Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

I’ve been thinking about ginger recently, mainly because in our local reality show, Nestle’s Hottest Home Baker, most of the contestants used ginger when they cooked their signature dishes last week. I like ginger and decided it would make a great topic for my Thursday Thirteen.

Thirteen Things About Ginger

1. Ginger is the rhizome (mass of roots) of a flowering plant which is native to South-East Asia. Ginger has been grown in China for thousands of years.

2. Ginger can be purchased fresh, dried or ground. My father loves crystallized ginger, which is often available around Christmas.

3. Fresh ginger has a fresh citrus-like smell and flavor, along with a little hotness. It’s used in Chinese, Caribbean and Indian dishes. Dried ginger root is used in preserves and chutneys. Powdered ginger is used in cakes, biscuits and cookies.

4. A clever hint – keep your fresh ginger root in the freezer. When you require some ginger in a dish, grate the frozen root and return to the freezer. Hubby and I have way less wastage this way. It really works!

5. Ginger – a slang word for a red-head. A human, characterized by pale skin, freckles and bright red hair.

6. Ginger is considered to have aphrodisiac powers when taken either internally or externally. It’s actually mentioned in the Karma Sutra.

7. In the Phillipines, ginger is said to expel evil spirits. The people chew on chunks of ginger and I presume the evil spirits leave.

8. Ginger is a well-known digestive aid because it increases saliva and digestive fluids. Some people say ginger helps with morning sickness. At the onset of nausea, the mother chews on a piece of ginger root. Some people swear ginger helps with motion sickness as well. I’ve heard some bus drivers hand out ginger sweets to school children to stop them from throwing up. At least that’s what the man at the ginger factory in Australia told me.

9. Queen Elizabeth 1 is credited with the invention of gingerbread men.

10. Fresh ginger is found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Look for smooth skin with a fresh, spicy fragrance. Tubers should be firm and feel heavy.

11. My favorite non-alcoholic summer drink is ginger beer. Ginger beer was first made in England during the mid-17th century.

12. You can make your own ginger beer by growing a ginger plant. It’s not an actual plant but is made from yeast.

13. Henry VIII thought ginger would stop people from getting the plague. He instructed the mayor to use ginger as a plague medicine.

Visit the Thursday Thirteen Hub

Do you like ginger? What is your favorite way to eat ginger?

Today I read a magazine article about the birth order of children and how it affects their lives. Experts believe that birth order definitely influences a child’s personality. It also has a bearing on their career choice and the way they deal with relationships.

I found the article interesting because I have a brother and a sister, both younger than me. It was fascinating comparing the first, second and last born characteristics with my family.
First born children love to succeed, they’re good leaders, are good at solving problems, and easy to work with. They can also be overbearing and insensitive, overly concerned with rules, have high stress levels and strive too hard for perfection.

I definitely like to succeed (who doesn’t?) I take charge (sometimes) and I’m good at problem solving. (yes, that’s true—I’m a facts and figure person). The stress part is true, but I constantly work to keep the stress levels down. I worry too much about order, process and rules—sometimes. Insensitive? Sometimes I can be tactless, but I don’t think I’m insensitive. My family and friends might disagree. I’m not sure.

First born children are often company directors and have valuable and enjoyable careers. In truth, I’ve never aspired to be a company director. I like being my own boss and enjoy the creative writing process even though the business drives me nuts at times.

Middle born children are independent, know how to keep a secret, are mentally tough and are good mediators. On the negative side, they can be cynical, they might feel too much on the outside, may be uncooperative and bottle up their true feelings.

Middle born children can be mysterious and keep to themselves. Yes, this is my brother. They’re willing to do things differently. Yes, again. My brother is very innovative. They see issues from both sides. This actually sounds more like me, but no one said this is a perfect science.

On the down side, they’re often stubborn and unwilling to cooperate and they keep opinions to themselves. Yes, to all of this, but I’m also stubborn when I feel the need.

Middle born children are good in mediating roles (nope, can’t see this one at all) and entrepreneurial roles (definitely! This is my brother) and they enjoy building close working relationships.

I know that some writers use this research when developing their characters and give their hero and heroine the quirks associated with their birth order. It’s definitely something to keep in mind when working on your characterization.

Source: Lifestyle Magazine June/July 2000, The New Birth Order Book: Why you are the way you are by Dr Kevin Lernan.

For those who are interested, I intend to blog about last born and only children later this week.

Are you a first born or middle child? Does any of this sound like you? Does it sound like your brothers or sisters who have these positions in your family? And for the writers out there – have you used birth order when developing your characters?

