————————
the day I learn
what I am truly worth
to you
is the day I learn
what you are truly worth
to me
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Posted in Writing | Tagged creative writing, modern poetry | Leave a Comment »
This past year, I’ve reviewed only three books. There are a couple of reasons for that.
The primary reason is that I’ve been reading a lot more news these days. Current events (and my often visceral reaction to them) have been consuming a great deal of my available attention. A secondary reason is that another main chunk of my reading time has been devoted to research—online and offline—for my work-in-progress, and while some of these research works are very good, they’re not titles that most (or any) of you would find interesting.
Through this, however, I felt the lack of fiction, not only as a needed escape from the real world, but also as part of my education and development as a writer.
With this in mind, last month I decided to devote time to fiction (the first of which resulted in this), and I’ve been continuing that trend by reading Raymond Chandler’s first novel, The Big Sleep.
But this isn’t about that; this is about reading. Continue Reading »
Posted in Books, Low Tech | Tagged books, e-book, e-readers, physical book, Reading | 2 Comments »
Summer is not my most productive season for writing. There are too many distractions—gatherings, to-dos, house guests, falling into an overheated swoon—and this summer has had more than its normal share, what with the passing of companion animals, a switch from office-office to home-office, and most recently, a week of sitting bleary-eyed, head-achy, and miserable, waiting for the smoke from wildfires to clear.
Also, I was editing a book.
Alas, not one of mine.
I have the honor of being a beta-reader for a good friend. He’d completed his manuscript and was in need of a fresh set of eyes. Editing someone else’s work is always an opportunity to learn, for me. Whether it’s through analyzing a passage that works well or through hitting a bump in the prosaic road, reading another’s early draft is a great way both to learn new things and to reinforce lessons learned long ago. Continue Reading »
Posted in Creativity, Writing | Tagged beta reader, content editing, creative writing, editing, self-editing | Leave a Comment »
This week’s post brought surprise, rage, and embarrassment, all in a single envelope. Also enclosed: a copy of The Timberline Review #7, wherein my story, “The Book of Solomon,” is published.
So, exactly why did receiving a hardcopy of my published work engender such fire and furor?
Read on.
Posted in Creativity, Writing | Tagged creative writing, editing, historical fiction, short fiction, short story writing, The Book of Solomon, The Timberline Review, willamette writers | 2 Comments »
Last week, the news of the day just got to me.
Scandals, graft, partisanship, falsehoods.
Wildfires, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes.
Cruelty, abuse.
Tariffs, taxes.
Chaos.
It was just too much. The siege breached my defenses and I fell into a major depression. Dark. Caged. Compressed. Inescapable.
Wait . . . did I say “inescapable?” Scratch that, for I did, indeed, find an escape.
Posted in Culture, Food, Travel | Tagged food shows, foodies, phil rosenthal, somebody feed phil, television reviews | 2 Comments »
The first time I read Ray Bradbury’s 1957 classic, Dandelion Wine, it was an assignment for school. I was a little older than Doug Spaulding, the novel’s 12-year old protagonist at the time, and to be frank, I didn’t really care for the book at all.
That was a crisis for me, as Bradbury was one of the three novelists who I really, really enjoyed (along with Roger Zelazny and C.J. Cherryh). I’d gobbled up Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles and read every collection of his short stories that I could find. Continue Reading »
Posted in Writing | Tagged book review, Bradbury, creative writing, Dandelion Wine | 1 Comment »
It’s hot out there. Uncomfortably hot. Freaking hot. Evil hot.
Here’s something tasty. Something easy. Something cool.
With a few common (and one not-so-common) ingredients, you can use this easy-as-you-please recipe to create a luscious, sweet/tart/creamy/flowery treat to enjoy in the long, hot evenings.
No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream
Makes 3 cups (which is like one serving here, but you can stretch it out if you’re feeling generous).
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cream
- 1 tablespoon rosewater (see Notes)
Procedure
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice. Stir to incorporate.
- Add milk, cream, and rosewater and mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved (when you no longer hear a gritty sound as you stir).
- Pour the mixture into a shallow nonreactive pan; I use an 8×8-inch CorningWare baking dish, but a metal pan will work just as well.
- Cover with foil, and set in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours. It should be crusty at the edges but still soft in the center. Stir to mix and break up the ice crystals.
- Return to freezer for another hour and repeat until the mixture is frozen through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- A garnish of chopped almonds works very well with this.
- The addition of rosewater is technically optional, but I strongly recommend using it here, as it adds a floral top note to the treat that makes a big difference.
- Rosewater and orange blossom water are staples in my spice cupboard. They’re inexpensive, but versatile, adding a certain je ne sais quoi to dressings, cocktails, desserts, even dishes like steamed vegetable and mashed potatoes. Like lavender is to Provençal cooking, these subtle, fragrant decoctions are essential to traditional Levantine treats, like my baklava.
k
Posted in Food, Recipes | Tagged cooking, lemon ice cream, no-churn ice cream, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
Kurt R.A. Giambastiani 