What's 2 years among friends

I finally clicked on the shortcut to my blog website today after a looooong time. I've thought many times about adding to my blog since I continue to do lots of crazy things and they are minimally documented by photos on facebook. So, how about a recipe to kick things off? I recently entered a chili cook off at out church. My wise oldest said, "Mom we love your chili, but you never win those things. You should just not do it this year." I pondered her suggestion for a few days before deciding that even if my own girls were the only ones to eat my chili, it's worth it. In my house, we eat food from all over the world. For several years I have incorporated various Asian ingredients into our food. Tonight, for example, I looked around the table to see that all those eating there were using chopsticks instead of American utensils. The ingredients for my Korean chili are some that I keep on hand for many of my usual dishes. If you live in a decent sized town, you should be able to find them. If not, there is always the online option. So here is my Korean Chili!! 1 pound of ground pork (If you do not care for pork, you can sub beef) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh kimchi (If you can't buy this, I guess you'll have to marinate some napa cabbage in vinegar and pepper paste) 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning (You can sub your favorite all purpose here, but I like the adobo since it's a chicken flavor) 2 packets of chicken bouillon (I use the little green box that is low sodium) 1 teaspoon EACH of ancho chili powder and regular chili powder 2 teaspoons Korean red pepper (like a chili powder, but it's Korean) 1/4 cup Gochujang pepper paste (This stuff is awesome! keep it for other recipes) 1 small can tomato paste 3 Tablespoons brown sugar About 4 cups water. (You can add water to your taste) Lastly, I sprinkled chopped swiss chard over the top Cook your meat with a bit of oil and the garlic, ginger, and kimchi. When it is nearly done, add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until thick and bubbly and the consistency that you like. We ate this just like standard Texas chili: corn chips, grated cheese, and chopped onions. Yummy!!!

Life

Hi! Checking in to inform my readers about upcoming projects. It has been a while since I last published a book; so I am in the final steps to publishing one now. It is quite far from an autobiography, but this character has bits of me in her. There are things that actually happened to me in this book. I wonder if you can spot them? Well, hope you look forward to Annie Morwell! Oh, and my dear friend Marti is doing the cover art again. This time the picture is actually me when I was 18 or 19. Crazy, right? Anyway, I love this little story. I've just finished roughly writing another book.....a murder mystery!! It was so fun. Suffice to say I had lots of ideas while sitting through a boring seminar and hotel stay. Great time for writing!! I wish I could publish it right away, but it is in a queue of more than 7 books that I have yet to put in my computer. Oooff. I shall soon start again putting them in the computer. I just get so engrossed in adding and editing while I type that I spend way too long on each book. I actually wanted to write this post, not about my books, but about my oldest daughter. She just turned 16! I am spending a lot of time with her lately to get her driving practice hours. It's lovely. (ok so the white knuckle stress is not lovely). I am enjoying having her talk to me and I am getting to share a lot with her as we drive around. I keep thinking that I don't know where the past 17 years have gone. Our lives have been really crazy for so long that I don't give myself time to sit and contemplate what we've been through and how it has affected my kids. Not bragging here: my kids are amazing. Yes, they are quite human and deal with normal temptations and mistakes. However, when things get really hard, my girls can stand up and do what is right. My first 2 girls are only 19 months apart and they are very close. The 3rd one is 3 years apart and is often isolated. Recently, she was disappearing in our new neighborhood and talking to strangers. It was frightening! I thought I would be the one to always look for her and worry for her, but the other 2 were just as concerned as I was. They searched for her several times and gave her the safety lectures such that I did not have to say a word. Proud mother moment. She has since stopped going out without permission, just fyi. Anyway, I have to say thanks to God for being the one to guide these dear souls because I alone can do nothing.

Short story post for you!!

