Where are they all going?

I admit, sometimes I have insomnia. So, what can I say? When it happens I read, or watch television (there's some horribly silly stuff on in the middle of the night!) or I write. So, I fill the hours, although I'd rather be sleeping.

This morning, it was maybe 4 am or so, I heard traffic in the distance. Mind you, I live on a long, quiet stretch of road, and it's usually deserted at 4 am. But this morning I heard car engines, and they came steadily closer. I peeked out the window and eventually they passed right by my house...five cars. Not speeding, or driving erratically. Just driving, one after the other.

Now where do you think they were all going?

It's been bugging me for hours. If you know, please share with me. Because really, now that I'm sleep deprived, who knows how much longer it's going to bug me? My guess is, all damn day.

Timing Cover!

Isn't this gorgeous?! I love this cover, just love it to pieces. It matches the story so well, and I love the little sparkle in the gal's eyes. And the man...isn't he hot and hunky?! April Martinez, the Art Director at Liquid Silver Books, designed this cover. More of April's work can be seen here.

I'm just going to sit here and smile, because I'm so happy with the way Timing is turning out. Oh? A release date? Nope, I don't have one yet, but as soon as I do I'll post it here. Until then, you'll have to do what I'm doing...enjoy the cover and imagine the possibilities...

Praline Tart

I didn't forget about this week's baking lesson! Yesterday I went to the bakery and had my lesson...I won't even try and tell you how many of these tarts we made. Let's just say it was more than two, LOL.

I had fun learning how to make this. These tarts are yummy and easy to make so I think you'll enjoy the recipe. At least, I hope you do!

Praline Tart

1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream, liquid
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups chopped pecans
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
10-inch pre-baked tart shell
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 cup bourbon
14 toasted pecan halves

Place liquid cream, sugar and butter in large pot and stir until sugar dissolves. Then, boil mixture rapidly, stirring until it reaches soft-ball stage (236 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Add the chopped pecans and vanilla extract. Whisk until mixture is creamy. Pour mixture onto a baking sheet to cool.

When mixture is cool, tear off pieces and chop them in a food processor. Press the praline mixture into the tart crust, making an even layer.

Before serving, add bourbon to the whipped cream and spread on top of the praline layer.

Decorate top with pecan halves which have been toasted 5 to 10 minutes in a hot skillet or oven.

Irish Eyes in print!

Talk about excited! I got the test print copy of Irish Eyes in the mail and I'm just so excited--I can hardly find words to express myself, that's how thrilled I am! Holding my book in my own hands is such a wonderful experience, one that makes me want to scream for joy and also cry...for joy.

Irish Eyes is beautiful. The cover is gorgeous, and it's hard to believe my little story is what fills up the pages. Who could have known that a glimmer of an idea could grow into something that brings such pleasure--to me, at least! To everyone else, I hope, beginning July 1st.

I'm going off to catch my breath. Maybe. After I squeal a few more times!!

Summer Scorchers

Good news! The Summer Solstice Scorchers Anthology from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid is getting rave reviews! To all those who have written to say they've enjoyed this volume, I thank you. And for those who have yet to read it, but who might still want some steamy summer reading material, you can pick up your copy here.

Enjoy!!

First review for upcoming release, The Mead Steed!

Tanya at Joyfully Reviewed had this to say about my upcoming Whiskey Creek Press Torrid release, The Mead Steed...

"The Mead Steed is a fun fast paced story with quite a few well written steamy scenes...Rusty Wicks obviously enjoys writing humorous scenes and does a good job in this story. This story is for you if you can’t resist a hot man, irresistible girl and a Moose or two thrown in."

Edits!

Just a quick note, something exciting I want to share. I've been working on edits for a book called Jackie's Beanstalk. It is scheduled for release this summer with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid and I've got to say, I'm just tickled about this story. It is one of the Torrid Twisted Tales and I know I would've enjoyed fairy tales much more when I was younger if they were as interesting as the Torrid Tales!! They are pure fun...sexy, hot fun.

