tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331703742024-03-07T03:14:38.036-06:00Chelle SandellBad boys...feet on the dashboard...wind in my hair... Cowboys and true love ~ smokin hot romance recipes!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-31932573026355005692014-11-25T12:52:00.000-06:002014-11-25T12:52:45.379-06:00To Blog...or Not?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning!! I hope this post finds you all healthy and happy! I've thought often of my blog and wondered if I should put more time into keeping it up. Sometimes it's almost therapeutic for me because it's as if I'm purging some of my thoughts and anxieties. But it's also a source of stress when I think about maintaining the posts on a regular basis to build a platform, or a foundation of readers. I believe for the time being I'll try to post as often as I can. It's easy to say I'll post three days a week and offer certain themes on particular days...but then I laugh at myself. I can make plans and write things down but it is very rare when the path is straight and narrow...or easy. I usually just roll with the punches. Which is what I've decided to do with my blog.<br />
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Some of you may not know much about my journey. I have been writing for about 8 years now, more or less, and I haven't published as of yet. I have several projects in with editors and just waiting for their response. I've placed in several contests with different manuscripts so I'd like to think I might have something worth all those years of torturing my characters. I've let too many things get in the way of my writing and my goal is to focus on my stories full-time.<br />
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This month is NaNoWriMo November for some authors. It stands for National Novel Writing Month and is meant to push writers into getting at least 50k words written toward a novel in a month. There are some that have already hit their goal and still going...others like me that are struggling. I've been able to finish two out of five years and I highly doubt I'll make my 50k this year. I've had way too many distractions and not enough will power to push through. I can make excuses all day long but truth be told? I know I could've pushed myself and pounded out 50k words but it would take major revisions to get the manuscript submission ready. I will give credit where it is due though, NaNo is a great motivational tool to get me to focus more on getting the words down on a daily basis. I'll keep going, regardless of whether or not I hit the word goal. I am definitely not one to write fast.<br />
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Now is the time for me to get serious. I'm not able to work outside of the home until my health improves so there is no excuse. This week will be full of Thanksgiving prep but we're not having anyone outside of our immediate family over to eat. My goal is to write whenever I have a free moment. The guys will be home most of the week for the holiday and will help with what I need to get done. Hopefully I can carve out time to sit down with the laptop first thing in the morning with a pot of coffee.<br />
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Peace and quiet...and coffee. Maybe I'll hit the big time and hire a housekeeper and personal chef. I think I have a better chance of winning the lottery. ;)<br />
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Wishing you all good health, happiness, and blessings.<br />
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ChelleChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-74660196249245006802014-02-19T06:00:00.000-06:002014-02-19T11:17:28.231-06:00Writer Wednesday: Turning the PageWhat makes you turn the page of a book? Did the author manage to catch your attention so you had to keep reading to see what happened next? Or did it leave you wondering if you'd wasted your money and should've bought the title with the half nekked cowboy. Well...cowboy for me, maybe you prefer the firefighter or sweet couple holding a baby.<br />
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I am in no way an authority qualified in the craft of writing. However, I do love to read and learn about writing. If I can share anything that might help...you betcha. I would love to have an editor critique my blog posts if I could. LOL. So if you have any insight, please by all means--share. <br />
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The opening paragraph is our opportunity as authors to grab the attention of the reader. Whether it be an agent or editor, or the all important reader that buys the book. Of course it's important to catch the eye of a person that can get your book to the shelves, but with the availability of self-publishing there are those that bypass the agent/editor route. (Which isn't always a good thing.) But it is vital to reel in the reader so they'll stop thinking about the sink full of dishes needing to be washed, or that the family actually expects to eat dinner on a daily basis. Not that I advocate starving your family because I want you to read my book. But maybe keep sandwich meat, or pre-prepared casseroles, on hand for a quick meal so you don't have to put the book down for long. I personally love my slow-cooker. I've had a few nights where I took a book in the kitchen with me and read while sauce simmered or I was waiting for garlic bread to toast. Usually I can fold clothes or handle other household chores while cooking, but when I get a great book that grabs my attention...I tend to burn the bread. ;)<br />
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Is it the emotion that makes you keep going and wanting more? The element of surprise or the burning need to find out who the woman is and why she is rushing to the hospital? It's the beginning of the book and the chance to introduce the main character/s and premise of the story. It could be a killer opening sentence, several sentences, or a full paragraph. Whatever the length, it is one of the most important elements of a book in my opinion. It sets the tone. There have been several books I've read that I doubted would be worth my time to read but I kept pushing through because I hate to waste money. I also like to keep notes as to what it is that turned me off and use it as an example as what not to do.<br />
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The hardest part of writing for me is the first paragraph and where to start. I think it's a difficult task for several authors from what I've understood when talking craft. If the pacing is slow and you're trying too hard to cram character backstory in...then it's probable that the reader has already lost interest. But it's a balance to keep from cramming action down their throat and confuse the reader before they even have a chance to get hooked.<br />
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I believe that the balance evens out when the author can begin with a dilemma or the hint of what the conflict will be between the main characters. To give the reader a reason to cheer for the hero/heroine and root for a reward. A reason to care. And proofread, proofread, proofread. Especially if self-publishing is the projected path. I can't count how many books recently that I can instantly tell there wasn't an editor involved in the process. It's easier to swallow when the book is priced at $.99, but it kept the author from going into my must-buy list.<br />