Wow! Last year was really full of difficulties and trials. Though I would love to devote more time to my writing, life has turned us upside down. Last summer I had a mystery illness that put me on my couch for the entire summer. Then, in the fall my husband was randomly fired from his job. The result: Selling our house in TWO DAYS, and getting a job in a different city. So now I am just about finished accommodating our new house and my hubby is settling into the nerve wracking position of a CPA in the middle of tax season. During January, due to the craziness of our situation, I lived with my husband in a tiny travel trailer at an RV park. My parents took care of our children, so on days when I wasn't frantically searching for a home, I had free time. So, I wrote an entire novel (which will be published waaay in the future) and a short story. My short story sort of expresses my feeling during last year. You can think you have everything planned out, but God throws a curveball and your life will take a dramatic turn. I hope you enjoy! Amalia Thompson Amalia looked out her bedroom window at the pouring rain and sighed. Her dream prince and his brother were coming to stay at Broadmoore Manor with her family, but the weather was not cooperating. She had fantasized about floating gracefully out onto the front steps as the coach neared the house. The rain, however, had quite literally sogged that vision. She had to be content to meet them in the foyer and hope that she still conveyed the aura of a graceful lady. As she waited to catch sight of their coach, she thought about when she had first met her prince. She had known Eric Clemmons and his brother Will since she was a small child. Their mothers were close friends and so there had been many opportunities for play together as children. Amalia and Will were the same age, but Eric was older and considered himself to be the wisest. From very young Amalia idolized him. Though she played very well with Will, she only cared what Eric wanted to do. Amalia was an only child and the sole heir to a large estate. Eric and Will, on the other hand, would be forced to share a much smaller estate. As the children grew their parents hoped for an alliance to be made between the families. As much as Amalia adored Eric, he seemed oblivious of her existence. She did her best to keep up with latest trends and fashions in London so that she would be appealing to him, but he never seemed to notice. The only comment he had ever made about her appearance was that she had too much red in her auburn hair. After that, she had always worn her hair in a tight knot so that less of it would be visible. Amalia tapped the window and wondered how the boys had changed. They had both gone away to school and had not been to Broadmoore in over a year. She and Will would soon turn 19 and Eric was already 20. Both boys were in university. While Will had already established himself as a model student, Eric was known as a troublemaker and frequent party-goer. He regularly vexed his parents, and thus, his summer was to be spent at Broadmoore. At long last, Amalia caught sight of the Clemmons coach that carried her prince. She bounced to her feet and smoothed her teal satin gown. She check the mirror to ensure that no red hair was too visible, then she dashed down the main staircase. Her parents joined her in the foyer shortly after she positioned herself facing the door. She fidgeted with her hand posture several times before simply placing them behind her back. Stenson the butler opened the large front door just as the weary travelers came up the steps. The coach sped away to take their luggage to the rear of the house. “Welcome! We are very glad you’ve come!” Graham Thompson declared with open arms. Amalia’s father was short and round, but he had a big personality. Though extremely shrewd in business, he was jovial and kind. Amalia’s mother, Darla, was a beautiful soft spoken woman who let her husband do all the talking. Amalia looked over the strangers who had just entered the foyer. A year had made a dramatic difference in their appearance. Eric, her dashing blonde prince, looked worn and haggard. He had dark circles under his eyes and stooped shoulders. He did not smile nor try to appease his hosts in any form. The greatest difference was Will. He was now several inches taller than his older brother. His soft brown hair was swept back in a handsome way and he carried himself with dignity. “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, I thank you for your gracious hospitality,” he said thoughtfully. Amalia could not help but stare at him for a moment. “Who was this handsome and courteous man?” She shook her head to remove those unwanted thoughts. Her prince stood before her looking tired and bored. “Eric, shall we go to the drawing room for some refreshing tea?” she suggested. It was as if both of the young men finally noticed the she actually existed. They both gawked for a moment before Will replied, “Yes, thank you, Amalia. Tea would be grand.” Eric remained silent for nearly the whole afternoon. It became obvious that he had no intention of enjoying himself at Broadmoore. He much preferred his fast city life to the slow pace of the country. It was also clear that he had already determined to simply endure the summer regardless of his host’s kindness. Amalia refused to admit this even though it was plain. Will was embarrassed at his brother’s behavior and tried to cover for him. “Eric is exhausted from exams and the travel. Please excuse him.” Eric glared at Will every time he made excuses. Amalia decided to reserve all judgments until after he had enjoyed a good night’s sleep. He was, after all, her prince. That night Amalia lay in bed and imagined how Eric would propose. The romantic setting, her lovely dress, and his eyes full of adoration were all thoroughly planned. She had long chosen to believe that her Eric would not be swayed by all the lovely women of London. He would steadfastly hold out for the day when he would come to claim her as his own. She believed that he most certainly secretly harbored the same ardent feelings for her that she held for him. She would not for a moment let herself think otherwise. It had been her deepest desire for so long, she felt her life had no meaning without it. So, she persisted. The following day, Eric was just as surly and despondent. Amalia did her best to make conversation with him, but he only mildly tolerated her. Over the next few weeks Will watched helplessly as Amalia threw everything she had into gaining Eric’s attention. At every overture Eric simply endured without emotion. Will tried a few times to distract her with his own kindness, but