Aimee Fuhrman's Blog: A. E. Muses

Sometimes a book will just inspire me!
Erica Bauermeister's book The School of Essential Ingredients did just that.
Her descriptions of food and of cooking prompted a flurry of quality cooking--and right in time! Just when my family was getting tired of burgers and brats grilled on the back porch, Lillian (the main character in Bauermeister's book) stepped in and inspired me to pick fresh ingredients, spend a little more time, and experiment with flavors. Wow, what an outcome!
We've had several write-that-one-down worthy main or side dishes lately. Things that I think even Lillian would be proud to serve in her restaurant.

Here to inspire you, too, is one of my favorite creations from my recent epicurean adventures:

TUSCANY SPINACH
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 large white onion, thinly sliced
5 large or 8 small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
5 oz. fresh baby spinach, washed and drained
1/2-1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. coriander
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute garlic and onion in hot olive oil until onion begins to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and continue stirring until they sweat. Stir in spinach until wilted. Add lemon juice and seasonings and serve warm.
Pairs well with Garlic Chicken, basmati rice, and semi-dry wine.
PLEASE--If you make this recipe and decide to pin it, post it, or otherwise share it, would you do me the courtesy of including my name and this blog post. THANKS!

Well, it's 2018 (crazy!) and one of my goals for this year is to write a blog for each season. (Consistency is the key, they say, but I usually have to start with baby steps.) The question of what to dialogue about for this winter season was rolling around in my brain when I stumbled on some inspiration on YouTube.

One of my guilty time wasters is watching book tubers on YouTube. (If you're not familiar with this concept, these are basically people blogging about books in video format on YouTube.) On this particular evening, I was watching Little Book Owl's most recent posts. She had filmed an end of the year reading survey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jdIl...) which she'd gotten from the blog Perpetual Page-Turner (http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/20...). Viola! My Inspiration!
And so, without further ado, here is my own
2017 END OF YEAR READING SURVEY...

READING STATS
Number of Books Read: 62
Number of Re-reads: 9
Most Read Genre: Poetry--Surprisingly! (But I was working on a book of my own, and this was research.)

BEST IN BOOKS
Best of 2018: This is too hard--I've got a tie! Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of A Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator by Homer Hickam AND A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Book You Were Excited About/Thought You Were Going to Love, But Didn't: 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino
Most Surprising (in a good or bad way) Book You Read: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas--This is a great fantasy book, but I was caught off guard and appalled by the intense sex scenes, considering it's marketed as YA.
Book You "Pushed" the Most People to Read: I have honestly no idea. However, I know at some point during the year I recommended my two "Best of 2018" books as well as one I recommend to someone at least once a year (it seems)--Inside The Kingdom: My Life In Saudi Arabia by Carmen Bin Laden
Best Series You Started: Sarah J. Maas' A Court Of...series.
Favorite New Author You Discovered: Either Homer Hickam or Christopher Paul Curtis (I read his The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963).
Best Book From a Genre You Don't Normally Read:The Barefoot Book Of Classic Poems compiled by Jackie Morris--This is an absolutely beautiful book, both in the poetry and illustrations!
Most Unputdownable Book of the Year: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas--once again, be aware of the sex scenes.
Book You Read in 2017 that You are Most Likely to Re-Read in 2018: None--my TBR (to be read) pile is too huge!
Favorite Cover: Rogue by Cheryl Sauer--the book wasn't my favorite, but the cover is surely cute and whimsical!
Most Memorable Character: I have a confession to make--I rarely get attached to characters. Plots are more my thing.
Most Beautifully Written Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn--the writing style was like a watercolor painting to me.
Most Thought Provoking/Life Changing Book: A New Graft on the Family Tree by Pansy--this book is OLD (and reads like the Victorian Christian fiction that it is), but it really challenged my faith and how I view day-to-day evangelism.
Book You Can't Believe You Waited Until 2017 to Read: Animal Farm by George Orwell--I know, I know. But at least I finally got it done! (And now my 8th grader is reading it.)
Favorite Quote: I'm sure I could find one if I wanted to skim through the lot of them, but I was very bad about making notes on the books I read this year, so I don't have one at the ready.
Shortest Book: Just One More Pet by Mercer Mayer--I read this to my niece when she stayed with me this summer. :)
Longest Book: A Court of Mist and Fury.
Book With Plot Twist That Shocked You the Most: A Court of Mist and Fury.
OTP of the Year: OTP is "one true pairing"--Elsie Lavender and Homer Hickam in Carrying Albert Home. Theirs is a duke-it-out relationship that grows into earnest, though sober love.
Favorite Non-romantic Relationship: Skilley, the alley cat, and Pip, the resident mouse, in The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy.
Favorite Book From an Author You've Read Previously: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald--this was one of my re-reads, but I absolutely love it!
Favorite Book Based Soley on a Recommendation: A New Graft On the Family Tree. My mother went on and on about this Victorian writer she'd discovered (Pansy--yes, that's her pen name). She loved her so much, she was buying up all her books she could find. She even gifted this copy to me. It took me two years to get around to reading it. Now I know why she was raving.
Newest Fictional Crush: Yeah, no.
Best Debut Novel: The Gargoyle Hunters by John Freeman Gill--if you don't count Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Most Vivid Setting: Oooo, that is way too hard to choose. Nope. Can't do it.
Book That Was the Most FUN to Read: Either The Cheshire Cheese Cat OR Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein.
Book That Made You Cry: Nate Saint: On a Wing and a Prayer by Janet & Geoff Benge--and this was my third time through!
Hidden Gem of the Year: Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau
Book That Crushed Your Soul: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Most Unique Book You Read: Huck Out West by Robert Coover--this story picks up where The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn leaves off and imagines what would might have happened if Huck and Tom had gone West after the Civil War.
Book That Made You the Most Mad: Sarah J. Maas' A Court Of... series. Because it absolutely infuriates me that that kind of vivid sexual content is allowed to be marketed to our youth!!!

