Thoughtful Thursday: A Heartfelt Thanks

Today, I feel even more pensive than usual. To date, I’ve received four critiques of my novel from fellow writers (that is, not family and friends). Their assessments, while positive in tone and greatly appreciated by me, indicate that I have a long journey ahead – too long for me to see clearly at the moment.

On days like this – when I wonder if it wouldn’t be better for me to be a park ranger than a novelist – I think about the one person who has stood by me throughout this insane process, the one person who’s believed in my writing abilities (even when I don’t). As Strange Fiction expressed more than a week ago, I’d like to dedicate today’s post to the “long-suffering soul” who’s experienced more than his fair share of my “day-to-day craziness.”

That’s right, Danny – I mean, you, my boy. It doesn’t matter that being a published novelist has been my dream since I was a little girl – long before I knew you even existed. You’re the one who’s kept me on the path, kept my hopes alive, and supported me every step of the way – and I’m blessed to have you in my life and on my side. Who else would have brought me a dozen roses yesterday – for no reason at all?

Whimsical Wednesday: Coconut Artwork

Although I’ve dabbled in drawing, beadwork, basket-weaving, and a few other artistic disciplines, I’m definitely more comfortable with photography and the written word. So, I’m fascinated by those who can create art from an ordinary object – even those who craft silly Key West souvenirs from coconuts. On my last trip to the Florida Keys, I was tickled by a particular vendor cart in Mallory Square, where a whole plethora of coconut figurines was on display.

Coconut pirates (of varying hues) hung beneath the roof of the cart, while the bin below teemed with more civilized coconut people, from professors...

...to mother-baby pairings.

Looking at such clever coconut creations, I so wish that I had the ability to craft something from seemingly nothing. Ice sculptures, ornate sandcastles, and sidewalk chalk paintings make me equally envious – despite the fact that their beauty, their very existence, is ever ephemeral.

What ability – artistic or otherwise – do you wish you possessed that you currently don’t?

P.S. Coconut pirates so enthrall me that I even featured one on Come In Character today. Come over and share your thoughts – if you’re so inclined.

Tuesday Travels: Highway Nostalgia Revisited

Hi, everyone! I’m still trying to juggle way too many projects this week – and I might have to keep some posts short to save time – but you knew I couldn’t stay away for long...

I’d like to begin today’s post, though, by saying thanks to my hubby, Dan, for helping me out yesterday – and thanks to all of you for being so gracious to him!

Last month, I told you that Dan and I would be leaving Michigan by the end of September. Well, that hasn’t happened yet. For a number of reasons, we decided to extend our “summer” stay to the middle of October. Anyway, in that same post, I shared my dismay regarding a formerly frequent stop along the highways and byways of America: Cracker Barrel, a nostalgic, country-style restaurant and gift shop that was once a staple of my road trips with Mom but has since become a haven of lukewarm food and slow service. According to the comments that day, it seems that I wasn’t the only one that Cracker Barrel had disappointed. Stephanie Faris, whose had several bad experiences there, even suggested that I visit their website, comment on my poor experiences, and link CB to my site.

In response, I wrote:

I’m totally with you, Steph. I don’t think this is simply a case of romanticizing a place of my youth – I think the food and service at Cracker Barrel HAVE declined in recent years. And you’re right – I should let CB know about my disappointment – instead of simply venting my frustrations on a blog (although, as a side note, a blog is a terrific place to vent one’s frustrations). And I think it’s great that you’re planning to follow through with the CB survey. How else will they know that they could be losing long-time customers? The servers I’ve met recently certainly wouldn't care. Maybe the corporate office would?

Then, I took Steph’s advice. I left a heartfelt comment on the CB website, linking it to my post, to which I received this reply:

Thanks for visiting our website. We’re glad you wrote, giving this Old Country Computer a chance to say “hi” back. Please know that a “real” guest relations representative – a person! – will take a look at your message, sharing your thoughts with the right people, and will e-mail you back if that’s what’s needed.

As expected, I never heard from the “Old Country Computer” again. Then, just the other day, I received a long-awaited packet of mail from my New Orleans postal address – and lo and behold, I discovered a letter from Cracker Barrel (dated August 20, 2009 – the day after I received the automated email reply):

Thank you for bringing to our attention your recent concerns regarding visits to various Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations. Please accept our sincere apologies for any disappointment you have experienced.

