"Classic Ginger" My Cooking Journey #prepackaged dinners

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I'm really good at minimizing the time I spend in the kitchen.  I prefer to consider my husband the chef, because, quite frankly, I suck at cooking.  Can you believe it's already almost October 1st? I certainly don't want be lax in my wifely duties...already lacking in most, so I'm turning my thoughts to plans for the holiday.

Thanksgiving always presents a problem, ever since I prepared my first…and last turkey and failed to remove the bag of giblets and neck so neatly hidden inside.  Shouldn’t the packaging holding the bird come with a big notice or roadmap of where to find these things?  And what a horrid death.  It's bad enough to have someone chop of your head, but then to cram your neck up your butt?????

 I’ve managed to get through a few holiday meals, but I’ve relied on Butterball’s self-basting turkeys or those great hams that come already cooked and spiral-sliced with an easy-prepare packet of glaze I can understand.   Of course, my hams never look like the picture because I don't decorate my food.  

To say my family grew up on take-out is not a lie, and it pains me that I’ve never owned an apron.  Well, pained might be an overstatement.  Maybe embarrassed is a better word. J

It’s really sad when you submit a recipe for “how to boil water,” but I’ve done that recently and it’s really a foolproof method.  I never want anyone to say, "she can't even boil water."   I can, and I have a foolproof way of creating bubbles.

 With Thanksgiving only a short time away, you’d think I’d be in a tizzy, but I’ve discovered the secret every woman needs to now—complete precooked, heat and serve meals of your choice direct from Kroger.  If you don’t have a Kroger near you, rest assured other chains 

offer this same service.  For a mere $39.99, on the Wednesday before the holiday, I’ll be picking up a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish, green bean supreme, rolls and a pumpkin pie.  The directions are simply, heat and serve, time required approximately 2 ½ to 3 hours.  Oh, and I’ve of course by purchasing Cool Whip for the pie, I'll be prepared.

Thankfully, I write much better than I cook.  Sarah’s Heart & Passion is much more interesting than mine.  Here’s the blurb and cover so you can meet Sarah Collins and share a little of her story:

When Sarah Collins set her sights on California for a new beginning, she never figured a war party would attack her wagon train. After her friend Molly succumbs to her injuries, Sarah is the sole survivor, left alone to find her way back to civilization. Stampeding buffalo, the black prairie nights and eerie noises,just when she believes she's faced the worst, a rattlesnake bite threatens to accomplish what the Indians failed. Is it her time to die, or does Sarah have a purpose yet to accomplish?

Here's an eating scene from the book.  I could never cook anything in the wild, but luckily, Sarah's captor can.

EXCERPT:

Fire burned brightly within the circled stones, sparking higher with each drip of juice from the skewered fish suspended on two forked sticks. The enticing aroma made Sarah’s stomach grumble even more.

 Wolf crouched at the water’s edge, washing the blood from his knife, while Sarah mused over the powerful muscles encased in the sleeves of his fringed shirt. She hadn’t dared pay this much attention to him when he was practically naked. His long braids struck a familiar note… and the headband. Was it possible he was the same person she left unaided beneath the tree where she’d sought refuge? Her pondering ended when he stood and strode back to the fire.

“These should be about done.” He indicated the nearly blackened fish. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything to put them on, or utensils. You’ll have to resort to using your fingers if you really want to eat.”

“No matter, as hungry as I am, I could gnaw bark off a tree.”

 “I think the fish will be a little easier to manage.” He laughed, sheathing his knife in a beaded pouch tied just below his hip.

 The firelight dancing in his hazel eye made Sarah’s stomach flutter again, only this time she suspected it had nothing to do with hunger. This was her first time being alone with a man, and he was definitely a fine looking one. A million questions twirled through her mind, but right now, she wanted to eat. He might not feed her if he realized she’d left him for dead.

