Monday, September 26, 2016

~Food is love, Baby Girl ~

“Food is love, Baby Girl,” Neenie said as she spoon-fed Savannah with both. 


Savannah perched on the kitchen stool as she watched Neenie pour the batter like chocolate lava into greased and floured cake pans. She smacked the tins on the counter to release any air bubbles before bearing them to the oven and gliding them inside, with a skilled cook's economy of movement. Neenie in the kitchen, was as predictable as the sun rising in the east. That predictability was the island Savannah always circled.



"Here, child. Maybe this will make you feel better." Neenie set two saucers of the dark confection on the table and sat beside her mistress.
          Savannah's fingers rested on the fork beside her plate, tracing the delicate pattern of her wedding silverware. She picked it up, cold and heavy in her hand, and stabbed at her dessert as if it were a voodoo doll. Looking at Neenie, she sighed from somewhere deep in her soul where dreams went to die.

          "Not everything can be fixed with your chocolate cake."
                                                                               -PAPER CASTLES


I don't know know what Savannah's talking about. Because everything can be fixed with chocolate cake. 

Here's Neenie's recipe:


2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa

COMBINE first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stir in sour cream and beaten eggs. MELT butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1 cup water and cocoa. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. STIR cocoa mixture into flour mixture. Pour batter into lightly greased 15x10 inch jellyroll pan. 
BAKE at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Spread Fudge Frosting evenly over WARM cake. YIELD: 24 servings. ( let's be real...more like 12)

FUDGE FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa 
1 ( 1 pound) package of powdered sugar. 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MELT butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in milk and cocoa and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until smooth; stir in vanilla.
Immediately pour over warm cake.






Tuesday, July 5, 2016

~ Her name was Savannah ~





Her name was Savannah. 
I first saw her on 7.17.13.
 Almost exactly three years ago. 
She stood in the shadows, at first.
But I sensed her there, 
the faintest baby's breath of her story 
on the back of my neck.
 More a feel of time and place than anything else. 
And a sense of sadness
 hanging in the air when she left.
Slow to trust,
 she eventually moved out of the dark and into the light. 
Vulnerable, with all her imperfections on display. 
And I knew then, that I loved her in spite of them.
 I held out my hands and she placed her story in my open palms.

She trusted me. 
I hope I've done her proud.
And I hope you fall in love, too,
with

PAPER CASTLES




Monday, June 13, 2016

~ Jumping the Couch ~



 What do Tom Cruise and I have in common?  



Every time I write a book. I fall in love.

I fall in love with the characters, their stories, their lives. 
I become consumed.
Each time it seems to get bigger and bigger. I'm like the celebrity gushing about his fourth wife and saying he's never been in love before.
 ( I hear you Tom. I know how you feel.)

 Before you know it, I'm jumping on the couch claiming there's never been a love like this one. 

And Oprah is looking at me like I've lost my mind.  




Look at Oprah's face !



Do I care? Hell no. 
In love with Savannah Palmerton and her story.

Hopefully you'll fall in love too, with;




Coming July 14th