Holly West

Turkey Chili Recipe

Okay, so I'm not turning this into a cooking blog, despite the recent postings of recipes. I've been cooking a lot lately though, especially since we started getting a CSA box from Farm Fresh to You. It challenges me to try to use up everything in the box by using my imagination.

Chili, even the turkey variety, isn't necessarily all that ground-breaking imagination-wise, but I created my own version that Mick and I love and I thought I'd share it.

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Directions
Heat a large pot on medium and add olive oil. Saute jalapeno, onion, and garlic until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add ground turkey, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne and mix thoroughly. Heat until turkey is cooked through.

Add tomatoes and beans and stir well. Bring liquid to a boil then turn heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until much of the liquid is evaporated. We prefer a dryer chili but you might like it more soupy--check the consistency after 30 minutes and let cook more if needed.

Serve with condiments: fresh cilantro, sour cream, chopped onions, cheddar cheese, etc.

Enjoy!

Historical Tidbits

A couple of days ago, my mom called me and said "Hi, what're you doing?"

"I was just researching what happens when a body lay in state in late 17th century London," I replied. Such is the life of a writer.

Research is one of the most enjoyable parts of writing for me, and oh, so much easier. At the beginning, it was tough to know when to stop the research and begin the writing.  At some point I had to put down the books and just start writing, even if I knew some of it was not historically accurate. I figured I could go back and iron out details later.

But I have been interested in Restoration England and the reign of King Charles II since I was a teenager. I've been studying this time period for years, so ending the research in favor of the writing was not such a stretch for me. I did have to do quite a bit of reading on specific details, such as the Popish Plot, but overall I had a good sense of what Restoration England was about.

And if I had any qualms about writing things I knew nothing about, Harlan Coben eased them during a panel at Bouchercon when he said "I just make this shit up."

Accurate historical details are important to me, yes. But at the end of the day, I write fiction. It's my job to make shit up!

All that said, I thought it would be fun to post some historical tidbits about the time period I'm writing about, 1678 London:

1) By law, one had to attend church on Sundays (Church of England) or be fined.
 
2) Women were 4 times more likely to die in the first decade of marriage than men, but if a woman lived past her child-bearing years, she had a longer life expectancy than her husband.

3) Brunette was the fashionable hair color.

4) Donkey's milk was thought to be safer for babies than cow's milk; they were led from door to door and milked to order.

5) Oysters were cheap and eaten often; swans were served on special occasions.

6) At the grandest of dinner parties, a knife and fork were provided, but guests were expected to bring their own spoons.

7) Women wore ceruse, a compound of white lead, to whiten their complexions. It was a white paste that one diluted with water or egg white and applied with a damp cloth. Venetian ceruse was more prized than English because of it's higher lead content.

8) Cat dung mixed with vinegar was used as a depilatory.

9) Stealing was the most common crime. If the value of the goods stolen was more than 12 pence (about $6.50 in today's US dollars) theft was punishable by death.

10)  Teething was a major cause of infant death. A well-meaning adult would lance the gums with a fingernail or coin to ease the baby's pain, and infection would result.

There, aren't you glad you didn't live in the 17th century? Makes me wonder what things we do now that will be considered unthinkable four hundred years from now. Care to make any guesses?

First Facebook Giveaway - Success!

Yesterday I did something I never did before. I posted in my status that the first person to respond with their ring size would get the ring I made in the studio. It was fun! I got a great response and as a result I'll be making a few more rings in the coming weeks. The resulting ring, pictured below, is sterling silver. It's a lovely peridot set in a bezel. I'm really pleased with the result, and I hope the recipient (my cousin Eileen) is too.

Darkness: Where Do You Draw the Line?

ne of the panels I attended at Bouchercon was called Dark Books for Dark Times. Personally, I am not of the opinion that we are living in particularly dark times, as the title suggests, but I attended the panel because the topic of darkness itself is intriguing. 

It turned out to be one of the best panels I attended.

The central question of the panel, for crime fiction readers and writers alike, was "What draws you to darkness?" I'm not sure I can answer that for myself. When I was younger I shied away from dark or scary fiction because I was afraid of nightmares. In my twenties, I had to be very careful because I lived alone and the suggestion of violence, crime, and murder could result in a sleepless night. I didn't come to crime fiction until my thirties, when I suppose I felt safe to explore the dark side of fiction because my own life was secure.

My reading preference now is the darker, the better.

The most interesting question of the panel, however, was (paraphrased) "As an author, is there any topic or theme that you won't write about? Is anything out of bounds?"