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So what about you? Will you keep reading and give the author/story a second chance?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-51169547296507091962013-05-07T10:41:00.002-05:002013-05-07T10:41:45.180-05:00Tiara Tuesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're talking about "firsts" over at my critique group blog, <a href="http://throughheartshapedglasses.com/storytellingomg/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Heart-Shaped Glasses</strong></span></a>. Author, <a href="http://lorisizemore.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Lori Sizemore</strong></span></a>, asked if we'd read any stories that had touched us in memorable ways. I immediately thought of my aunt and a book that spurred my imagination on to spin a story about an ancestor I'd found fascinating. One of these days I'd love to sit down and read through my notes and finish the story. Check out Lori's post if you have time.<br />
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Her post made me think about something as an author that I've been asked. How do I come up with my story ideas. Many of my ideas pop up when I'm doing simple household chores, taking a shower, driving and listening to music, conversations I overhear...just about anything can trigger an idea. I can actually picture characters and then I question why? What if? What makes the main characters react...what makes them tick? How can I lead them to the happily-ever-after? My family knows when I go into full writer mode if my eyes glass over and I start frantically searching for paper and pen. I've also been known to leave a blank page open in my Word program so I can open my laptop and jot down an idea.<br />
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If you're an author...is there something specific that helps trigger your story ideas? As a reader...is there a particular story that is a shelf keeper? A book you can reread over and over again?<br />
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Hope you all are having a productive week!<br />
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ChelleChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-80667408889668549652013-05-01T10:49:00.001-05:002013-05-01T10:49:15.336-05:00April showers bring May flowers...I am so ready for spring to arrive. Today is the first day of May and tornado statistics predict that Oklahomans are more likely to deal with tornadoes in the next two weeks than any other time of the year. But guess what is in the forecast today and tomorrow? Snow. Seriously. It was 86 yesterday, predicted to be 82 today, and the high tomorrow will be 46. I've always heard that if you don't like the weather in Oklahoma...wait a day. True that, I guess. We probably won't see the snow but I guess it's better than being in the 90's already and going into the summer months in a drought. In fact, we've had so much rain that I lost all of my early tomato and pepper plants. My cowboy hasn't even tilled the big garden yet because it's still a little wet around the garden.<br />
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What have you guys been up to?! Me...life chaos as usual. Little man is back in school, I'm taking classes online, and we moved. Again. And we're still looking for the right land to buy so I can't even feel settled yet. *sigh* Maybe one of these days. My writing has taken a detour lately. I've tried to open my files and work, and I got in a couple of good word days...but not recently. And I really miss it. I had several story ideas pop up so I at least put them in a file for later brainstorming.<br />
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I'm off to work on critiques and maybe my own chapter. I also have 2 final papers to prepare for school, but I wanted to stop by and say hi. I hope you guys are being much more productive than I am. :) My critique group has revamped our blog and I'll leave you guys a link if you have time to drop by and share a cup of Joe with us.<br />
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<a href="http://throughheartshapedglasses.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Through Heart-Shaped Glasses</strong></span></a><br />
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*smooches*<br />
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ChelleChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-53677231701676592362012-11-01T10:34:00.000-05:002012-11-01T10:34:15.383-05:00NaNoWriMoNovember...I can't believe we're on the downhill slide to the holidays. I love this time of year. The smell of wood burning fireplaces, vivid colors in the turning leaves of fall, college football, the smell of chili in the slow cooker...<br />
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But it also marks the national writing movement of <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">NaNoWriMo</span></strong></a>. For those of you unfamiliar with that term of torture, it's National Novel Writing Month. It's where writers all over the world (I know it says national but I personally know there are international writers involved) gear up to write that best selling novel in just one month. It's a challenge. BIG challenge. One that I'm participating in this year.<br />
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Not that I'm particularly active in posting on my blog, but I may be a little distracted with my writing this month. And then both of my boys have birthdays coming up along with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'll try to post again soon...but if not? You can find me at NaNo and Facebook.<br />
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Keep pushing!!<br />
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XOXO<br />
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ChelleChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-30974755255342947762012-10-17T10:38:00.001-05:002012-10-17T10:38:38.032-05:00Writer's WednesdayNaNo? Anyone? Do you pre-plan? I have to. I'm not a panster. Well...maybe a little. So does that make me a panster plotter? I'm working on my synopsis and outline for a new story I decided to use for National Novel Writing Month. November 1st...it's on like Donkey Kong. It's all about the daily word count. I'll have to handcuff and gag my internal editor. The important key to remember is to get the story out. Put it on paper.<br />
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So do you plot or pre-plan your story? Do you make character charts or write out an outline or synopsis to follow as you push through the rough draft? I'm going to plot with this story. I haven't always in the past and I've struggled with them. Hopefully this weekend I can get a corkboard for my notes. Next week I'll blog out writing space and how it affects your writing. But I've got about two weeks before NaNo begins and I need to chart my characters, their goals, motivation, and conflicts. Even though it sounds like a lot of work...I'm excited.<br />
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Are you a plotter? Panster? Both?! What seems to work best for you?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-12048957473285009562012-10-15T13:24:00.001-05:002012-10-15T13:24:10.394-05:00Double DipHmmm...I see that I missed Foodie Friday so I'll do a double dip and include a little food in with my Monday musings. Pot roast. One of our favorite go-to meals that is not only easy to make, but a meal I know will be eaten and enjoyed. I usually buy a double pack of Angus beef chuck roast at Sam's Club and slow cook one in the Crockpot and one in the oven. I put a packet of onion mushroom soup mix in each pot and mix it with about a cup of beef broth. I add a small bag of fat baby carrots, mince four cloves of garlic, two medium onions, and chop six stalks of celery and split for each pan/pot. I lightly sprinkle both roasts with Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning because we love the flavor and it has most of the seasonings that I'd use anyways. I add a bay leaf and sprinkle about two teaspoons of Italian seasonings in each pan/pot and cover. I slow cook the one in the oven at 250 degrees for around 5 hours and raise the temp to 400 degrees for an hour until the internal temp is at least 145 degrees as recommended by the USDA. Rare is usually around 130 degrees but my guys prefer their roast medium. And if you slow cook it...it's usually just as tender.<br />
