How is it already November? Here in Florida, we're a mixed bag of seasons with Christmas decorations popping up, preparing for Thanksgiving, a Tropical Storm, and Daylight Savings. The pictures above were taken minutes apart. Can you say, WHIPLASH?!  

 

Thanks to everyone who wrote in last month with their fears. We had fears of spiders, heights, “not being fun,” personal safety, sharks, and a large majority terrified of public speaking. That same week, Tiffany Yates Martin of Foxprint Editorial shared this super-helpful blog post on conquering this fear. I'm sharing it here. One comment that came up across the board through my exchanges with many of you is the importance of acknowledging the fear, accepting it, and not trying to fight it. Going easy on yourself provides a sense of power. Use it. Finally, congratulations to Katrina Dehart who won the featured October NBC 6 in the Mix books courtesy of Blue Door Books in Cedarhurst. 

 

I FINALLY turned in book seven. The developmental edit of What You Do To Me is officially done. I know I've been saying that for months, and if you're annoyed hearing about it, think about living it--day after day, hour after hour. Midway through our edits, I decided to change a major plot point that affected half of the story. Why? As a writer, you're responsible for “getting it right," and there was a point while editing that the pieces weren't coming together, and I had serious doubts about providing YOU with the best story. An early reader guided me in the most honest way, and her suggestions were spot on. All the delay means is that you'll have what I hope is a better reading experience AND a new pub date: October 17, 2023.

 

November is the month of gratitude, so let me take a moment to thank you all for being here, for sharing your lives, your stories, and even the tough stuff. I read every single response, as many of you know, and I have cherished every interaction. This year, I'm grateful for my family and friends, especially Bear and the little cubs, the health and well-being of those around me, for the sunsets and mountain views, for our dogs (even the one that keeps us up all night), and that I can get to do a job I LOVE. I'm grateful for my dentist, Dr. Leo Frydman, who is the absolute BEST, for nachos with extra jalapenos and long walks and the ocean and great books and my flowers. And let's be real, there were some tough times, but I'm grateful for those too. They made it easier to spot what's important. 

 

What are you grateful for this holiday season? Share your thoughts, and you'll be entered to win this month's giveaway. I'm putting together a gratitude basket with items pictured below, plus a few other surprises. US only. One random winner picked November 30, 2022.

 

Have you heard of Shepherd? Run by the amazing Ben Fox, Shepherd is a book discovery platform for readers and authors. 

This is one of my tried and true. Healthy and easy to prepare.

Thanks to Joyful Healthy Eats.

If you click on the link, there's an updated version of the recipe (including eggs), but below is the one I've been making since 2018.

 

1 head of cauliflower, blended until it looks like rice (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 lb. boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1/2” cubes

3 carrots, diced (about 2 cups)

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 cup frozen sweet peas

¼ cup tamari sauce or ⅓ cup soy sauce

2–3 tablespoons sriracha sauce

1/4 cup sliced green onions (garnish)

sesame seeds (garnish)

 

Add cauliflower florets to a food processor or blender. Blend until cauliflower resembles small grains of rice. Set aside.

 

Heat a wok or large skillet to medium high heat.

 

Add in 1 tbsp of sesame oil to pan. Next add diced chicken.

 

Saute chicken for 4-5 minutes, tossing throughout.

 

Push chicken over to one side of the pan, add 1 tbsp of sesame oil on the other side along with the carrots, onion, garlic, and sweet peas. 

 

Saute the vegetables for 4-5 minutes.

 

Next add in the cauliflower rice, along with the tamari sauce and sriracha sauce.

 

Toss everything together and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

 

Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

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Please excuse any typos. Sometimes I make mistakes!