I’ve now been in the doll adoption business about 18 months. If I had to pick the one with the most universal, indestructible appeal, it would be Shirley Temple in all her various sizes and outfits. Barbie is too polarizing. Madame Alexander dolls … [Read more...]
MY DANCE WITH ONLINE DATING
My P.O.V. on online dating after trying it for a year. Published in the Northwest Observer 1/17/2014. UPDATE 4/14/2014: The very last man I met online has become the best guy friend ever. No regrets! Click on the image twice then enter Ctrl+ to make … [Read more...]
Q&A WITH TOMMY HAYS on WHAT I CAME TO TELL YOU
Tommy Hays is the author of the 2006 novel The Pleasure Was Mine which was selected for several community-wide reading programs in various cities and counties, including … [Read more...]
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR: JO MAEDER’S Q&A WITH SUSAN CRANDALL
The new novel from Susan Crandall is a departure from her previous books and yet pure Susan: rich characters and dialog and a can't-put down story. Thank you Nicki Leone, Authors Round the South "Author 2 Author" series, Wanda Jewell and SIBA. And, … [Read more...]
PISSALADIERE RECIPE – THE QUICK AND EASY (ALYCE) WAY
Hi. This is Alyce speaking. Or Al-ees, as the French say. I chained Jean-Luc to his computer to write. Also so he can’t see me make my E-Z pissaladiére (or the spelling of easy). Pissala is a fish paste made from sardines and anchovies. I've left it … [Read more...]
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR: SUSAN CRANDALL’S Q&A WITH JO MAEDER
From Lady Banks Commonplace Books ("Front porch literary gossip from your favorite Southern bookshops") where I explain the difference between a Yankee and a Damn Yankee, and more. This is part of the Authors Round the South's "Author 2 Author" … [Read more...]
SOCCA!
Somewhere in my Opposites Attack research of foods popular in the South of France, I read about socca, a flat bread/pancake/crêpe made from chick pea (a.k.a. garbanzo bean) flour. It sounded more like a Latin-American dance than something you would … [Read more...]
WILD BOAR DAUBE FEAST (PART FOUR) – MORE COOKING & DEVOURING
When I decided to dive into this challenge with the same naive pluck as Alyce, the heroine in Opposites Attack, I thought what was the worst that could happen? It would be awful, we'd order pizza and drinks lots of French wine. In the end it's about … [Read more...]
WILD BOAR DAUBE FEAST (PART THREE) – COOKING ROUND ONE
In the words of George Clinton and The Parliament Funkadelic (and later M. C. Hammer), it’s time to “turn this mutha out.” If you’re still wondering why on earth you should try wild boar much less cook it, just google “wild boar feral pig swine … [Read more...]
WILD BOAR DAUBE FEAST (PART TWO) – MARINATING
ALLOW AT LEAST THREE DAYS TO PREPARE THIS MEAL, FOUR EVEN BETTER. A few words about how I came up with this wild boar daube recipe. While writing Opposites Attack, I studied many French cookbooks and let my taste buds guide me as I cooked the … [Read more...]