Wolf handed her the fish, wood skewer and all, and she gingerly nipped at it, daring not burn her lips. Recalling what her mother did when her oatmeal was too hot, Sarah blew to cool the crispy skin then gnawed into the meat. Juice dripped from her chin, and she wiped the wetness on the back of her hand and took another bite, taking care to watch for tiny bones. She paused between swallows. “This is delicious. My stomach thought my throat was cut.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she sobered, recalling how close she came to actually dying in that manner. She flashed a half grin at Wolf. “That saying was something my father always used when hungry.” A noisy sigh whooshed past her lips. “I don’t find it quite so funny anymore.”

Wolf nodded. “I understand why the humor has faded, but you’re safe here.” He took another bite of fish. His black hair glistened in the firelight, and his high cheekbones became more prominent as he chewed. Caught in a shroud of doubt, Sarah worried. As nice as he seemed, Wolf was still part Indian. Could she really trust him?

 He finished his fish before she’d gotten through half of hers, put another piece of wood on the fire, and then using a large boulder as a backrest, he leaned against it, crossed his ankles and patted his stomach. “That was mighty tasty. Tell me Sarah…may I call you Sarah?”

She nodded and kept munching on her fish feast.

You can see all my available books and stores at http://www.amazon.com/author/gingersimpson

P.S.  Good news...the follow-up to Sarah's story is available now...Sarah's Hope.

Casting Your Characters - Heroine choice for Sarah's Heart and Passion

I'm borrowing part of a blog done by Michelle Lee, the person who designed my beautiful covers for Books We Love.  She asked us to identify who we thought would be perfect to play the part of our hero and heroines.  Today is the ladies day and I'll introduce you to my choice to play my heroine:

Heading towards us now is Sarah Collins.

Nicole Kidman

Character Name: Sarah Collins

Book(s) Featuring the Character: Sarah's Heart and Sarah's Passion

Author: Ginger Simpson

About Sarah: Sarah is brave, passionate, but she detests people who judge others.  She's a beauty, but doesn't flaunt it, and she loves Wolf like she's loved no other even though he's a half-breed.

Ginger's Casting Pick: "I pick Nicole Kidman because she looks the part and I've seen her in many roles and she so adaptive.  I think she'd make a wonderful Sarah."

Book Blurb:  Sarah Collins set her sights for California and a new beginning, but never imagines a war party's attack on the wagon train she joins. A sole survivor, Sarah must find her way back to civilization, and a man of half-blood happens along at just the right time and becomes her hero...or is the whole scenario only a dream driven by all the romance novels she reads as an editor?

Sarah wakes, her cheeks damp with tears. Like a dust devil in a dying windstorm, all traces of her handsome rescuer vanish with a farewell kiss and the annoying blast of an alarm clock...until he appears at her door as a new neighbor. Will Sarah find a way to win the love she tried so hard to capture in her dream without being declared insane, or will the sexy woman living an apartment away beat Sarah at her own game? 

A Shining Moment for Sarah:  

Stopping at the table where Sarah stood, the woman fingered an array of ribbons.

Sarah smiled at her. “Good morning. I couldn’t help but overhear your mention of an

upcoming social….”

The matron peered down her angular nose. “Yes, it’s a yearly affair, but…” Her cold,

gaze raked over Sarah’s attire. “Surely you aren’t inquiring for yourself. It’s usually only

attended by those able to dress for the occasion.”

Sarah gasped at the woman’s rudeness, but wasn’t about to let it pass. Cocking her head,

hands on her hips, Sarah drew up to her full height. “Oh, then there’s no worry. My mother

taught me to dress myself when I was quite young. She also taught me not to be rude to my

elders, so I’ll overlook the fact that you’re a snobbish old biddy.” Surprised by her own outburst,

Sarah stared at the woman with wide eyes, waiting for a response. None came.

With mouth agape, the older woman huffed out of the store. Sarah went back to perusing

the dresses and heard Clarence chuckling behind the counter. She giggled, too, pleased that she’d

stood up for herself. People who judged others by their appearance deserved the same disrespect.

