Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: "Earth laughs in flowers."

Spring has come to Texas. If the quantity of wildflowers is any indication, the earth should be responding with great big belly laughs because the countryside is abloom with bluebonnets, primroses, and field after field of yellow bitterweed.

Other wildflowers will be popping up in the next few weeks. In the yards in my neighborhood, azaleas are blooming and loquat are ripening on the trees.

The display is breathtaking. Most states have their own variety of wildflowers and landscape flowers so you can partake of nature's bounty regardless of where you live.

Takeaway Truth

Get out of the house and shake those winter doldrums with a drive in the country.

Yes, I claim Scotch-Irish as part of my heritage. Today, on St. Patrick's Day, we celebrate all things Irish, but you won't catch me drinking green beer.

I've always thought it was rather ironic that St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland because he was not Irish. He was Welsh and a mere 16 years old when he was captured by Irish raiders.

Taken to Ireland as a slave, he lived there for 6 years before he escaped and returned home. After he entered the Church, he returned, as an ordained bishop, to Ireland.

Although little is known about his work in the northern and western parts of Ireland, two authenticated letters from him survive. From those two letters come the only universally accepted facts about his life. Most scholars accept the latest reconstruction of old Irish annals that state Patrick died in 461 AD on March 17 which is why this day is celebrated in his honor.

I find the various incarnations of his name that show the progression of pronunciation and spelling very interesting. The Latin, Patricius. Primitive Irish, Qatrikias. Old Irish, Cothraige. Middle Irish, Pátraic. Irish, Pádraig. Old Welsh, Patric. Middle Welsh, Padric. Welsh, Padrig. Old English, Patric. By the 7th century, Patrick had become a revered patron saint of Ireland.

Irish Backstory

How fitting to talk about Irish authors today. For such a small country, Ireland has had a rather large influence on world literature. If you are into contemporary fiction, you can find a list of 10 Contemporary Irish Authors who are deemed important to read.

You can go back to the classics and look at a list of 40 Famous Irish Authors like Bram Stoker who created Dracula, the poet William Butler Yeats, and even Frank McCourt who wrote Angela's Ashes.

Truly, in western Europe, the Irish have one of the oldest vernacular literatures, after Greek and Latin. The arrival of Christianity in the fifth century is considered to have brought literacy to Ireland even though they had a simple writing system known as ogham that they used for inscriptions. There's a great Wiki on Irish literature if you'd like to read more.

Takeaway Truth

Celebrate St. Paddy's Day by reading a book by an Irish author. I plan to.

Since I've received this question a couple of times and have answered it each time, I thought I might address this issue on the blog too. There may be other readers wondering about the same thing.

Differences In Ebooks

Some readers wonder why ebooks aren't formatted exactly like print books. For instance, in print books, scene changes are indicated by a blank space between paragraphs, like 2 double spaces. Sometimes you see 3 asterisks between paragraphs.

In print books, it's very easy to indicate a scene change, but it's not so easy in digital books. In print, you can just double space twice when you're typing the manuscript. The copy editor picks it up. In digital books, although you can use HTML code to force a blank line, doing this to create the equivalent of 4 blank lines is not a cut and dried issue because of the varying protocols from the many ebook sellers.

No Extra Blank Lines

1. Some digital publishers will reject a file that has more than 1 double space between paragraphs.

2. Some files that are uploaded for Kindle or Nook or Smashwords are read on devices other than dedicated e-readers, i.e., computers, laptops, smartphones, Palm Pilots, iPads, iPods, etc. so extra lines between paragraphs, while looking fine on a Kindle or Nook, may end up being a multitude of extra lines when read on some other device. There are simply too many variables in how a digital book can be read.

3. When formatting for Kindle, every space break--best indicated by blank line, centered asterisks, blank line--must be formatted individually. In fact, every thing that is not a paragraph--special emphasis of italics or bold or centering--must be formatted individually. For this reason, a lot of writers will simply ignore space breaks as we call them.

