Month: October 2020

THE COMFORT OF STAY AT HOME RECIPES

The purpose of this article is to provide you with the comfort of stay at home recipes. During these difficult stay at home times, quite a few people who preferred to eat out, find themselves having to stay at home for their safety and well-being. Cooking may not be one of their strong points, but with simple, healthy, delicious recipes, anyone can overcome!

Below you will provide links to delicious recipes I have already shared to give you a head start. Then, my goal is to provide at least one or more recipes a month. Although most are low-calorie, not all are.

GLUTEN FREE

Sweet and Sour … Gluten Free

An entree that’s easy-to-prepare and healthy to boot won’t steer you wrong!

Sweet & Sour Pork

Gluten Free — Turkey & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Whether or not you have a gluten sensitivity, this recipe is definitely a keeper and one you may want to consider with the approaching holidays.

farmer’s market treasures

Farmer’s Market Treasures for Italian Pasta Salad

I confess to being a pasta lover!

recipe, pasta salad, veggies, organic, garlic, oregano, vinaigrette, vegetables, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, broccoli, corn, cheese, edamame, peas, carrots
Farmer’s Market Treasures Full Circle Farms – Organic

Farmer’s Market Fresh — Salsa Recipe

If you’re interested in a refreshing, easy to make treat, I recommend this salsa.

soups for the soul

Italian Orzo Soup

This soup is one of my absolute favorite low calorie dishes. Feel free to spice it up with Hot Italian Sausage (my preference is chicken since it is lower in fat).

Italian Orzo: Lemmon & Garlic

Mr. Bugs Had It Right — Carrot and Cashew Soup

A friend of mine shared this delicious soup recipe, but you’re in for an extra treat since this article gives you the skinny on carrots — a very versatile vegetable.

colorful carrots, carrots, Carrot and Cashew Soup, recipe
Colorful Carrots

easy baking

Bran Muffins, Dessert, Breakfast, Party Snack
Healthy & Delicious 5 Week Muffins — Perfect as a Dessert, Breakfast, and Parties

When it comes to baking, my preference is definitely to make it easy.

The Ultimate 5 Week Bran Muffins

DEFINITELY COMFORT

There is nothing low calorie about Southern Tomato Pie, but it is absolutely delicious!

Southern Tomato Pie — Add to Your Summer Delight

Thanksgiving, recipe, turkey dressing, turkey
Thanksgiving — Turkey Dressing Through the Generations

Thanksgiving could never be the same without my mother’s heavenly turkey dressing. I only treat myself to this mouth watering pleasure once a year for obvious reasons — the calorie count.

Thanksgiving — Turkey Dressing Through the Generations

I hope you enjoy! Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?

(c) 2020 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

Publish Don’t Perish – Tip #13: Gather Your Resources

As writers, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the process of getting that story from your head to “paper.” However, in the publishing environment we find ourselves in today, it’s important to gather your resources. Authors need to know how to edit their work, set up a business, get that book published (traditionally or independently), and market their book, among other things.

The purpose of this article is to present you with a resource page that will provide you with additional tools to make your journey easier. You’ll find experienced authors and professionals who can coach you, assist you with your writing, editing, technology, and business as well as marketing tips.

The Author Toolbox — Candee Fick

writers, authors, resources, toolbox, encouragement, fun, romantic suspense, journey, writer’s journey, adventure, tips, direction, research, joy, funny, inspiration, thyme, time, Focus on Love
Author Candee Fick

Author Candee Fick accumulated over 100 of her favorite tools for authors and shared them in The Author Toolbox. She also provides mentoring, hands-on advice, and personal coaching in person for those in the northern Colorado area, or via Skype, or phone for those further away. Candee is also the acquisitions and content editor for a Christian press.

Watch your grammar – Amanda Cabot

Amanda Cabot

Since the mechanics of writing is critical, it’s essential to watch your grammar. Amanda Cabot’s R & R: Raves and Rants provides you with that essential tool that will help you avoid those inevitable mistakes. In my article, Publish Don’t Perish – Tip #12: Watch Your Grammar, I provide a brief description and link to each of Amanda’s invaluable articles which can be found on L.A. Sartor’s blog, An Indie Adventure — another invaluable resource.

Pageant Wagon Publishing — Kathryn Ross

clove, lemon oil, cinnamon, garden, harvestwriters, spice, fall recipes, editors, healing, manuscript
Kathryn Ross

If you’re interested in a Christian writing mentor or an independent publisher who can help you develop your book idea into a print publication, you may want to reach out to Kathryn Ross, Author, Book Shepherd, Independent Publisher, Pageant Wagon Publishing, 856-205-9334.

Time management & the multifaceted solution to getting to the end -apods

Amanda Cabot’s APODS Series is an incredible must read for not only authors, but EVERYONE. In Publish Don’t Perish – Tip #5: Apply APODS to Your Life, hI provide a one stop post that provides a link with a summary of each of Amanda’s articles for your convenience. You won’t want to miss it.

legal advice for your business

Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

If you live in Colorado or Florida and need assistance with your business, intellectual property concerns, or estate planning, see what Karen VDH Fischer LLC has to offer or email me at kvdhfischer@gmail.com.

If you have any recommendations for our fellow writers, please feel free to share!