YOUR BOOKISH LIFE
I'm skipping this whole section

LOOKING AHEAD
Book You Didn't Get to in 2017 but Will be Top Priority in 2018: Either The Help by Kathryn Stockett OR The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.
Book You Are Most Anticipating for 2018: Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse--this is already out, but it's the one on my TBR that I'm most looking forward to reading.
Most Anticipated Sequel:Eden Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau--the sequel to Dividing Eden.
One Thing You Hope to Accomplish/Do in Your Reading/Blogging Life: Be more consistent with my blog posts!

I hope you enjoyed this recap of my reading year. Perhaps it gave you some ideas for your 2018 TBR.

Until next time--Happy Reading!

Our family of six recently returned home from a 3500 mile road trip. Broken down it equated to: two-and-a-half weeks away from home, six states and the District of Columbia, five campgrounds in a pop-up tent trailer, and over 50 hours in the car. That’s a lot of concentrated, cooped up time for three adults, two teens, and a kid! Granted, our children (one recently turned adult) have grown up road tripping. Years ago when our oldest was just a baby, my husband and I decided that we were not going to put our lives on hold while our children grew up. Don’t get me wrong. I totally understand why people choose to stay home with small children. Just a change in routine can throw a monkey wrench into things, but add sleeping in a weird environment and long hours confined in a car seat and you have the makings for World War 3! (And, yes, we’ve driven for hours with a baby or toddler screaming at the top of her/his lungs.) But despite all that, we have made many a long, cross-country road trip—and that without the benefit of movies or other technology!

“How did you do it?” you might ask. Well, eventually those squirmy, bored, grumpy kids figure out that you are not going to change your mind merely on account of them, and they resign themselves to monotonous confinement. But beyond that, I have learned a few tricks over the years, which I would like to share with you.

First—car games. Those silly games like the License Plate game, the Alphabet game, and I Spy really do occupy time and attention. Sure, they only last for so long, but hey, we’ll take all the help we can get.

Second—car bags. Whenever we travel, we allow each child to pack a small backpack with entertaining items. When my children were very small, these included toys with high visual and tactile appeal (including their favorite board books), plus a snugglie for naps. As my children got a bit older, we included coloring, picture books, small cars or dolls for lap play, and even cloth balls for throwing (provided they keep it away from the driver). Once my kids were in grade school, they could handle activity books and puzzle challenge travel games such as Rush Hour and Find It. Plus, we packed books and magazines—lots of them! I learned over the years to pack one-and-a-half times as much reading material as I thought they could finish on the trip. It’s amazing how motivated to read kids can be when there’s nothing else to do! (For struggling or younger readers, we have utilized something called Playaway. It is an audio book on a self-contained unit. Simply plug in a pair of earbuds, and violá!) Surprise gifts helped as well. I often purchased a small toy or book for each child, which I kept in my bag. Sometimes I would dole these out at moments of crisis; sometimes I would use them as bribes for positive attitudes and behavior in the car. In any case, they were sure to provide at least an hour or so of much needed sanity!

Third—read-alouds. Probably the most entertaining and successful tactic we have relied on while on vacation, has been the books we have read/listened to together. Audio books are fabulous for this! The best part is we can check them out at our local library, listen to them on the trip, and then return them without spending a dime (provided I return them on time)! The children have been entertained for hours at a time by a good audio book. Even the drivers have appreciated the diversion. Probably our favorite series to date has been the Hank the Cowdog series by John R. Erickson. These books are read by the narrator, whose range of voices rivals that of the best comedians. The stories are goofy, but the kids like them. And Erickson includes enough puns and allusions to keep the adults chuckling too. In addition to recorded books, I have spent countless hours reading aloud to the family. (Sometimes until I am hoarse.) We have read many children’s classics this way, and I would like to think my children are better for it. There is nothing sweeter than to finish reading only to have your children beg for one more chapter.

