Cleaned my office this week (a rare occasion!), and discovered two sticky-note scribbles that I don't believe I have ever shared. Both, I believe, from Facebook. So, here they are:
"A writer is a writer not because she has amazing talent. A writer is a writer because even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway." (No attribution)
The Reale family made an impromptu visit to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for the new year.
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Hailey, Riley, Cassidy
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| Mike, Susie, Riley, Cassidy, Hailey* |
*Three in Gramma's "cat hats."
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Close-up of Riley wearing Gramma's "flag" cat hat
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Reale Family Fun in Gatlinburg
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Blackwater River State Forest, near Baker, FL:
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| Photo by Alan Jonny |
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Cassoulet, like Picadillo, is extremely flavorful, and easier to make (fewer ingredients)—its origins French instead of Spanish. Please note the 90-minute baking time.
From the Cookbook I created for the grandgirls in 2021 . . .
CASSOULET
This is one of those recipes that appears to be completely ordinary but has an extraordinary flavor. Well worth trying.
½ lb. bulk sausage*
1 small onion, sliced (½ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ lb. (1½ cups) cubed cooked ham
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
1 bay leaf
2 15-oz. cans navy beans
¼ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
Dash, ground cloves (not too much)
*I use Jimmy Dean.
In skillet, cook sausage, onion & garlic until meat is lightly browned and vegetables are tender. Drain excess liquid & turn heat to Medium. Add ham, parsley and bay leaf; mix well. Stir in undrained beans, wine & cloves. Pour into 1½-2 qt. casserole. Bake, covered, at 325° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 40-45 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Serve in bowls. Serves 6.
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Book of the Week:
Shadowed Paradise was my first attempt at Romantic Suspense. And a remarkable amount of it is based on my own experience of moving to Florida after spending most of my life in New England. Believe me, the wrench was epic! A number of other events are also based on actual events, including the giant spider. (My home in Venice seems to have been built on their native habitat!)
When Claire Langdon's affluent, near-fairytale life in New York is
shattered by scandal, she and her eight-year-old son Jamie take refuge
with her grandmother in Florida. Once a bright, confident young woman,
Claire has been so badly hurt that when she stumbles onto a genuine
downhome hero, learning to trust, to love again, seem beyond her reach.
She is also forced to deal with the discovery that there are more
serious dangers in Florida than alligators, snakes, spiders, and macho
males. Like a serial killer, with her name on his list.
Reviews:
"Marvelously versatile, wondrously creative, intelligently written
and sensuously inventive, Bancroft's Shadowed Paradise adds new meaning
to the therm 'romantic suspense.' . . . as fresh as tomorrow and
seriously scary. I loved it."
Celia Merenyi, A Romance Review
"Shadowed Paradise contains all the elements I so enjoy in a book,
excellent dialogue, great character development and fine descriptive
scenes. The romance is steamy, the suspense is taut and exciting, and
the result is a supremely satisfying, well-developed read, guaranteed to
keep you glued throughout."
Astrid Kinn, Romance Reviews Today
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