I normally keep this a bit of secret, but I do have an author Facebook page. And over there, I’m giving away a copy of Genevieve Turner’s just-released Las Morenas series box set. One, are those hot covers or what? But, two, the books themselves are even better: romantic, intricate, engrossing, and diverse. I love them all.
So stop by and comment if you want to win! And if you just can’t wait–who could?–you can buy a copy at Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Google Play, and Kobo.
I cried last night about Paris, about Beirut, about a shooting near the campus I teach at. There’s more than enough senseless violence in the world to break your heart today and for the rest of the week. For the rest of your life. I cried for the victims, and I cried for their families, and I cried for all of us falling asleep with more fear in our hearts than we’d had there in the morning.
In the middle of the night, my son had a nightmare. I was grateful–not, of course, for his worries, but that I could get into bed with him and smell his hair. That I could feel his lungs fill and empty, listen to the dub-Dub of his heart, and soak up the evidence that he, that I, were alive.
Fiction immerses the reader into someone else’s point-of-view. It permits us to share intimately someone’s joys and fears and hopes. As readers we take on a different set of skin with every book we open. And as writers we push past our own experiences to imagine other ways of being in the world.
I don’t know much, but I know that we share a common humanity. I know that mine is enriched by recognizing yours. I know that love is transformative and the world needs more of it. Whenever I’m tempted to turn away from the world, what I need is more love and empathy. Those, and not hate, are the roots of my humanity, and words can nurture it.
It took a few days to go live everywhere, but A Midnight Clear is available (and FREE) wherever e-books are sold, including Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Google Play, and Kobo. And it should be free internationally; let me know if this isn’t the case. You can also add it to your Goodreads shelves, join the Fly Me to the Moon mailing list, or check out the book’s Pinterest board (be warned, it’s kind of spoiler-y).
A Midnight Clear is a sweet and romantic holiday cocktail for you from Gen and me. I hope you love it!
Don’t say Gen and I never gave you anything.
Annapolis, Maryland, 1948
Frances Dumfries is the perfect admiral’s daughter. She runs the household, hosts the parties, and never falls for the midshipmen surrounding her. Having fun or putting herself first is definitely not on her schedule. And she doesn’t want anyone—particularly not a man too handsome and kind for his own good—to point that out.
Midshipman Joe Reynolds sympathizes: ever since he tumbled headlong into love with Frances, life hasn’t been much fun. With only so much time until he ships out from the Naval Academy, he’s racing the clock, and her refusal to give him a second look, to secure her affection. But this sailor isn’t surrendering in the campaign to win her heart.
Torn between duty and selfishness, it will take a Christmas miracle to show Frances and Joe that love is rare, precious… and worth fighting for.
**
There won’t be preorder links for this one. We’re wrapping up edits and hope it will go live in the next week. If you want to know as soon as it’s available, join the Fly Me to the Moon mailing list.
Follow me below the fold for frequently asked questions!
So that was longer than seven days. Oopsie! In case you missed one, here was my mid-century menu:
Appetizers
Entrees
Sides
Desserts
I had tons of fun doing it. When we finish the next Fly Me to the Moon book, I’ll probably dig out my cookbooks and make a few more. I owe a thousand thanks to Elisabeth Lane from Cooking Up Romance for helping me out and taking pretty pictures. And if you haven’t, do read the hilarious cocktail series Gen Turner (my co-writer) did.
In the meantime, check out Star Dust and let me know if you make anything fabulous and retro!
ETA: Right after I posted this, I saw this Book Riot piece about election novels. And it features Party Lines! How lovely is that.
Once I started with this 60s food thing, I found it hard it stop. You’ll note, for example, that this is actually the ninth recipe I’ve posted. Now you know why Gen and I are writing a series and not just a one-off.
The main source text I’ve used is Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook, which was first published in 1957. While she’s obscure now, as a professor and then as a chef at several prominent hotels and department stores, Corbitt shaped food ways in Texas between the 1940s and 1970s (you can read about her here and here). My mom and grandma still use her cookbook on a regular basis. When I ordered myself a used copy, I was surprised to find a dedication from Ms. Corbitt herself scrawled in the front cover and a recipe that she’d typed for the recipient on Neiman Marcus stationary. Clearly I had to make it.
Continue reading “Seven Days of 60s Food: Million-Dollar Fudge”
First things first, Star Dust is here! It’s available wherever fine ebooks are sold, including Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Google Play, and Kobo, and you can even order a paperback at Amazon. It’s a space-race rom-com about a divorcee looking to start a new chapter and an astronaut reaching for the stars. I truly love this book, and I’m not just saying this because Gen and I had so much fun writing and editing it (though we did). But if you’ve been enjoying these retro food posts, you should give it a try.
To celebrate Star Dust’s launch (I had to, y’all, I had to), here’s the one you’ve been waiting for: Grape Jello Salad.
This recipe is insane: the butter, the cheese, the carbs. It’s too much. It’s also delicious. And it’s Kit’s favorite way to eat potatoes in Star Dust.
Continue reading “Seven Days of 60s Food: Potatoes au Gratin”
Before we get to today’s recipe, have I mentioned that Star Dust has a new cover? And it’s very pretty? Also, if you’re a reviewer, Star Dust is now on NetGalley. For everyone else, it will be out on Wednesday. (So soon! Ahhhhhh!) But I’ll delay my panicking in order to get back to the 60s food.
My last attempt at appetizers was…lackluster. But the next attempt was fantastic. This Almond-Parmesan spread was one of my favorite things I made during this project.
Continue reading “Seven Days of 60s Food: Almond-Parmesan Spread”
I remember hearing a joke when I was a kid: Gracie Allen’s pot roast recipe calls for a large pot roast and a small one; she puts them both in the oven and when the small one burns, the large one is done. There’s a lot we could say about this joke in terms of mid-century food ways and sexism. But after I completely overcooked a pot roast in the name of research, I think Gracie Allen should have trod on George Burns’s foot every time he repeated it.
Again, I’ll give you the recipe and then tell you what happened and how I plan to avoid it in the future.
Emma Barry 