If you are looking for ready made covers or breathtaking banners, make sure to check our Michelle Lee's designs:

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR MY MALE CHARACTER CHOICE!!!

Character Interview with Sarah Collins (Elder) from Sarah's Heart & Passion and coming soon....Sarah's Soul.

Since I gave you a peek at my WIP during Sunday's Snippets this past week, now I'm going to let Sarah give you the backstory to the predecessor of Sarah's Soul.

Interview with Sarah Collins – Sarah’s Heart and Sarah’s Passion Now Combined.

HOST: "Today our guest is Sarah Collins, the heroine in Ginger Simpson's novel, Sarah's Heart and  Passion, which is a combination of two previously pubbed books...Sarah's Heart and Sarah's Passion.. Sarah, it's very nice to have you with us."

Sarah: "Thank you. I'm actually glad to be anywhere after the harrowing journey I had."

HOST: "Oh, do tell us about it. Our reader's love historical romance novels."

Sarah: "Ginger's latest book isn't a romance per se. It falls more along the lines of an'Americana or Contemporary Time-Travel.' There's a romantic faction involved and it's peppered with historical facts, but it's really more about me and my struggles--trying to overcome the hatred and prejudice that existed in the old west."

HOST: "Unfortunately, we still have those problems even today."

Sarah: "That's very true. The roots of unkindness run very deep, and often for no real reason. I got a very good dose of unfounded hatred in Sarah’s Heart."

HOST: "How so?"

Sarah: "Let me start from the beginning. *cups her chin and sighs*. My parents both died from Typhoid fever and I had no relatives left in Hannibal. Let's just say the banker wasn't at all helpful, and tried to barter to make me his wife in order to save Papa's land. I decided living with him wasn't worth that much, so I sold everything in the barn and a large part of what was in the house. I kept only what I thought I'd need to make a new start. I used the money from the sales to buy a wagon and team then joined a train set for California."

HOST: "Wow, brave for a single woman. Traveling such a long way, much less handling a team, couldn't be an easy feat."

Sarah: "I guess I should have mentioned I found a very nice man to be my driver, but only because I didn't know anything about handling a team. Actually, I gave very little thought to danger; I was more excited about seeing a new place and letting go of bad memories."

HOST: "Tell us more, please."

Sarah: "The wagon master and the other folks traveling with him seemed very nice. I felt safe traveling with the group, and I quickly became fond of Molly. We spent lots of time together, walking alongside the train and talking about our futures. We had such great plans and I never suspected *pauses and wipes a tear*...."

HOST: "Suspected what?"  *leans forward*

Sarah: "T-that Indians would attack the train and kill everyone. I don't know how I survived." *lowers gaze to the floor*.

HOST: "I see this is very painful for you. Don't feel you have to continue."

Sarah: "Oh, I'm  all right. I'm very lucky to be here. I tried to save Molly, but I didn't have enough medical knowledge or even tools. Losing her  friendship was bad enough, but then I realized I was truly  alone in the middle of nowhere and with no idea what to do."

HOST: "Oh, my gosh, what did you do?"

Sarah:" Luckily, I kept my wits about me. I realized going back the way we came made more sense than heading in an unknown direction. The big problem: The Indians took all our livestock and food."

HOST: "How in the world did you survive without anything to eat?"

Sarah:  "Ma taught me a lot about roots, berries and such. I had no doubt I could find plenty to eat, and eventually, water. I filled what canteens I found, took just enough extra clothing to keep me warm at night, then set off. I had to leave in case the Indians came back again. Dealing with the coyotes and buzzards was already more than I could handle."

HOST: "Sooooo, did you travel all the way back to where the train started?"

Sarah: "Ginger will have my head if I give away too much of the story. Let me just say that after everything else I'd been through, I got bit by a gol-darned rattlesnake. I thought for sure I was a goner, but a very handsome, and I hate to use this term, 'half-breed', saved me. You'd think I would have been overcome with glee, but I was eaten up with guilt because I realized he was the same person I'd left for dead when I tried to steal his horse. It's a long story, but you'll have to read Sarah’s Heart & Passion to find out more."

