5 Summer Pleasures

June is one of my favorite months.

Yes, the temperature starts to climb here in Texas, but it's easy to cool off because everything is air-conditioned now.

When I grew up, hardly anyone had air conditioning. Our home at a huge attic fan.

Flip a switch and a big metal vent in the hall ceiling opened up, and this enormous fan turned on—pulling cool night air in through the opened windows. It worked on the simple principle of warm air rises and cool air descends.

Some of my favorite memories are of summer nights, reading in bed with the sound track of the attic fan, and the curtains at the windows blowing in the created breeze. It was cool, and the night was silent except for the sound of the fan and the buzz of crickets and other insects outside.

Many of my books are set in summer. Summer heat easily sets the scene for a passionate romance.

Other Pleasures of Summer

Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay 

1. Homemade Ice Cream.

OMG. There is nothing better than the homemade vanilla ice cream I've been making since I was given the recipe by my ex's mom many years ago.

Her cousin Maybelle got the recipe from her mother. (Yes, her name really was Maybelle, and she was a lovely lady.)

The icy cold vanilla sweetness melts on your tongue. It's light, not heavy like commercial ice creams. I've never had better ice cream anywhere. It's so good that when I announce, "I'm making ice cream today," everyone grabs bowls and spoons and volunteers to help.

2. Blooming Flowers and Trees

Growing flowers creates a feast for the eyes. Here in Houston, the color parade starts in the spring when Mother Nature outdoes herself with wildflowers in the country and azaleas bursting into bloom in town. As the days heat up, the flowers begin blooming. How can anyone feel down when there's such beauty all around?

Image by Michelle Bryant from Pixabay 

3. Fragrant Flowers and Trees

Magnolia, honeysuckle, star jasmine, night blooming jasmine, gardenia, roses, butterfly ginger, and lemon and lime trees. Better than the most expensive perfume.

4. Porch Swings

I can't think of anything more relaxing than lazing away in a porch swing. This activity is even better at night.

If you don't have a porch swing, a hammock in a cool shady spot or even a chaise lounge will work almost as well. Bring a good book on your Kindle and you have everything needed for a fabulous summer day or evening.

5. Beach Books

What's a Beach Book? Any book you want to read! Summer's best leisure activity is reading.

Pack a book in your beach tote or, even easier, bring along your Kindle or plan to read on your cell phone.

Need a beach book? Try a romance that sizzles as hot as the summer day. Romeo and Judy Anne is a perfect choice.

High school principal Judy Anne Palmer was always a good girl who never did an impulsive, rebellious thing. Ever. And look where it got her! Stuck in a life she hates!

One night in Dallas, she decides to be a bad girl for one in her life. After all, she'll never see her one-night Romeo again.

Unfortunately, the night doesn't turn out exactly the way she planned.

Roman Carlisle, her one night Romeo, turns up in her hometown as a new teacher on her faculty.

What will she do?

Everything she can to keep her secret passion from turning into the biggest scandal little Clayton Bend, Texas, has ever seen.

Can she resist the desire that burns between them?

With eccentric small town characters, a bratty niece, an overbearing school board president, and the temptation of her secret lover, Judy Anne Palmer is in the middle of a situation no good girl ever wants to be in.

Takeaway Truth

Wishing you a summer of reading great books!

Review: Quote Maker by Qwops

Today, I'm reviewing another free website infographic designer.

Qwops offers a library of quotes and limited images. It's easy to create attractive quote images in a very short amount of time.

Just click a topic to find a quotation and then click one of the background images.

Another click to download, and your PNG graphic is ready to save to your computer.

Takeaway Truth

Have a great Monday!

Alexa Skill Review: Night Light

Do you roam the house at night? I do. I often go to my office because I can't sleep.

My Alexa Echo device is on a cabinet right next to the stairs.

With Alexa Skill, Night Light, free to enable, I can light my way up the stairs and have it turn itself off.

Since there are similar Night Light skills, make sure you don't have another one installed because of similar invocation commands.

In fact, on this skill's webpage, you are advised to read the FAQ's first. One of them addresses the problem of having a similar skill installed.

Night Light by labworks.io ltd

The 1,896 reviews show the popularity of this skill. Night Light lets your Alexa cast a cool, subdued glow that's enough to see your way without turning on lights or leaving a night light on in a room. It's a pulsing glow that provides just enough light.

Skill Details

Invocation Name: night light. Simply say, “Alexa, open Night Light.”

Contains Dynamic Content.

Supported Languages: English (AU), English (CA), English (GB), English (IN), English (US), German (DE).

To close the skill, say "Alexa, stop."

To turn Night Light off after a specified amount of time, say "Alexa, open night light for X minutes.”

X can be anything you say, from 3 seconds to 3 minutes to 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

Takeaway Truth

I think you'll find this simple skill extremely useful. Try it.