Print Publishing

Whether blank lines or a blank line-centered asterisks-blank line are used in a print book is entirely a style issue established by each publishing house. The "double line blank space" or the centered asterisks preceded and followed by a double line blank space are both used and are both correct to indicate a change in scene, time, or viewpoint character.

Digital Publishing

As stated above, each digital publisher has specific format protocols to follow. Remember with paragraphs and pages that flow rather than end at specific points, having a lot of empty space is not a good thing.

Viewpoint Changes Changed

Another reader wondered why viewpoint changes aren't indicated by a new chapter or at least a scene break.

In recent years, in popular fiction, viewpoint is handled more casually than in the past. I, and most popular fiction authors, do not use asterisks or blank lines to indicate a viewpoint change because if the change is clearly indicated by narrative signals, readers know whose "head they are in."

This relaxed attitude about viewpoint changes started several years ago, primarily in romance, where in intimate scenes, viewpoint flows back and forth between the main characters. To interrupt that flow, especially in a love scene, with asterisks, blank spaces, or whatever "hard signal" you use, breaks the reader out of the story.

Personally, I use space breaks and special text formatting, i.e., bold, italics, etc. when necessary even if it takes longer to format a manuscript.

Takeaway Truth

Readers notice things. I'm pleased when they ask questions because in articulating the answers, I learn.

Finally, a holiday for all of those who feel as if we're screw-ups. Yep. Some days it seems as if everything I think, say, and do is wrong. Now I know March 15 is the National Day for wrong-thinking so I'm going to save all my flubs for that day.

Don't believe me? I wouldn't lie to you, baby. Check it out for yourself at National Whatever Day. Bookmark the site. Lots of thought fodder there.

I wonder if they established March 15 as this national day because of the whole Caesar, Brutus, Ides of March thing? And who is this amorphous they who make these determinations anyway? I'd better not hazard a guess since I'd probably be wrong.

I'm going to sit on the porch and drink wine and not think.

Takeaway Truth

Beware the Ides of March--and don't bother thinking today.

My guest on SlingWords today is Mona Risk who told me that she never thought that hazardous waste analysis would lead her to writing novels!

When her Ph.D. and work in chemistry landed her international contracts to refurbish laboratories, she traveled to more than sixty countries on business or vacation. To relax from her hectic schedule, she avidly read romance novels and mentally plotted her own books.

Eventually she left a scientific career to share with her readers the many stories brewing in her head. Mona likes to set her stories in the fascinating places she visited from exotic Belarus and historical France, to the beaches of Greece, the monuments of Egypt and the mysterious Islands of Seychelles.

Now, here's Mona to tell you why she set her latest romance novel on the Island of Mykonos, Greece.

Greek Encounter
by Mona Risk

There is always a special story behind the official story of a book, or a special reason that leads an author to select a particular setting for her novel. Why did I set my latest in Greece?

Granted, it’s a romantic place, an attractive island and a fabulous resort where tourists flock in summer. But then there are so many equally beautiful sites that I’ve visited during my numerous travels. Yet, they didn’t stir a similar yearning in my heart or even talked to my muse. It’s probably the Greek blood running in my veins that makes me love to go to Greece and share its beauty with my readers.

Backstory

From a book written by my uncle who lived in Canada, I learned that my ancestors dwelt in the Island of Salonika. The father, Yorgho Zanis, was a merchant selling fabrics in the old market area.

After his death, his three sons decided to immigrate to America, build their fortune and come back to their roots as rich men. But after they sailed for two days, one of the brothers became violently ill and had to disembark in the first port where the ship docked. He settled in Alexandria while his brothers continue to New York.

I visited Greece six times over the years and discovered its islands and beaches with renewed pleasure. I knew from the first time that I wanted to set a story there. Here's a sneak peak at Greek Encounter.

Can the pain of the past bring about the happiness of the future?

Stefano Kostapoulos plans to demolish the dilapidated Pink Villa inherited from his grandmother and build a modern resort on the Greek island of Mykonos. But the American co-owner refuses to sell his shares and sends his attorney to Greece—a lawyer Stefano plans to shred to pieces at the hearing.