HOST: "For sure, I'm going toread it. I can't stand being left hanging like that, but I understand you can't share more. Can you just give us a hint what happened after he saved you?"

Sarah: "One more little tidbit and that's it. Wolf...that's his Indian name...promised to take me to Independence and introduce me to a friend of his. That's where I ended up. Wolf, too. Now, that's absolutely all I'm going to divulge." *giggles*

HOST: "Well, I won't press for more. I do thank you for being here and taking time to share a little about your journey. I can't wait to read Sarah's Heart & Passion.

Sarah: It's available with all Miz Ginger’s books at Amazon on her author’s page.  It’s a dang long address if you ask me…oh and the books are in print too. *Pulls paper from pocket*  I had to write it down.  *gazes at and reads from paper* http://www.amazon.com/author/gingersimpson

"Oh, and I I do have to warn you, a few people didn’t get the need for the ending of Sarah’s Heart so Miz Ginger wrote Sarah’s Passion to tie everything into a neat little bow for those who have to have that happily-ever-after.  I was shocked when Miz Ginger took me on a continuation of my journey.  I couldn’t believe how many people use books an escape and even though they expect all the history to be factual, they often overlook the most obvious of things.  Isn’t that a hoot?"

HOST: "Now you have me hooked for sure. I'll be looking for your story…or should I say stories. Thanks again, Sarah, and I can't wait until Ginger finishes Sarah's Soul.  I'll be ready for it."

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HEAR VOICES by Ginger Simpson

I heard this older song today by Chris Young and some of it really relates to how I feel when I'm writing.  I recently promised Jude, our publisher, a book by December 31st.  I have it started, but now I have to tune out the voices of Cassie and Will from Deceived in order to get Sarah's Hope finished in time for the fall deadline.

I'm sure I explained in a previous post the difference between Pantsers and Plotters.  I, unfortunately, rely on voices in my head to help me write.  Without all that chatter, I'm at a loss.  I've tried plotting and it just doesn't work for me, so all the people talking in my head are really a blessing...at times.

For me being a "pantser" is akin to having someone tell me a story.  I listen and jot down the words, but I never know where I'm headed until I get there.  It's a lot more exciting, in my opinion, to having a chart of some type that outlines your entire novel for you.  I prefer to be surprised.  The only problem is when the characters are done, so is the book.  I've written some short, some long, and some in between.  You never know how long creating a novel is going to take when you're a pantser.

 I have to admit I do take notes now because my memory has faded with age.  There is nothing worse than forgetting the heroes name and putting in one from another book or having your heroine suddenly gaze through blue eyes instead of green with gold flecks.

If you're a pantser too, you'll be able to relate to this video.  If you aren't, you probably will anyhow, since all those words of wisdom your parents and grandparents shared with you still run through your mind.  I can hear my granny to this day telling me all little boys wanted to do was get in my panties.  I could never figure out what they'd do once they got them on.  How embarassing.  I never wanted to wear Jockey shorts.  Now that I'm older, I realize she was warning me to be a lady.  *lol*

So...I may be camping for the next few months, but I'll be working on Sarah's Hope.  This will be sort of continuation of Sarah's Heart and Passion.  Here's an except closer to the end of that book so you'll better relate to what Sarah is sharing with me now.  She's a chatty one, for sure.

“Really.” He (Wolf) caressed her cheek. “I love you Sarah Collins, and I’d be honored if you would consider spending this life with me. I might have been unselfish enough to have given you up once, but not twice.”

Glee squeezed Sarah’s heart. She’d lived through pure hell in a dream, found the love of her life only to lose him, and now she had a second chance. No way was she missing out on the passion she felt for this man. Locking her arms around his neck, she rested her cheek against his chest, drinking in his warmth, his smell, his feel. “I love you, too, Nathaniel Grey Wolf Elder, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend eternity with…even if it’s on a cattle ranch in Missouri.”