to no avail. She was entirely focused on Eric, his spoiled, egotistical brother. By mid-summer he too wished to leave Broadmoore, if only to avoid watching Amalia try so hard and fail. In the 6th week, Will and Eric’s parents paid a visit to Broadmoore. It became apparent that they had conspired with Amalia’s parents for this summer to have a romantic outcome. After Eric’s parents pulled him aside for some rather lengthy lectures, he turned a different face. He began to flirt and pay compliments and smile whenever Amalia was near him. She was utterly flabbergasted. This was how she had always imagined her prince to be. As the days passed, he became bolder. He winked and held her hand, causing her to blush deeply. Finally the day his parents were to return to London, he proposed marriage to her. She, of course, immediately accepted and threw her arms around him. He pulled her off and deposited her on the couch like an unwanted puppy. Still, her joy would not be dampened. That night she replayed in her mind his proposal. She carefully compared it to her detailed fantasy. “Amalia, dear. I admire you. Will you marry me?” were his exact words. He had not expressed romantic and undying devotion, but the fact remained that she was indeed engaged to her prince. It struck her as odd that Will had disappeared for the most part the past 3 days. She could hardly recall seeing him at all. She shook her head and rolled over to dream of her prince. Eric’s parents were gone and so the following day everything settled to the way it had been previous to their arrival. Eric ignored everyone and Amalia tried desperately to gain his attention. Will kept to himself as he was loathe to observe the sadness. Amalia had success in one score, but that did not mean that she now had any sort of relationship with Eric. At night she dreamed of a warm and affectionate Eric, but morning brought the same scowling and aloof man. He had gone so far as to forbid her from touching him when she had thoughtlessly taken his hand. She was briefly devastated but reminded herself that she was engaged to him after all. Day by day she longed for him at least once to hold her hand. She dreamt of embraces and kisses to come, but would have been satisfied with even the slightest touch. Eric, however, preferred to keep a substantial distance between Amalia and himself. The summer came to an end and the boys headed back to London. Amalia was so distraught and forlorn that her father decided to send her to London as well. She was sent to stay with a socially active aunt. When Eric learned that Amalia had followed him to London, he was visibly irked. He told Will to keep her away from him. Though they attended the same social functions, he wanted nothing to do with her. At the first ball, Amalia was thrilled by the idea of dancing with her prince. She dressed with care in a rose colored gown and tied her hair back with velvet roses. When she arrived, she searched the crowd for Eric and soon located him. He was at the center of a large group of young university men. A good many women stood close by as well. She saw Will standing off to the side looking embarrassed by his brother’s popularity. Amalia approached the group daintily. “Eric, I have arrived. It is so nice to see you here,” she said with a bright smile. He looked her over once before simply replying, “Hmm.” He turned back to his friends and spoke as though she were not even there. Amalia waited for what seemed like hours at the edge of the room in anticipation of a dance with her fiancé. Though asked by several others to dance, Eric did not approach her. Will stood nearby and shook his head at his brother’s disregard for Amalia. That night for the first time a tiny crack surfaced in Amalia’s imagined image of Eric. She had always thought she could ignore the fact that he did not love her. However, being treated as though she was not there was bit harder to bear. Her second week in London she attended a small party. Will and Eric also attended as it was held by a mutual family friend. As it was a smaller gathering, Eric could not avoid Amalia altogether. The party was being held for Stella and Jackson who were twins celebrating their birthday. Eric stayed close to Stella the whole evening. “Are you not engaged to Miss Thompson?” she teased. “Perhaps, but I think Jackson may have her and I shall be good to you today,” he replied in a smooth, sickening tone. Amalia felt as though she had been slapped. Within seconds Jackson took the hint and grabbed Amalia by the arm. “Darling, let us take a nice stroll around.” She felt too great a shock to respond as he pulled her toward the terrace door. “Jackson, I think a stroll is a wonderful idea. I will join you,” Will announced from behind them. “Well, I………was…….I thought..,” Jackson could not finish his sentence without revealing his ill intentions for Amalia. He growled and then shoved her toward Will. “You take her, then,” he said as he walked back into the house. “I’m sorry. I do not know…’” Amalia began. She could not speak as she found herself choking back tears. Will patted her shoulder. “Come. I will help you get a cab back to your aunt’s house,” he said kindly. He took her by the wrist and led her around the side of the house. Amalia did not protest and followed him willingly. She did not wish to spend the evening watching Eric flirt openly with Stella. Will flagged down a passing taxi and helped Amalia to board the small carriage. “Thank you, Will,” she said softly before he closed the door. She did not see him stand on the street for a moment feeling the place where her fingers had been on his hand. Will decided then and there that he would be Amalia’s protector. He could do nothing about the fact that she was already engaged to his brother, but he could stand by her side and help her. Glaring at Eric after he had re-entered the house, he determined to be Amalia’s knight. Amalia tossed in her bed most of the night. She could not bear to think of Eric’s hurtful words. Briefly she considered Will’s kindness in saving her from Jackson. She would not, however, allow herself too much thought on anyone other than her prince. She decided that the next time she just needed to be bolder. She had every right to keep other women away from him. The next outing was a boating race. Will was in a collegiate racing team and Amalia thought it would be a good opportunity to be with Eric. She was very disappointed to see Stella and Jackson standing next to Eric when she arrived at the spectator area. She took a deep breath and walked straight up to him. “Hello, Eric,” she said as she slipped her hand around his arm. “What do you think you are doing?” he exclaimed as he yanked