Please be assured that steps have been taken to address the experiences you had and to make certain the necessary corrections are made. I have contacted our Operations Department and they will be addressing your issues to ensure that proper procedures are being followed.

Please accept the enclosed complimentary meal card as a token of our appreciation for your patronage. The gold card may be used at the Cracker Barrel location of your choice. We hope that your next visit to Cracker Barrel will be much more pleasant.

Now, while I’m tickled that someone actually paid attention to my complaint, the cynical side of me knows that it’s just a ploy to lure me back to the Cracker Barrel fold. So, here’s the question: Do I swallow my pride and use the “gold card” the next time I spy a Cracker Barrel on the road, or do I follow my instinct and forget the card exists? Dan, naturally, says we should stay away and avoid further disappointment. But I'm curious – what do you say?

Monday Munchies: Guest Chef!

This week has just gotten officially crazy. After speaking with one of my editorial contacts at Avalon today, I’ve promised to prepare a book proposal over the next week (or two, if necessary), so I won’t be able to devote as much time to blogging as I’d like. Given the upcoming frenzy that will be my schedule, my hubby has generously offered a guest post for today. It only makes sense since he’s the chef in the family – and I’ve often featured his food for “Monday Munchies.” So, with that, I turn over the reins to Dan. Enjoy the yumminess!

----------

Hey, everyone! I'm glad I could help Laura out with her blog this week. It’s given me a kick in the rear to get moving on my Wooing with Food blog. Originally, I thought my target audience would be guys who don't know how to cook, but I quickly realized that anyone can woo with food, so this and the other recipes I’ll be posting are geared toward anyone wanting to woo over someone with their culinary chops. This also applies to wooing over that significant other's friends and family, so the recipes are sometimes geared toward more than two servings. So, enjoy the jambalaya recipe and check out my other recipes, which will be posted once a week.

Jammin’ Jambalaya – Cajun/Creole Style

Like so many things, I like to mix the Cajun and Creole styles to make my Jambalaya. Cajun tends to be based on a roux and have chicken and andouille sausage, while Creole tends to have tomatoes and shrimp... I love this mix. It’s just spicy enough to heat up the dinner conversation.

Also, most of the recipes I give make three to four servings, so if you aren't cooking for more than one other person, you should have leftovers.

Ingredients:

8 oz. Smoked Sausage (sliced)
4 oz. Ham (¼” cubes)
16 oz. Shrimp (peeled/deveined)
4 oz. Chicken Breast (¼” cubes)
Medium Onion (chopped)
½ cup Green Pepper (diced)
½ cup Red Pepper (diced)
½ cup Parsley, fresh (chopped)
2 Celery Ribs (chopped)
3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
15-oz. can Petite Diced Tomato (don’t drain)
1 tsp Dried Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
2 TBS Cajun/Creole Seasoning (see this post on how to make this mix)
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups Instant Brown Rice (uncooked)
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
¾ cup Water

Instructions:

In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, brown the Sausage and Ham. Set aside once browned.
Add Olive Oil.
Add Garlic.
Stir so the Garlic does not burn.
Add Chicken and Shrimp.
Sprinkle 1 TBS of Cajun Seasoning over everything.
Cook for 4 minutes, stirring to avoid burning.
Add Onion.
Reduce heat to Medium.
Cook for another 3-4 minutes until Onion becomes translucent.
Add Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Celery, Diced Tomato, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Sausage, Ham, Salt, and Pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
Stir in the Water, 1 TBS of Cajun Seasoning, and Rice.
Cook covered, for 20 minutes.
Remove cover and turn heat up to Medium-High.
Cook for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.
Turn off heat, remove Bay Leaves, and let it set for 5 minutes before serving.

Four Heaping Servings

Serve with some Corn Bread (muffins or standard), and some slices of Green and Red Pepper. Garnish with a sprig of Parsley. You can also have a bottle of Tabasco sauce at the table for anyone wishing to kick it up an extra notch.

If the weather is hot, ice-cold Beer goes best with this dish (nothing too dark) or, if you want Wine, a chilled bottle of white.

