I can hardly believe it's April already.
By the way, thank you to everyone who swung by my March post. I'm so sorry that it was a complete frost because of my ongoing internet/phone troubles. Fingers crossed, they're all sorted out now.
Apologies also to people who tried to click over to buy my latest release THESE HAUNTED HEARTS. We had major conniptions getting this one up and running and of course it had to be when I was completely incommunicado.
The good news is that THESE HAUNTED HEARTS: A REGENCY GHOST ROMANCE is now up and ready to entertain you for a mere $1.99!
You can read the blurb and an excerpt here: http://annacampbell.info/hauntedhearts.html
Perhaps this year has gone by so fast because I've been busy putting the final touches to a couple of projects. Book 2 in the Sons of Sin series is now ready to go so look out for A RAKE'S MIDNIGHT KISS in September. And I've done the editorial revisions on a Sons of Sin novella called DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES which will be out in August. Not to mention getting THH ready for you!
As a result, I was so tied to my computer that I was starting to feel like the horrible hermit of Hermitsville!
The DRIVING MISS DAISY poster is a bit of a ring-in because I went to that in late February but that meant catching up with my ex-boss who flew up from Sydney to see these theatrical legends. Wonderful to see an old friend after years apart and it feels like you only met yesterday.
Such a privilege to see Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones creating magic together. Although I was a little disappointed that he never told her to "Come over to the dark side, Daisy!"
Another friend arrived from Stanthorpe hauling a car full of freshly picked Delicious apples. These have tasted like heaven and I've been eating them like they're going out of style. In fact, if you were looking at a picture of me right now, I'd look more like a delicious apple than the girl in front of the DMD poster.
Love a good apple!
All these lovely visitors means that I've got back into something I haven't done for ages but which I always really enjoy. Baking!
Such a wonderful stress release to pound that dough. Not to mention the wonderful smells that infiltrate the house when you've got a batch or two of cookies in the oven. Something I love about baking is that unlike writing a book, it's pretty much instant gratification. You mix, you bake, you eat! You can do it in a day!
I think these cherry nut biscuits are just so pretty. Almost too good to eat - which didn't stop my guests from attacking them like starving loons!
And now a couple of photos of some writer friends to end this ode to visitors, expected and unexpected.
Over Easter, I had a lovely night out with a couple of local writers at Tides Restaurant in Caloundra, including zombie maven Kylie Scott. You really must check out SKIN and FLESH. And not just from the meat section of the menu!
Doesn't she look glam in those sunglasses? She'd forgotten hers so I dug up an old pair to lend her. They look much better on Annie than they ever did on me!
So what nice things have you been up to in April? And do you have a go-to recipe to whip up something when visitors turn up at the door?
Because last month was such a mess, I'm giving away a download of THESE HAUNTED HEARTS: A REGENCY GHOST ROMANCE today to someone who comments today to thank you for your patience!
18 comments:
I loved your post - those apples and biscuits look so good, I wouldn't know which to go for first. You're right about baking. It's so relaxing (as long as everything goes right) and then to sit down with tea and cake - wonderful!
I love to bake. Mostly homemade peanut butter cookies and my favorite recipe is found on the back of the crisco box..lol I love peanut butter cookies.
April is a busy celebration month for us:
niece & daughter bdays on the 4th, son &
bride's 23rd anny on 6th, Honey's & my
52nd anny on the 8th, and two grandson
bdays later in the month. All this will
be followed by eldest granddaughter's
graduation from college in early May!
The family enjoys sharing a meal for
all celebrations. We all love cooking,
I currently have a sauce for a chicken
and pasta dish in the slow cooker.
Congratulations on the release of These
Haunted Hearts!
Pat C.
Hi, Anna!
As I think I told you, my hubby and I and our oldest son, DIL and two of our grandchildren just returned from a seven-day cruise to the southern Caribbean. We had such a lovely time with our family. We had three staterooms all connecting. What fun to enjoy family without anyone being responsible for cooking and cleaning. It was a a ball!