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I usually check them both at least once and spoon some of the juice from the pan drippings over the roast for more flavor. When the roast is finished, I'll put the pan drippings in a sauce pan and heat it up until it's barely bubbling. Whisk in about a tablespoon of flour for gravy you can pour over the roast or mashed potatoes. I don't include potatoes in my pans because the guys prefer homemade mashed red potatoes. I'll quarter potatoes and boil with two tablespoons of butter, a dash of salt and pepper and cook until fork soft. Drain and mash, adding a stick of butter, two minced garlic cloves, a half cup of sour cream, a cup of cheddar cheese, and a half cup of chopped velvetta. The guys love fresh baked rolls and I cheat...I thaw Rhodes white or wheat frozen rolls and let them rise. I'll put them on to bake about 15 minutes before we start dishing up dinner. Rarely do I hear a peep from the guys...except when they ask for seconds. LOL. Several people I know have variations of the same recipe...some brown their roasts for a crust. Not me. I tend to find the roast a bit tougher when I do. I occasionally add fresh herbs when available.<br />
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*deep sigh* Now that the house is smelling soooo scrumptious, it's time to get to work. NaNo is coming up fast and I'm working to prepare my story. Today I'm going to start working on a basic synopsis or outline. I'd like to flesh out my character charts as well. That usually happens as I squeeze out the rough synopsis. We have about two weeks to get the basics done before it's time to start concentrating on word count. I am determined to have a rough draft completed by the end of November. Hopefully I can have the edits completed by January. My goal is to go through a round of critiques with my crit partners and then send it to a freelance editor by the end of January. I've imposed a personal deadline to have it ready to either submit or self-publish by March 1, 2013. I'm still not sure which I'll focus on yet.<br />
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Okay...enough rambling. Off to work I go!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-24355411857042167152012-10-10T11:46:00.002-05:002012-10-10T11:46:45.133-05:00Writer's Wednesday*sigh* That title doesn't look right. I am such a dork when it comes to grammar. LOL. But Wednesdays are going to be for my writer friends and anything writer related. I didn't have time to message anyone about guest blogging...but feel free to contact me if you're a writer and interested in taking over the blog on an upcoming Wednesday. My email is <a href="mailto:chellesandell@sbcglobal.net%20d">chellesandell@sbcglobal.net </a>. You can write about your journey, call story, struggles, craft...whatever you can think of that has affected you as a writer.<br />
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Anyhoo...my week has been full (nothing new) with milestones and education, so absolutely nothing has been accomplished on my chapter. Grrr. My man/child has reached a major milestone and moved out on his own this week. *sob* I was a good mom though and waited until he left to lock myself in the bathroom and bawl. Even better...I didn't call or text every five minutes to see if he was ok. He did say that his first night was quiet and spooky. Poor guy. Not. LOL. But I do remember my first apartment and how I slept with the television on at night...for years. :) And my little man is starting to sound normal again after having his tonsils out. He is also beginning to adjust to his online school schedule.Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-63400524107412351392012-10-08T10:09:00.001-05:002012-10-08T10:09:41.264-05:00Monday MusingsHeh. I was griping Friday about waking up cold...it's at least 10 degrees colder this morning. But I almost shook with glee when I changed into my pink flannel reindeer jammies. *squeeee* My cowboy couldn't hold back a grin, knowing how much I LOVE my jammies. How did your weekend go? Ours was looong. Yes, I'm one of those that almost always welcomes Monday. Especially after a weekend packed full of friends and fun. A friend flew in from Georgia to visit for the weekend and we had several more come over to grill out and watch college football. I spent the day yesterday trying to pick up and put the house back together. And today? I love the peace and quiet. But it also means it's time to get back to work.<br />
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With all of the excitement and house full of guests, I didn't get any writing time. So today will be spent catching up on school assignments and I am determined to scrape out time to write. How do you work through time obstacles? The key for me is to keep trying. Perseverance. It helps that I'm stubborn. ;)<br />
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Have a productive week!!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-1717010904472799882012-10-05T07:15:00.000-05:002012-10-05T07:15:24.850-05:00Weekend warrior?First of all...TGIF!! I woke up freezing this morning. Brrr. Our temps went from mid 80's at the beginning of the week to the 50's this weekend. The morning news even mentioned the word snow in the northern part of the state. *sigh* Typical Oklahoma weather. I wore shorts yesterday and will pull out my Ugg boots for this weekend. Little Man was supposed to have a soccer game on Saturday but he won't be able to play for one more week because of his surgery. We'll still have to go for team pictures though so I guess I'll venture out to the storage building for our winter clothes. And we have a friend coming to visit for the weekend from Georgia so we'll get to bake/grill all kinds of tailgating goodies and overdose on some serious football game play.<br />
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I'm hoping to slip in some writing time even with a full weekend planned. My short term goal is to get a synopsis rough draft finished so I can post it to my critique groups. Hopefully the conflict will be strong enough and I can get the plot fleshed out and the character charts ready for NaNo. As part of my long term goal to work more on my writing skills, I'm planning to begin a blog series on Wednesday of next week where I have guest writers, published and unpublished, talking about craft or their writing journey. Maybe we can get a few to inspire us with their call stories and how perseverance paid off.<br />
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Have a relaxing, peaceful weekend!!<br />
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ChelleChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-29743772011911555802012-10-02T07:44:00.003-05:002012-10-02T07:44:43.487-05:00NaNo?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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*yawn* I can already tell...today will be a loooong day. Our sweet, adorable, lovable dogs woke me up at 3:30 am. Grrr. Once I was able to snuggle back down in bed, warming my feet against the Cowboy's leg, his alarm went off. *sigh* I tried, really tried, to go back to sleep. Didn't happen. But I guess it's a good thing, I have a ton of homework and a chapter that needs work. I'll definitely get in more than my required 15 minutes in this morning towards our challenge.<br />
