Rivers Run - The Next Chapter

Angel Song

Here it is! The next book in the Rivers Run Cottage Series.

I've just placed it on Amazon today. Paperbacks will be available in 7 days. Kindle ebooks will be available within the next 2 days.

Book signing events will be coming soon(when it warms up outside, like maybe July 2020).

Doug and Jackie's romance continues in this book. Here's a quick view into what you can expect:

Rivers Run is a small quiet town in the Northwoods. Everybody knows everybody. Rumors flow from tongue to tongue, the same as anywhere else.

The rumor mill kicks into high gear when a stranger shows up and comes across a tragic fire. Who is the woman who was pulled from the fire and what was she doing in an abandoned cottage? It seems there are family secrets that were so well kept that even the family, themselves, doesn’t know about them.

Jackie O’Reilly ignores those wagging tongues. She’s got enough on her plate right now with planning her marriage to Doug Sterling. When he first proposed, she was so shocked that all she could do was mutter ‘yes’. She’s managed to push her uneasiness aside and continue with making plans. When she’s confronted with the one thing that could change her mind, will she get past it, or will she call off the wedding altogether? 

The next 2 books are already written and waiting to be published. Book 4 is 2 years old and never published. Book 5 is almost a year old and never published. Here's a sneak peek into those stories.

Book 4 - Where's There's A Will (Katie's story)

Book 5 - Sweet Nothings (Romance and drama, o my)

Book 6 - Everything In 3's, is in the planning state, and will center on Win Boxter. You've met her in the second book, 'The Color of Light'. She has a way of flitting in and out of a story without settling or giving you a clear picture of who she is.

It's time to pull her from the background and place her front and center. Oh my, her life will become very interesting.

Hope you enjoy 'Angel Song'. 

From the Kitchen

Roasting Vegetables

They say that when you cook/boil vegetables in water, and throw out the water, you are throwing out the nutrients. If you steam your vegetables, you are retaining the nutrients. But, you need a steamer for that.

I've gotten into the latest trend, which is roasting vegetables.

It started with fresh brussels. I am trying to broaden my horizons, as in eating vegetables that I didn't like.

I know, last week mushrooms, this week brussels. What is this world coming to?

So, I tried preparing them a number of different ways, but couldn't find the right method. Yuk, blah, boring, who eats these things, anyway?

That's when I got my aha! moment.

I have those sometimes.

I pulled out the olive oil, garlic powder, salt. I use full strength salt for this, rather than the reduced-sodium kind.

I poured and sprinkled, then threw in the brussels and gave them a toss.

And then I roasted them.

Were they ever good.

And then it hit me.

The next aha! moment. Kinda scary.

Why not add some others, like carrots and fingerling potatoes? (Yes, those dark little blobs are potatoes. Interesting blue/purple potatoes.)

After all, some of the seasoned oil mixture still coated the bowl. Surely, they would be just as tasty. And so, I commenced to dabbling with other possibilities. And I popped them in the oven, and roasted and toasted.

Mighty tasty. Don't mind those dark spots and cheeks, that just adds to the flavor. They perked up that leftover beef roast that lurked in my refrigerator.

 Roasting is my new technique for veggies. I've also roasted cauliflower. That's another recipe for another time. Oh, and by the way, no butter required.

The final verdict?

Was it ever good. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be sharing with you.

Happy Saturday

Roasted Vegetables

Olive Oil

Garlic powder, to taste

Salt, to taste

Brussel Sprouts, mini carrots, fingerling potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Trim stem end of brussel sprouts. Combine Olive oil, garlic powder and salt in bowl. Add sprouts, toss until coated. Place on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pierce potatoes with fork, toss carrots and potatoes in bowl, coating with seasoned oil that remains. Remove brussel sprouts from oven after 10 minutes, add carrots and potatoes, return to oven and roast additional 15 minutes.

The amount of oil, garlic powder and salt will depend on the amount of veggies that are being prepared. For a single serving, use about 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/2-1 Tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 Tsp. salt.