It's February!

Hello there, reader friend! How's your February going? Well, if you're a neat freak, you might want to skip this paragraph. I've been slowly reorganizing my office, so my desk is a tornado of books and papers. There's also a packet of gummi bears, a glass of water, various hedgehogs, and a tiny Lego Millennium Falcon, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2, and leprechaun. One might think I was 12 instead of...somewhat older than 12. ;) And on the desktop computer...I've been working on a YA fantasy about a girl in the 1980's who gets a "wrong number" phone call from a bridge troll with nefarious intentions. The first draft is ALMOST done. Look for more details and excerpts in upcoming newsletters--including how it was inspired by a wrong number call I got as a teen, and the odd friendship with an expat Brit that ensued. Life's pretty weird, right?

Of love and macaroni

One of my family's most treasured recipes is from my grandfather, a World War II vet with a mischievous sense of humor. I like to think that he showed his love for his bride by cooking for her, since she didn't like to cook. In honor of Valentine's Day, here's the recipe. Pop Pop’s Macaroni & Cheese Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare ½ lb. macaroni according to box, drain, and set aside. Combine in 2 qt. baking dish: 2 cups milk 3 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. yellow mustard 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 tsp. salt Whisk these together, then add 3 Tbsp. butter. Microwave on high 2 minutes, whisk. Repeat until mixture just begins to thicken. Stir in ½ lb. shredded sharp cheddar. (Hint: the better the cheese you use, the tastier the result!) Add macaroni to the dish of sauce and stir. Sprinkle the top with additional shredded cheese if desired.Bake for about ½ hour, until bubbly. Serve with love.

Very exciting newsletter news Guess what! I've finally launched my official newsletter! If you subscribe, you'll get a free short story. After that, I'll send you issues of The Persnickety Hedgehog Gazette once a month. The newsletter is the best way to keep up with my book news--and there will be some fun giveaways!   Click here to sign up!   Keep reading and stay cozy! See you soon!  ~Carrie

P.S. The Peddler's Reward, a little e-book of two adventure-filled stories about O'Neill from The Mermaid's Sister, is free on Kindle from February 16th to 20th, 2022. Click here! P.P.S. It's free all the time if you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber. Yay! P.P.P.S. I just love that O'Neill. Sigh...