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Another challenge fast approaching is <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>National Novel Writing Month</strong></span></a> from November 1st - 30th. I've tried the book in a month event a few times and only finished once. I think I'll go for it this year using a new idea for book one in a series that popped in my head recently. I was going to try to write this particular book for the Harlequin SYTYCW contest but life intervened. Little Man had his tonsils taken out and Harley, our oldest boxer rescue, is having some serious medical issues which require me to actually pick him up (65lbs) and carry him outside when he needs to *ahem* relieve himself. So I have two sickies on my hands right now that I'm basically waiting on hand and foot and force-feeding. But <a href="http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/eventlist.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Savvy Authors</strong></span></a> have two events scheduled for NaNo. I'm thinking I'll participate in their co-sponsored event with <a href="http://www.entangledpublishing.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #660000;">Entangled Publishing</span></strong></a>. Anyone else going for it again this year?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-91479360277393715682012-09-19T07:37:00.002-05:002012-09-19T07:39:11.277-05:00Get to work!Coffee, housework, tons of homework for myself and Little Man, stinky dogs, and even stinkier political news on the television in the background...oh, my! What a day. What shall I start with? Well...my 15 minute challenge, of course. The lovely, talented <a href="http://www.deboradennis.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Debora Dennis </strong></span></a>has issued our group, <a href="http://passionatecritters.blogspot.com/2012/09/drop-and-give-me-15.html?showComment=1348055807157#c2630883043006565140" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Passionate Critters</strong></span></a>, a daily challenge that I intend to push toward everyday. Wanna play along?<br />
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The rules are simple:<br />
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(1) Find 15 minutes in your daily schedule to write
- twice. (Get up 15 minutes earlier and stay up 15 minutes later at night if you
have too - really 15 minutes isn't too extreme!)<br />
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(2) No editing during
that 15 minutes.<br />
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(3) No plotting during that 15 minutes.<br />
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(4) No
spacing out - you MUST write for your 15 minutes!<br />
The hard part for me is deciding which manuscript to work on...<br />
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On your mark...set...GO!!! Are you up for the challenge?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-56565731150323112342012-09-14T13:43:00.002-05:002012-09-14T13:43:38.884-05:00TGIF!*sigh* I am plum worn out. This last week has kicked my behind, peeps. My day begins with opening up the house and turning off the AC now that the weather has cooled. I let the dogs out and clean up any mess in the kitchen from the guys preparing their daily lunches and start laundry. I either make coffee or open my morning energy drink and take my meds. Then I check email, respond, check in with my crit groups, check in with OU online classes, and prepare Little Man's schoolwork for the day. Time for a nap yet? No? *sigh* Ok...if Little Man is still asleep, I start working on any class assignments I have due. If nothing is due immediately? I open a chapter to write/revise or a crit. The rest of my day just goes downhill from there as soon as Little Man wakes up. Today's Friday so the cowboy comes home earlier than usual and our weekend plans take over. And now that college football season has begun?! My Saturdays revolve around family plans and football games. Woohoooo!!<br />
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But...my Passionate Critters critique group is on a new mission to create goals for ourselves and FOCUS. Whether it's related to writing or your daily grind...FOCUS on creating a schedule that works in everything you need to get accomplished. My mornings mainly consist of personal and household activities but my new focus will be to include at least 30 minutes of writing time, critiques, and exercising. I've been stressed out lately because now homeschooling is taking up any extra time I had to write. But it doesn't have to. So many times I've skated through the day to realize I didn't really get anything done I'd intended. So here goes nothing...FOCUS. Yes, my focus definitely needs more focus. I've written my goals on a large index card and have it sitting beside my laptop to remind me of where my attention needs to be.<br />
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How about you? Any methods or programs you use that you'd like to share? Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-49635043662223189852012-09-10T15:44:00.003-05:002012-09-10T16:17:44.426-05:00Back to work...Summer is officially over in our household. Fall classes are in full swing for the Man/Child and I. I'm homeschooling Little Man this year and I've got his lessons planned for at least a month. The Man/Child has decided to take part-time classes at a local college while he works full-time. *sigh* I hate that he has the opportunity to go to college full-time and only work part-time...but he is considering moving out and wants to test the waters in the real world. Thankfully he's not in a hurry and has confessed that he loves having the comfort of our family life. It helps that I understand he's on the edge of freedom from mom and dad, but I just wish my heart had a better grasp on it. It doesn't help that I've witnessed a few cruelties of the real world and wish I could wrap my child in bubblewrap and keep him safe a wee bit longer.<br />
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Anyhoo. My hands are working because I've started Remicade infusions and they seem to be helping. But some days I get around a little slower than normal with the fall weather pattern throwing cold fronts our way. My cowboy and the rowdy boys make my blessed life so much easier by helping without being asked. Well, ok, I do have to ask occasionally. :) We had the cowboy's birthday party last weekend with friends and family. It's also our favorite time of year so we'll be having a few more cookouts and football watch parties.<br />
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My writing, you ask? Slow and painful. Fall classes are kicking my butt and I'm swamped between my homework and Little Man's studies. I actually have four chapters finished and up for critique in both of my groups. One day at a time. My current goal is to work towards establishing a better schedule so I can fit everything in that I need to accomplish. My writing is taking a backseat and it's difficult to find the time to be able to sit and immerse myself in the story.<br />
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What is everyone working on? Has your schedule changed with the start of school?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-21785861875414401652012-05-30T18:51:00.001-05:002012-05-30T19:06:47.769-05:00New AddictionWith a big ol' corn fed cowboy and two growing boys, new recipes are a must to keep my guys from getting bored with the same old meat and potatoes. For years I've relied on watching Food Network and adapting recipes to our simple tastes. I was thrilled when I found Ree Drummond, aka<strong> </strong><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/confessions/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #660000;">The Pioneer Woman</span></strong></a>, and her recipes that rarely need tweaking. She has the BEST meatloaf we've found so far. It's a favorite around here and I know it's a keeper when everyone is quiet and goes back for seconds. <br />
