essential travel accessories

Now here’s a pup with good taste in reading.

Get held HOSTAGE

I have a newly reissued book in stores today. The captor/captive romance is a fave fantasy of mine. 🙂

One of my favorite readers is the Super Librarian. Heres what she had to say about The Hostage, in a brand-new edition in stores now:

“…I had always heard that Susan Wiggs was a wonderful writer, but had never had the chance to read one of her books for myself. After finishing The Hostage, I can see that the praise is justified. Wiggs has done the near impossible — taken two characters that I should have despised and made me care about them.” Wendy Crutcher, the Super Librarian.

Heres a bit about the book, which launches the Chicago Fire Trilogy. On October 8, 1871, one small spark ignites re city of Chicago, sending its residents into panic. Three very different young ladies at a soiree run for their lives. And amid the chaos, each chance encounter leads to an unexpected new love.

Book One is Deborahs story: Unaware of the fire sweeping toward them, Deborah Sinclair confronts her wealthy, powerful father, determined to refuse the society marriage he has arranged for her. Suddenly, out of the smoke and flames, a stranger appears–gun in hand, intent on avenging an unforgivable crime. As fire consumes the elegant mansion, the ruthless man takes the fragile, sheltered heiress hostage.

Swept off to mist-shrouded Isle Royale, Deborah finds herself the pawn in Tom Silver’s dangerous game of revenge. Despite her horror at being kidnapped, she is drawn to the people of the close-knit community and to the startling beauty of the island. As she engages in a battle of wits with her brooding captor, Deborah begins to understand the injustice that fuels his anger, an injustice wrought by her own family. And as winter imprisons the isolated land, she finds herself a hostage of her own heart….

Quick links: Leave your e-mail address Words4Women-subscribe.

In honor of the trilogy, heres a recipe straight from the famed Marshall Fields cookbook:

Lobster (or Crab) Newburg For Two

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb lobster or crabmeat
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter; saute shallot, red pepper and mushrooms. Add flour and stir; add broth and sherry. Add lobster or crab and half and half. Do not boil, but heat through. Spoon into a one-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Place under broiler and toast until breadcrumbs are light brown.

I (heart) the Columbus Library

Jun. 28, 2010 | contact us HOME | CATALOG | REFERENCE | EVENTS | LOCATIONS | ABOUT | JOB HELP | MY ACCOUNT

READ IT Just Breathe By: Susan Wiggs Feel-good story, character-driven romance about Sarah Moon who returns to her childhood home after her husband’s infidelity. Her high school heartthrob is still in town but further complications threaten her future happiness. FIND IT Premium Resources Catalog Title Author Keyword > Advanced Search HOW DO I? Choose a question here.Ask a question?Download movies?Download digital books?Find an article?Reserve a meeting room?Get a library card?Renew library materials?Reserve library materials?Research a topic?MORE FAQS … Select LanguageAfrikaansAlbanianArabicBelarusianBulgarianCatalanChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)CroatianCzechDanishDutchEstonianFilipinoFinnishFrenchGalicianGermanGreekHaitian CreoleHebrewHindiHungarianIcelandicIndonesianIrishItalianJapaneseKoreanLatvianLithuanianMacedonianMalayMalteseNorwegianPersianPolishPortugueseRomanianRussianSerbianSlovakSlovenianSpanishSwahiliSwedishThaiTurkishUkrainianVietnameseWelshYiddish Powered by Translate Call, email or chat. We are here to help. DONATE : JOIN : VOLUNTEER Donate to the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation Join the Friends of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Offer a Helping Hand through volunteer opportunities READ IT Just Breathe By: Susan Wiggs Feel-good story, character-driven romance about Sarah Moon who returns to her childhood home after her husband’s infidelity. Her high school heartthrob is still in town but further complications threaten her future happiness.