Except that Counselor Ashley Sheppard is a gorgeous redhead who knocks Stefano off his axis when he meets her incognito. Sparks fly during a first encounter that leads to a memorable night of passion.

In court, Ashley is in for a nasty surprise. Her handsome Greek god is the opponent. Her heart gnaws with pain, yet she attacks him with all her strength to defend her grandfather’s case.

Stefano wins the lawsuit, but is about to lose Ashley. To keep her in Mykonos, he strikes a deal with his old enemy. Does Ashley dare to trust the Greek playboy? Or even understand her grandfather’s strange change of heart regarding the Pink Villa?

Excerpt

Ashley walked to the center of the room, addressing the judge. “Your honor, I came all the way from the USA to attend this hearing. Mr. Zanis is my grandfather. He’s also an eighty-two-year-old man in bad health. In Mykonos, you heard of this scandal and the feud between Mr. Zanis and the Kostapoulos family.” Crossing her arms, she surveyed the audience and studied their expressions, as her words were translated in Greek. Mostly curious smiles, interested looks, and a few sarcastic grins.

“Let me tell you the beautiful but sad story of two young people who loved each other. George Zanis—Yorgho as he was called here—was twenty, from a relatively poor family, who couldn’t afford to send him to college. He made the big mistake of falling in love with the prettiest girl in Mykonos. Elena was the daughter of the powerful mayor and richest man in town. To be able to ask for her hand in marriage, Yorgho worked two and three shifts a day as a mechanic and saved all his money. And then he did a crazy thing for the girl he loved. He bought an old house no one wanted, renovated it, and offered it to his girlfriend.”

During translation, she scanned her audience and let her gaze rest on Stefano. “As a lawyer, all I’ve seen in my life and in my personal experience are jerks who take advantage of innocent girls, or womanizers who collect nights of pleasure.”

A collective gasp answered her bold accusation. Stefano narrowed his eyes.

“But these young people were different. Innocents who believed in love.

Unfortunately, Yorgho was rejected by Elena’s family. As a last resort to win her hand in marriage, he decided to seek his fortune in America and come back a rich man to marry her. Elena promised to wait for him. Like many young lovers, they gave in to their passion and shared a night in each other’s arms. Big mistake,” she spat out, with a disgusted glance toward Stefano who smiled.

God, how she wanted to punch that smile. She spun toward the judge. “You know the rest. A pregnant Elena was forced to marry to save the honor of her family. She lost the child two days before her wedding. What you don’t know is that Yorgho and Elena remained friends all their lives and exchanged letters once or twice a month. Elena visited the Pink Villa regularly to read her best friend’s letters.”

Not The End -- Greek Encounter is available on Amazon.

Joan, thank you for hosting me on your beautiful blog.

Takeaway Truth

It's my pleasure to host authors. Try new authors and new genres. You may find some great books.

We're up at our Hill Country house for a little R&R after our daughter's wedding. One of our sons and his family are vacationing at our home in the Houston-area since it's spring break for their kids so the Hill Country quiet is what we needed.

My husband had asked me to pack the ingredients for a batch of mozzarella because he wants to "help" me make pizza. (I learned that recipe in Italy when we went.) That's one of the downsides of being a good cook--your family always wants you to cook rather than ordering out or going out.

In my romantic comedy OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER (Book 1, The Good, The Bad, and The Girly), my heroine is Stormy Clarkson, and her hobby is making artisan cheeses.

I guess you could say that Stormy taught me how to make mozzarella. In the opening scene, she's demonstrating how to make this cheese in your own kitchen.

When I wrote this book, I actually procured all the ingredients and did this myself to see how it was done. I mean, how can I tell others, in a scene, how to make mozzarella at home if I haven't done it myself?

So today I'm going to whip out my Kindle, open it to my copy of Old Enough To Know Better, click on the recipe in the Bonus Features section and make some mozzarella. I thought I'd print the recipe here in case you haven't read the book and would still like to make this cheese. It's easy.