<br />But there's a new kid in town and so far...my boys are in heaven. <a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Pinterest</strong></span></a> Oh, how we love you. Actually I have a love/hate thing going on. I don't have the free time to be browsing for new recipes or craft ideas. I've been really good in the last couple of weeks and tried to stay away. Then one of my rude friends will pin something scrumptious, or adorable, and I'm gone. *sigh* I don't hear my cowboys complaining because it means they'll soon be subject to a recipe experiment. But I have a million things to do that do not include social media. Like critiques for my writing buddies and a 3 page essay paper.<br />
<br />Speaking of social media time sucks...I've got a paper due by midnight. So here's what we're having for dinner. So easy-peasy that the cowboy cooked dinner tonight...so I've got to go before he catches me blogging instead of writing my essay. ;)<br />
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<br /><strong><a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #660000;">Taco Salad</span></a></strong></div>
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<br />Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-73364718116023951692012-05-21T10:27:00.001-05:002012-05-21T10:40:18.346-05:00Good Monday morning!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No...unfortunately the lovely woman on the beach is not me. But it is time to welcome summer break. Yeppers. Little Man is officially home for the summer. And because I've lost my ever-loving mind, I'm not. *sigh* Out for summer break that is. You see...I've decided to finish my bachelor's degree and return to college. And I chose to begin the torture with summer classes. At the time that I dropped out, I only had 17 hours left to complete. But between kids and my RA kicking in, I couldn't handle the schedule. So now it's time. For several reasons.<br />
<br />Number One: I'm a very proud mama because my oldest Man/Child not only turned eighteen in December, he graduated mid-term from high school. He had a difficult time deciding which college he wanted to attend and finally made a decision and was accepted. His thought process and choice reasoning impressed me. So we will both be in college full-time as of August. One reason I went back? Is to show him the importance of finishing something I've started.<br />
<br />Number Two: I want my children to be proud of me and to be an example for them. I struggle daily with doing the right thing as an example for my family, but it's important to me that they see regardless of age, you CAN do whatever you set your mind out to do.<br />
<br />Number Three: I'm going to apply to the Radiation Therapy program. I went through the cancer rehab process with my mother and remember how difficult and scary it was. Her oncology doc was amazing about explaining the process and I thought at the time that I would love to be a part of the process.<br />
<br />Even with trying to carve out reading time, this weekend was an easy one for us because I pushed to get yardwork and errands done on Thursday so we could try to relax. Ha. Chaos follows wherever and whenever. We had a call from my mom that one of the feral alley cats had had kittens on her patio and hadn't been seen for several days. So....we rescued three kittens. Now we have chickens, three dogs, and three kittens. I need to get them in to a rescue group or a vet though. We can't keep them in the house and have them in a pen out by the chickens. Their eyes are either just now opening or they have health issues. The cowboy wasn't happy with me for rescuing more animals...but you should've seen him cuddling one last night. ;) I will make it up to him and cook some of his favorite meals this week. I made him his favorite chicken fried steaks last night. Tonight we'll grill steaks with fresh new potatoes and green beans from the farmer's market. And I made homemade strawberry icecream, too. Yummo!<br />
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Now I'm offline to get some writing time in! I'll detail more about my writing adventures Wednesday. Hope ya'll have an exciting, productive week!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-26912724066169524842012-05-03T17:58:00.002-05:002012-05-03T17:58:37.384-05:00Country Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mwahaha...you must read my post in order to get the recipe!</div>
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Although I was raised in the city, several of my cousins grew up on farms. I absolutely loved going for visits, or extended stays during summer break, and hated going back to the city life. I first learned to drive on a John Deere tractor when I was 12 yrs old. Of course it was only natural that I fell in love and married my very own cowboy who felt the same way. He says he fell in love with me when he found out I could drive a dooley truck. He claims there is nothing sexier than a woman that can haul a trailer and back it into a specific spot without hitting anything. It also came in handy when we had a long drive and I wasn't scared to drive his F350 pulling our 34 ft 5th wheel through Memphis, Tennessee.<br />
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We had to travel occasionally with his last job, but now we are settled back out in the country. We had chickens at our last country house but gave them up to friends when we had to take to the road. Carrying a chicken pen along with the 5th wheel trailer wasn't an ideal situation, for the chickens or our neighbors in the RV parks. ;)<br />
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It was only natural that Little Man and I decided to start over and buy some baby chicks this spring. They've been doing well and growing rapidly (too rapidly --and smelly--for my bathtub) so we put them out in the pen last week. I often go outside to get some fresh air in the mornings and I check the animals food and water. Not only is it my favorite time of day to enjoy the outdoors, it's especially important now that the heat is beginning to climb into the 90's. That's spring in Oklahoma for ya. Before we went to bed last night the cowboy checked on the animals and all was well on the Sandell mini-farm. This morning? Three of our chickens have mysteriously disappeared.<br />
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I have an idea that maybe the neighbors cat got them. Not much we can do about it except reinforce the chicken pen to keep all predators out. We also have coyotes yapping out in the pasture behind our house at night so that is another concern. The cowboy plans to work on the issue tonight when he gets home. In the meantime? I had to tell Little Man the bad news after school. He was upset, but more importantly...he is getting used to the country life. We've talked with him about raising animals for our meat. We even joked with him about naming a calf Hamburger or Ribeye, which he didn't find funny at first. But he specifically requested we not eat his chickens. So his first question was whether or not they were really gone or were we having chicken for dinner. LOL. Actually we are having leftover chicken parmesan but I made them from frozen chicken strips.<br />