Weekend Mishmash: A Furry Meet-Cute

Sometimes, it seems that, despite a film degree from Northwestern, I missed a few cinematic concepts and terms during my college education. “Meet-cute” is one such example, and I have the recent film The Holiday (2006) to thank for my newfound knowledge. As Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach), an adorable screenwriter from the “golden days” of Hollywood, explains to Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet), “Say a man and a woman both need something to sleep in and both go to the same men's pajama department. The man says to the salesman, ‘I just need bottoms,’ and the woman says, ‘I just need a top.’ They look at each other and that's the ‘meet cute.’”

Well, in my world, a “meet-cute” has been a long time in coming. It’s not my meet-cute, of course. It's Ruby's. You see, for months now, Dan has been trying to get Ruby Azazel – our feisty, one-year-old cat, with a need for affection and a mind of her own – to interact with Gypsy – his in-laws’ sweet-tempered, bird-hunting, eleven-year-old wirehaired pointing griffon. The reason is simple: Despite my fervent desire for a kitty in my life – and Dan's willingness to appease said desire last year – he's made it quite clear that he just as fervently wants a dog. Hence, the need for a meet-cute – to see how Ruby might get along with a future canine in the family.

The problem, of course, is that, even as a kitten, Ruby was not fond of canines. On the few occasions that I had to transport her between the apartment and the car and back again, she would crouch down in her kitty carrier and observe the world around her, seemingly searching for enemies everywhere. Whenever she spied a dog – be it an obnoxious terrier or a pleasant labrador – she would hiss loudly until it went away. So, I had my doubts that Ruby would express anything but scorn toward poor Gypsy, sweet as she is.

Earlier in the summer, when Dan began bringing Gypsy over to the house, ostensibly to interact with our indoor kitty, things went roughly how I thought they would. As soon as Gypsy crossed our threshold, Ruby would come running from wherever she’d been napping to watch as Gypsy sniffed her toys, attempted to sample the food in her bowl, and tried to edge nearer to her furry little neighbor. But, despite her own curiosity, Ruby would never let Gypsy get very close to her, and if Gypsy ever stepped over the imaginary line of tolerance, Ruby would let her know with a tail puff, a hiss, and a swat, normally signaling the end of the visit. Over the ensuing months, Gypsy figured out that staying clear of Ruby, at least for part of the time, was advisable.

But, perhaps due to their ever-growing familiarity with each other, recent visits have proven to be a wee bit more promising. Ruby seems less wary of Gypsy’s presence and more, dare I say, eager for it. If she’s sitting up in our bedroom window (one of her favorite spots) and sees Dan and Gypsy headed for the house, she comes pounding across the second floor so quickly, it sounds like a sudden thunderstorm has descended upon the forest. Over the past few weeks, she and Gypsy have touched noses, sniffed each other’s rear ends, and alternately stalked each other around the house. Ruby even hisses less than she once did, reserving that unpleasant behavior for the moments that she feels really cornered.

Recently, I’ve noticed yet another change in Ruby’s behavior. A month ago, she would flop onto the floor and roll around on her back, as if inviting Gypsy to play with her. As soon as poor Gypsy would lumber over toward her, however, she would hop onto all fours and brace herself for the puff-hiss-and-swat routine. Devious as a, well, cat, she had obviously been luring the dog into a classic feline trap. But, during today’s visit, when Ruby flopped onto her back, she actually allowed Gypsy to get close enough to lick her belly – if the dog had been so inclined. Finally, a real meet-cute! For once, I had hope that we would one day be able to welcome home a dog of our own. I refuse to think about the obvious – that it’s a lot easier for my temperamental kitty to interact with an elderly dog than it might be for her to tolerate an energetic puppy. Guess we’ll just have to enjoy these interactions for the next couple of weeks – and cross the puppy bridge when we come to it.

Friday Fantasies: Recommended Review Sites

Things are starting to heat up in the Martone household. Besides the three blogs that I try to maintain on a regular basis, I’ve been working on freelance projects (articles and the like), beta-reading other writers’ manuscripts, and reviewing critiques of my own novel – in preparation for my much-delayed revision. On top of that, I just found out that Avalon Travel wants me to prepare a book proposal for another travel guidebook – and all week, I’ve been helping my husband finalize the line-up for our next film festival.

So, I’m definitely meeting myself coming and going these days – which means that I haven’t had any time to see any new films or finish any good books lately (although I am currently reading Barbara Kingsolver’s fascinating Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life). But that doesn’t mean you don’t have time to catch a movie or read a book. Here, then, are some of the review sites that I’ve recently perused:

Chick Plix: Jennifer Bennett offers pithy, up-to-date movie opinions from a “chick’s” perspective – and as a bonus, the site plays movie scores while you read. Recent reviews have included The Informant, Jennifer’s Body, and The Hurt Locker.