Please check my website for places where you can find this book, and most likely my upcoming one.

                           

http://www.bookswelove.net

BOY, DO MY CHARACTERS GUIDE ME - GINGER SIMPSON

Cover by Michelle Lee

Author's don't always have an ending in mind...especially when you don't plot. As a "pantser," (commonly known as writing by the seat of one's pants,) my characters drive the story and when it's over, it's over.  I'm often shocked at how my books end, but they always make sense...at least to me.

 In the case of one, I received some bad reviews because there wasn't an obvious HEA.  If you're a history buff, you would most certainly realize that a woman and a half breed could not possibily find that happily ever after in the 1800s since neither would be accepted by their own race...and a half breed didn't actually belong to one.  Doesn't that make sense?  Obviously it didn't to some.

Cover by Michelle Lee

Sarah ended her story with the possibility of the love continuing in modern day, but that wasn't enough...so I combined the second story, Sarah's Passion,  with the first, Sarah's Heart, and hopefully created an ending that fulfilled what most readers want in Sarah's Heart and Passion.


Fiction still requires a degree of reality, especially when it comes to the heart.  Readers read to escape and find the fantasies missing from their own lives, and if the endings are less than satisfactory, you'll hear about it, trust me.  Funny thought, I felt like a traitor to Sarah when I changed her ending.  It was what I pictured for her, but not how she told the story.  Oh well...we must please our audience.

Cover by Michelle Lee

 Being a pantser is like having someone tell you a story.  I never know where it's headed until I get there.  I have faith in my characters, as Rita does, so much so that I rely on them to make the story interesting.   I've been pleased with each and every one of them.

 My primary job  is to add in the smells, tastes and emotions.   In other words...take the story I'm being TOLD and SHOW it to the reader.  If you want to be a good author, you have to do that.  Involving the reader in the story is critical.  They have to be able to step into the character's shoes and be part of the action.

How often have you read a book that makes your heart hurt?  You cry for the heroine/hero or inhale the smell of that apple pie baking in the oven?  Those traits are the sign of great writing.  You've become the lead character in the book and you "feel" what the story is about.  If I can't connect with the characters or don't get a sense of inclusion, I usually don't finish the book.  Too much back story or description can make the reader think, "who cares?" and you don't want that to happen.

I just had to add my two cents worth since I don't "plot."  Yesterday, Rita talked about letting your characters guide you, and boy do I.  In some ways being a "pantser" is a good thing, but it definitely limits you to how your story ends...and in most cases, word count.  My stories star's don't give a hoot about how long or short a book is.

If you'd like to judge for yourself about Sarah's story and the questionnable ending, Sarah's Heart, Sarah's Passion, and Sarah's Heart and Passion are all available on my amazon page.  I'd love to know what you think.

Ginger's Asking for a Little Help

I don't usually enter contests that cost money, but I broke my own rule this time because being listed as one of 50 authors readers should know about appealed to me.  I'm pretty sure there are people out there who recognize my name, but I want them to enjoy my work, so if you have a spare minute or two, I'm humbly asking you to visit the voting page, review the entrants, and vote your choice.  I won't mind a bit if it happens to be me.

BTW, Did you know that First Degree Innocence and Sarah's Heart and Passion are listed in the Ingrams Catalog?  That means they are eligible for order and stocking, so there's another way you can help. If you like those stories and would like to have your own copy or a gift to give, please visit your local retailer and request they carry those two books.  Yeah, yeah...I've already had Sister's in Time on a shelf in Walmart, but I smuggled it inside and took a snapshot.  I don't think that counts since I had to smuggle it back out...and I didn't even get arrested.  *lol*

Anyhow, back to my original plea...Here's the info on getting to the voting page:
http://www.wnbnetworkwest.com/WnbAuthorsShow50Writers2014-VotingPage.html