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On the writing front...I've been working on revisions to my old manuscript that was rejected by an editor at Harlequin Superromance. I'm using her suggestions and hope I'm making it stronger. The guys are already home for the day so I think I'll slip into the bedroom to get more words out before I call it a day. I made Twix brownies today so maybe the cowboy will be inspired to help with dinner. Here is the link for the brownies... <a href="http://www.jaseyscrazydaisy.com/2012/03/twix-brownies-whod-have-thought-twix.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+CrazyDaisy+%2528Crazy+Daisy%2529" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Twix Brownies</span></strong>.</a><br />
<br />Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-65379396478943707092012-04-02T08:26:00.001-05:002012-04-02T09:47:25.309-05:00Much Needed MondayAnd...it's Monday. *deep sigh* The house is quiet. Well, as quiet as my house can get with three snoring dogs. The boxer pup doesn't snore yet, just has her happy dreams. And I swear her ears flop because she's running free in a field of bunnies somewhere. A combination of barks and yips tell me she's close or hit paydirt. Now, it's my time. I have a house to clean and it can wait. I love my weekends with the guys, but I am worn slap out from friends, cooking, and yardwork. We had friends over Saturday and I was in absolute heaven. Kids running around playing, the charcoal smoke from the grill drifting lazily in the soft breeze. Adult beverages in the blender and ice chest... Ahhh. But yes, I am utterly exhausted. So I was almost excited when I went to bed last night thinking about what the next day brought.<br />
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My Mondays mean I can write mostly uninterrupted. I'm starting my morning out with social media and will move on to working on crits for my writing partners. Which isn't work at all considering how talented they are. As soon as I finish that I will open my contemporary story to get it ready to sub. Hopefully I can get some much needed revisions completed to get that sucker out the door.<br />
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My writing routine? It begins with my choice of drink. My beverage depends on time and temperature. :) If it's still early enough I'll make a half pot of coffee. It's a waste to make more. I'll drink two cups and switch to either tea or water. During the winter, or a chilly morning, I'll move on to hot tea. Summer? Sweet iced tea, baby. We've had to switch to Splenda instead of sugar, and surprisingly the guys took the change well. They love their sweets, but in small doses. Then it's work time. Open whatever is most important and try to stay focused. Sometimes I prefer a low background noise. Other times I need quiet. <br />
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Writing is almost therapeutic for me. Reading is as well. So whether I'm working on my own work-in-progress, or a writing partners', I'm good. I can breathe. It's an escape from my normal chaos. What does Monday mean to you?Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-54932864974102602042012-03-30T07:05:00.001-05:002012-03-30T07:10:42.741-05:00FRIDAY!!!This week went by extremely too fast. And Little Man just had to point out his school folder showing he only had about seven weeks left until summer break. ACK!! Really?! Weren't they discussing the possibility of year round classes? LOL. I love my kiddo but it's almost impossible to get anything done when he's home.<br />
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My Friday consists of a parent-teacher conference this morning. I'm thinking I probably should've made her some sweets to soothe her feathers. I'm almost skeered. Maybe I should fall on my knees and beg for forgiveness as I walk in. LOL. Hopefully Little Man has been behaving himself and it won't be so bad. A girl can dream can't she?! And grocery shopping. Ugh. Of course I can't forget to go buy a few Mega Million lottery tickets. That sucker is up to 540 million...dollars!!! Woohooooo!!! Hey, I could be that 1 out of 175 million that wins. ;)<br />
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Any exciting plans for this weekend? We have work to do around the house. I need to get my cowboy to use the rototiller in the front flower beds so it'll be easier for me to pull up the weeds. I'd like to get flowers planted this weekend so I can concentrate on preparing the garden. We also bought six baby chicks last night so we'll need to set up their pen to keep predators out. Our current foster girl has the kennel cough so I need to baby her a bit. We're supposed to get her to the shelter this weekend to have her spade. I'll have to see if they'll do the surgery with her being sick. On Saturday we usually try to get together with friends to cook-out and play dominos. Sunday...hopefully we can have everything done so we can rest before the chaos begins again on Monday.<br />
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Writing-wise? I'm almost finished revising my chapter. I need to pull up the editors comments from my final in the FAB contest so I can make sure I have the best chance possible before I sub it. Hopefully I can squeeze in writing time today and a few crits while I'm at it.<br />
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Enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend!!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-66161121548469704822012-03-26T07:59:00.000-05:002012-03-26T07:59:36.102-05:00Holy moly, Maynard!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9Ym5mL_CDq36T7RPo1clAAXmcFIF4AITnaNjP0Zdxc24S6tENXyXdFte4x5HzAMxFscjapKRsIXR2h8PUTYwKkXjQyNkv5YVdk7yyAiXH00Lnijbz6z1d-wLkThtmALi8schkw/s1600/00442512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9Ym5mL_CDq36T7RPo1clAAXmcFIF4AITnaNjP0Zdxc24S6tENXyXdFte4x5HzAMxFscjapKRsIXR2h8PUTYwKkXjQyNkv5YVdk7yyAiXH00Lnijbz6z1d-wLkThtmALi8schkw/s320/00442512.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Coffee anyone? Good Monday morning! Has it really been since October that I blogged?! Hopefully it's time to remedy that. It'll be almost impossible to fill everyone in on the changes that have happened in my life. The most important to me at the moment that has instigated my return to the world of blogging...? Two of my wonderfully talented critique partners have been published by our dream publishing house. <br />
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Not only have they helped me tremendously in my writing, but they've become dear friends along the way. I met the two lovely ladies way back in the day when I first began searching out the way to begin my writing journey. I met several of my current crit partners at the eHarlequin forum where authors and readers mingle.<br />
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Coming soon I'll have them both for a visit to share their call story with us. Maybe even a tip or two for those of us still struggling. For now? I've got to get my big ol' booty in forward motion. I'm going to fill up my trusty coffee mug and open my current WIP. But first I wanted to wish you all a productive Monday morning and welcome myself back to the blogging world.Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-57030079527113143262011-10-24T09:33:00.000-05:002011-10-24T09:33:46.151-05:00A new day. A beautiful one at that...As usual I sat out on the porch this morning watching little man as he waited for the bus. The fog was low and heavy across the street where the countryside dips into a valley. There are a few pluses to living on a hill, and the view is one of them. Being a lightening magnet is not one of the positives, though. LOL. The tree cut up in the front yard is proof there is a negative side to the new house. Oh well. Still wouldn't trade it for another.<br />