her hand away from his arm. “I just wanted to watch the race with my fiancé,” she stated boldly. He scoffed at her reply. “Jackson, will you please escort this horrid country woman to the stands?” he said to his friend. “Come now, Eric. Even you must admit that she is pretty,” Jackson teased as he grabbed her elbow. He pushed her over to the stands and sat her down on the front row. “You must understand something, my dear. Eric has a certain quality of woman that he prefers. Though I personally think you are lovely, you are not his preferred type. So you must be a good girl and let him play with other women who are. Your job is to quietly support him. That does not mean that you cannot enjoy the company of other men as well. I would be more than delighted to entertain you at any time,” he said as though he were commenting on the weather. The race had already begun, but Amalia could only see Eric with his arm around Stella and the slimy man next to her trying to make advances. She considered Jackson’s words for some time before realizing she needed to watch the boats. She freed herself from Jackson’s clutches and ran over to the railing where she could better watch the race. She easily spotted Will since his tall and dashing figure stood out. For a precious few minutes Amalia forgot all about her cheating fiancé and his lecherous friend. She sincerely cheered for Will and his team with all her might. When his team won she rejoiced heartily, but found no one with whom to share her joy. Jackson once again found her and began his flirtations in earnest. Amalia did her best to just ignore him. She was very happy when Will and his team joined them on the dock. As he approached, he quickly assessed the scene. His brother could not keep his hands off of Stella and Jackson was pestering Amalia. Eric was a lost cause and so he went for the princess in distress. “Amalia, what do you think of boat races?” he asked as he came near her. She stepped quickly toward him and the safety of his side. “It is lovely! That was magnificent! Well done!” she declared jubilantly. “Why, thank you!” he teased as he took a dramatic bow. She laughed at his drama and felt instantly more at ease. “Since HE is here, I will go talk to Eric,” Jackson sneered. “Amalia, would you like some lunch? They are serving some good things up at the club house for everyone,” Will asked her hopefully. Amalia looked around Eric, but he had disappeared with Jackson and Stella. “Yes, of course. Thank you,” she sighed. Will reached for her hand, but changed his mind. He did not want to give Amalia any reason to distrust him. “This way,” he said as he gestured toward a large white building up the hill. Amalia enjoyed the peaceful lunch with Will. She could not help but give her fiancé a few thoughts. These, however, were short lived and forgotten. She decided for the moment to enjoy Will’s friendship and kindness. The next weekend, Eric and Will and their parents came for lunch at Amalia’s aunt’s house. It was obvious a great deal of pushing had taken place in order to get Eric there. He sulked and sighed the whole afternoon. As minutes of awkward silence passed by, Amalia found herself looking to Will for help. He carried the conversation the best that he could, but if was still obvious it would not be a pleasant afternoon. As they were about to leave, Will stepped close to Amalia for a moment. “Amalia, I need to tell you something. I am going to America to study for a year. I leave next week. Please promise me that you will take care of yourself and that you will be happy.” Amalia was stunned. She had not thought of life without Will. Tears welled in her eyes as he squeezed her hand and then ran out the door. She had never put it together in her mind that he made everything with Eric tolerable. To think that she had to endure Eric’s coldness all on her own made her shiver. As soon as the Clemmons were gone she turned to her aunt and said, “I believe I must go back home. Will you help me arrange for a coach tomorrow?” “Oh goodness! You are not unwell, I hope?” her aunt said in surprise. “No, I am well. Do not worry. I really feel that I need to be with my parents at this time,” she replied. “Alright then,” her aunt agreed. Amalia sent off a note to the Clemmons that night to inform them that she was returning to Broadmoore. Though the message was meant for Eric and his parents, she somehow wished for Will to see it as well. As the coach sped down the lane away from the city, Amalia knew in her heart that she needed to find a new path in her own life. Thus began a period of deep introspection for her. The fact that Will had already accomplished so much in his studies and extracurricular activities caused Amalia to feel extremely stupid and lazy next to him. She had practically spent her whole life with one singular goal. She had neglected learning, skills, hobbies and any sort of activity thinking her life would be fulfilled only in Eric. Many a tutor had marched out of Broadmoore in frustration because of her. She had absolutely no motivation to learn beyond basic reading and writing. She had only paid attention in etiquette because she assumed it would help her to win her prince. As a person she had set herself up to be completely and wholly dependent on others. She now believed it to be no wonder that Eric detested her. She wanted him to be in awe of her. More than this, she wanted to be someone deserving of Will’s kindness and approval. The very day she returned to Broadmoore, she called a meeting with her parents. “Father, Mother, I have done a great deal of thinking the past few days. I have decided I need to better myself. I must become a stronger, self-sufficient woman. I have been so foolish to live my whole life around a certain idea. I need a tutor to help me learn everything I missed in the past 19 years.” Her parents both sat in shock for a moment thinking that the mature woman before them was not Amalia, but some imposter. “Amalia, dearest, we heard things were not going so well with Eric. If you like, we can call off the engagement. We will not force you to do anything,” her mother said with worry. “Let me consider that proposition. I need to find what it is that I really want. I know Eric only entered this arrangement because of his parents and the prospect of wealth, but my heart has not fully owned this. I suppose I have never allowed myself to be fully honest. This will be a painful process, but I must endure it.” Her father suddenly smacked his leg. “I know exactly what you need!” he exclaimed. Amalia was almost afraid to hear his suggestion, but she listened anyway. “My sister Jane is a highly intelligent woman. She can shame most philosophers. You