Countdown to Release Day!

Only 15 days till my baby, my firstborn Coldwater Cove novel, is released upon the world to sink or swim. It feels a little like when my oldest daughter headed off to kindergarten. She was so excited to go, but I kept worrying about whether she was ready, whether she'd make friends, whether she'd be safe out in the big, bad world of elementary school.

I know. I'm a compulsive worry-wart.

I did everything I could to make sure my daughter had what she needed. We shopped for school supplies and clothes. She got a new haircut. Then on the first day, she climbed on the bus without even a glance back.

I boo-hooed for the next ten minutes.

My firstborn's world expanded far beyond the neat little circle of our family and friends. I prayed that world would be kind to her.

Likewise, I'm fretting over the reception of The Coldwater Warm Hearts Club once it hits the bookstore shelves on September 27th. It helps that it has garnered some wonderful early reviews:

“The heart-tugging scenes, stellar characters, captivating secondary storylines, and small-town charisma will whet readers’ appetites for a return visit to Coldwater.” - Publishers Weekly

"This story will tug at your heart as a maligned heroine comes back under a cloud of suspicion and a damaged war hero helps her find a new happy ending." - RTBOOKReviews 

"The quirky characters, a minor mystery, and the down-home feel in the first installment in Eddings’ Coldwater series will delight readers looking for a sweet small-town romance." — C. L. Quillen, Booklist

These reviews give me hope, but ultimately, it's up to YOU, dear reader. So, I'll have to wait for the next 15 days to find out how the world will treat my little book. 

Here's hoping that, like my daughter's excited foray into kindergarten, my book's launch will turn out just fine... 

Where Do Hawaiians Vacation?

Austin, Minnesota, of course!

Nope, I'm not kidding. Austin is home to the Spam Museum and anyone who's visited the islands knows that Hawaiians love their Spam!

This love affair began during WWII when our servicemen introduced the product to the island. It was a nice break from poi. (Frankly, what isn't?) Islanders found that Spam was deliciously salty, didn't require refrigeration and lasted...well, forever! (As proof of this, we saw a canned ham in the museum that was dated 1927!)

Since I had to report to Mayo Clinic in MN for periodic tests regarding my lung issues (more about that at Second Wind!) the DH & I recently dropped by the Spam Museum. I had no idea there were so many different varieties and so many ways to fix this product.

Here's a recipe I emailed to myself from the Kitchen Kiosk in the museum:

SPAM®-Chiladas 

Tortillas dressed with garlic, cheese, peppers, onions, rice, black beans, and SPAM® Jalapeño.

Total Time: 30 minutes Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce can SPAM® Jalapeño, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups cooked white rice
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
1 (28-ounce) can La Victoria® Red Enchilada Sauce
8 (8-inch) corn or flour tortillas

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Cook onion, garlic and pepper for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add SPAM® Jalapeño and fry for 5 minutes or until SPAM® Jalapeño is browned. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the SPAM® Jalapeño mixture for garnish.
3. Add black beans, rice, cilantro and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir until well combined.
4. Spoon 1/4 of enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Heat tortillas and coat with enchilada sauce. Spoon SPAM® Jalapeño mixture on to each tortilla. Roll up to enclose filling. Place in dish and pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas.
5. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes or until warmed through. Serve with guacamole if desired. Sprinkle reserved fried SPAM® Jalapeño over enchiladas.

I fixed these for my family's Fourth of July get-together as a break from hamburgers and hot dogs. They went over big time!