June 2014 Newsletter
Vol. XXXVII
Gentle Readers:
June is always one of my favorite months. Things always feel a bit calmer to me. Golf is in full swing, I’m back on my yoga schedule, the garden is planted, the writing is going well (I’m working on the new Sam Owens novel, WHAT LIES BEHIND, and again messing with the secret project.) Things are definitely quieter than May — I spent my birthday in Paris and managed to land in Colorado on Mother’s Day just ahead of a blizzard that dropped a FOOT of snow on us. Yes, May was quite the month, and with all the excitement, I am enjoying sleeping in my own bed, grilling and watching the kittens grow.
Paris was amazing. It was a surprise trip — yes, I’m married to a husband and a half — and y’all know what a huge Hemingway fan I am. I was a bit disappointed by Montparnasse. The first things I saw when I got off the Metro was... Starbucks, which made me cringe. The magic wasn’t really there, though the food was divine. (Paris pictures are on Flicker. We saw a lot — my favorite moment was at the Musee de l’Orangerie, where we stood in awe of Monet’s Les Nymphéas. We also dined with my delightful French editor — if you’re in France, good news — more books are coming starting next year! And I learned some very naughty French words, to boot.
I have received an astonishing amount of email and Facebook traffic in the past month asking what’s happening with Taylor Jackson. I’m sensing a theme to all these messages — you miss Taylor. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I miss her too. A lot. Enough that I’m looking at what I can do to address this situation. I can’t promise a book, not yet, but I will have some Taylor for you soon, be it short story or novella or the like. There’s nothing harder than shifting away from a beloved character to follow other paths, but this is how publishing works sometimes. I hear you, though, I truly do. Okay?
Oh, housekeeping: I messed around with the front page of the website, and have added an Instagram account to the social media madness. Warning, it’s mostly cat pictures, but they are trés adorables!
Lastly, thank you SO much to all the librarians who answered my plea about your biggest challenges. I spoke to the Alabama Library Association and addressed them all, trying to come up with some unique ideas to increase relevance and community involvement in this brave new world. If you’re interested in seeing a copy of the speech, let me know, I’m happy to share.
Tours
Nothing until July: If you’re in San Antonio or thereabouts, I will be attending RWA this year, and signing at the “Literacy for Life” event July 23. See my site for more deets.
Get Thee to a Bookstore
Laura Benedict — BLISS HOUSE
John Sandford — FIELD OF PREY
Diana Gabaldon — THE FIERY CROSS
Courtney Stevens — FAKING NORMAL
Meg Wolitzer — THE INTERESTINGS (One of my favorite titles ever)
And of course, whilst in Paris:
Paula McLain — THE PARIS WIFE
I’ve made a commitment to track all my reading this year, so if you’re on Goodreads, friend me, and follow along. I’m always interested in what you’re reading, too!
Contest
June is audiobook month! Celebrate with WHEN SHADOWS FALL, from Tantor Audio, read by Joyce Bean, plus a $10 gift card (winner’s choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble).
Enter here to win.
Also, if you sign up for my fellow thriller writer chick Laura Benedict’s newsletter, you’ll be entered to win both her new book, BLISS HOUSE (out June 15) and a copy of WHEN SHADOWS FALL. Here’s what I had to say about BLISS HOUSE:
“Benedict’s writing is lush and seamless, catapulting the reader into the gripping story from the opening line and holding them, taut and breathless, to the very last. You do not want to miss Bliss House. It’s a compulsively readable tour de force from a wonderful writer.”
And it’s the truth. An awesome ride. So if you don’t win, you should absolutely buy!
June Recipe — Croque Monsieur
I’ve always been a fan of this open-face Parisian classic, and I ate my way through the brasseries and cafes trying as many as I could.
Finding the perfect recipe to share is difficult, for every Croque Monsiuer is not created equal. From béchamels and cheeses and breads to the placement of the Dijon mustard, even the number of slices of bread, are rarely agreed upon. Here’s one I liked, that’s both simple, and tasty, with, of course, some Ellison variations. You’ll note this calls for Gruyère cheese, and (gasp) a little Parmesan, or even some grated Grana Padano. I’ve found this combination gives things a little more flavor, as the traditional Emmental (Swiss) cheese can be somewhat bland.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk (I prefer unsweetened almond milk)
- Salt, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, to taste
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups grated)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed)
- 8 slices of good harvest French or Italian loaf bread
- 12 ounces baked ham, sliced thin
- good Dijon mustard — I like Maille Dijon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- To make the béchamel sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the almond milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat.
- Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.
- Butter your bread, spread on a baking sheet, and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted.
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(Alternatively, you can assemble these as sandwiches, with a top and bottom, and sprinkle the last of the cheese on top before broiling, but every one I ate was open-face.)
- Lightly brush the toasted slices with béchamel and mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese.
- Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.
If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame.
Gosh, now I’m hungry!
That’s it from me, chickens. See you in July, and keep reading!
xoxo,
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