will have to go to the south of Spain, but I believe Jane is just what you need. What do you say?” he asked her with anticipation. “Spain? I had not thought of travelling so far, but I do like Aunt Jane. I will do it! Amalia said with a spark of excitement. “I will write the Clemmons, Amalia. You must prepare you things for travel. The sooner the better,” her mother advised. By the end of the week, Amalia was on a steamer headed for Cadiz, Spain. She was actually leaving England before Will. She considered this to be her own secret year of study abroad. She secretly wished that she had asked Will to write her, but this made her feel guilty. The journey by steam ship was short and Amalia felt completely overwhelmed by the new world she entered at Cadiz. Her aunt stood waiting at the port with 2 servants. Her appearance was shocking to Amalia. She had her hair short, just under her ears. She wore a man’s long linen coat and khaki trousers. She stood with her fists on her hips. She and her niece were a study in opposites. Amalia was the epitome of femininity and her aunt was most definitely on the tom-boy side. She embraced her niece tightly. “Come dear. I’ve had letters from both your parents. Your re-education begins now! It will take a few hours to get to the ranch so you must get comfortable. I think you will like my new husband. He is a strong and dashing Spaniard. He owns the vineyard next to my ranch. Well then, I will let you rest a while. I do know how to stop talking,” Jane said as she patted Amalia on the head. It had been a few years since she had seen her Aunt Jane and it took a bit of acclimation to get used to this eccentric woman. One thing Amalia knew for sure was that she adored her aunt’s ranch. Rolling hills were covered in olive trees and vineyards set in a climate so perfect it instantly put her at ease. A strong breeze blew the scent of the sea and the trees all day long. Amalia felt she could lie out on the lounge in the large veranda for the entire length of her stay, but this was not the plan. The second day of her stay, Jane brought her into the library. “Alright now. I want you to tell the whole story about this fellow now and then we shall be done with it. Understood?” she said soberly. Amalia told her the tale of her prince. Toward the end of her account, she found herself speaking more of Will than Eric. She convinced herself this was only because he had been there to help her so often in London. Her aunt, however, raised an eyebrow every time she mentioned Will. For the first week, her aunt assessed her knowledge. Amalia was ashamed of her limitations in the knowledge area and the fact that it was her own doing. The second week, her aunt set her on a course of study for several hours per day. She also began to learn horseback riding, archery, shooting, and cricket. Just when she began to believe herself to be truly stupid, she would master another study of skill. Gradually, she became a new person; or rather, the person she was meant to be. Her skin browned in the warm Spanish sun and she let her rich auburn hair down to absorb golden light as well. Little by little she let go of the image she had made of herself thinking to please Eric. Late at night the cracks in her fantasy of Eric became larger and larger until finally she took a hard look at who he was in actuality. She began to cry herself to sleep every night as she let go of her prince. When she could finally tell herself that her prince was not real, she cried for an entire day. The next day she felt free as she had not felt in many years. She sat down to write her parents. My dearest Father and Mother, I have been here 3 months now and have yet to write you. What a negligent daughter you have. I do feel that I have made vast progress in being here with Aunt Jane. You were right, Father. She is an infinite resource and an excellent, though strict, teacher. I am learning so much that I cannot begin to tell you. I have learned some Spanish, though I am by no means fluent. It is so beautiful here I am tempted to stay forever. Do not worry, Mother! I will come back to you when I am ready. I am writing today to make a request. Please inform the Clemmons that I wish to terminate my engagement with Eric. They will perhaps be angry over this, but I simply cannot marry him. With much love, Amalia The letter was posted and Amalia felt as if another weight had been lifted from her. She sauntered into the dining room and announced, “I have written my parents to call off the engagement!” “Good for you! That was most certainly the right thing to do,” Jane stated. Though her thoughts during the day were full of algebra, philosophy, language, classical literature, and science, at night her mind was a blank. Without her fantasies of her prince, she was at a loss. She began to wonder how Will was faring in America. She became jealous when she imagined him surrounded by beautiful American women. Then she brought herself back to the reality that he did not in any way belong to her either. She wished that she could just hear something from him. She thought perhaps her family’s relationship with the Clemmons would be a bit strained and she may never see him again. This idea made her very melancholy. Several weeks after her letter was sent she received a reply from her mother. Dearest Amalia, I am glad you so well there. Your Father and I are extremely relieved that you decided against marrying Eric. His parents were overly gracious in releasing you from the engagement. We later learned that he had made a young woman pregnant and they were in negotiations with her parents. So, your timing was perfect, darling girl. Stay as long as you wish. Though we miss you here, your happiness is most important. All my love, Darla Thompson. Though she knew she should not be, she was stunned by the news. She imagined Stella to be the pregnant young woman since Eric favored her. She hoped Eric’s indiscretions would not affect Will’s prospects. He had the potential to be an international business man, if Eric’s reputation did not taint his own. Amalia carried the letter across the villa to show her aunt. “Oh gracious! What a rake!” she exclaimed once she had finished reading. “You are blessed indeed to have escaped from him. He would have habitually cheated and broken your heart. Now, you are deserving of so much better. There is a man out there who will love only you. Do not lose hope until you find him.” Deep in her heart, Amalia felt she had already found him, but she did not dare to harbor any hope. She chose instead to concentrate on bettering herself and her quest to make herself strong. Months passed and she found her desire for learning to be insatiable. She