(c) 2020 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

PUBLISH DON’T PERISH — TIP #12: Watch Your Grammar

The mechanics of writing are critical, so watch your grammar! It’s the way we communicate, and your grammar can make or break your writing.

Unfortunately, grammar mistakes are easy to make; however, Amanda Cabot’s Series, R&R: Raves and Rants, provides the perfect tool to help you avoid making those inevitable mistakes. She provides tips and tricks that will keep you in the clear in an entertaining manner.

R&R: Raves and Rants by Amanda Cabot

This article will provide you with the links and a brief summary of each article that can be found on L.A. Sartor’s blog, An Indie Adventure. You may want to spend time on this blog. Not only does An Indie Adventure provide great writing tips from pros like Amanda Cabot, but it’s a great source for getting the most out of your creative journey. As for your grammar tips and tricks, check out these invaluable articles!

R&R: Raves and Rants -Proper Plurals from Multi-Published Author Amanda Cabot

Learn how you should – and shouldn’t – form plurals.

R&R: Raves and Rants for July — Perfect Possessives

Check out the correct way to form possessives, from the simplest rule for single nouns to the more complicated plural noun rule.

R&R: Raves and Rants for August — The Troublesome Twos

Avoid the confusion between the simple “to” and “too.”

The Troublesome Twos


R&R: Raves and Rants for September — Confusing Clauses

Avoid ambiguous antecedents — it’s critical. Learn how to identify them and how to steer clear of them.

R&R: Raves and Rants for October — Great Beginnings

The opening line in a book may just be the most important. What makes a great opening line?

R&R: Raves and Rants for November — The Truth About Lies

Understand the difference between “to lie” and “to lay.”

R&R: Raves and Rants — Commas and Compound Sentences

Publish Don’t Perish

After a quick review of punctuation, get a handle on the rule for commas and compound sentences as well as using FANBOYS.

R&R: Raves and Rants — LESSONS FROM LITTLE WOMEN

Don’t skip or shortcut an editor. You might be surprised by the consequences if you do.

R&R: Raves and Rants — Compound Sentences and Conjunctive Adverbs

Use FANBOYS and conjunctive adverbs with the simple punctuation rule.

R&R: Raves and Rants — The Danger of Dangling Participles

After explaining what a participle is, Amanda shares ways to avoid dangling them.

R&R: Raves and Rants — A Case of Pronouns

Pronouns have three major cases. Learn what they are and the difference.

R&R: Raves and Rants — A CASE OF PRONOUNS CHALLENGE

Take the challenge and find the errors.

Take the challenge and find the errors.


R&R: Raves and Rants — THAT PESKY PASSIVE VOICE

Believe it or not, there are times when the passive voice is the best choice.

R&R: Raves and Rants — THE COMMON COMMA

“To comma or not to comma: that is the question.”

R&R: Raves & Rants — ME, MYSELF, AND I

There are simple rules for using me, myself, and I.

R&R: Raves & Rants — The Final Rant

Amanda Cabot

This final rant is filled with a potpourri of items, some of which include mismatches, improbable dialogue tags, misplaced clauses, anachronisms, and others. Enjoy!!

Thank you, Amanda! I hope to see a future rave or rant!

Publish Don’t Perish Tip #11 – Be Accountable

Last week, I republished the article, An Inspiring Rare Friendship in anticipation of Publish Don’t Perish Tip #11 – Be Accountable. It’s so easy to be pulled away from your writing when “life” interferes. Sometimes you need a break, as I discussed in Tip #10 , however, sometimes while the break is helpful, it may extend longer than intended, and you can move farther and farther away from your goals. This slippery slope is especially easy for the writer, an often lonely profession. However, when you set yourself up to be accountable, important goals are likely reached. Today’s article will share ways in which you can make yourself accountable.

Accountability Partner

The Best Partner — Joni & Karen

Find yourself an accountability partner. This is someone you can share your daily or weekly writing goals with and who will check in with you to see if you’ve met them. This doesn’t necessarily have to be another writer, it can be anyone willing to see you succeed.

Writers’ Group

.Join a writers’ group. I have been blessed by one of the most incredible, supportive groups imaginable. We meet monthly, although during these times of social distancing, we missed a few until we found our rhythm with a new venue — Google Meet. It’s not quite the same as being together in person, but it’s almost as good and still provides motivation to write. These amazing people have the ability to fill my soul.

At the start of each meeting we pray together and provide a 90 second update on where we are with our writing. It’s amazing what that 90 seconds can inspire us to accomplish during the month.

Writing Retreat – Donna Wichelman, L.A. Sartor, Sandi Rog, Karen Fischer, Audra Harders, Candi Fick

Critique Group

Join a critique group where like minded writers set writing goals and provide regular drafts to other members for critique. Each group will have its own set of “rules” and “guidelines” the members need to follow. But each member is held accountable to participate and write.

Go Public

When you go public with your readership, family, and friends, you don’t want to let them down. Search Beyond Lies is a very important project for me, and by going public with An Inspiring Rare Friendship, I want you to hold me accountable. My goal is to have Search Beyond Lies ready for my professional content editor (Candee Fick) by December 1, and ready for my copy editor (Elizabeth Fenton) by Christmas. I will check in with you regularly.

An Inspiring Rare Friendship

What suggestions do you have to help us be accountable?

© 2020 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer