ŷ������

Keeping it short and sweet this year, as I’m on deadline (yes, even during the holidays). I wish you all the joy and blessings, and books to read—one of which will hopefully be my next one—in this season and in the new year.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite holiday treats.

See the recipe below:

CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE

I make this every year around the holidays, and even people who normally refrain from eating cheesecake can’t resist. At my Christmas parties, it’s usually my most most-requested recipe. It’s also very festive and a nice way to round out the holiday “pie parade.��

¾ graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 cups cranberry-juice cocktail
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Prepare in advance:

�� In 9-inch by 3-inch springform pan, mix graham cracker crumbs and butter; press mixture firmly to bottom of pan.

�� In small saucepan sprinkle 2 envelopes of gelatin over 2 cups cranberry-juice cocktail. Cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.

�� In small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form.

�� In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in gelatin mixture and lemon juice until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

�� In 2-quart saucepan over high heat, heat cranberries, 1 cup sugar and ¾ cup cranberry-juice cocktail to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes or until skins of berries pop, stirring occasionally.

�� Meanwhile, in a measuring cup, sprinkle remaining gelatin over ¼ cup cranberry juice cocktail to soften. Stir gelatin mixture into cranberry mixture until gelatin is completely dissolved. Refrigerate until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon, about 30 minutes. Spoon mixture over cream-cheese mixture. Refrigerate until cranberry mixture is set, about 1 hour.

To Serve:

Dip metal spatula in hot water to loosen edge of dessert from pan. Carefully remove sides of springform pan. Makes 16 servings.

Enjoy, and may your days be merry and bright!

Warmly,

Eileen

It’s that time of year when those of us who celebrate gather around ye olde turkey on the table and give thanks for our blessings. This this year, no turkey for us (except for the wild turkeys that sometimes hang out on my lawn) but I’m especially thankful. Near the top of my gratitude list is the blessing of my new novel. , which was released in September, my first one in a while. Thanks to my readers, both those of you who’ve followed me through the years and those of you who are new to my work, it’s selling well and has loads of positive reviews online. Yay to the “little engine that could�� (that would be me) for getting a book written in the middle of a major house remodel. Make that two remodels, including the recent garage conversion that is my husband’s man cave. And I did it by myself while hubby was still in New York transitioning from his former career as a TV reporter to his new career as an independent contractor. I wrote through the whine of power tools and rat-a-tat-tat of nail guns out my window, frequently donning my “hard hat�� in my role as project manager. (if any character in my WIP bears a resemblance to my contractor, it may not be entirely coincidental). I’m happy to report the man cave is finished and the man himself is in it. AND I didn’t lose my mind. At least, I don’t think so.

I’m happy to report that I finished Book Two of my Gold Creek series, titled A HERO LIVES HERE, and am currently doing revisions. So you know what yours truly be doing over the holidays (besides baking). You can expect to read more about the lives and loves and adventures of the Tattooed Ladies of Gold Creek in the year to come. As subscribers, you will receive advance notice of the pub date and any contests that are scheduled, as well as teasers for the book. What I can tell you at this point is that A HERO LIVES HERE is the story of Jo as she grieves for husband and struggles to adapt to her new life as a widow. Stay tuned!

Here in Sacramento, the fall colors are at their peak, and the weather has gone from hot and dry to cold and wet. Hot soup weather. For Thanksgiving this year, instead of turkey, I plan to make my favorite autumnal stew, with lamb and butternut squash. Pie for dessert, naturally (I’m all about tradition when it comes to dessert). I’m not a huge fan of custard pumpkin pie, but years ago I found a recipe for pumpkin chiffon pie that has become my go-to pumpkin dessert during the holidays. People who’ve eaten it rave about it.

See the recipe below.

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

Makes one 9-inch pie

Crust:
1 ¾ cups gingersnap crumbs (I recommend Annas Swedish thins or Walker’s Ginger Biscuits)
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a medium bowl, stir together ingredients (or mix in a food processor). Press crumbs evenly over bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.

Filling:
1 envelope (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
¼ cup very hot water
3 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground ginger
3 ��4 tablespoons dark rum
1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup heavy cream

�� Sprinkle gelatin over hot water in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in the top of a double boiler and the whites in a large bowl.