no longer relied on her aunt to prompt her to study. She chose and taught herself any subject which came on a whim. As a year came to an end, she had confidence and peace that she had so hoped for. She had completely forgotten about Eric and fantasy image she had made of him. Her new ideal man was very far away and unreachable. So, she did not think about him or any other man. As she gazed out at the hills from the veranda, she sighed. “What is it, dear?” Jane asked. “I think…..I think I am ready to go back,” Amalia replied. “I think you are right,” Jane agreed. Amalia had in no way adopted her aunt’s style, but she had drastically changed her own. She wore long full skirts with a comfortable white blouse and a long linen house coat. She also wore her hair down and only clipped a little back at the sides. She was gorgeous and much more eye catching than she had been before. Her brain was full of useful knowledge that she had gained through her own hard work. She had not once heard any news about any of the Clemmons, but she tried to curb her curiosity and focus on her own family. She decided to surprise her parents and did not tell them of her return to England. It was a cold late fall day when Amalia arrived back at Broadmoore. She smiled as she ran up the front steps and knock on the door. Stenson was shocked to see her standing there. “Mmmmmmiss Thompson, is that you?” he stammered. “Have I been so altered? Yes, it is I. May I come in?” she teased. He stuttered further as he opened the door wider. The coachmen brought her trunks inside as she made her way to the drawing room. “I am home!” she announced as she came inside. Her parents were equally shocked, but recovered quickly. They celebrated her return with tea and cake and marveled at the change in her appearance. “Now that you are here you can go with us to London next week!” her mother exclaimed. “Why must you go to London?” she asked with disappointment. “Ah, Fred Witherspoon’s boy is getting married and they are hosting a ball to celebrate. You know he and your father have always been good friends and they insisted we come. Now that our own beautiful daughter is home, we can all go together!” Amalia was disappointed to be travelling again so soon, but content at least to be with her parents. The next week they went to Darla’s sister’s house to stay. The Witherspoon ball was much talked of in London and promised to be filled to capacity. Amalia was not thrilled at this, but she wanted to oblige her mother. The day of the ball, Amalia wore a deep blue satin skirt, a lacy white silk blouse, and a brightly embroidered silk shawl. She arranged her hair in her now standard do and declared herself ready. Gone were the days of dressing to please someone else. Her clothes made her smile and that was all that mattered. “Oh dear, but you are going to stand out tonight,” her mother fretted. Amalia just smiled and patted her mother’s hand. When they arrived at the ball, all gossip was confirmed. It was wall to wall people inside. Walking across the room took expert maneuvering. Amalia held tightly to her mother’s elbow as they began the task of moving to one side of the room. Amalia suddenly began to fear seeing Eric at the ball. She wanted to bolt for the door. She looked down at her brightly colored shawl and took a deep breath. She had nothing to fear. In fact, she wanted to express well wishes for Eric’s unfortunate bride. Just after she found her resolve again, she spotted the Clemmons across the room. Eric stood with Stella, who had obviously already given birth. Next to them were his parents looking stern and exhausted. Just behind them stood Will. Amalia’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was tall enough to see over everyone around him. Her heart skipped again when he caught her staring. His boyish grin nearly made her faint. She wanted to slap herself for never noticing how utterly enchanting he was. He could have his pick from any woman in the room. This made her angry. She did not want to watch him converse, or worse, dance with other women. She looked down and played with the fringe on her shawl. This would be a long and unpleasant evening. After only a minute, she felt a large presence beside her and a deep voice said, “Hello there, traveler.” She looked up quickly to see Will standing close to her. The surprise made her stumble and she began to fall. He quickly grabbed around her waist and kept her from falling. “Thank you,” she squeaked slightly above a whisper. He smiled at her and leaned down, “Why don’t we go and find a quiet place to talk?” She nodded in reply and did not protest when he took her hand. He led her out to the terrace where a large fire pit was ablaze. “You have changed. In a very good way, I must say,” he commented as he looked her over. She blushed deeply and hoped that the light of the fire did not expose her crimson face. “Would you tell me about Spain?” he asked gently. She sat on a stone bench and told him honestly about her search for herself and her results. “Will, I…..I missed you,” she added. He took her hand and replied, “I missed you very much as well.” Amalia felt butterflies surging in her stomach. She had never felt this way before. “Amalia, your hair is so beautiful. Why did you always hide it before?” he asked as he ran his fingers through a bit that hung over her shoulder. “I am ashamed to tell you. Let us just say that Eric does not like red hair,” she replied. “One must be exceedingly dumb not to know the difference between red and auburn,” he said with a grin. She thought her heart would melt right there. “Amalia, may I come and see you at Broadmoore next week?” he asked earnestly. “Yes, of course!” she replied a little too quickly. He laughed and pinched her nose. “It is cold out here, shall we go back in? I am really not much of a dancer, but I should be glad to dance with you if you wish,” he said. She laughed. “Do not be troubled on my account. I am a horrid dancer and it would be best for everyone if I did not appear on the dance floor!” He laughed with her and they decided on tea instead. Amalia spent the whole evening happily at Will’s side. Rather than the evening being too long, she lamented that it was too short. “Do not be upset. I will come to you next week,” he whispered to her as they said their good-byes. The entire journey home, Amalia felt herself slipping into her fantasies. Only this time, the hero was real and everything about him was good and true. She could not stop smiling as she thought on the pleasant evening they had shared. The next week she spent much as she had done many months earlier. She sat at her window in anticipation. This time she waited, not for a prince, but