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This weekend went by quickly, which can be good and bad. We were able to get some cleaning done so I won't have as much to do this week. I have two service appointments for the house this week and a doctor appointment in the city. So it's looking to be a busy week. But the good about it being Monday? The guys are out of the house and it's quiet. My plans today are to try to root around in the last remaining unpacked boxes and find my rolling pin. I found a yummy recipe for sugar cookies and want to start experimenting with icing decorations. Little man has a fall party Friday and I'll make Halloween cake pops. I bought a plastic black witch's cauldron and spiderweb material. Hopefully my fingers will work so I can mold spooky characters and I'll put them on sticks. I plan to lay foam in the bottom of the cauldron with the spiderweb on top to look like smoke. If I can get it to work I'll upload pictures before I take it to the school.<br />
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Off to work on critiques and getting my partial request ready to mail. Just a few tweaks and it's ready to go. And yes...I am getting a little nervous. The 3-4 month wait will be unbearable but I have plenty of projects to keep me busy. Have a wonderful and productive Monday, my friends!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-58339283468124510162011-10-17T20:15:00.000-05:002011-10-17T20:15:23.353-05:00Happy Monday!And what a weekend it was. I don't think we did a whole lot of anything. Except get the house dirty. *sigh* So I spent today catching up the laundry, cleaning little man's room, cleaning up after the cowboy, and made the man/child bring me his dirty clothes and dishes. I try not to venture into his cave very often if I can help it. But I also finished the revisions on my partial and sent it out to the crit partners. I've already heard back from two of them and it looks like I can get it submitted by Wednesday. Which means I might be able to finish the second request and get it sent to the crit partners by next Monday. Man...that would be HUGE if I could get them both sent out and off my to-do list. I've got two short stories that need attention. Like yesterday.<br />
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I found the secret to getting more writing time. Keep the family stuffed with good food. The boys are extremely happy with me because I've been cooking more lately. Last night I made homemade sausage/bacon pizza. My man/child is usually the picky one, but he ate three huge pieces. They are so big it's like a deep dish. Tonight? I made parmesan crusted chicken with a vodka cream sauce spaghetti. Tomorrow I'll have to do a thick and hearty soup with vegetables and pasta. Maybe even some homemade bread. It'll be perfect for the cold front we've got coming in as I type and it'll also be an easy fix.<br />
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Okay...as promised. Here is my recipe for chocolate pecan pie. I've found similiar recipes but I think the reason we like it is because I add Kahlua. Yummo. Add/delete ingredients to your taste...but enjoy.<br />
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Aunt Susie’s Chocolate Pecan Pie<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Deep dish pie shell or handmade<br />
¾ cup white sugar<br />
1 cup light corn syrup<br />
½<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cup real butter<br />
4 eggs<br />
2 tbsp bourbon (I tried Kahlua)<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract (<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Madagascar</st1:country-region></st1:place> pref.)<br />
¼<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tsp. salt<br />
½<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cup semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
1 cup chopped pecans<br />
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small pan over medium heat, constantly stirring until sugar dissolves. Set aside and let it cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combine eggs, liquor, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and mix well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour sugar mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour chocolate chips and chopped pecans into bottom of the pie crust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour pie mixture on top and bake for at least 50 minutes or lightly brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want it to be pretty for company, before baking you can top the pie with pecan halves in circles or designs. <br />
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I found very similar pecan pie recipes online but I think the bourbon or Kahlua makes a richer pie for holidays.Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-90804092350581314802011-10-14T09:45:00.000-05:002011-10-14T09:45:54.703-05:00Finally Friday!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnYF1ZD15jNSSSlTnfzPMxmTpztYo_I4HrkV5INyCOlvlhaQrUWiVvS0NBg2tvnYugjd69RNNtaeW6pSdxpRJCjUU-xDUZ4nmUPGOlJsJhYqXv_c7t4GXvDMKiKhnJQ4M443ASg/s1600/j0438567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnYF1ZD15jNSSSlTnfzPMxmTpztYo_I4HrkV5INyCOlvlhaQrUWiVvS0NBg2tvnYugjd69RNNtaeW6pSdxpRJCjUU-xDUZ4nmUPGOlJsJhYqXv_c7t4GXvDMKiKhnJQ4M443ASg/s1600/j0438567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnYF1ZD15jNSSSlTnfzPMxmTpztYo_I4HrkV5INyCOlvlhaQrUWiVvS0NBg2tvnYugjd69RNNtaeW6pSdxpRJCjUU-xDUZ4nmUPGOlJsJhYqXv_c7t4GXvDMKiKhnJQ4M443ASg/s320/j0438567.jpg" width="212" /></a>Woohoo!! Are you proud of me?! I've blogged twice in one week. I actually tried to blog on Wednesday and had an emergency call from little man. They took school pictures and I'd forgotten to put the order form and check in his backpack. So I made a mad dash to brush my hair and change out of my pink flannel jammies. He probably would've appreciated it more if I'd taken the tiara out of my hair. Just kidding. I did brush my teeth though.<br />
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Fall? You say it's fall in Oklahoma? Really?! *sigh* It's still hitting the mid to high 80's here during the day. And because of the severe drought, I doubt the trees will come back to life to turn spectacular colors to signal that my favorite time of year has arrived. Oh well. Little man and I decorated pumpkins last week and I pulled out the fall scents for my warmers. At least the house is telling me it's time. I believe we're supposed to get a cold front next week that will drop the temps by 30 degrees. Which also means my body will rebel a day or two in advance. But it'll be well worth it. I'm so ready for jeans and sweaters. Of course I'll still have my flip-flops on. Ha.<br />
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Another favorite for this time of year are the fall recipes coming out of the drawer. Monday I'll post a recipe my aunt gave me years ago for her chocolate pecan pie. But for now...I'm off to work on my chapter and critiques for my girlies. Hope you guys are having an awesome Friday!! Be productive and get that word count!!<br />