Friday's Lesson

Since I skipped out early last week on the baking lesson (in favor of swimming, remember?) I decided to hang tough on Friday, despite the zillion-degree heat in the bakery kitchen. We made some tried and true oldies, nothing new, but I'm sharing a few of the recipes with you here. Hope you enjoy them! But a word to the wise...every cookie tastes better if the cook hasn't had to brave a blazing furnace kitchen to bake them. :)

Anise Cookies

1/2 pound butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons anise flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream
4 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.

Add baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, anise flavoring and salt. Mix well.

Alternate adding sour cream with flour, mixing well after each addition.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and place in pre-heated 375-degree oven. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

Icing with a mixture of anise flavor, powdered sugar and milk. Add small amounts to bowl, mixing well, until desired consistency is reached. Ice cooled cookies.

Amaretti

3 cups blanched slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract

In a food processor, grind the almonds into a fine meal. Add the sugar and pulse six or seven times. Add egg whites and almond extract. Process until a smooth dough forms around the blade.

Place well-rounded spoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated 300-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Cookies should be golden brown. Allow cookies to cool completely on the paper before removing. Store in a dry place.

Irish Eyes Excerpt

As promised, here's a tiny taste of my upcoming release, Irish Eyes. I hope you enjoy it!

“So, Miss Maddy, what do you think of our Crag?” Shamus had a voice that would charm a rabid woodchuck. It was the kind of soft, sultry voice that made Maddy quiver despite the warm night.

“I like it…the stars are gorgeous. So close.” She wrapped her hands around herself and slid her hands along her upper arms. It wasn’t cold, but she felt a whole herd of goose bumps rise on her body.

He moved nearer to her in the big truck. The wide bench seat was large enough to hold two more adults, but when he moved to sit beside her it became a cozy spot.

“They’re not the only things that are gorgeous tonight, colleen,” he said, his voice stirring the hair that lay against her forehead. His warm breath smelled minty—refreshing—and she wondered what it would be like to taste Shamus’s mouth on hers.

Maddy didn’t have to wonder for long.

Circling her with his strong arms, Shamus pulled her body close against his as his mouth dropped to cover hers. In the first instant she learned that he was skilled at more than driving. His tongue danced with hers, sometimes leading, sometimes following, but always in step.

Maddy ached for his touch—for anyone’s touch. It had been far too long since she’d been held. Since she’d been made love to.

Moistness grew between her legs and she fought the urge to squirm against the seat of the truck.

“I’ve wanted to do this ever since I first saw you the other day. You looked as sweet as a lamb’s ear in the back seat of my cab—as pretty as a picture.” His tongue slid into her ear before he whispered, “I’ve been hard since I saw you, colleen. Does that shock you?”

Irish Eyes - Or "Ain't He Pretty?"

Now, I ask you...isn't this a pretty cover? I love it, with that firm body in the forefront and Sir Ian on horseback behind it. And in the distance, a castle...

Makes you wonder what Irish Eyes is all about, doesn't it?

It releases on July 1st from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. I'll see if I can't post a blurb before then. Until I do, just enjoy the cover. I know I am!!

Weekly lesson

I didn't forget. Really. All right. I forgot. Not to go to my baking lesson, because that would cause chaos in my world, but I forgot to share my recipes with you. This week there's only one, as I admit I blew the hot kitchen early in favor of going to the beach and swimming. Yes, the Atlantic is heinously cold this time of year but I went swimming anyway. Maine is not for sissies, I assure you.

So here it is. The one recipe I snatched this week from the bakery before hitting the waves. It is a simple one, and pretty common, I think. But man oh man, are these good!

Enjoy!

Walnut Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar
walnut halves

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs. In a small bowl, dissolve soda in milk, then add to mixture. Add flour, salt and chopped walnuts. Place by heaping spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet. Sift sugar over top and press walnut half into each cookie. Place in pre-heated 375-degree oven and bake for 8 minutes.

Summer Solstice Scorchers Releases!

Summer Solstice Scorchers released yesterday! It is available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid and it can be purchased here.

My story is called Vows.

At the Harbor Street Inn years pass, people come and go but Mariah and James remain. Ghosts tied to the historic halls, they are also bound to their own vows. Hers? To make a mortal man love her. And his? To entice Mariah to fall in love with him. Again.