The first author to answer the question was Duane Swierczynski, who said he was reluctant to write about violence to children, especially since becoming a parent. The other authors pretty much agreed that nothing was out of bounds if it was part of the story (I think at some point, Duane was kiddingly referred to as a "wuss").

Of course I had to ask myself the same question. What is out of bounds for me? Not even a month ago, I probably would have said that writing about violence to animals, specifically, dogs, was something I didn't want to explore. I couldn't finish American Psycho after the passage where he tortures a puppy. In general I find this topic so disturbing it distracts me from the story. Recently, however, I decided that I'm doing myself and my readers a disservice if I go into any story with pre-set limitations in my mind--not that I intend on killing any dogs or children in my fiction any time soon, but if the story requires it, so it shall be.

After the panel, I started thinking about experiences I could draw on to bring forth the darkness in my writing. Frankly, I've led a life pretty much filled with light. However, I thought about how I felt when we put our dog Kramer down in December, the moment of utter despair I felt when the vet took his pulse and said "He's passed." Whew. I can feel it again now. That scene is so dark for me I can't stare at it full-on in my mind, I have to glimpse it as through a keyhole and close the door on it quickly.

Another experience I recalled was when a boyfriend who was much bigger than me was tickling me and no matter how hard I shrieked for him to stop, he wouldn't. I felt helpless. Tickling had turned into a power play and I realized that I had no control over the situation. If he became violent, there was nothing I could not have stopped it. Obviously, this example is not so dramatic as the first one, but it did give me some idea of what it might feel like to be physically assaulted.

Why, you might ask, would I want to write anything that would cause my readers, or myself, for that matter, anywhere near that kind of experience? Um, I don't really know. I only know I am drawn to darkness and I need to explore it, both in my writing and my reading. I know I am not alone in this--crime fiction has millions of fans all over the world.

What about you? Is there anything off limits in your writing? What about your reading?

The lovely "O" at the top of this post is courtesy of Daily Drop Cap.

Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (Crock Pot)

I add peppers to pretty much everything, and chicken soup is no exception. This delicious soup is easily made in a crock pot and will knock your socks off.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh green beans, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, cut into 4
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
6 oz noodles

Directions
Remove skin from chicken and place in crock pot with all ingredients except the noodles. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot. Remove chicken from bones and dice. Return to crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Add to broth before serving.

Note: You might want to remove the jalapeno from the broth before serving. It is not too hot to eat, but if any of your guests are especially sensitive to spicy foods, they might not like getting a spoonful of it.

Variations
Matzo balls: Cook soup as for noodles. Make matzo balls according to package instructions and add to broth before serving.

Rice: Cook soup as for noodles. Make rice according to package instructions and add to broth before serving.

It is possible to add the noodles, rice, or matzo balls to the broth in the final hour of cooking, however, I find that this gives them an unappealing texture. 

Serve with crusty bread and a smile!

Birthday Ring

I made this ring in the jewelry studio on Tuesday as a birthday gift for my friend Ruth. It is sterling silver and rose quartz set in a bezel with the typical "Holly West" ball ornamentation on the sides. It's the most complicated project I've done in awhile, and I was pleased with the result.

Post-Bouchercon Book List

Last week, I attended the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention in Indianapolis. Besides meeting authors, the best thing about it was the introduction to new books and authors that had previously not been on my radar. I lugged home a backpack (or to be completely honest, Mick lugged it) full of books I can't wait to read.

Here are the ones I'm most looking forward to reading:

A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. Ellory: At the first panel I attended on Thursday morning, this book was recommended by all the reviewers. Someone is killing young girls in a small rural community but is never caught. Ten years later the apparent murderer hangs himself, articles from the dead girls strewn about him and the killings stop--until the murderer re-emerges in New York City, seemingly alive and well.

The Styx by Jonathan King: This is a stand alone, historical mystery. Described by the author in a panel, I was immediately taken; it takes place in 1890s Florida and the existence of a community of blacks who have come to Palm Beach to work in the blossoming service industry. When the community, called the Styx, is burned to the ground one night, the only casualty is a wealthy white man. So begins the mystery, but the novel promises to go much deeper than that. King also writes the Max Freeman series, which I intend to read as soon as I get a chance.

Books I read on the way home:

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris: This, of course, is the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I had been putting off reading it because frankly, vampires aren't my thing. But after seeing Charlaine on a panel I went directly to the book room and bought this book. I finished it on the plane home and was taken with it. Certainly, it's not a traditional mystery, but the characters are engaging enough and the suspense is intense enough for me to call this book a page-turner. I have to admit, I was a little sorry to say goodbye to Sookie by the end, so I'm glad there are many more books in the series.

Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood: This book and the author have been on my radar for awhile, but seeing Seth in a panel at Bouchercon convinced me I needed to move it up on my "To Be Read" list. I'm about a third of the way through it and so far I'm liking Jack Palms and the situation he's gotten himself into. Jack is a different type of character than I typically read; he seems like a cool enough guy but I have a feeling if I met him in real life I might think he was a bit of a jerk (the jury is still out on this). That's precisely why he's fun to read, however. He's arrogant enough to be interesting without being a complete asshole, and that bravado might be the one thing that saves him in the end.

Other Authors I Can't Wait to Read (visit their websites for info on their books):

Jamie Freveletti
Kelli Stanley
Jeri Westerson
Carolyn Wall 

To Be Read

Here are a few of the books I'm looking forward to reading in the coming months:

Picking Bones from Ash: A Novelby Marie Matsui Mockett - I met Marie Mockett on Twitter (@MarieMockett) and have since been eagerly waiting for her debut novel to be released.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Say what you will about Dan Brown, but the man can write a page turner.

Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel (True Life) by Jeanette Walls - First of all, if you haven't read Walls' first book, The Glass Castle: A Memoir, I highly recommend it. I hope the second, Half Broke Horses, is just as good.

The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War) by Philippa Gregory - This is Gregory's first book about the Plantagenets. I know very little about them, so I am looking forwarding to reading this (yes, I know it's fiction, but isn't it nice to get a little history in the process)?

What will you be reading this fall?

National Novel Writing Month

The month of November is National Novel Writing Month, and this year I'm participating for the first time. I'll be writing my second Isabel Wilde novel (as yet untitled).

 

You may be asking why I would start another novel when I haven't even finished the first? For a few reasons, actually. I'm editing the first novel now, and believe me when I say it's hard and tedious work. I miss the fancy-free process of writing a first draft. I just don't have the brain power necessary to spend eight hours a day editing, so the second novel will act as a kind of supplement to that.

I'm also hoping that the writing I do for the second will aid me in editing the first. Any opportunity I have to get to know Isabel and her cohorts is an opportunity to enhance the first book and all subsequent books.

Even though I have a first novel, which has so far been written as the first in the series, being unpublished means it might not end up being the first in the series upon publication. My goal is to get published, and whichever book is the best will be the one that gets to submitted to agents. It is quite common for authors to write several novels prior to getting their first novel published, and the initial ones never see the light of day. I'd hate to think that all the work I'm doing on Diary of Bedlam is for naught, but the fact of the matter is that right now I'm learning how to write a novel. That means lots of mistakes and lots of bad writing. If Diary of Bedlam never gets published, it's okay because it will have been the stepping stone for the book that does get published.

One thing I've learned over the last year of writing primarily fiction is that writing and constructing a full-length novel that anyone would want to read is the hardest thing I've ever done. I have so much respect for the writers, even ones I consider mediocre, who do it.

Hey, what about you? Do you have a novel inside of you? Get writing in November and share the fun (and misery).

Exercising Your Story Structure Muscle

Much of the work I've been doing lately is studying story structure, particuarly the structures of mysteries.

As much as I enjoy the reading, it's tedious work, but I think it's necessary. At the recommendation of more than a few writers/writing guides, I have gone so far as to re-type chapters of novels so I can take a closer look at both the writing and the structure.

Today's task has been identifying the basic structural elements of several chapters in Sue Grafton's A is for Alibi. I've chosen this book because Sue is one of my favorite authors and the structure of this book is similar to what I've already written for Diary of Bedlam. The elements I'm looking at today are Characters, Locations, and Purpose.

Characters
1) Introduced (Which character(s) appear for the first time)
2) Mentioned (and will apparently be introduced later)
3) Main interactions

Locations

Purpose
What does this chapter accomplish for the story

To use Chapter One as an example:

Introduced:
Kinsey Millhone (MC)
Nikki Fife

Mentioned:
Laurence Fife (Victim)
Con Dolan
Charlie Scorsoni

Main Interaction:
Nikki Fife

Locations:
Kinsey's Office
Kinsey's Car

Purpose:
Sets up case. Nikki Fife, convicted of her husband's murder eight years before, hires Kinsey Millhone to find out who really killed him

Going chapter by chapter by chapter, I can see how characters are gradually introduced, how each chapter progresses the novel, and how many scenes are generally used per chapter. Going back to my own novel, I can check and see if I may be introducing or mentioning too many characters all at once, or not using enough locations, etc.

I have done this with other books as well, in an attempt to get an overall idea how mysteries are structured. So far I've found this exercise to be very useful--possibly the most useful I've encountered so far in the re-write process.