Tasty Summer Blog Hop…
I’ve been invited to be part of the Tasty Summer Blog Hop by historical romance writer Lucinda Brant. You may remember that Lucinda sat in my Big Red Chair some time ago.
Since then, her books have gone from strength to strength, culminating in her being nominated as a 2013 finalist for TWO books in the highly respected Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, with the results to be announced in September. You can read about her books, awards, reviews etc at http://lucindabrant.com and about her latest release Salt Redux
*And as part of the hop, I get to spotlight my new release…
Gisborne: Book of Knights. Book Two of The Gisborne Saga – a novel set on the cusp of the Third Crusade.
Once Lady Ysabel Ce Courcey had thought that if she had been a trobairitz, she might have written a song about herself – her courage in the face of adversity that would have had the men and women in any noble hall sighing as they listened.
Now, on the eve of the Third Crusade, the denouement of the ballad is beginning…
Ysabel races across the waters of the Middle Sea to seek out Sir Guy of Gisborne because she has vital information that could save a king.
But above all, she longs to tell the wronged knight she values him and will stand back to back with him in a vengeful battle that could threaten all their lives.
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*And now to the Random Tasty Questions:
1) When writing are you a snacker?
Yes and No. It depends on the size of the waistline at the time and how stressed I feel with what Ysabel and Gisborne are going through.
If so sweet or salty?
Definitely sweet. Sweet gives you a flush of ‘endoooooorphins’ through the body!
2) Are you an outliner or someone who writes by the seat of their pants?
Most assuredly a pantser. It adds spice and pace to the writing.
And are they real pants or jammies?
Both. I write a significant amount in bed at night and so then I’m in the ‘jamas. (I like really lovely pyjamas, crisp cottons, blues and whites, always ironed and smelling heavenly.) But I transcribe from pad to computer during the day and am always dressed – mostly in jeans.
3) When cooking, do you follow a recipe or do you wing it?
Again, a bit of both. With my cookies I stick meticulously to the recipe. But there are times when I am cooking at House, our little seaside cottage, when the pantry might not have what I need, so I wing it. If we’re hungry, we’ll eat it!
4) What is next for you after this book?
Book Three, the final book of The Gisborne Saga, entitled Book of Kings.
5) Last question … on a level of one being ‘slightly naughty’ and ten being ‘whoo hoo steamy’, how would you rate your book?
Disappointingly for my editor, only one, so ‘slightly naughty’. But if it’s okay, may I call it subtly sexy?
*And now for the really tasty part, I get to post one of my favourite recipes! It’s been posted before but because my husband and I dote on these, I shall post it again and hope that you enjoy them.
Hazelnut Choc Chip Cookies
125g unsalted butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
150g dark and white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cream together butter, both sugars and vanilla. Add lightly beaten egg. Mix in flour. Add chocolate chips. I add as many chocbits as I want, throwing them around with abandon. And I add 60g of not quite smoothly ground hazelnuts.
Teaspoonfuls of mixture into small balls on a cookie tray and press ever so slightly with fork. Bake in oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until just golden and remove from oven. Do NOT touch until cooled.
I then melt half a block of the darkest, most pure chocolate I can find and dollop on the top of each and then shake icing sugar over all.
If you want to eat and read at the same time, go to:
And finally the links to a few others taking part in the hop and whose blogs and tasty treats you might enjoy!
Interesting post – and the cookies look great!
Thank you, Kathleen. They are my all-time favourite thing, not confined to summer but all year round and as good with a cup of tea as coffee.