Stormy's Recipe for Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
from Old Enough To Know Better by Joan Reeves

Equipment

5 quart covered stainless pot with a heavy bottom.

1-cup Pyrex measuring cup.

2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.

dairy thermometer that reads 20°F to 220°F that's 20°C to 110°C.

long bladed knife.

cheesecloth or a non-terrycloth dishtowel.

8 inch strainer.

large container to catch the draining whey.

1000 W microwave oven.

Ingredients

Note: I ordered citric acid powder and Junket Rennet (Junket is a brand name.) online. I also purchased a dairy thermometer from online. All this is supposed to be available at health food stores, artisanal food shops that cater to home canners, and some pharmacies, but I couldn't find them in my local area.

1 gallon of milk of your choice

1 and 1/4 teaspoons citric acid powder dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water

1/2 tablet Junket rennet tablet suspended in 1/4 cup cool water

Instructions

1. Warm milk over gentle heat 88°F (31°C). Be careful not to scorch the mixture.

2. Dissolve 1 and 1/4 teaspoons citric acid powder into 1/2 cup cool water in the smaller measuring cup. Add to the 88°F milk. Stir well.

3. Dissolve the 1/2 tablet of Junket Rennet in the 1/4 cup cool water using the smaller measuring cup. Stir thoroughly into the warmed milk mixture. Let set undisturbed for one to two hours, until a clean break is achieved.

4. Using the long bladed knife, cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes.

5. Warm the curds and whey over low heat. Stir gently to keep the curds separated until the temperature reaches 108°F (42°C). Keep it at that temperature for 35 minutes. Stir every 5minutes to keep the curds separated and off the bottom of the pot.

6. Line the 8 inch or larger strainer with cheesecloth or a 100% cotton open-weave, clean dishcloth. Place the strainer over a 1 gallon container. Pour the curds and whey through this strainer. Let it drain for at least 15 min. At this point, you can save the whey to make ricotta cheese. (If you would like a recipe for ricotta cheese, please e-mail me.)

7. When it has finished draining, place the curd in a large bowl, break it up, and thoroughly mix in 1 teaspoon of salt.

8. Place 1 cup of the salted curd into the 2 cup measuring cup. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. (If your microwave is less than 1000 watts, you may need to adjust the time in order to get the desired elasticity.)

9. Separate the hot curd from container, using the back of a fork. Turn it out on a clean work surface or larger bowl if necessary. The curd is hot so be careful. Knead with your hands to distribute the heat evenly.

10. Return the curd to the large Pyrex measuring cup. Heat again in the microwave for 20 more seconds. Remove, stretch and fold the curd to make it smooth and elastic. Shape into a soft ball.

11. Place the soft ball of cheese into cold, salted water (about 1/3 cup of salt per quart of water) in an airtight container.

12. Place the container in the refrigerator, and let it age for at least a day. You can store in the fridge up to a week.

Takeaway Truth

I love putting Bonus Features in my books. I also love this cheese. It is so good! Try it.

Before my daughter nixed the idea of publishing one of her bridal photographs on SlingWords this past Saturday, I had already prepared the image by "branding" it with a copyright notice.

This is easy to do. If you're using your own photographs on your websites and would like to at least make it more difficult for someone to "lift" the image without your permission, let me tell you how to go about it.

There are a lot of free and fee-based apps that accomplish this. I like Watermark Tool because it's easy to use and free.

WatermarkTool.com

"Watermark Tool is an online watermarking software that allows you to quickly and easily protect your images with a visible watermark."

There are a lot of options available, and you can personalize the branding by text size, color, and position of the brand.

The basic Watermark Tool is free. You don't even have to register if you don't want to. You have instant access to the app.

If you want more features, then sign up for WMT Plus which gives you a higher file size limit, the ability to save your watermark settings for future use, and the option to use an image as a watermark.

Takeaway Truth

Do what you can to protect your images and keep someone from unauthorized use of them. This is one way.