Crafty Wed.: Gearing up for RoundCon

I have now entered crunch time. Welcome to the time of year (it actually happens several times of year) when I realize that I don't have as much time before a show than I thought I did. Yes, I am a procrastinator to the nth degree. I should have a PhD in it by now. Yes, I have better organizational skills than this. Yet, it's at this time that my creativity seems to get an extra jolt of energy.

Right now I'm furiously getting ready for RoundCon Expo. It's probably the oldest convention in Columbia, SC. It caters to geeks of all sorts from tabletop gamers to otakus (that's anime geeks including yours truly). After attending last year I was determined to get a table in their artists alley. I mean, after all, this was the crowd I'd originally intended to sell to. Somehow (*wink*) I ended up going from just intending to be part of the alley to being in charge of it. So now, my table has to look stellar.

Which brings us back to crunch time. RoundCon is in a little over a week: August 3-5. My inventory has yet to fully recover from Crafty Feast earlier this year and the sales I've had since. But between my day job, writing, and general life, I've had little time to prepare. We're now down to the wire, but somehow I'm not worried.

As usual, I've had a million ideas for new projects that get me even more excited about the ones that have been stewing in my head for weeks. It's like having no time sets my creative brain into overload with a redbull/jolt chaser. I thrive on this stress and added pressure and I have no idea why. It's just always been this way. I would pull all nighters when I was younger and produce fabulous work. At crunch time before Crafty Feast I had my idea for my super cute headbands which I didn't expect to get much attention, but boy was I wrong!

There's a part of me that wants to change. I really do, but this works for me. I try my best to get a little work here and there done, but when I have that looming deadline, more gets done. My creativity lives on stress. I guess I'm going to have to find a way to feed it without raising my blood pressure.

What fuels your creativity? Are you a careful planner or do you rush at the last minute like me?

Writer Fridays: It's a Sword and Soul Celebration!

I need to tell you about a little sub-genre named Sword and Soul. Like me, it was born in the seventies and, like me, it had a really great father. Sword and Soul was nurtured into being by the great Charles R. Saunders when he penned his Imaro books. You see, while the country had made great strides towards equality, fantasy novels and their characters were still in a mostly Euro-centric world. Mr. Saunders created a black character to be a hero in a black country (something still missing from a lot of fantasy today).

Fast forward a little bit and many other writers put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, to create new, fantastic imaginings of Africa and African characters. One of the greatest is Milton Davis who wrote the Meiji series. Together with Mr. Saunders, they created a new anthology of Sword and Soul short stories called Griots.

It contains fourteen stories, including two by Mr. Saunders and Mr. Davis. The plans were made for a second one, this time concentrating on tales featuring female protagonists. It will be titled Griots II: Sisters of the Spear. The call was put out earlier this year for submissions. I answered it.

And made it in!

After much toil, and gnashing of teeth, I made my first fiction sale! It is such an honor to be included in an anthology with masters of the craft. The book with be in both print and electronic versions. So look for it early next year. I have the story titled, "Marked."

Foodie Mondays: Open Faced Creamed Chicken Sandwich

(I know it's Tuesday..... I'm running a bit late this week......)

Today's recipe review: Rachael Ray's Hot Open-Faced Creamed Chicken w/ Tarragon.

 This is a simple recipe where you take poached chicken breasts (and make your own stock in the process) then combine it with a creamy sauce and serve it on thick buttered toast.

It was super easy to make, but there were a few ingredients that I didn't have/don't like to use. In my grocery trip I couldn't find fresh tarragon, sage, or thyme. (Note to self: Never shop for produce at Wal-Mart) Also, I'm not a fan of wine in cooking. Not that I'm worried about the alcohol, but me and my husband just don't like the taste.
Here's the original recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus more softened for the toast
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, recipe follows
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
• 3/4 cup baby frozen peas
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• One 4-ounce jar chopped pimientos, drained
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds shredded Poached Chicken Breasts, recipe follows
• 4 slices (1 1/2 inches thick) good-quality white bread

POACHED CHICKEN BREASTS:

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (or 3 full breasts)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 to 3 celery stalks, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot, quartered

• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 onion, quartered
• Herb bundle of fresh parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme tied with kitchen string
• Kosher salt
  

  Directions

  Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in the wine and cook until slightly reduced, 1 minute. Whisk in the stock and simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the peas, heavy cream and pimientos and return to a low simmer. Add the tarragon, mustard and a few grates of nutmeg, then stir in the chicken.
  
  Toast the bread, then liberally butter and cut corner to corner. Ladle the creamed chicken over the toast points and serve.
  
  Cook's Note: The creamed chicken can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat, partially covered.
  Put the chicken in a medium stockpot. Add the garlic, celery, bay leaf, carrots, lemons, onions and herb bundle and sprinkle with salt. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and let cool. Strain the stock. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, and shred the meat using your fingers or 2 forks.

   

  *******

   

  

  My Version

  Despite my restricted pantry, I managed to pull it off. I had to cut back on the salt because of my husband's high blood pressure. Instead of the pimentos I used a fresno pepper and instead of the cream I added plain greek yogurt. That yogurt added a wonderful creaminess and incredible tang to the sauce. We also bought a large loaf of sourdough for the bread.

  
  

  But the best part of all my daughter's ate it without complaint or procrastination. So this recipe is completely kid approved!! We definitely will be doing this again!