�� Add 1/3 cup sugar to the yolks and whisk until the mixture is thick and light lemon-colored. Add salt, spices, rum, and dissolved gelatin. Whisk together, then set double boiler over (not touching) boiling water and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens so it generously coats a spoon.

�� Remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin. Whisk to combine with the custard. Turn the mixture into a clean medium mixing bowl. Set in a large bowl of ice water. Cool the mixture (about 15 minutes), whisking occasionally, until it begins to set (it should be thick enough to mound on a spoon). Leave at room temperature in the bowl of ice water until it’s set.

�� Beat the egg whites until fluffy and add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar a spoonful at a time, beating after each addition until stiff peaks form. Place the cream in a chilled bowl and beat until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside dollop of whipped cream for the topping.

�� Fold the cooled, thickened (but not hard-set) pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream, then into the stiffly beaten egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the prepared shell. Chill for at least 3 hours to set.

�� Garnish pie with leftover whipped cream and slivered almonds. Chopped candied ginger is nice, too, if you have it.

Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!!

I’m excited to announce that today my newest novel is being launched into the world. It’s been a long journey to publication. A journey that began decades ago when I fled a bad situation to start over at the other end of the continent. My personal story is reflected in my tale about Kyra, a woman on the run from her abusive husband. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, as they say, and over the course of the novel, Kyra discovers hidden strengths she didn’t know she possessed as she overcomes the obstacles in her path in creating a new life for herself. As I write this, I picture my book finding its way into the hands and hearts of readers, especially those for whom my story might resonate and perhaps provide hope. But theme aside, my goal was to write an entertaining novel that would have readers turning pages.

From early reviews, it seems I succeeded. Want to know more? Read on for a plot summary.

On the run from her abusive husband, Kyra Smith hits the road. Destination unknown. With a neglected dog she rescued in tow, she lands in the peaceful California mountain town of Gold Creek and is immediately befriended by an openhearted group of women who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies. They’re there for Kyra—and for each other.

The maternal Frannie is a tattoo artist struggling with a troubled daughter. Suzy is a self-described fashionista grandma bearing a painful estrangement from her son. Then there’s Jo, whose storybook marriage is shadowed by a grim medical diagnosis. And bookstore owner Marisol. She longs for the kind of romance she only reads about. For them, and for Kyra, fortunes can change.

Just as Kyra parlays her artistic talents into a new career, and finally meets a man she can trust in and love, her ex tracks her down. He has a twisted plan to upend everything she now holds dear. Marshaling her renewed power and wisdom, Kyra will stop at nothing to put the past behind her. Once and for all. Whatever it takes.

A woman escaping a violent past finds new friendships, romance, and tenuous sanctuary in an emotionally gripping novel by New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge.

ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW is available now in all formats: print, digital, and audio. To buy or learn more, .

If you’d like to support ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, here are some things you can do:
�� Buy the book from your online retailer or favorite independent bookseller
�� Post a review when you read the book
�� Ask your local library to order copies
�� If you follow me on social media, give my book posts a like and a share
�� Tell a friend who you think would like the book! Or if you belong to a book club, recommend it as book to read and discuss (its relatable theme is made for discussion!)

Last but not least, thank you, dear reader and loyal subscriber, for your support for the years. It means everything. I couldn’t do what I do for a living without you. I hope you enjoy my latest story.

Hi, All!

Hope you’re having a relaxing summer. I can’t say mine has been relaxing——no summer vacation for this girl—but it’s certainly been eventful.

I just turned in the first draft of my work-in-progress to my editor at Lake Union Publishing. Meanwhile, the pub date for Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW is fast approaching. It’s due out September 24,th just a little more than a month from now. I’m so excited to see my novel winging its way onto bookshelves both here and abroad. You can preorder now if you haven’t already.

I was recently interviewed by Zibby Owens for her popular podcast “Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books,�� in which I was asked, “What is this book about? And how does its theme relate to your own life?��

Firstly, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW is about a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a California mountain town where she’d befriended by a group of women who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies, and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra “draws lines to stop crimes,�� as they say in the business, which she finds empowering. She’s put to the ultimate test when she’s brought face to face with her ex after he tracks her down one snowy night. For dog lovers, there’s Ranger, the mixed-breed Kyra encounters during her cross-country flight and rescues, who becomes her “partner in crime,�� and eventually, her work partner. I think you’ll love getting to know him; he’s pretty special.