Funky Fruit Book & Movie Reviews: Christy and Kristi, two very different women, just started this review site. Their first review covers Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s book The Angel’s Game. Check it out!

Becky’s Book Reviews: For over three years now, Becky has been providing her readers in-depth reviews of modern and classic books. You’ll also find mini-challenges and author interviews here.

Roses & Thorns: Staff members of The Rose & Thorn Literary Ezine post various book reviews as well as writing/editing insights and author interviews.

Just Me & You: Martha Warner shares periodic book reviews with her readers. Her last review covered Bryan Gruley’s Starvation Lake – a book that I’d actually recommended to her.

Fiction Groupie: Among her plethora of interesting writing-related posts, Roni occasionally offers reviews of romance, paranormal, urban fantasy, mystery/suspense, horror, and young adult novels.

Thoughtful Thursday: Eleven Keys to Serenity

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been a frequent visitor to a site called Come In Character, where authors and characters can interact in a creative, sometimes therapeutic way. Well, yesterday marked my first day as a regular contributor to the site, and perhaps due to my current frame of mind, I decided to focus on “frustration” as a conversation starter.

As it turned out, several authors and their characters had frustrations of their own, which was infinitely reassuring. Not that I wish misery on anyone else, but sometimes, when you’re feeling a bit lost – hurt by the economy, confused about your path in life, doubtful that your fiction will ever see the light of day, and overwhelmed by the responsibilities and promises in your life – it reassures you to know that you’re not alone in your daily struggle... that you’re not like this sad gorilla, isolated by your own dismay.

Airing a few of my frustrations and hearing others’ troubles – even in an entertaining forum like Come In Character – actually urged me to consider the things that routinely make me feel happy, grateful, inspired, and tranquil – especially when life seems most stressful and uncertain. In no particular order, here are my eleven keys to serenity:

Willie’s music: Even as a child, I found Willie Nelson’s unique voice incredibly soothing, and his laidback spirit extremely inspiring. I listened to my mom’s records often – so much so that he quickly became my favorite musician – and still is today. I’ve even seen him in concert on more than one occasion – once, on a trip to Branson, Missouri, with my mom, and, several years later, at the House of Blues in Chicago. When I was considering a career in the U.U. ministry (a long story that I won’t divulge today), I even wrote and delivered a sermon about him – in particular, about how spirituality can be found in the most unlikely of places. For me, a lifelong atheist, I’d always gotten a spiritual jolt from Willie’s songs – somehow, his words and music calmed me in a way that prayers do for others. Even today, when deadlines and commitments threaten to break me, I just have to listen to one of his many albums, and the stress dissipates. While many different types of music – from movie scores to Irish ballads – can calm me, too, there’s nothing quite like Willie – whatever you might think of him, he’s truly one-of-a-kind.

Favorite flicks: Some of my favorite movies can do the trick, too. Whenever the current state of publishing unnerves me – whenever the stiff competition, troublesome guidelines, and improbable odds make me question the sanity of my writing goals – I simply have to watch one of my favorite life-affirming flicks, from Waking Ned Devine (1998) to Wonder Boys (2000), and I’m back on the path again.

Good food: What can I say? I was born and raised in New Orleans – how could food not be a big part of my life? In fact, it’s often too big a part of my life – I depend on it, at times, for more than just sustenance. Certain foods – like raw oysters, dark chocolate, sweet cherries, tomato basil bisque, havarti cheese, kalamata olives, and lemon poppyseed muffins – have a way of bringing me a lasting moment of joy and reminding me that there’s a lot to appreciate in this complicated world. Of course, when it comes to yummy foods, it’s all about portion control – not just for health reasons, but also because the less often I indulge, the more I appreciate it when I do.

Yoga: As I explained in a recent post, I’ve been practicing yoga (off and on) for nearly a decade, and the only thing that derails me at times is my inability to stick to a schedule. It actually has nothing to do with yoga itself – which I absolutely adore. Like many people, though, I often let projects and responsibilities usurp things like exercise – and it’s a constant struggle to realign my priorities. But when I do make time for a few yoga poses, it does wonders for my body as well as my psyche – and relaxes me like nothing else. Maybe what I need is more yoga and less cheese in my life. Hmm... that’s something to think about.