Saturday Share: Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

My mom always made the most delicious stuffed bell peppers. Unfortunately, Darling Hubby has never been a fan of stuffed peppers.

Then I found a recipe that appealed to him so I thought other bell pepper haters might like this too.

You can bake these in the oven or use a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot or other brand. I like using my Instant Pot because I'm sometimes short of time to get dinner on the table and a pressure cooker makes it easy.

Tex-Mex Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 large red bell peppers, any color will do, but we like red best
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
2 cups shredded cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese
1 can of Green Giant Mexicorn, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 10-ounce can of Hatches Enchilada Sauce
1 cup of white wine
1 taspooon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sour cream

Tastes best. Hard to find

Instructions

Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove all the seeds and membranes. Wash, pat dry, and set aside.

On your pressure cooker, use the Saute function. Add the oil and ground beef to the cooker. Brown the ground beef. When it's almost brown, toss in the onion to saute to the translucent state. Press Stop.

Drain the ground beef and and onion and place in a large bowl. Stir in the drained corn, cheese, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Combine evenly. Stuff this mixture into each pepper.

Put the steaming rack in your pressure cooker and pour in the wine. Place the stuffed peppers on the rack. Place lid on and securely close. Use Beans/Chili setting with low pressure and set time for 15 minutes.

Always make sure the Steam Release Valve is in the Closed postion. Press Start.

When cooking has completed, and the pressure is release, transfer peppers to a serving platter and serve with a crock of sour cream.

If you have an stuffing mixture left, store in a container in the fridge and use in another recipe.

To Bake in Conventional Oven

Set oven for 350 degrees F. Place stuffed peppers on a rack in an oven-proof container. Pour wine into the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until cheese melted and gooey and peppers are soft.

Serve to rave reviews. Oh, white corn tortillas heated on a griddle or in the microwave or delicious with this.

Takeaway Truth

Try these stuffed peppers for something a little different.

They just may become a new family favorite.

Win YA Paranormal by Weston Kincade

My friend Weston Kincade, an Author and a teacher, dropped by for a visit.

He's having audio editions of his novels made, and he wants to give away an audio copy of A Life of Death. It's easy to win.

Giveaway Details at Bottom of Post

A Life of Death is Book 1 in the A Life of Death young adult paranormal mystery trilogy.

If you like underdog heroes, heart-wrenching journeys, and unexpected twists, then you’ll love this unnerving coming-of-age tale.

Meet Weston Kincade

Weston Kincade, a member of Horror Writers Association, writes character-driven fantasy, paranormal, and horror novels that stretch the boundaries of imagination, and often genres.

His current series include the A Life of Death trilogy and The Priors. His short stories have been published in 50 Shades of Slay (Alucard Press), in Kevin J. Kennedy's bestselling Christmas Horror and Easter Horror, and in other suspenseful anthologies.

Weston helps invest in future writers while teaching. When he has any spare time, he devotes that to his wife and friends.

About A Life of Death

Dreams of death. Small-town secrets. High school is the least of his worries…

Virginia, 1995. Alex’s only comfort is at his father’s grave.

Battling school bullies and a dangerously abusive drunken stepdad, the troubled teen thinks life can’t get any worse. But when he casually drags his fingers across a wrought-iron fence, he’s overwhelmed by a terrifying image of murder…

Convinced he must act on his otherworldly knowledge, Alex searches his small town for proof of the violent crime. But as his visions grow stronger, the terrible truths he uncovers threaten the lives of his entire stepfamily.

Can Alex get justice for the dead before he ends up six feet under?

Read A Life of Death and dig up the homicidal truth today! 

In the UK? Use this direct link for A Life of Death.

Inspiration for A Life of Death

Image by Steve Buissinne, Pixabay

My inspiration came from my students while I was teaching high school English. Some would confide in me more like a therapist, and I often saw a need for something more—hope. As I wrote A Life of Death, that is what I kept in mind.

I wanted to help teens and adults when times are tough, to show that even in the darkest hour, there is more to strive for.

If Alex, the hero of A Life of Death can overcome the odds and bring justice to those who can no longer speak for themselves, then teens and others may be inspired to make it through whatever hardships they are going through.

They just need to learn from the book's hero to stay strong and do what's right in difficult decisions. Even when times are tough, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

When I finished this first novel, my beta readers included students who volunteered to read the book and provide feedback before its eventual publication.

Giveaway Details

Dates: Giveaway open from 1am CDT, June 5, 2020, to 6pm CDT, June 10, 2020

Prize: Audible Coupon for 1 copy of A Life of Death

Eligibility: Winner must have access to the U.S. or the UK Kindle shops.

How to Enter: Answer this question in comments: "What is or was your biggest challenge as a Young Adult?" Leave your comment with an email address written out, not as a hot link.

Selecting Winner: Name chosen by Joan Reeves, publisher of SlingWords, using Random Name Picker app on June 10, 2020. Name will be sent to Weston Kincade.