Chrissy Dionne at Romance Junkies gave Summer Solstice 4.5 Blue Ribbons! She said:

"SUMMER SOLSTICE is a fun-filled anthology which readers of various types ofparanormal stories will thoroughly enjoy. Each story provides anentertaining plot, fascinating characters, unexpected events, and truly hotsex. Vampires, fortune tellers, ghosts, witches, demons, wizards and elvesall come to life within the pages of this book...It's the perfect way tokick back and enjoy the summer heat."

Balls, revisited

All right, I'm kind of hard headed sometimes. Really. Very hard headed.

So when I had my first golf lesson, and I hated the whole experience, I got pissed. Really, truly pissed. It galled me, first of all, that every muscle in my body hurt the next day, just from whacking a little ball around a park. Yeah, the golf course looks like a park to me. I know it's unpopular to say that among golfing enthusiasts, but it's the truth. A park. Then, it pissed me off that I looked like such a nincompoop chasing said ball around grassy park. I know I looked like a fool. I could feel it.

So I hired a golf teacher. Is that what she's called? The feisty sixty-something woman who is going to teach me how to whack my balls with finesse?

Whatever you call her, Jane is my new best friend. :)

Weekly lesson--Strawberries!

Yesterday was my afternoon at the bakery. We had strawberries, lots and lots of strawberries...

Nonna's Strawberry Tart

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in half, plus additional whole strawberries for garnish
fresh whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a spring-form pan

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir by hand. Do not overmix.

Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press strawberry halves deeply into the dough in a circular pattern.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm with whipped cream and strawberries.

Nonna's Strawberry Drops

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup strawberry preserves

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg yolk & vanilla.

Combine flour and salt then add to butter mixture and mix. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Lightly beat egg white with a fork and set aside.

Roll chilled dough into ½" balls and then dip them in the egg white. Roll the dipped balls in the pecans and place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 375° for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and make an indentation in the top of each cookie with the back of a spoon.

Bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool, then fill with preserves.

Enjoy!!

Valentine's Day in spring

I don't know if non-writing people realize that writing people think ahead. Really, we do. For example, we haven't even reached the "official" start of summer yet but I'm thinking of Valentine's Day stories. Because really, if I want to offer stories to my readers for the romantic be-all-and-end-all holiday, I have to write them now.

So here I sit, watching daffodils dance outside my window, wondering when I'll first be able to go swimming without feeling my lips turn blue from the cold Atlantic Ocean, and I'm plotting Valentine's stories.

Weird, don't you think?

Balls

Got your attention, didn't I?

Sorry to disappoint but I've got golf balls in mind while I'm writing this. Yes, golf balls. My darling man has decided that we would have a grand old time if we took up golf--together. What could I say? When I wanted him to take ballroom dancing with me, he did it. And when I thought we should try para-sailing, he did it. So golf? I've got to give it a go.

Today was our first official golf date. Who knew that chasing a little white ball around on the grass with a stick could use so many muscles? Who knew? And why on earth didn't they tell me before I agreed to do this crazy thing??!!??

All I can say is I liked driving the little cart. That's it. Just the cart.

We have another golf date on Tuesday. Let's all pray for rain. Golf gets cancelled in the rain, doesn't it? It does...doesn't it? Please, my aching butt, begs you...please say no one golfs in the rain.

This week's lesson

Let's just say I was baked under the table by a little old lady, okay? In the hot kitchen I wilted while my baking mentor merely glowed. I'm sure I ate more of these cookies than we had left for the bakery racks, but here are the recipes. They're all good...

Sprinkle Cookies

Dough:

6 eggs5 cups all-purpose flour2 cups confectioners' sugar2 tablespoons baking powder1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup melted butter11/2 tablespoon almond extract1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Glaze:
1/2 cup warm milk1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 (1-lb) box confectioners' sugarColored sprinkles (jimmies)
Beat eggs until light and foamy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Add shortening and extracts. Gradually add beaten eggs and mix until stiff dough forms. Roll dough into 1" balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and place in preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.
Combine all glaze ingredients in small bowl. Dip warm cookies into glaze, top with sprinkles. Allow to set on wire racks overnight.

