Hi, Nancy. Thanks so much
for letting me guest blog for you today!
Since it’s going to be
Thanksgiving in just a few days—isn’t it coming early this year?—I thought I’d
go back in time and tell you a little story about George Washington.
One morning not too long
after George fought his last battle and kicked the British out of our country
once and for all, or so he thought, he was lounging with some of his buddies
and discussing how well his generals followed his orders and won his battles.
This is a fictional story as I’m a novelist, so don’t go looking on-line
for this meeting between ole Georgie and his cronies.
George was trying to come
up with some way to thank his best generals without actually giving them money.
Someone piped up and said, “Say, why not give them land. Why not give them
Maine land? No one wants it anyway.”
Of course, no one wanted it then, it was almost solid rock after the
glaciers scraped over it 10,000 years ago and the rest was impenetrable forest.
But it wasn’t George’s to give. Oh no, there were native people in Maine and
they loved the land even if it was just a big rock with trees.
George thought about this
suggestion for a minute and then said, “Good one, Abner. Let me give you the
first piece. I have a nice little peninsula which can be easily carved up in
plats. All you Generals will love living next to each other, having get-togethers
al fresco. You know, sitting on those
big boulders scattered around. Maybe serving moose jerky and johnnycakes.”
Perhaps that’s why I’m
writing a series about a family of Native Americans, Shoshone and Arapaho, on
the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. We’ve done much harm to Native Americans
in the last few hundred years and I want to tell their side of the story. Tell
of their troubles, tragedies, and triumphs as well. I’ve taken a character from
my newest novel, The Russian Phoenix,
and wrapped the first novel in the series around her... Wolf Moon (series title) Book
1, starring Glory Grey Wolf McCullough. The first novel doesn’t have a
title yet but follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorMinEdwards
and send me your suggestions. I’m also planning on a ‘name that
character’ contest as well. Join me soon and I’ll tell you all about it.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving
Min
Since my story was short,
how about a johnnycake recipe? You can imagine yourself sitting with George’s
Generals for ‘tea’ one afternoon while you listen to the music of the shingle
beach at your feet.
Ingredients
2 cups stone ground
cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons boiling
water
Directions
Cream the cornmeal, salt,
and butter together. Add the milk and enough water (it may take less than or
more than 2 tablespoons) to make a moist but firm batter.
Drop by large spoonfuls
onto a hot greased griddle and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. When
brown, turn and cook the other side.
Options: If you’re serving these at breakfast you might add some
cinnamon and a little sugar. Then you can dribble syrup over them. If you want
them savory to serve with chili or beef stew, add just a little cilantro or
perhaps chili powder or chili flakes for an extra kick.
The Russian Phoenix,
a novel by Min EdwardsRussia: 1913. A time of celebration; a time of turmoil for Russia. But for Natasha it’s a time of horror.
Natasha, a young cousin of Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, the Empress Consort of all the Russias, is eighteen and living a life she never dreamed. The year is 1913, the 300th Jubilee Year of the Romanov rule and it has been filled with fêtes, balls, and excitement. But the night of the last ball of the season a burgeoning love affair goes horribly wrong and she's kidnapped and whisked out of Russia. Her adventures change her life in ways she could never imagine and take her far from home. But her travails forge her into a strong, resourceful woman of the new century.
More About the Author
Image of my shingle (and seaweed) beach
on George
Washington’s Generals’ land
My Muse Zach (I don’t ever show my own face. It’s not that I’m an ogre or
a spy or anything, it’s just that for a woman of my age, it’s best not to have
your visage spread all over the World Wide Web!)
This is Zach ready for Winter.
Min Edwards is the pen name of archaeologist, former bookstore
owner, and eBook designer (A Thirsty Mind Book Design), Pam Headrick. She is a
life-long Texas girl who on a whim decided to leave the heat of Central Texas
and move to her property on the coast of Maine. What was she thinking? Now
Lubec, the most eastern town in the USA is her home. She writes from a desk
near her kitchen window in an almost 200-year-old farmhouse overlooking apple
trees, mating pheasants, rabbits which turn from brown to white in the winter,
and the occasional moose. Just down the road is her private beach which is
unfortunately not sand but shingle... small stones which have been tumbled by
the surf for eons. And they sing when the 30-foot tides of the area wash over
them. Her muse and constant companion is Zach, a 12-year-old black German
Shepherd (GSD) who offers comedic relief when she needs it... like when one of
her characters is not following orders or a plot has imploded, and it looks
like it’s time to start over.
Min Edwards / Pam
Headrick emails
Instagrams: I have 2
accounts and I don’t know how
to delete one! So just check out both or follow
me
so you can see all my posts. Most of the images will be
of the changing
seasons on my property
or wildlife and Zach. I don’t get out much.
What a yummy recipe and a fantastic plot. Congratulations!
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