Secondly, the novel was inspired by events in my own life during a time when I fled a bad situation and relocated to the other end of the continent, as does Kyra in ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW. I could relate to her emotional journey. The difference is, she’s childless and I had two young children on board at the time. But the feelings are the same. The shame and fear of being judged that causes one to keep secrets.

My interview with Zibby is scheduled to go live sometime during the week of publication. I’ll be posting about it on Instagram and Facebook when I have a date. If you care to listen, I think you’ll find it entertaining.

Now for the giveaway��(cue drumroll). I will be giving away 5 signed copies of ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, to the winners of the contest, to be chosen at random. To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment. The contest runs through the end of this month, at which point I’ll announce the winners. Because international postage rates are prohibitive, the contest is only open to U.S. residents. My heartfelt apologies to those of you who reside outside the U.S.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Hi all! Poking my head out of my writing cave to give you a sneak preview of coming attractions. But before I get to that, a quick update entitled “Meanwhile back at the ranch…�� Here in sunny Sacrament, my garden is blooming where trenches aren’t dug. What trenches, you might ask? Those would be the ones dug in our backyard as part of our garage conversion, which, when it’s completed, will be the hubby’s man cave/studio. We had talked about making my “she shed,�� but this girl needs an office close to the kitchen where she can keep an eye on any bread dough that might be rising there and keep an ear out for the oven timer. I’m still baking, though not as much lately, largely due to my writing commitments. (Check out my cookbook , to see my recipes.)

Speaking of my writing, as you know if you’ve my following posts, my latest novel , is due to be released on September 24th of this year. I’m so excited for it to be bringing this book into the world, and hopefully into your hands, at long last. It’s been an eventful time in my life, and much like our house remodel, one that’s shaped by “blood, sweat, and tears,�� and filled with surprises and “reveals.��

The writing of was a deeply personal journey for me. First, because the writing itself came at a challenging in my life when I was dealing with upheavals (relocating from New York City to Sacramento was just the tip of the iceberg). Second, because the story reflects aspects of my life. They say “write what you know,�� and I always have, or rather, I’ve created fictionalized versions of events in my life. I could relate to my main character, Kyra, as she’s making her cross-country flight in escaping her abusive husband, because I once made a similar move in moving from California to NYC, where I started over and made a new life for myself and my children with little more than a wish and a prayer.

The friendships that form in ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW between Kyra and the group of women she meets in Gold Creek who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies is based on my circle of writer friends, , , , , , and . We call ourselves the Beach Babes because we used to meet every year in January at a beach house in Santa Cruz for our annual writers�� retreat (we still get together, though in other places nowadays). Like the “Ladies�� of my novel, we come from different walks of life and are different ages, but what we have in common is our love for one another and our love of books, both the ones we read and the ones we write.

Now for the promised “peek.�� It’s a first, folks. As in the first time I’ve kicked off a novel with an original poem, and also the first anyone’s seen it. The poem was written by my sister Karen, who is an amazing artist and poet (follow on Facebook and Instagram, or check out her website, to see more of her or gorgeous works). I commissioned it and she came through with the loveliest poem, one that brought tears to my eyes when I first read it. It’s not only beautifully written but it reflects Kyra’s journey, one that’s driven by a mix and fear and hope that ends with her reinventing herself in ways she couldn’t have imagined. I hope you enjoy it. And speaking of kickoffs, I hope your summer is off to a good start wherever you are!

All They Need to Know

All they need to know,
Is that I’ve traveled on the wind,
Carried along by tumbling woes,
Wondering where it will end.
Life cannot be trusted,
Any more than the wind,
It mows down hearts and lives,
And then, it begins again.
��But the wind blows through this endless blue,
Filled with dancing clouds,
That move to allow the sunlight to,
Shine where love abounds.