I’ve been watching the Olympic games and enjoying the mens’ speed skating plus the downhill skiing. Nice suits, that’s all I’m saying.

How do the sports announcers manage to get their tongues around some of the contestants’ names? Talk about tongue tangling. Just as well I don’t have the job.

The little widget on our computer says 45 days to go until our holiday. I can’t wait to head out for our Pacific cruise, but I keep thinking about all the things I need to do before I leave on holiday. Lists are good!

I’ve added some new photos of Britain and New Zealand to my website photo album.

I’ve also added a new books by theme page to my website. If you enjoy certain plot lines, such as reunited lovers or menage a trois, or settings such as small town or cities, check out this page for easy reference.

Mr. Munro and I have been watching Nestle Hottest Home Baker, a local reality show to choose the best baker. Last night they baked scones and pavlova. The great thing is that there’s one guy in the final lineup. I predict I’ll be trying out some of the recipes in the future.

And finally, the New Zealand public are in an uproar because Cadbury have changed the recipe for their Cadbury Creme Eggs. The eggs are now being made in the UK and imported to New Zealand instead of being produced here. They taste different, and I’m not impressed. Last year they started using palm oil in their chocolate (they changed this after adverse publicity) and they’ve discontinued a lot of our old favorites. Cadbury – this is the reason I purchase Whittakers chocolate now.

I do my very best thinking in the shower. I think about my day. I think about my current work-in-progress and plotting problems. I think about my goals. The only problem with doing my thinking in the shower is that I can’t take notes. By the time I get out of the shower, some of my brilliance is forgotten. So, imagine my excitement when I saw Stepcase Lifehack’s post on Productivity PrOn: 5 Unusually Useful Nightpads and found a mention of some special notebooks.

Here they are — Aqua Notes – the waterproof notepad.

I wonder if they ship to New Zealand because I want some!!

Where do you do your best thinking?

I took this shot of a sun bear at Wellington Zoo. They’re called sun bears because of the creamy round sun shape on their upper chest. (You can’t see it in this shot) They come from the Southern Asia region.

Visit Camera Critters to see more animal photos.

This week’s theme is scary, and I’ve picked a scene from my romantic suspense/mystery The Shadow.

The Shadow by Shelley Munro

A low growl was all the warning I received. I froze. Another growl made the hairs at the back of my neck stand and salute. Hell! A freaking dog. My heart thundered as I slowly turned.

The dog stood a few feet from me. Black. All teeth and fangs. Damn and blast. The damned thing hadn’t been here the three times I’d checked out the premises. And if the dog had a kennel, I hadn’t seen it. With slow, careful movements, I eased the pack from my back and fumbled with the zip. My hand closed around the doctored cheeseburger, and I let it fall to the ground at my feet. The dog sniffed the burger. It woofed the treat down in two bites before staring fixedly, perhaps debating if I were the second course. It growled. Father had assured me the sleeping pills would do the trick without hurting the dog. I hoped he knew what he was talking about. No sooner had the thought passed my mind then the dog swayed.

I bolted. The dog gave a feral growl and sprang. Fabric ripped. My steps faltered. For an instant, I panicked, but suddenly the dog let go. Without looking back, I sprinted to the back of the house, my legs pumping like a hundred-meter sprinter at the Olympic Games. I scampered up the sturdy vine I’d chosen and only then looked back, my chest burning for air. The dog lay still on the ground. I turned to survey the rip in my leggings and shifted uneasily. My backside smarted like the devil.

Smooth as silk.

Huh? Emily had read someone else’s cards, not mine.

I scaled the wall in no time at all, stubbornly ignoring the pain in my ass, and after pulling on a pair of gloves, entered the building via the nursery room window. Lucky for me the nursery was empty of all save the lingering scent of lemon furniture polish. I crept down to the next floor, but that’s when luck deserted me again.

A footfall sounded.

I froze, my heart hammering with alarm. There was someone at home. Laughter-both male and female. Had the husband returned? Why were they there with the lights off? Duh! Stupid question. It was obvious why the room was dark. Abort my mission or risk it? As I hesitated on the landing, I heard footsteps on the stairs. The front door opened.

“Darling, tomorrow night?” the man asked.

“Yes. James isn’t back until Friday,” Perdita replied.

Kissing followed-loud enough to make me roll my eyes. After what seemed like ages, the door shut again and soft footsteps sounded on the stairs.

What the hell was I going to do now? I thought about hitting her over the head, snatching the jewels and running. I mean, she was fooling around; she deserved everything that was coming. I considered the idea a bit longer and rejected it as stupid. A girl had to have some scruples. Physical violence was one of mine.

