.’ This blob then needs to be stirred into very hot liquid. From there you can add it to any variety of drinks, soups, or desserts.

First thing in the morning protein pick me up

1 Tbsp gelatin (equivalent to 1 packet of Knox brand)

¼ cup cold water

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for a couple of minutes. I use a custard dish so there’s more surface area for the powder to contact

Slip this mixture into your hot coffee or tea and stir.

That’s it! I make a cappuccino with cream and cinnamon. No sugar required for me. The gelatin makes it creamer and helps fill me up before breakfast. Less chance of overeating this way, too.

Chocolate pudding

1 Tbsp gelatin

¼ cup cold water

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for a couple of minutes.

2 tsp cocoa powder

2 tsp sugar

Pinch of salt (makes the sugar sweeter and rounds out the flavor)

(optional: a few drops of vanilla and/or dash of cinnamon)

1/3 cup warm water

Stir the cocoa, sugar, salt, water (and other optional ingredients) together in a Magic Bullet™ cup. Nuke for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Add gelatin blob. Stir until blended. Add 1 tablespoon of cream or half and half. Stir again.

Add 5-7 ice cubes. Put Magic Bullet lid on, shake to pre-mix, and then blend until the ice cubes are gone.

Depending on how much ice was used and the temperature of the mix, you’ll either have instant pudding-in-the-cup or have to wait 5 to 10 minutes for full ‘set.’ I tried stirring everything together (no processor) and it worked just as well. A few bits of ice cube were left but they soon disappeared.

By using cream or half and half instead of milk, you’re reducing the amount of carbs. If you use Splenda instead of sugar, you’re even lower on the carb scale, but you may get rebound and want more sweets. Sugar satisfies; artificial sweeteners make me want more.

You can use this same basic principle of using dissolved gelatin in hot liquid for many ‘snacks.’ Add to canned soup, bouillon, teas, or even your own version of puddings using flavored coffee or soda syrups. 

The calories are negligible and the satisfaction is great…especially when you step on the scales and see you’ve lost 2 ½ pounds by eating pudding!

Note: gelatin is also supposed to help reduce joint pain and make your fingernails and hair thicker. Let me know if gelatin helps you in any way and I’ll share with others. Slurp on!

 Evie had a faster way to lose weight (and years), but I don't know of any fountain of youth water for sale in this century.

If you're looking for a rather lengthy time travel romance, check out Naked in the Winter Wind.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1j3QtxY

iBooks/Apple: http://apple.co/1RyY7EG

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1nab2C7

Nook: http://bit.ly/1KA7UV5

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1l3qKhm