Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Welcome to #TuesdayswithTaryn @ChristiCorbett #Author of Along the Way Home #historical

~Tuesdays with Taryn~
Christi Corbett

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?
I would say my favorite book series of my youth, the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I got my first book of hers at a yard sale at age seven, and read it so much the covers literally crumbled from wear and eventually fell off the book. And I had my first moment of absolute book joy when I learned that there were many more (which was my first brush with the concept of a series).

What book do you read over and over again?
Pieces of Sky, by Kaki Warner.

Tuesday/Thursday Trio-
1)      Movie- Legends of the Fall. However, I must add that while most swoon over Brad Pitt’s character, Tristan, I’ve always respected Aiden Quinn’s character, Alfred, because he was so steadfast and loyal and did the right thing no matter the cost to his own life plans.
2)      Music- I listened to the soundtrack to the movie “All the Pretty Horses” when I wrote Along the Way Home, as well as classical music (Mozart and Beethoven are my favorites). However, when I’m not writing I enjoy a random collection of anything from techno to jazz.
3)      Decadent Dessert- Plain Cheesecake. I just want to taste the actual cheesecake without having it masked by toppings like fruit or chocolate. Tiramisu is a close second, but cheesecake always wins!

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?
This is probably a little bit on the TMI (too much information) side, but did you know that to create a “bathroom” on the prairie parts of the Oregon Trail, women would stand in a circle with their skirts in hand, spreading them out, while one woman would do her business in the middle of the skirt circle? Necessity really is the mother of invention!

Novel on your Nightstand:
Who/what are you currently reading?
Research books for my next books, so I’ve got a stack I flip through when I’ve got a few minutes to spare:
Letters of a Woman Homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
Pioneer Women, by Joanna L. Stratton
Women’s Voices from the Oregon Trail, by Susan Butruille
The Gentle Tamers, by Dee Brown
Jessie Applegate, by Leta Lovelace Neiderheiser
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor

Whom would you cast as your Main Characters/Hero/Heroine if your book became a movie?
I’m going to pass on this question.


Along the Way Home:
 (click book cover to go to Amazon buy page)

Kate Davis is intrigued when her father reveals his dream of starting a horse ranch in Oregon Territory. Settlers out west value a strong woman, and though she manages the financials of her father’s mercantile her competence earns her ridicule, not respect, from Virginia’s elite society.

Jake Fitzpatrick, an experienced trail guide, wants land out west to raise cattle and crops. But dreams require money and he’s eating dandelion greens for dinner. So when a wealthy businessman offers double wages to guide his family across the Oregon Trail, Jake accepts with one stipulation—he is in complete control.

Departure day finds Kate clinging to her possessions as Jake demands she abandon all he deems frivolous, including her deceased mother’s heirlooms. Jake stands firm, refusing to let the whims of a headstrong woman jeopardize the wages he so desperately needs—even a beautiful one with fiery green eyes and a temper to match.

Trail life is a battle of wills between them until tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with an honor-bound promise to protect her from harm and Kate with a monumental choice—go back to everything she’s ever known or toward everything she’s ever wanted?


A note from Christi-



When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations: 
EMAIL  
BLOG  

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ "...so long as you dress appropriate this time." CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt



Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

     Catherine’s smile spread, her heart rising up on wings of hope at his offer.
     “But how?”
     “Meet me tonight, around the same time. I’ll bring along Willow, the gentlest mare in my barn. Saddled and ready. We’ll race along the beach.”
     “You’d do that for me?” Catherine pressed a hand to her bosom, surprised by this fortunate turn of events.
     “Yes, so long as you dress appropriate this time.” Dawson whispered—his words husky.
     Heavens. He saw her in her nightgown!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

The Way to a Man's Heart~ Juicy Lucys #recipe #goodeats

The Way to a Man's ♥~
Juicy Lucys
This is one of the easiest recipes and one we took note of because of one of those Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives or Man Vs. Food episodes. In all actuality, it's not even much of a "recipe" per se-


I pat out 8 "thin" patties (I use a rolling pin and plastic wrap to get them approximately all the same size)


Make sure they're big enough for the slice(s) of cheese to fit. If you notice, my front flat top burner (not turned on) makes a good measurement for the size of each patty.



Place the cheese slices (your favorite- doesn't have to be American, though that's what I used)
 Sandwich the cheese between two patties and press edges together to form a seal.

I tend to "bake" my burgers these days on a lightly greased broiler pan rather than in the skillet where it tends to hold a lot of the greasiness.

I preheat my oven to between 400º and 425º and simply pepper the tops of the burgers, bake for approximately 10 minutes, flip/pepper them & bake another 10, flip again. With a plain burger, I can usually cook them within 30 minutes and add cheese slices at the very end. With the Juicy Lucys, I'd say it would be wise to go at least 40-45 minutes, to be sure the patties on both sides are fully cooked.

Top with another slice of cheese just before removing from oven and then whatever your favorite burger toppings after that.

Also wise is to give the burgers 5-10 minutes rest before biting/slicing into, as evidenced by my top picture- When I sliced into mine, it oozed EVERYWHERE! What a mess, but it was delicious!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ "You were riding a horse on the beach?" CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt



 
Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


     “I did not spy, young Miss. I was out for a late night horse ride on the beach, and I heard a ruckus. I figured I better check things out to make sure someone or something wasn’t drowning.”
     There was much more to it than that, but she ventured no further questions in that regard.
     “You were riding a horse on the beach?” This thought piqued her interest.
     “Yes. I couldn’t sleep…” Dawson began. “I have several, do you like to ride?”
     “Yes, but I’ve already been warned away from it.” Anger singed her insides. “Again, it’s not something a lady, like myself, should be doing.”
     “Well now, that’s a might shameful.” Dawson’s lips curled up on one side before he drew on his pipe and looked thoughtful. “I tell you what. If you like to ride, I’d be more than happy if you’d ride one of my fine mares. Gypsy’s mine and trusts only me, but I have several others that are good and gentle for a lady like you.”