�� Karen Goudge Potter

We were both newly published at the time. We were both around the same age, in our mid-thirties, with writing experience under our belts. We’d both arrived at the bookstore around the same time, pens at the ready, eager to sign the copies of our novels that were hot off the press and in stock there. Shakespeare & Company is a fixture of the Upper West Side in New York, where I lived then, and has a reputation for being highbrow. I couldn’t believe my first hardcover novel, , had not only been published but was being sold there and in other bookstores nationwide. When we met in the “New Fiction�� section where our books were on display, she seemed as delighted by her good fortune as I was by mine. Since our last names both start with “G��, our books were placed on a middle shelf, prominently displayed at eye level. After introducing ourselves and briefly describing our novels, we stood elbow-to-elbow for a moment in silent appreciation, gazing in wonder at our “book babies�� and excited to see them out in the world.

Her name was . Her newly-released novel that she was promoting at the time was one of the earlier titles in her alphabet mystery series, and she was a relatively unknown author then.

We each went on to enjoy success with our novels, both the ones that bumped “elbows�� that day in Shakespeare and Company and the ones yet to be written. Incredible as it seems to me now, I had not read any of Sue Grafton’s novels until recently. Forty-plus years after our auspicious meeting, I finally got around to reading the first title in her alphabet mystery series, , when it popped up in my Kindle Unlimited feed. It’s a wonderful mystery in the tradition of Mickey Spillane and John D MacDonald, and as well-crafted as they come. I thoroughly enjoyed both getting to know its quirky, indelible protagonist, Kinsey Millhone, a P.I. who lives and works in the fictional California town of Santa Teresa, which is inspired by Santa Barbara if I’m not mistaken, and trying to figure out whodunnit. It kept me guessing until the end. I also loved that, since it was published in the eighties, Kinsey Millhone solves her cases without aid of cell phones, computers, CCTV cameras, electronic trackers, and other devices which digital-era crime-solving relies on.

She’s an old-style gumshoe, an ex-cop and twice-divorced, with grit and determination, and an eye for spotting a telling detail or a “tell,�� served with a dash of humor. In short, my kind of gal.

Sadly, Sue Grafton is no longer with us. She passed away in 2017 at the age of 77. But her incredible body of works lives on. If you’re one of the few people on the planet who hasn’t had the pleasure of reading any of her novels, I urge you to grab one and give it a whirl. You won’t regret it.

Can you guess what’s next up on my TBR? If you guessed Sue Grafton’s , you would be correct. I can’t wait to get cracking on it.

Sue’s death is a reminder that life is short and all good things come to an end. I feel blessed to still be here, and still writing. When my next book, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, comes out in the fall of this year, I will lift a virtual glass of champagne to Sue and toast the amazing journeys we’ve both had.

Do you like to bake? If you don’t but would like to and feel intimidated by baking, I’ll let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to be an amazing baker to gain a reputation for being one. You just have to know how to bake one or two things besides chocolate-chip cookies well. My late sister Patty didn’t bake, really, but for parties and potlucks, she’d make her “signature�� dessert: seedless-grape chiffon pie. Everyone who tasted it raved about it and thought she was an incredible baker (you can find the recipe in my cookbook, and it IS scrumptious). Little did they know it was the one thing she ever baked.

Years ago, when I was on book tour with my cookbook, , I learned to spot what I came to think of as the “wannabakers�� from the wistful looks on their faces. Mostly women, they would sidle up to my table where I was signing copies of my cookbook, and confess, “I’ve always wanted to bake but don’t know how, and there’s so much to learn.�� I loved seeing their faces light up when I shared my “secret�� with them, like I’d given them the secret formula for solving the mysteries of the universe. “All you need to do is learn to bake two things well: a cake and a pie,�� I would tell them. I would then suggest they try the recipes for my blue-ribbon chocolate cake and apple pie, and make them a few times until they had it down. With friends and neighbors, I would invite them over to my house and teach them how. And, oh, the looks on their faces when they left carrying the finished products! One of those friends reports he’s now known for his chocolate cake, and everyone who’s tasted it thinks he’s a master baker. Little do they know it’s the one dessert he makes.

One of the best things about my cookbook, , is that I get to share my recipes with other people. I love sharing my recipes, and having other people share their recipes with me. My cookbook is the gift that keeps on giving. Which reminds me of a cute story. My husband, , the former entertainment reporter for WABC-TV in New York City, recently interviewed Robert Zerilli, who manages his family-owned bakery, Veniero’s, in the East Village. The bakery, which has been in business since the horse-and-buggy era, had been a favorite of Frank Sinatra and other luminaries. It’s a popular tourist destination and local institution to this day. Robert confessed that, although he oversees the busy kitchen at Veniero’s, he isn’t much of a baker himself. So Sandy gave him a signed copy of my cookbook. You can see from the smile on Robert’s face that he was pleased with his gift. Who knows? Maybe he’s whipping up a batch of something at home as we speak.