Huge thanks to Karen Harper for the heads-up. If you haven’t read her MISTRESS SHAKESPEARE, you are missing a treat.

authors at large

We’re not all work and no play. At a benefit for the Doernbacher Foundation: (L to R): Robert Dugoni, Philip Margolin, Jim Lynch, Chelsa Cain, Courtenay Hameister, Whitney Otto, Susan Wiggs, Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush, Linda Yoshida. Front row: Kristina McMorris, Bill Young.

rain forest

off the grid

Seen on a hike today.

dog days

Life is so hard for Sonny and Barkis.

bird 008

bird 010

bird 011

bird 023

bird 024

bird 025

bird 0261

bird 027

bird 028

bird 029

Meet Ivan Doig

…Wonderful event coming up in the Seattle area:
–

“Butte is by far the most colorful town in Montana, a kaleidoscope of culture, commerce and copper mines, the perfect palette for an artist like Ivan Doig. Work Song doesn’t just hum along-its rich authenticity echoes and resonates.” -Jamie Ford, author of The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet What does the library do with your donations? Takes care of the building and grounds, such as: *Reading lights *Elevators *Heating *Air Conditioning *Cleaning *Roofs *Carpeting *And more Having a vibrant building to house library materials on our island depends on your donation. Library Links… Eagle Harbor Books Bainbridge Public Library Kitsap Regional Library Meet Ivan Doig and help the library! June 30th, 5:00-6:30 PM The Bainbridge Public Library will host a small reception (only 20 people) in downtown Winslow in honor of renowned author Ivan Doig and his newest book, Work Song. The reception is being held in conjunction with Doig’s appearance at Eagle Harbor Book Company the same evening at 7:30, and is within walking distance of the bookstore. In addition to feting Doig, this event will help raise funds needed to maintain our island’s library building and grounds. Tickets may be purchased at Eagle Harbor Books. Tickets are $100 a person, or $175 for two people. Both ticket prices include one copy of Work Song; the remaining cost is a tax-deductible donation to the Bainbridge Public Library. For more information visit the Bainbridge Public Library or Eagle Harbor Book Company websites. Most importantly, move fast; there are only 20 spots. Ivan Doig was born in Montana and grew up along the Rocky Mountain Front, the dramatic landscape that has inspired much of his writing. A former ranch hand, newspaperman, and magazine editor, Doig is the author of nine previous novels, most recently The Whistling Season and The Eleventh Man, and three works of nonfiction, including his classic first book, the memoir This House of Sky. He has been a National Book Award finalist and has received the Wallace Stegner Award and a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Western Literature Association, among numerous other honors. P.O. Box 11815, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 (206) 842-4162 www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org

Forward email. Privacy Policy.

Email Marketing by

happy first day of summer

I’ve got the pedicure, the flipflops…but it’s 50 and overcast. C’mon summer!

shortcake with peaches and faux romanov sauce

Okay, listen up. This is one of my most asked-for recipes so here goes. Sorry about the uninspired title of this post, but it makes it more findable when I search.

You can substitute any summer fruit you like–rasperries, strawberries, blueberries, nectarines…all your faves. I used peaches because this batch was amazing, from an orchard in Oregon.

Shortcake Recipe …kind of adapted from www.foodnetwork.com. I decreased the salt and increased the sugar, and used all butter, added the plain yoghurt because I didn’t have half and half, and suggested the romanov sauce. Changed the oven temp, too. So sue me.

• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup tablespoons butter, chilled
• 3/4 cup plain yoghurt or half and half
• Melted butter to brush shortcakes + coarse (demarara or however you say it) sugar
• fruit
• Faux Romanov sauce

Directions

Heat oven 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening. Mix in half-and-half. Form cakes about the size of your palm. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown. Cool and eat with summer fruit and Romanov cream.

Recipe: Faux Romanov Cream (healthier than the real thing, which involve creme fraiche which you probably don’t have anyway). I don’t have a photo because it was slurped down so fast.

• 1 cup Greek style nonfat yoghurt (like Fage brand)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon Cointreau, triple sec or some other orangey liqueur.

Whisk everything together and serve over shortcake and fruit.