Natural world: Although I grew up in an urban area, I’ve always loved the outdoors. Whether camping in a forest, hiking up a mountain, fishing in a bayou, swimming alongside a beach, even exploring the desert, I feel a sense of wonder and peace in the natural world. That’s why I love living in northern Michigan during the summer months. It’s hard to stay stressed in such a beautiful, somewhat remote place. A long walk in the woods or a nice swim in the lake is usually all it takes for me to relax and refocus. If only I could take this clean air with me back to New Orleans and Los Angeles.

Meditation: Yoga certainly incorporates an element of meditation. Key poses – such as “cat” and “corpse” – as well as the focus on breathing help me to quiet my thoughts, unwind my nerves, and concentrate on, well, nothing. But sometimes, it’s nice to roll up the yoga mat, find an out-of-the-way place, and simply sit still for a while, meditating on the cosmic web, the meaning of life, my place in the world, or nothing at all. In our fast-paced world, it’s hard to take such time for ourselves, but I always feel better after I do.

Sleep: No matter what I do, it seems as though my “to do” list grows longer every day, and my schedule gets more inconsistent all the time. Ironically, though I make less money now as a freelancer than I did when I worked for “The Man,” I find that I work harder and have crazier hours than I ever did when I was living a normal post-college life in Chicago. I’m juggling so much more these days, and sleep is not the priority that it once was. That’s not a good thing, I know – as my mother is fond of telling me, poor sleep habits can cause all sorts of problems down the road, from hypertension and heart disease to stroke and cancer. Besides body health, though, sleep is also excellent for mental health – something I experience for myself whenever I manage to get a good night’s sleep, and I must admit there’s nothing quite like waking up after a solid rest and a medley of memorable dreams, some of which have inspired my stories.

Writing passion: This might seem bizarre, but sometimes, when I’m feeling discouraged by the modern publishing industry and stressed by all the revision work ahead of me, I find strength and peace in the realization that there’s nothing I’d rather be doing than writing. I wrote skits as a child, short stories and scripts as a teenager, longer works (like novellas and screenplays) in college, and a novel in my post-college life – and at every step of the way, I’ve loved escaping into the worlds I’ve created and interacting with my characters. They’ve calmed me – even when the road to publishing seems insurmountable – and given me a reason to keep trying.

Rich experiences: I think it’s easy for all of us to slip into regret and disillusionment at times. Am I on the right career path? Am I with the right person? Should I have waited to have kids? Should I go back to school? Should I have sewn my wild oats when I had the chance? No matter what the pressing issue at the moment, it’s critical that we embrace the positive aspects of our life experiences. When I’m feeling down about something or confused about my direction, I try to focus on the rich experiences that have defined my life: fishing excursions with my dad, road trips with my mom, close relationships with my grandparents, my vision quest experience as an adolescent, good times at Northwestern, all of the unusual travels that I’ve shared with my husband, and all the crazy things we’ve seen over the years (including the Florida Keys’ obsession with manatee mailboxes). And I realize that I wouldn’t trade any of those memories for all the money and fame in the world.

Supportive hubby: No doubt about it – what really keeps me going at times is the love, respect, and support that I get from my husband. Dan is truly my best friend, my favorite traveling companion, and the person who keeps me on track when stress and self-doubt threaten to derail me. He encourages me when the odds of publishing success seem impossible. He urges me to keep trying, no matter what, and in the immortal words of Galaxy Quest to “never give up, never surrender.” Hopefully, I do the same for him.

Loving kitty: During the first week of this blog, I posted an ode to my cat, Ruby Azazel, a furry feline with a sweet face, an affectionate nature, and a mind of her own. What I said then still holds true today. “When the best of intentions fall apart, all I have to do is look at Ruby – sleeping on a pillow, nibbling treats from my palm, staring at a chipmunk outside the window, leaping up and down the stairs, or doing one of a dozen other favorite activities – and I feel a great sense of calm, love, and perspective. Because most things – save for perhaps death or the knowledge of some terminal illness – aren't worth all the worry through which we put ourselves. One look at my crazy, little girl, and I know that’s true.”

So, what helps you overcome stress, frustration, self-doubt, and all the other nasty little entities that plague us at times?