If you don’t fancy yourself a baker but would like to learn, here’s an easy recipe to start with. It was my mom’s recipe. I loved her pineapple-upside down cake as a child and still do. It’s ooey-gooey good. Whenever I’ve made it, the guests at my table have been wild about it.

See the recipe below:

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter��
1 20-ounce can pineapple slices��
12-13 maraschino cherries, halved��
14-18 walnut halves
2/3 cup dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar��
1 large egg, at room temperature��
1 teaspoon vanilla extract��
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour��
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
��1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need a 9-inch cake pan for this recipe.

Topping: Place 3 tablespoons of the butter in the cake pan, and heat in the oven just until the butter is melted. Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice or syrup. Place a whole pineapple slice in the center of the pan, and halve the remaining slices. Arrange the halves in a pinwheel pattern around the whole slice at the center. Fill in the spaces in between with walnut and maraschino cherry halves (you can substitute cranberries for the cherries if you like your desserts on the tart side.) Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top.

Cake: Cream together the remaining butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the reserved pineapple juice, beating after each addition just until combined. Spoon the batter over the pineapple-sugar mixture in the pan, and carefully spread so that it evenly covers the mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or room temperature.

I’m excited to announce that my next book, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is slated for publication, by my fabulous publisher Lake Union Press, in September of this year. The past year and a half has been eventful, to say the least. I relocated from the East coast to the West coast, wrote a book and started another one (more on that later), while overseeing a gut remodel of a 1940’s house here in Sacramento, California. And it’s just me, folks—my hubby was in New York for most of that time transitioning from his career as a TV reporter at WABC-TV in NYC to the next chapter of his career, as a consultant. Frankly, I surprised myself with all that I accomplished. Didn’t know I had it in me. The secret, as with anything in life, is to do what you love. When you pursue your passion you swim with the current.

The story line in ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW was inspired by events in my own life. Like my heroine Kyra, I was once in a marriage where I felt trapped and unsafe. I fled my past, traveling across the continent and reinventing myself in a new locale as does Kyra, though perhaps not in quite as dramatic a fashion as she! Nor did I rescue a dog along the way, though the canine character of Ranger is based on a dog I once owned. Ivan, the wonder dog, a Samoyed-shepherd mix, was the smartest dog I ever met. He could open doors by turning doorknobs with his front paws, and once after I caught him on the kitchen counter raiding the bread box, he learned to shut the bread box after he’d opened it and hide the bread wrappers so his thefts wouldn’t be readily discovered. He’s long since gone over the Rainbow Bridge, but I enjoyed reliving the path he blazed during his lifetime through Ranger. Below is a brief summary of the plot.

On the run from her abusive husband, art teacher Kyra Smith stumbles into Gold Creek with her rescue dog Ranger. When she’s befriended by a group of local women who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies Club, she believes that the old California Gold Rush town might be the perfect place for a fresh start.

The Tattooed Ladies help her find a place to live and get a job as a police sketch artist, but she soon learns that these generous women all have problems of their own: There’s Frannie, the tattoo artist who becomes a mother figure to Kyra but whose relationship with her own, mentally ill daughter is fraught. Suzy, the fashionista grandma who is as good with people as she is with hair at the salon she owns but whose grown son seems to want nothing to do with her. Marisol, who despairs of ever meeting a man like the heroes of the romances she sells at her bookshop. And Jo, the wedding photographer, whose enviable marriage to her college sweetheart is threatened by an unexpected event.

Kyra tries to repay their generosity by being as good a friend to them as they’ve been to her. Just as her new life starts to take shape, her ex shows up with vengeance on his mind—and she must call upon the strength and wisdom she’s learned from the Tattooed Ladies to put her old life behind her, once and for all.

In the coming months I’ll post a sneak peak in the form of a sample chapter as well as news of any giveaways. When ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW is available for pre-order, you’ll be the first to know. For those you who’ve been asking “When is your next book coming out?�� thank you for your patience. For those of you who are as of yet unfamiliar with my works, hopefully this one will be the pathway to discovering them.