Before I’d made a decision, I heard the front door open again. Jeez! The place was like Paddington Station at rush hour. I hunkered down in my hiding place on the landing and waited to see what developed.

Stealthy footsteps padded up the stairs toward the bedroom where Perdita had entertained her lover. Surely not another one?

“What do you want?” I heard Perdita demand.

I crept from my dark corner but couldn’t see a damned thing. What now? I wondered in frustration. Did I try to get closer?

A scream. A gunshot. I heard the sound of a rapid retreat. The front door slammed, then there was silence. No more laughter. Not a single bloody sound. I hovered indecisively. Dithered, really. When everything remained silent, I cautiously crept toward Perdita’s bedroom.

When I was a few feet from the doorway, a cuckoo burst from its clock, nearly giving me a coronary. I leapt in fright but managed to hold back on the accompanying squeak. After my heart settled back in place, I slunk closer to the bedroom.

A little moonlight seeped in from outside, but I didn’t need illumination to tell something was badly wrong. I could smell it. An indescribable scent, layered with expensive perfume and sex, that I didn’t want to smell again in a hurry.

“Hello?” I whispered. It was no surprise to me that I sounded shit-scared. And not much of a surprise when no one answered. I fumbled for the light switch, not because I wanted to but because I had to know.

Blood.

Everywhere. It really stood out on the white satin sheets. I swallowed when I observed the very dead woman sprawled on the king-sized bed, and then gulped again when my stomach threatened to revolt. It was Perdita Moning, all right.

Strangled laughter sounded, and I was a bit surprised when I realized the sound came from me. Slightly hysterical. A little crazed. But hell, not every day a girl witnesses a murder.

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To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

McKenna Jeffries
Vivian Arend
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
Mari Carr
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace

One of author Jenyfer Matthews’ resolutions for 2010 is to try a new recipe each month. I thought it was a great idea, so I’m doing the same thing. This is my recipe for January—easy and healthy ice cream.

Easy Ice Cream

Ingredients: One banana per person (not over ripe), berries (blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries, red currants etc), yoghurt or a little milk.

Peel and chop the bananas into pieces, place in a container with a lid or a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. I leave them overnight but around three hours in the freezer should do the trick.

Take bananas out of the freezer and place in a food processor. Add berries. I’ve used frozen blueberries and with this batch I used frozen mixed berries. You can also use fresh berries.

Blitz the bananas and berries in the food processor. It will be noisy for a little while. At this stage I use one to two tablespoons of plain yoghurt to help the ingredients bind together. I think you could actually use milk or soy milk at this stage, but I haven’t experimented with this.

The final product will be like thick soft freeze ice cream. Serve and eat straight away. You can actually freeze it, but you need to give it another blitz through the food processor so it isn’t hard and icy to eat. It really is better to eat the ice cream straightaway.

Do you like to experiment with new recipes or do you stick with the tried and true family favorites?

I watched a program on the Living Channel this week about some people who purchased a Victoria-era property. The show covered the renovation of the property and also detailed the interior decorating the owners did to keep with the Victorian theme. They mentioned mirrors and hey, presto I had a topic for my Thursday Thirteen.

Thirteen Things About Mirrors

1. A mirror is basically a sheet of glass with an aluminiun or silver coating, which produces a reflection.

2. The history of mirrors is an old one. Early men saw reflections in water and thought they were evil spirits.

3. Most ancient mirrors were sheets of metal, usually in a round shape. The backs of the mirrors were often highly decorated with precious stones.

4. Glass mirrors were invented by the Romans. Those Romans were clever people!

5. It is said that glass mirrors disappeared during medieval times because religious people said the devil watched through mirrors.

6. In the 12th century handheld mirrors were very popular and most well dressed ladies used them. They also used them like jewelry, wearing small ones on a chain around their necks. These were all highly decorative and pretty.

7. King Henry VIII used to be an avid collector of mirrors.

8. These days most people have mirrors in their house, either in the bathroom or bedroom. Some people have decorative mirrors in their living areas.

9. Because of its long history, mirrors have lots and lots of superstitions attached to them.

10. Breaking a mirror is meant to be bad luck for seven years. If a mirror falls off a wall then someone is meant to die.

11. Vampires and witches don’t have a reflection in a mirror because they don’t have a soul.

12. Opinion seems to be mixed on the best thing to use to clean a mirror. I’m slowly using up all my chemical cleaners and going natural so I’m suggesting a “green” way to clean glass or mirrors. Use equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Clean off with a soft rag.