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XOXOChelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-55953738353958464822011-01-17T11:00:00.006-06:002011-01-17T15:20:41.694-06:00Elaina Lee ~ Cover artist and author extraordinaire!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBOlwpVGp4kjgckULFP4cCMfh9uS07CtKHhy7_g_jq9-PW7W2XYKBiTr0ZjMR1qJODo0hDy5Rct3RTvnHAsyG87mJDmpYAPsq7vkdfMjYAQEbXRziO65kcPpFLS2uH5uk5tHOGA/s1600/ElainaLee.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 257px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563204480672852482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBOlwpVGp4kjgckULFP4cCMfh9uS07CtKHhy7_g_jq9-PW7W2XYKBiTr0ZjMR1qJODo0hDy5Rct3RTvnHAsyG87mJDmpYAPsq7vkdfMjYAQEbXRziO65kcPpFLS2uH5uk5tHOGA/s400/ElainaLee.png" /></a><br /><div>Hey, guys!! I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine and her extraordinary talents!! And one lucky person that posts a comment will win a copy of her book, Written in Blood!!<br /><br /><strong>Welcome, Elaina!!!<br /><br />First of all, I have to tell you I absolutely love your book cover art! I was already a fan of your book, Written in Blood, but you are a very talented graphic artist. And since you designed my header for the cupcake business…I know from experience that you are also a REALLY patient person and easy to work with.</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">Well thank you, Chelle! But I have to admit I didn't design the cover for Written in Blood, though it is gorgeous and I couldn't be happier!<br /></span><br /><strong>Tell us a bit about yourself first…</strong> <span style="color:#660000;">I'm a mother of a toddler and a teenager and the wife of a soldier. We live in the deep south, brought here by fate, so we haven't argued! Just found our place here and have been counting our awesome blessings ever since!</span><br /><br /><strong>WOW! I want to thank you and your husband for your sacrifice in serving our country. The family needs to be remembered because you have to survive without him while he's stationed away from home! </strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>So….which came first ~ art or writing?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">Writing! The art was just by accident. I didn't want a bad cover (isn't that awful?) so I decided, if I wanted to make sure I didn't get one, I'd better learn how to make them. I had no idea I'd do well at it.</span><br /><br /><strong>What was your first step in getting started? In which area? Writing or the art?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">Well, for writing I just wrote. My first step in getting published was joining a crit group, then entering contests (to get over my fear of submissions), then gathering the guts to sub! For art, it was finding a good program.)</span><br /><br /><strong>What genre do you enjoy reading the most? What genre do you enjoy writing?</strong><span style="color:#990000;"> I found I really enjoy reading action novels that have just enough romance to make you go 'awww'. And I love writing all genre's, but romantic suspense, while the most grueling, is definitely the funnest to write. </span><br /><br /><strong>Where do you find your inspiration?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">I find a lot of inspiration on learning channels. The plots really get going when they talk about mysterious happenings in history or recent times. I wonder 'hmmm, how would that work in a book?'.</span><br /><br /><strong>Do you have a favorite writing tip to share?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">Don't second guess yourself. Just keep writing and don't worry about how the words are appearing on paper, just that they're there. That's what editing's for, but first you have to have a story to edit!<br /></span><br /><strong>How did you find out you’d sold your first book?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">An email. She said "Wow, what an awesome story! I'm going to send this to Jill with a request to send you a contract." I was screaming I was so excited. I'd worked so hard on Written in Blood and I couldn't believe the rest of the world was going to be able to read them too! </span><br /><br /><strong>Who was the first person you told and how did you celebrate?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">I called my mom first, but she didn't answer! So my crit partner, Cate Chase, ended up being the first person I told.</span><br /><br /><strong>Where can we find your book?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">You can find it on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Written-in-Blood-ebook/dp/B004GXAYZ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1294852596&sr=8-1"><strong>Amazon</strong></a>, <strong><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/written-in-blood">Bookstrand</a></strong>, <a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-writteninblood-496834-148.html"><strong>All Romance</strong> </a>and of course my publishers site, <strong><a href="https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=203">Noble Romance</a></strong>.</span><br /><br /><strong>Where can we find you hanging out?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">Oh gosh, Facebook and my blog.</span><br /><br /><strong>What is your favorite show on television?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">I have to pick just one? Well I guess the one I'm currently watching then, Leverage. That is a fun show!</span><br /><br /><strong>More importantly… Boxers or briefs?</strong> <span style="color:#990000;">*Very Big Grin* Boxers *wink*</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Website info - </span><a href="http://www.elainalee.com/"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Elaina Lee </strong></span></a><span style="color:#990000;">and </span><a href="http://elaina-lee.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Blog</strong></span></a></div>Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33170374.post-22691074209031718212011-01-08T08:24:00.002-06:002011-01-08T08:51:32.547-06:00The first week...of the rest of my life is complete. I was moaning that I didn't hit my goals when I came across my horoscope this morning. It is also accompanied by a daily slam. I guess it's meant to be more "in your face". But mine had me laughing out loud.<br /><br /><em>Your pathetic juggling act has caused a few minor setbacks. You can't do it all, even if you're under the ridiculous impression you're some sort of invincible multi-tasking superhero or something. Get back to basics and focus on one thing at a time.</em><br /><br />I'm still smiling. So this first week of the new year has come and gone and I've accomplished zilch. Nada. Absolutely nothing. That I can remember anyways. My cowboy has to work today because Monday's forecast is calling for snow and his foreman is worried the guys won't be able to drive to work. My guy would because he thinks his four-wheel drive one ton diesel can go anywhere. *sigh* And who am I to argue since last year we were able to get out and around when most were stranded at home. But today I plan to finish texturing the wall and window upstairs and the staircase hall so we can paint tomorrow. Then the walls will officially be done. I'm hoping my hands will cooperate and hold the stupid tool. They're pretty swollen and tender today but life goes on and I've got things to do. Having RA is a bump in the road and I'll go miles around it before I let it push me to the side of the road. I'll just have to use my Dragon software if I can't write Monday.<br /><br />Speaking of Monday...it's the kick off day for the <a href="http://rsswwf.com/"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Writing Festival</strong></span></a>. They will be offering moderated writing sprints, tips, and resources. Even if you're not struggling with your manuscript they'll offer some great advice and a bragging room where you can share your journey. I love that this inspiring group of writers have opened their doors to the writing community to offer fellowship and motivation.<br /><br />Okay guys, I'm off to work on my shopping cart for the cupcake website before I get down and dirty with the manual labor. Next Friday I'll be giving away a dozen cake truffles at my buddy <a href="http://dianeestrella.com/"><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Diane Estrella's</strong></span></a> blog. She's generously hosting an entire week of give-aways. Go by and show her some love if you have time.<br /><br />Hope you're having a blessed and productive weekend!!Chelle Sandellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03813658527826989105noreply@blogger.com3