What was the most recent book you read that you would recommend? I just finished reading a delightful and heartwarming novel, , which I highly recommend.

I’m poking my head from my writing cave. It’s five in the morning here in California as I write this, and I’ve been toiling away for weeks on the final, copyedited draft of my manuscript. The bad news is I won’t be celebrating Christmas this year with my darling hubby; he’s not joining me until the week after Christmas. Also, I have to work through the holidays to make my deadline—boo hoo. The good news is I have a new book coming out in 2024. I’m so excited and can’t wait to share ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW with you!

It’s been an odyssey in itself getting from my last release to this one, which is a story for another time. I’m making this blog post short and sweet because duty calls, but I will have more news for you soon and goodies in the form of a cover reveal and a sample chapter, the latter available only to subscribers of my mailing list.
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with the recipe below, which is one of my absolute favorites.

May your holidays be bright and merry. Wishing you many blessings—and books, including mine!—in the new year!

APPLE OAT BRAN MUFFINS

These muffins have been a staple of our family breakfasts for years. They’re as delicious as they are healthy, made with maple syrup and apples. Warm from the oven with butter, there’s nothing quite like them.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin tin.

½ cup maple syrup (use real and not artificial if possible)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup oat bran
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cup finely chopped apple
½ cup raisins (optional)

In a small bowl, beat the maple syrup and melted butter together with a whisk. Add the vanilla and eggs, and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the oat bran, flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add the maple-butter mixture to the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, beating after each addition just until mixed.

Do not over mix. Fold in the apples (and raisins if using). Fill each cup of the muffin tin approximately three quarters full (you might need more than one tin). Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in tin for 10 minutes before removing.

It’s light outside as I write this. It seems strange after weeks of doing my early-morning writing by the light of my desk lamp while it was dark out. Like maybe I overslept when in fact the opposite is true. I turned my clocks back last night—even the one on my microwave—but my brain didn’t get the memo somehow. This morning I was wide awake at four instead of my usual wake-up time of five.

What I did with today’s “stolen�� Daylight Savings hour was read in bed. A luxury I hadn’t indulged in during the morning hours for quite some time, though as a child I read in bed every chance I got (by flashlight under the covers if it was past my bedtime). These past months I’ve had precious little downtime. I’ve been on book deadline, which seemed endless. No sooner did I turn in one draft than the next one was due. Which is why you haven’t heard from me in a while. I wrote seven days a week, but there are only so many hours in the day.�� I turned in the final developmental draft a week ago. If I was one to drink alone, I would have opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Instead, I took a walk and enjoyed the fall scenery with the leaves changing here in Sacramento, also known as the City of Trees.

Now, finally, I have time to do this blog post. Also, I have book news. The title reveal for my forthcoming Spring release with Lake Union: ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW. It’s the story of one woman’s journey from domestic abuse to a new life in a new town. Set in the gold country of California, its heroine, Kyra, is a woman who was beaten but is not defeated. She rescues herself in her cross-country flight from her abusive husband, and rescues a dog along the way, who she names Ranger, as in the Lone Ranger, and who becomes her constant companion. A former art teacher, she reinvents herself as a forensic artist and is befriended by a group of local women who call themselves the Tattooed Ladies. She doesn’t trust her heart, though, so when she finds herself falling for her sexy landlord, Coop, she pulls away. The sparks flying between them are caused by friction as much as attraction. The slam-bam finish is set in a snowstorm in the weeks before Christmas.

You will be the first to know when I have a preorder date. Just wanted to give you a sneak preview before then.

What did I do during my week off? All the things that had collected on my back burners for the weeks I was on deadline. Starting with cleaning out my garage last weekend in preparation for construction on our planned garage conversion. It will be husband Sandy’s office/man cave when he becomes a permanent resident next Spring. After that, I did some baking, caught up on my correspondence, weeded through all the emails that had collected in my Inbox, and caught up with friends.

The rest of the time I tackled my mountainous TBR, and read some really good books. Most recently, the new novel by , which is my book recommendation for the week, if not the month.

If you haven’t read it, you’re in for a treat. If you’re not familiar with the author, do yourself a favor and buy one of his books, or check one out from your local library. I became hooked on his years ago, and have been a fan ever since.

What did you do with today’s stolen hour?��