I've moved!

The Writer Side of Life has a new home!

I've updated my website and moved the blog over there. Same ol' chatter with a whole new look. Please drop by and let me know what you think!

See you there!

Lee

Sunday Fun—My New Umbrella

Last night I attended a cocktail fundraiser for breast cancer research and won this fabulous umbrella for making the largest donation.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to the next rainy day!

Until next time,
Lee

Breakfast at Ginger's

This is one of the cutest YouTube videos I've seen in ages!



Until next time,
Lee

Tuesday News

With the July release of Firefighter Daddy, the past month has been a whirlwind of book signings and guest blog appearances. Exhausting, but so much fun!

Here’s a photo taken at the multi-author signing I took part in last Saturday.

[l. to r.: Golden Heart winner Jacqui Nelson with a copy of Firefighter Daddy in her hot little hands, Chelsea Bowles, me in my I “heart” SF T-shirt, and fellow author Susan Lyons/Fox]

I love the little gems that pop up on the Internet. Here's Firefighter Daddy listed in the Firefighter Gifts section of the United Firefighter website!

I’ve had to switch gears this week to work on the page proofs of my January 2011 release, The Wedding Bargain. I really love the characters in this story and I sure hope readers will, too.

Speaking of great stories, today you’ll find four new Harlequin American Romances on bookstore shelves.

Baby Bombshell
by Lisa Ruff

Dusty: Wild Cowboy
by Cathy McDavid
Third in the must-read The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo miniseries!

The Mommy Proposal
by Cathy Gillen Thacker

His Hired Baby
by Jacqueline Diamond

Check out the covers at eHarlequin.com. Happy reading!

Until next time,

Lee

Sunday Fun—Inspiration

Some writers do storyboards and collages for the books they write, and I envy them that. That process has always intrigued me and I've considered doing it but have just never set aside the time.

I do look for things that inspire my writing, though, and I keep various things on and around my desk that help keep me in the moment while I'm writing, help with adding details to scenes, and so on.

So I thought I would share a couple of images I used while writing Firefighter Daddy—specifically Rory's bridesmaid dress and shoes. The dress I had in mind wasn't identical to this one but it was very similar.

Rory's strappy, sparkly shoes, however, were exactly like these!

I think they're gorgeous, even though my feet hurt just looking at them.

And of course Mitch liked them too. A lot!

Happy reading!

Until next time,
Lee

This Week's News

I'm doing one last book signing tomorrow so if you'd like an autographed copy of Firefighter Daddy, please drop by!

Saturday, August 7
1 to 4 pm
Coles Books, Tillicum Mall
Victoria, BC

This will be a multi-author signing and I'll be joined by Sharon Ashwood, Mimi Barbour, Bonnie Edwards and Susan Lyons.

We're holding an instant win draw and everyone who stops at our table will win candy or a fun little prize. Those who buy books will also be eligible for the grand prize draw for a beautiful travel tote bag filled with goodies.

The page proofs for The Wedding Bargain are here so that's what will be keeping me busy for the next few days.

Until next time,
Lee

Food for Thought—Cranberry & Herb Turkey Burgers

I was at the deli the other day and saw ready-made turkey-cranberry patties and thought...yum!

So I came home, searched for a recipe and discovered this.

Cranberry & Herb Turkey Burgers
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat couscous
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey

Place couscous in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water, stir and set aside until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. If grilling the burgers, preheat grill to medium-high.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds more. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the couscous, add cranberries and stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add turkey and stir until combined; do not overmix. Form the mixture into 6 patties.

To cook on the stovetop: Coat a large nonstick skillet, preferably cast-iron, with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Cover and continue to cook until lightly browned but still juicy (the juices should run clear, not pink), about 4 minutes more. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should read 165° F.)

To grill: Oil the grill rack and grill the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes per side, flipping gently to avoid breaking them. Serve immediately.

I followed the recipe exactly, except I used about half a teaspoon each of dried thyme and sage instead of fresh. It's like Christmas in July. So delicious!

Until next time,
Lee

PS: If you follow the above link, you can get a nice printable version of this recipe.