Category Archives: doing it wrong

Actual setlist from video shoot for It’s So Easy.

In the morning when I start my list I always have grand plans for what I’m going to write about here.

Then I spend all day working on my publishing empire. Then I have a half a glass of wine and I sit here and can’t form a coherent thought.

There was a problem with the proof of my short story book. I’m still learning how to do the paperback versions and I miscalculated something. It’s not a tragedy but doesn’t meet my standards. I need to do another version and then resubmit for approval and once approved, buy another proof. If you were planning on gifting paperbacks of my short story collection for Christmas, we will not be ready. I apologize.

Meanwhile I’m doing a couple of promotions for my romance because it’s like shouting into a storm trying to get anyone to notice your book.

Honestly, my advice to people who want to be writers is: do something else.

Onto other news. It’s only taken me about 10 years but I finally pulled off Thanksgiving dinner by myself, with very minimal stress and everything came out great.

My tips are: do the stuffing in the slow cooker. You can do it several hours in advance and let it sit there on the counter without your attention. Do the gravy the day before and scrape the pan drippings day of, once the turkey is cooked.

This year I used this pumpkin pie recipe and I can report, it was completely delicious. I want to do a side-by-side taste test with canned pumpkin and mine just to see if it’s that different. Except I will devastated if you can’t tell or the canned is better.

My only note for next year is that I over-knead the rolls (photo from last year of how I shape them). I usually bake breads that need a heavier hand but these don’t need it. They’re Parker House rolls. This isn’t the exact recipe I used but pretty close.

I processed the last of the pumpkin yesterday and there are at least 3 more pints for the freezer. I ended up with more than I thought. More pies and some pumpkin chili for us in the next few months.