Hazelnut Puffs

1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
1 tablespoon milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or filberts

Cream butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk or cream and vanilla. Mix well, then gradually add flour and hazelnuts. Again, mix well. Chill until dough gets firm, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, then place in preheated 375° oven for 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes, then roll in remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar.

Thumb Cookies

8 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 tsp vanilla
fruit preserves

Mix cream cheese, butter and sugar until well blended. Add flour and soda; mix well. Add vanilla and pecans and mix well. Chill dough for 45 minutes, then shape into 1" balls.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Indent centers; fill with about 1 teaspoon preserves. Bake at 350° 14 to 16 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Eight Random Facts

Recently I was "Tagged" by Roxy Harte and Lisa Andel to play a game where you list eight random facts about yourself. Yikes! I've been thinking of it, wondering what facts anyone would find interesting. In the end, I decided they didn't say anything about interesting, did they?

So here they are, in no particular order, my eight random facts:

1. I can't stand the smell of radishes. Yes, they do have a smell. And it's disgusting.

2. In high school I went on a trip to Malta. I loved it so much, I went back for a whole summer after I graduated college.

3. When someone speaks in Japanese, I can understand what they're saying. Sometimes. I took three years of lessons with a tutor, loved every minute of it and wish I could find someone to "practice" with on a regular basis.

4. I juggle. Badly. But still, I have fun.

5. Can't stand checkered clothing. When I see someone wearing those tiny little squares I want to screech, run over and tear the offending garment from their backs. Or fronts. Or wherever they happen to be. But shh! Don't tell anyone that...people might think I'm weird. :)

6. Love to bake. But if you read this blog regularly, you know that already. Yep, I take baking lessons.

7. Love snorkeling. Really, really a lot. So many interesting things beneath the water's surface.

8. Before I die I have to jump out of a plane, at least once. Oh, with a parachute. I've always wanted to feel the sensation of dropping from an enormous height. The whole idea makes me smile, so I'm going to try it someday.

Thanks Lisa and Roxy!! I've had too much fun doing this.

Now, I get to tag eight people to play...

Little Known Fact (Or, what I hide from the world)

One thing that I don't generally tell people is that I take baking lessons. I don't hide this for any particular reason...it just seems sort of dull. Baking lessons? Who on earth does that, right? But I have a fab little bakery near where I live. Its owners are an older couple, Italian, and they know all kinds of mouth-watering recipes. I'm fortunate in that I've made friends over the years with them and a few years ago I expressed an interest in learning to bake--something that didn't begin in a box. So I began going there one afternoon a week, usually Thursday or Friday, and baking.

Want to know some of what I've learned? Today we made cream puffs, among other things. Here's the recipe. It's really not hard at all.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 pint heavy cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Bring water to a boil. Add butter and return to a boil. Combine flour and salt and add to boiling water. Stir briskly until mixture forms a ball.

Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, stirring briskly after each until mixture is smooth.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet, keeping "blobs" 4 inches apart.

Bake 15 minutes before reducing heat to 325 degrees F. Bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.

Whip cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in vanilla and sugar.

Fill puffs with whipped cream.

Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired, or garnish with chopped nuts. Pistachios look festive and taste great, too!

Hot here

We wait for summer in Maine. I mean, we really, really wait for it. Don't get me wrong, I love winter but I adore summer. When I saw the weather for today a few minutes ago, I jumped. Up and down. Really, like a little kid. Honestly, I nearly kissed the tv screen. But the weather guy, he was kind of...well, let's just say he wasn't my type.

So what does a romance writer do on a hot, sunny day in May? HA! I'll bet you're thinking I've got something slinky to put on, someone hot and hunky to do something wonderfully exciting with, don't you? I do, but probably not in the way you're thinking. Today I'm going to pull on an old bathing suit, grab some frayed shorts and a holey tshirt and take my slobbery little dogfriends and go walk on the beach. During the winter all kinds of crap gets tossed up on the beach and early spring is a good time to go pick some of it up and throw it away. Because really, we only have so much beachfront in the world. Why not do my part to keep the planet clean? Are you doing your part? Hmm?

All right, so that's what I'm doing today. What about you? What are you doing on this hot, sultry day?

Whatever it is you've got planned, I hope you have fun. And if you see rubbish on the ground, pick it up and put it in the trash. Please?