So, this summer, if a long road trip is on your itinerary, may I encourage you to put away the movies, the MP3s, the smart phones, and the gaming devices and rediscover the pleasure of books. Reading is a lifelong pleasure, and we can cultivate it in the car!

I love autumn here in the Colorado city where I live! The temperature dips for a few days then soars again for a few in a cycle that lasts for several weeks, creating a patchwork of blazing colors. It is absolutely breathtaking! My own yard is sporting shades of red, gold, burgundy, and a light brown the color of a suede chamois. But it is my apple tree that has caught my eye and inspired this blog post.

The tree's branches are loaded with apples--most of them a delicious shade of gold. The boldest are wearing a hint of rouge while the more trepidatious still have green feet. The apples are both a blessing and a bane--processing the bumper crop that our tree produces every other year takes tremendous amounts of time. We have to pick, peel, chop, cook and can (or at minimum, slice and freeze or dry). But ah, the sweet and tangy taste of freshly made warm applesauce! Not to mention apple muffins with morning coffee or the all-American apple pie. Which always reminds me of one of my favorite children's books- How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman.

Since the temperature is chillier and dusk cloaks the ground earlier, fall is the perfect time to curl up on the couch with a little one and read a picture book, This one will not disappoint. The protagonist is a young girl who decides to make an apple pie. But finding the market closed, she embarks on a jet-set adventure around the world to collect the ingredients she'll need. Her travels take her to such far-flung destinations as France (for a chicken, because "French chickens lay elegant eggs") and Sri Lanka (for "the best cinnamon in the world"). The story is enchanting and the pictures charming. There is even a recipe for a classic apple pie at the back of the book!

But, if you're feeling a little more adventurous and want to try something new with your apples, I provide an annual favorite at my home: Apple Upside-Down Gingerbread Cake. (I also include gluten-free/allergy friendly options.) So read, bake, and eat your way through fall--an enjoy!

Apple Upside-Down Gingerbread Cake:
Serves 9-12
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted (dairy free works)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
Gingerbread:
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted (or coconut oil)
1/3 c. molasses
1/2 c. white sugar (or xylitol)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 egg (or 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 Tbsp. vinegar)
2 c. white flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. hot strongly brewed black tea (may need a bit more for GF version)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan. Arrange apples over butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Set aside. For gingerbread, combine butter (or substitute), molasses, sugars and egg (or substitute) and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture alternately with hot tea. Mix well. Pour over apples. Bake for 45-50 mins. (GF version may take longer) or until cake tests done. Cool for 5 mins. Loosen sides and invert onto a serving plate. Cool 5 more mins. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (or dairy free substitute of choice).

So you want to write a book? Well, what's stopping you? Lack of training? Lack of time? Lack of confidence?
Take heart! You, too, can write a book.

If lack of training is what's stopping you--don't let it! Just get your thoughts and ideas out on paper. There is no right or wrong way to write a book. In fact, there is more freedom for authors than ever before. And as for those pesky details: spelling, grammar, and punctuation? You can always have your work copy edited later. In fact you ought to (believe me!--perhaps that story is a future post).

If lack of time is holding you back? Well. . .that is an issue for most of us. The old adage 'You make time for what's important to you,' is depressingly true. So how does one squeeze writing into an already busy schedule? That probably depends on the person and may even change from season to season. However, for those who need the motivation, encouragement, and perhaps even competition or a deadline, may I recommend Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month), an online organization committed to motivating writers--both aspiring and seasoned--with the goal of completing a manuscript in one month. This was the project which finally catapulted my writing from an on-again-off-again hobby to a buddy career. Check out their website here.

If lack of confidence is your demon, you are not alone! Most authors (at least at some point in their writing careers) struggle with doubts about their writing abilities. Once again, their is no one way to overcome. Some start small--perhaps with a blog or magazine articles--before tackling the longer project of writing a book. Some take a writing class at their local community college or join a local support group for writers. Some get as much feedback as possible, while others refuse to show their work to anyone until their baby is done and safely in the hands of an editor or agent. Whatever their approach, all published authors share this one thing in common: they looked that demon in the face and defied it. They kept on until they achieved their goal. It is really a matter of sheer will-power.

Whatever has been holding you back, take the first step and write! Write the first sentence, the first paragraph, the first page, the first chapter. One thing is for certain, you'll never finish what you don't start.

Make today your day and commit to being a writer. Let me know how you're doing. I'll be cheering you on!