In addition, my “adopted” granddaughter just turned nine and my great-niece turn three. To top off the month so far, my niece just had a little girl yesterday and named her Natalie Renee. We are just thrilled.
I’m currently shopping for a dress for my oldest granddaughter’s wedding in June. Oh my goodness. This makes me feel so OLD but I’m very happy for her.
I feel so blessed to have such a loving family and a blessed life.
Thank you for your wonderful giveaway to your readers who love you!!
Connie Fischer
My April has been fairly quiet so far, but I have a few projects around the house I'm working on and when they're finished I'll be ready to adopt a couple of companion kitties. I've been without pets for a couple of years now and I'm ready to bring some new kitties home with me soon. As for a go to dish - my favorite is a nice roast in the crock pot. Simple, fills the house with wonderful smells, tastes delicious and you can't mess it up.
I loved your post and all your pictures Anna, it sounds like you've been having lots of fun.
Christina, thanks for swinging by to say hello. I hope your spring has improved - last I heard you guys were having worse weather than we are, which is saying something! I'm still enjoying the apples. The biscuits, sadly, have settled on my hips on a retirement plan!
Mary, I love peanut butter cookies! Yum! There's something about nuts and pastry that works for me - and anyone who says that's because I'm a nut isn't in the draw for the book, LOL!
Hey, thanks for the congrats, Pat. March clearly had it in for me but so far, April's been fun! Even with all the rain we've had. Wow, you're going to be busy!
Connie, wow, you and Pat are sooooo busy! What a lot of lovely celebrations you've got coming up. I bet they're all lovely. I agree with you about cruising being the life - back in 2010, I got a cruise to New Zealand for free because I was part of the entertainment on the boat. P&O were experimenting with writer talks on sea days and I was lucky enough to get picked. I'd never been to New Zealand before. It was gorgeous! Anyway, quickly realized that I could become very used to being on a cruise. Talk about a carefree holiday!
Barbara, so glad you enjoyed the post! It was fun putting up the pictures too. Don't those apples look lovely - watch out, Snow White! Oh, how lovely about the new cats coming to stay. I'd love to see photos when they're settled enough to pose! I agree with you about a roast - my mum was a fabulous old-fashioned cook and I still miss her baked dinners. Never had anything to rival them!
Thanks for sharing such a fun post! LOL.. our April has been all over the map weather wise. Last week we had an 80 degree day and today we had snow! We always joke that if you don't like the weather here, wait five minutes and it'll change :) Other than not being able to predict the spring, not a whole lot going on.
Hi Erin! I've seen on FB that people have had a really confusing set of weather lately over there - winter just won't go. We often have a wet autumn so our rain at the moment isn't atypical. Thanks for swinging by!
I discovered a simple yet quite yummy apple muffin recipe. I've not been able to bake the last few months due to a fractured right wrist (dominant hand) & I'd quite a few apples sitting in the fridge looking quite sorrily at me. I've made 3 batches already this month!
Wow, Linda, that's pretty grim. You poor thing. I broke my left arm a few years ago and that was tough enough. Glad you're back in working order again! Apple muffins sound yummy!
Thanks, everyone, for swinging by to check out my post! See you next month!
The winner of the download of THESE HAUNTED HEARTS: A REGENCY GHOST ROMANCE is...
..MARY KIRKLAND!
Mary, please email me on anna @annacampbell.info (no spaces) and let me know what format you'd like to receive your book in. Congratulations!
Anna, great post. Love the pics by the way. I'm smirking at that one of my in your old Sophia Loren glasses - what a hoot. It was lovely coming to visit.
Nice things this April? I've found the time in the last few days to read some fantastic books - yay! Plus I'm just home from coffee with a writer friend which was fun and also helped me confirm the direction I'm going in my current story - always a good thing!
Annie, I love that photo of you in the sunglasses. So glam! Hey, cool about you having a nice April so far too! You must visit again soon!
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