Notification: Winner will be notified by email from Weston Kincade on or before June 13.

Takeaway Truth

If you've not read Weston Kincade before, add him to your list of authors to try. In the meantime, good luck! You may win an audio copy of his book. If not, use the links in the post to buy it.

Review: County Line

This past Saturday night I was waiting for Darling Hubby to come home from our house in the country.

I'd finished my writing and was flipping through Netflix and Prime Video, looking for some mindless entertainment.

On Prime Video, I came across County Line, starring Tom Wopat, Jeff Fahey, Patricia Richardson, Grant Goodeve, and Abbi Butler.

About County Line

When his best friend (Jeff Fahey) is brutally gunned down, a former sheriff (Tom Wopat) is left with many questions and no answers.

After the investigation stalls and his replacement turns a blind eye, he takes the case into his own hands.

Why I Watched

When our youngest daughter was in elementary school, The Dukes of Hazzard came on television every afternoon. She loved that show! I thought it was the most amazing thing that she loved it so much. To be honest, I'd listen as I prepared dinner, but I'd never actually watched an episode.

However, that hugely popular TV show is part of the cultural fabric of our country which is why there were reunion TV movies and 2 forgettable big screen versions which, I understand, all the fans hated.

So I was interested to see this production starring Tom Wopat. To my surprise, and I don't mean to sound elitist, the movie was quite entertaining.

Wopat and Fahey, two veterans who've toiled away in guest spots and B movies know their craft.

The movie reminded me of the TV series Justified, one of the best series ever, which starred Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, and Nick Searcy.

It has that same "down home" feeling you'll recognize if you grew up in a small town.

Wopat and Fahey are perfect as the Sheriffs in adjoining southern counties. They know everyone and their families and take law enforcement seriously and professionally.

The best scenes for me were the ones with Wopat and Abbi Butler who played his daughter. They were emotionally convincing. Ms. Butler was perffect as the only child of a lawman who taught her everything she needed to know.

I watched the take-down scene a couple of times. That was where several men tried to intimidate her and her father, and it didn't turn out so well for the men.

Some enterprising television producer ought to fill the gap created by the cancellation of Longmire.

A series about Sheriff Alden (All Out) Rockwell, played by Wopat, and Sheriff Clint Thorne, played by Fahey would have a good chance of being a hit.

There's a market for that kind of small town, smart sheriff kind of show! Plus, there's the nostalgia factor. Maybe AARP should produce it since most TV and movie producers think a series and/or a movie should always appeal to the under 45 crowd.

Will they ever realize that the over-45 crowd has far more money to spend and will spend it for good products?

Takeaway Truth

All in all, I have to give this surprising film a thumbs up.

Authors: Monitor Books With Google Alerts

If you don't have a Google Alert set up with the title of your books, you really need to do that.

One of my friends received a Google Alert for a Tweet mentioning her pre-release book as free. The link in the Tweet directed people to a pirate site where her book was indeed offered for free.

She was racking her brain trying to find out who might have had access to her book file and uploaded it.

The outcome was that her book file probably was not on that file share server.

More than likely if someone  clicked the download link, the or she would get some insidious malware, worms, and viruses—which would serve them right for trying to get an author's hard work for free!

My goodness, most ebooks cost less than a Starbucks Venti Latte! No wonder it gets harder every day for an author to make a living!

My friend told everyone in our group about this situation, so several of us went to Twitter and marked the tweets as "suspicious, probably malicious spam" or words to that effect.

I'll post on a different day how to report Tweets like that.

Stealing an author's book content is a CRIME!

While we were reporting this user and blocking her, my friend received another Google Alert about another user account with the same Tweets.

So each of us reported that too and blocked the user.

These Twitter accounts usually have no followers, and they're not following anyone either plus the user name is a woman's first name followed by some numbers.

Be alert for this kind of thing. Better yet, set up Google Alerts to protect your name and your book titles.

Google Alerts? Easy to set up!

How to Set up Google Alerts

It’s simple to use. Just enter a word or phrase, like your name or title of your book,and you’ll be alerted by email whenever Google finds new mentions on the web. Set up one alert for your name and other alerts for each title of your books.

1. Go to Google Alerts.

2. Enter a search term to track. Make the alert specific by enclosing the search term in quotation marks, i.e., "Joan Reeves" or "Liam's Wild Irish Rose." Google Alerts will display a results preview as you type.

3. Select “Show options” (below the search box) and choose how often you want to receive alerts: once a day; as it happens; once a week.

4. Choose a source for your alerts: web; blogs; news; etc. If you’re unsure, leave the default setting  automatic.

5. Choose a language and region.

6. Choose how many results you want to see: “all results,” or “only the best results.”

Writers need all the TOOLS they can get.

7. Choose a delivery email address (this is where Google will send your alerts).

8. Select Create alert.

Takeaway Truth

Google has many free tools that authors can use so take advantage of them.