a real man whom she had come to love so dearly. She had absolutely no need to fabricate fantasies about him, for he had already given her warm touches and sweet words. These were real and tangible. This feeling put all of her former fantasies to shame. She still hoped Will was coming to declare his love, but if not, she was content to just be near him. She felt unworthy to hold any expectations towards him. She had, after all, chased his brother for far too many years right in front of him. She decided it was warranted to give him a massive apology for putting him through such disgusting discomfort for so long. When Will at last arrived, Amalia was astonished to see that he had brought 3 large trunks with him. This was explained in halves when her father declared, “Welcome to your new home, Will!” Amalia looked quickly between Will and her father, neither of which offered any further explanation. Over lunch, her father finally said, “Amalia, Will is to help me with my business from now on. I need his fresh eyes and intelligence to get our companies in shape.” Will smiled and watched Amalia’s reaction to her father’s words. He was pleased to see the very slightest hint of disappointment in her eyes. He knew she was thinking that this was all he had come to Broadmoore for. “Ah, Will. I believe you have some other urgent business to attend to? Why don’t you take care of that after we finish here?” Graham said with a cough and a wink. “Yes, of course,” Will answered. As they were all leaving the dining room Will caught hold of Amalia’s hand. “Amalia, will you help me in the library for a moment?” he asked in a completely sober tone. “Oh. Yes,” she replied feebly. She could not imagine what kind of business he had in the library. She followed behind him across the house and into the library. “Go look in that box,” He ordered her as he pointed toward a small table at the center of the room. Amalia crossed the room and looked inside a small wooden box. There were 2 gold rings, 1 larger than the other. “While I was in America, my mother wrote to tell me that you had broken your engagement to my brother. You have no idea how happy that made me. My dorm mates must have thought I had gone a little mad since I actually danced around the room. I know I have always cared for you, loved you even, since we were young. I knew even more at that moment. I did not want anyone else to have you. I wanted you to be mine alone. The next day I went to a jewelers and ordered these rings to be made. In some small way I thought they would bind us together. I began writing regular letters to your father. I wished him to know my intentions. He told me that your aunt had written saying that you spoke quite often about me. This gave me hope to believe that you would at least be open to love me in the future. Perhaps that was my wishful thinking, but I still held to my hope. You really are so beautiful. I thought I would completely lose all of my composure the night of the ball. Every time I looked at you, I felt giddy. To be honest, I wanted to act foolish and put my face in your lovely hair. I do not say this to frighten you. I just want you to know that I think you are the most beautiful woman in the world. Just one last thing, I want to always be by your side. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. No more separations. Will you marry me?” He took the rings out of the box and knelt before her. Amalia was rendered speechless. His proposal had been far more moving than any fantasy she could have possibly conjured. She finally nodded vigorously. “I know rings are normally reserved for the wedding, but I want these to be a sign of our promise to each other now,” he explained as he placed one ring on her finger and the other on his. Amalia finally found her voice. “Will. I do love you. I have loved you for some time. You do not have to hope for my love in the future, for you already have it,” she said softly. Will actually whooped as he picked her up and spun her around the room. “I don’t believe I could ever achieve a higher joy. Thank you, my sweet Amalia,” he said as he set her back on the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and they stared into each other’s eyes for a little while. Then he slowly stooped down and kissed her softly. He paused for a moment to say, “I have dreamed so often of kissing you. It is much better in reality.” Amalia blushed and thought with shame how often she had imagined what it would be like to kiss her prince. But this wonderful man had dreamed up kissing her. The irony of it nearly made her burst into laughter. He continued to kiss her until they thought it best to join her parents in the drawing room. Even then, Will held tightly to her hand and stayed by her side. “I hardly need to tell you that my business met with overwhelming success,” Will joked. “I see that,” Graham said with a chuckle. It was decided that since they already lived under the same roof and since the affection between them was intense, they should be married quickly. The Clemmons were summoned that same week and the wedding preparations made. Eric and Stella reluctantly made the trip to Broadmoore with their baby boy. Though he made some effort to congratulate his brother, he could not help but feel envious of Will’s good fortune. He would inherit Broadmoore and all its wealth along with Amalia. Eric began to resent his own life and disastrous choices he had made. Stella wanted to take up permanent residence at Broadmoore since her brother-in-law was there, but Eric refused. He did not want to be daily reminded of what he had forfeited. They held a small ceremony in Broadmoore’s chapel and the local village vicar presided. Amalia was a glowing bride in a pale pink cotton lawn gown with pink ribbons in her long hair. Will was dashing in his deep blue coat and trousers. He was obviously nervous and excited. At the end of the ceremony he picked her up off of the floor to kiss her. “The hazards of marrying a tall person,” her father teased. They ate a celebratory lunch and then the Clemmons headed back to London. Will and Amalia spent the rest of the day together in their new bedroom. In all of the fantasies Amalia had ever concocted in her dreams, nothing compared to being in the loving arms of Will. Everything he did expressed love for her and her heart felt full to the brim. “If I had known it would be so wonderful to be with you, I would have chosen you many years ago,” she whispered as they lay in bed that night. “Oh, I am sure you chose me at the right time, my love. Now I can say I fought as your knight, but ended up the king,” he replied. Then she thought, having this king is far better than a fantasy prince.