13. Interior decorators use mirrors to make a room seem lighter or larger than it really is. Mirrors are also used to reflect a wonderful view so the house inhabitants get double the pleasure and lastly, they’re used as decoration.

Do you like mirrors? Do you have any tips or factoids to add?

The final stop on my Scarlet Woman tour is at I Do Not Want To Wait, I Want The Book Now today. I’m talking about black cats and superstition. I’m also giving away a download from my Middlemarch Mates series.

I turned in the book I’ve been working on so hard and did a few little tweaks on my website. Tomorrow I can catch up with the housework (Yay!) and continue work on a new book in my Middlemarch series.

I’m taking part in the Jewels of Erotic romance for Valentines Day promotion over at Michelle Polaris’s blog. Several authors, including me, have photos of their favorite piece of jewelry along with details of a gift given in one of our books. Check out the contest to win a $25 Good Vibrations voucher at the very end of the post.

My special guest today is Fiona Jayde who has a new sci-fi romance release called Cold Victory. Fiona Jayde is a space pilot, a ninth degree black belt in three styles of martial arts, a computer hacker, a mountain climber, a jazz singer, a weight lifter, a superspy with a talent for languages, and an evil genius. All in her own head.

Today Fiona is talking about superheroes. Over to Fiona.

Vampires or hot-shot pilots. Werewolves or sexy super spies. Genetically altered humans or humans with larger-than-life lives. Supermen and kickass women.

My favorite books or movies or TV shows tend to feature superhero type characters. There is something about a larger than life character experiencing the same pull of love, lust or loss as us ordinary folks do. There is something about being able to step into a superhero’s life and be surprised that internally they can bleed just as much as we do.

With the explosion of the paranormal subgenre in romance, our choices for larger than life characters have expanded to suit every fantasy. Angel lovers, demon villains (or vice versa!), dragon shifters, you name a fantasy and there are books ready to cater to it, with various shifts on various subgenres. Blood vampires, energy vampires, psychic vampires… Werewolves, werecats, weredragons… One of my favorite paranormal “superheroes” are motorcycles from the series Driven To The Limit by Alice Gaines. The concept is so originally brilliant – motorcycles (which to me has always been a symbol of sexy man power) are built to shift into a man.

And yet, under the chrome, or leather, or scales, or teeth or Adamantium infused bones (gotta love Wolverine) we still have regular men and women who need an emotional connection, something or someone to believe in.

In Cold Victory, my superhero is Galen Stark, commander of Battlecruiser Victory. He possesses various technological enhancements such as an ocular implant which allows him to see vitals of a person, communication implants which allow him to “telepathically talk” to members of his crew, or nano-controlled fibers in his body which let him easily adapt to swift changes in gravity. And in that sexy tech-enhanced bod, pumps the heart of a red blooded male who has a duty to his crewmates and an insatiable desire for one of his pilots who shouldn’t even be on his ship.

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“You’ll follow standard protocol aboard this ship.” Stark knew his voice had dropped, was furious that he couldn’t control it. Images of skin and sweat and tangled limbs flashed through his mind as his pulse shuddered with accelerated rhythm.

She looked at him now, those exotic amber eyes empty of feeling. “My apologies, Commander. I’ve been on civ div far too long.”

Heat wouldn’t let him breathe. Despite himself, Stark engaged his ocular implant, watching the waves of red surrounding her form, her body temp spiking, her blood vessels pumping overtime. If not for the pink, delicate flush over her face, she showed no outward appearance of being affected by same beast that clawed at him.

“You’re dismissed.” He didn’t know what the hell had happened, couldn’t understand why an impersonal touch charged him with a sexual awareness he had no business feeling. He simply knew he had to put her out of his reach. “I suggest you find a standard uniform.”

Cold Victory © Fiona Jayde

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To the readers: who or what are some of your favorite super heroes or heroines?
(Fiona will be giving away a $15 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky commenter at the end of her tour. Details of Fiona’s full tour are available here at Goddess Fish Promotions)

Cold Victory by Fiona Jayde

Intergalactic warfare has not been kind to humans. Convicted pilot Zoya Scott has the chance to avenge her family, redeem an act of desperation with that of sacrifice. She’ll end this war if she betrays the man whose touch burns through her soul, the man whose ship and crew she must destroy. The man who is her bloodmate.

Commander Galen Stark never expected the convicted pilot on his ship to be anything more than a good looking inconvenience. A small brush of their hands grips him with vicious lust, a need he can’t control. She is his bloodmate–a biological reaction burning through his veins.

Except his bloodmate carries an explosive. And Stark may have to give the order to destroy them all.

Purchase Cold Victory from Loose Id
Visit Fiona Jayde’s Website