5 things about me...

1.      I’m in love with Flynn Rider from the film Tangled. Yes- I do know he’s a cartoon and that being in love with something drawn with a pencil and then coloured in is weird, but in my head Flynn is a completely gorgeous hero. Cheeky, dashing, just a teensy bit tortured, devilishly handsome and spouts witty one-liners even when they in inappropriate. I also love his voice, especially when he sings, it makes melt.

     2.      I’m a complete tourist. I adore travelling to far-flung places and soaking up the culture. I could have bought a significantly bigger house with all the money I’ve spent exploring the world yet if I could have my time again I wouldn’t do it differently. I mean, riding through the jungle in Thailand on the back of an elephant tops another spare room which would only get used once in a blue moon anyway. Who needs another bathroom when they can snorkel between the Pitons in St Lucia and feed bananas to the Sergeant Major fish? And why would I want all that extra housework when I could get in a car and just drive through Death Valley? My favourite place- Disneyland of course!

3.      I’m a spice fiend. My favourite food is curry- and not those tame sorts of curries wusses eat. Proper hot curries from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thai food is another favourite, along with Japanese and Mexican. In fact, if I was ever marooned on a desert island, so long as chillies grew there I’d be happy. However, my favourite drink in the whole world is a proper cup of British tea.

4.      I like spiders. I wouldn’t want to pick out curtains with them or keep them as pets, but picking one up doesn’t bother me. When other people are cringing, and screaming, I’m the brave saviour who marches in and puts the wriggly, hairy little arachnid outside. I don’t even need a glass to carry them in.

5.      I usually get all my story ideas in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping by my brain won’t let me. It’s been the same since I was a little kid. When I couldn’t sleep, I let my imagination wander and often used to enjoy going to bed early so that I could revisit the wonderful worlds I created sooner. A lifetime of casual insomnia has turned me into a storyteller. So every cloud…

Virginia Heath’s latest book, His MistletoeWager, is out now!

The Weather Outside is Frightful. . . .

Winter arrived here in southern NJ this week and the temps took a windy, frigid tumble. The windchimes outside my former office window have been clanging like a school bell this week, wobbling to and fro, for hours and hours. Luckily, my bedroom is on the other side of the house or I'd get no rest. . . ! 

And, as Thanksgiving approaches, there are some other cold weather traditions I enjoy....

Hot chocolate!  The cold seems to awaken my need for hot chocolate. I associate it with snow and shoveling snow and kids playing in the snow and the first flurries send me running to check on my supplies -- either packaged or the fresh ingredients. 

Chai tea!  I drink tea all the time, and it's mostly always plain black tea, no flavorings, with fat-free milk and sweetener in it. But, when Autumn and Winter arrive, I need chai tea, with its rich flavors of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and even some pepper. I like to sip it, hot, and inhale the wonderful aroma of it.

Coffee! I know, I know, I don't drink coffee. I love the scent of it and the taste but coffee does not like me... So, I wait for a family gathering -- usually Thanksgiving, but this time a baby shower -- and I allow myself one cup, mixed with lots of milk and real sugar. I sip it and savor it, making appreciative noises (that drew my hubby's attention and curiosity) and know that I will pay the price to enjoy it. And I did, all through the night AND the next day -- but it was sooooo worth it. 

And finally, the ultimate sign that winter is approaching in my area? The arrival (and too-quick departure) of the WaWa turkey bowl! 

What, you ask, is a WaWa turkey bowl? Well, WaWa is a middle-Atlantic and Florida regional convenience store that makes incredible food, sandwiches, coffees and specialty drinks and . . . turkey bowls. They only arrive for a limited time -- and are a teasing hint of your homemade Thanksgiving dinner. Hot turkey in gravy served over mashed potatoes or stuffing or some of both. A dash of cranberry sauce can be added by why mess up the perfection of turkey, gravy and potatoes/stuffing? 

This year, an inside source told me of a pending end to the turkey bowl supply! They won't even last until Thanksgiving and connoisseurs of the dish are already mourning its loss. . . until next year....when it will come back when the cold weather returns. 

So, how about you? Do you have certain favorite foods or beverages you turn to when the weather turns bad? Please post and let me know....with turkey bowls disappearing, I'm going to be needing a new one very soon...! 

While awaiting the release of RISING FIRE in March 2015, Terri is working on the second in her new fantasy series - Novels of the Stone Circles - RAGING SEA. She's also going to have her next Harlequin Historical - the first in the new A HIGHLAND FEUDING series - coming out in April 2015! Please visit her website for more info about her books and upcoming events...!