Alice Drake!!

So happy my fifth book is now available in Kindle and paperback versions from Amazon! As I wrote in my last blog post, this story is really exciting as it draws from some of my own personal experiences. I must once again thank Marti Hilderbrand for her incredible artwork for the cover. She is an enormous blessing to me and my covers would be awful without her. link I hope everyone will share the link with friends, family, and casual acquaintances! I need all the advertising I can get. Let me show you the lovely picture from the cover.

Fifth book on the horizon!

I am so excited to announce the upcoming 5th novel, Alice Drake. This one was a lot of fun to write as my main character travels to South America. I drew on my own experience of having lived in Bolivia for a few years. I could hear the mosquitoes sing as I wrote of her jaunts through the jungle. My father and I once took a boat trip down a tributary of the Amazon river called Mamore. For eleven days we floated (and sometimes got stuck because of low water). We were actually riding on a barge tied to a boat. We hung our hammocks to racks of lumber and prayed that our mosquito nets would do their job. Of the millions and millions of mosquitoes we saw and heard on the river, only a few daredevils reached us. They penetrated a canvas hammock, sleeping bag, and clothing to draw our blood. There were horrible days, as in when my father came down with dengue fever from those horrid mosquitoes. There were incredible moments: looking into an inlet as the sun was just rising and seeing a flock of flamingos take flight, watching fresh water dolphins play in the river beside our boat, trying to visually measure caiman on the banks that were said to be more than 3 meters, and many, many more. So how does this fit with a mid-nineteenth century novel? It was an age of exploration, not for the purpose of claiming new territory, but for science and anthropology. To be sure, some non-science came out of this period. The opinions of a few men were chalked down as perfect science to explain away a perfect God. However, I believe there were those who just wanted to learn. To see nature beyond their own culture and go where few had gone. My character's parents are such people. They explore the world with awe and wonder and with no motives to prove anyone's scientific point of view. Not to mention the fact that I am quite sure mosquitoes were just as much a menace then and they are today. bzzzzzzzz

Research

I've been reading more lately. I like to read other authors of historical "clean" fiction. Sometimes I'm shocked at what passes for clean. I always think, "would I want my teenage daughter to read this?" Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes, absolutely not! Other times I am so bored by the extra filler in the book I would not recommend it to anyone. There is such a prevalent, and publisher promoted, idea that a novel should be somewhere north of 200 pages. This is ridiculous! You end up with a story chock full of adjectives and too much unnecessary detail. I don't like the feeling of wading through a heap of adjectives to finally arrive at the actual story. I recently read Radcliffe's "Mysteries of Udolpho" all the way through. So much wordage was spent describing grass that was simply being passed in a coach, that I was tempted to skim. I persevered and read the entire book. Whew. I feel so accomplished. Ok, not really. I do realize that my books are short. But then, I have always been a firm believer in concise speech and writing. I want to deliver a story with plenty of detail, but not an abundance of "snow" as we called it in university. I would love to hear what my readers think! I was told recently that someone special to me didn't like one of my books, but loved another. Such is authorship. I would absolutely love to have ideas and opinions given to me! Please share the links for my books. They make wonderful inexpensive gifts!

Reading

Beth Fordham came out last month! I've been contemplating ways to promote my books. I'm coming up empty, quite frankly. I do not have an agent, and can't afford what it costs to have others promote my books. The struggles of the modern author! I am still writing, proofing, and dreaming, however. I love writing. I have always been half in my own imagination and half in the real world. In my dreams I live in mid-nineteenth century and mucking about the country villages of England looking for fabulous stories. Of course, I draw from my love of Jane Austen, but her stories were set half a century before mine. 1850-60s were incredible years of innovation. Industrial advancement was exploding in factories, mining, transportation, and communication. It was an exciting time. Instead of taking a week in a coach to cross the country, it was a matter of a day in trains. Wars were being waged in fashion, the ever present dispute over wool, cotton, and silk. Steam ships brought news of the entire world in much less time than before. Travel across the continents became accessible to a much broader range of social ranks. Lovely! So, I sit contemplating my eighth book. hmmmmm. As a joke, I've begun to write a post-apocalyptic novel. Not my genre! Oh well! The story was in my head 2 mornings ago. So I will spill it on paper and see where it goes. Beth Fordham LINK.