Sunday Quote thinks some sport is played today
Read More“The best writing is simple writing. And try to write something funny. People enjoy reading anything that makes them laugh.” ~ Beverly Cleary, on advice given to her by her mother
So Many Links
I am behind on All the Things. See, last week I finished up the novella I worked on for five days in November. Then I gave myself the severe deadline of finishing the first revision pass before the end of the month. Oh boy. That was mean of me. It’s been a very intense rewrite of a very bloated, crappy rough draft. It still needs a lot more work but that first pass is done and now I can catch up on other things, like my blog.
HI, GUYS. Let’s get all caught up, shall we?
– I was interviewed on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Marketing Podcast. You can watch the full video or download the audio alone. I talk about my experience with Harper Voyager, my writing background, Dragon Quest slimes, and the Holy Taco Church. As one does.
– Also on the subject of podcasts, at Skiffy and Fantasy Michael R. Underwood gave Clockwork Crown a shout-out as among his most anticipated reads of 2015. He’s at the 30 minute mark. The whole podcast is very interesting, the sort that’s dangerous for your book wish list.
– I’m REALLY EXCITED (CAPSLOCK!!!!) that I have an article on Tor.com: That Was Awesome: The Power of Voice in The Diabolical Miss Hyde. This is a new steampunk book out from Voyager in a few weeks. It’s really good, very intense, definitely on that borderline with horror.
– My recipe at the Holy Taco Church this month is a healthy one: Butternut Squash and Chickpea Tacos.
– Awesome Australian Pete Aldin interviewed me: On CLOCKWORK DAGGER, 5 Questions and 1 Statement.
I had a bunch of new poems come out this month as well!
– “When Death Rides Among Puppets” is in Eye to the Telescope
– “Time Traveler’s Diagnosis,” “Loophole,” “The Border Cowboy in Fairyland,” and “The Border Cowboy’s Smile” are in Star*line 38.1. Follow that link and you can read “Loophole,” which is very short.
I think that’s everything? Maybe? Anything else can wait for another post. A long to-do list awaits!
Read MoreBready or Not: Dulce de Leche Apple Blondies
Dessert. Breakfast. Brunch. Hunger. These are all good times to whip up these Dulce de Leche Apple Blondies.
This is kinda like a cross between an apple crisp and a pie. The apples are mixed into batter and then topped with layers of caramel and sweetened crumbs.
I confess, I didn’t measure the amount of dulce de leche I used here. The measurement below is a total guess. Really, get a squeeze bottle or an open jar and drizzle. Don’t worry about covering the whole surface.
The edges here bake up solid and chewy. The middle passed the toothpick test for doneness, but once it was cut into, it was still a little gooey. That was fine. I knew it was baked through. It’s just a pie-like consistency in the middle.
Serve this cold straight out of the fridge. Maybe add a scoop of ice cream. Or warm it up a touch in the microwave. These blondies are versatile. They can take many paths to end up in your happy belly.
Modified from Foodie Crush
Bready or Not: Dulce de Leche Apple Blondies
Ingredients
For the blondies
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 2/3 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 medium apples peeled and diced (1 1/2-2 cups)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup dulce de leche or caramel topping
For the strudel
- 5 Tablespoons cold butter chopped
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8 X 8 inch pan (or 9 X 9 inch) pan with aluminum foil so that it hangs over the sides. Apply non-stick spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cream of tartar and salt in a medium size bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients. Add the apple pieces. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
- Whip out a squeeze bottle or jar of dulce de leche or caramel. Drizzle over the batter.
- Combine the strudel ingredients in another bowl and chop together until the butter is mostly down to pea-size chunks. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Lift the bars out by the overhanging foil and cut into bars. The edges will be crisper and more solid, while the center may be messier and sticky with caramel. It's all good.
OM NOM NOM.
Book Giveaway(s)! And CLOCKWORK CROWN has a cover!
Hey, would you like to win a copy of The Clockwork Dagger? You can, over at Kings River Life! They choose a winner on January 31st. Check it out, and please spread the word.
Oh, but you already have Clockwork Dagger? Would you like to read Crown and get the early buzz going? The book is available through Edelweiss. If you’re registered there, submit your request and wait impatiently.
On the subject of Clockwork Crown, there’s this.
ISN’T IT PRETTY?! I’ll do a post soon where I talk more about the cover, but I am so excited about how it turned out. SQUEE.
