April 1, 2015
Wow, lots going
on this month: April Fool’s Day where
your “friends” play tricks on you; Passover begins at sundown on the 3rd; Easter
is the 5th; Administrative Professionals Day (formerly Secretary’s Day) is on
the 22nd; Brewer baseball with opening day on April 6th against the Rockies. Go
Brew Crew!
In this Issue:
Quote of the Month
Featured Author
Easter Traditions
April Fool’s Day
News/Updates
Upcoming book signings
Coming next month
Quote of the Month: “Every thought of yours is a real thing—a
force.” Prentice Mulford (1834-1891))
Featured Author:
Kyla Phillips
I was inspired
by the mixture of beauty and terror in raw elemental power, thunderstorms,
fire, and blizzards just to name a few. I figured if I coupled that with the
mercurial nature of the human existence I’d have a pretty good story to tell. Of course I needed someone to break up all
the crazy and my main character, Vayne, is a light elemental. Light is the
harbinger of truth and Vayne is definitely a truth seeker.
Vayne is a light
elemental and bounty hunter for the supernatural world. Her partners—Giovanni, a capricious fallen
angel; and Donovan, a shape shifter with anger control issues—work with her
during their rehabilitation. During the coldest winter Cincinnati has ever
seen, the threesome run into a case where temporary and violent insanity
strikes powerful elementals seemingly at random. Vayne soon finds herself the
victim instead of the hunter, and working on the wrong side of the
conflict. How can Don and Gio pull her
back from the brink? How will she reveal the perpetrator and bring him before
the chopping block?
Pre-order
and save until May 5th at Amazon
or MuseItUp
Publishing
Easter
Traditions: According to the Venerable
Bede, Easter derives its name from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon
goddess of spring. A month corresponding to April had been named
"Eostremonat," or Eostre's month, leading to "Easter"
becoming applied to the Christian holiday that usually took place within it.
Prior to that, the holiday had been called Pasch (Passover), which
remains its name in most non-English languages.
In Medieval
Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time
were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter
meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.
In addition,
eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It
is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient
Egyptians, Persians,
and Romans,
used eggs during their spring festivals.
Orthodox
Christians in the Middle East
and in Greece
painted eggs bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Hollow eggs (created
by piercing the shell with a needle and blowing out the contents) were
decorated with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other religious figures
in Armenia.
Germans
gave green eggs as gifts on Holy Thursday, and hung hollow eggs on trees. Austrians
placed tiny plants around the egg and then boiled them. When the plants were
removed, white patterns were created.
Easter
Basket Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 (16 ounce) can white frosting
2 drops green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon water
2 cups flaked coconut
1 (14 ounce) package candy-coated chocolate pieces
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the cake mix and bake the cake in two 8 inch
rounds according to package directions. Cool completely.
Cut a circle out of the center of one of the layers,
leaving a ring that measures 1 1/2 inches from the outer to the inner edge.
Place the uncut layer on a serving platter and frost the top. Place the ring
layer on top of the frosted layer, and frost the sides and top of the basket. Decorate
the sides and top by pressing candy pieces into the frosting.
To tint the coconut, combine water and green food
coloring in a medium bowl. Stir in coconut with a fork until evenly tinted.
Place green coconut grass in center of cake basket.
To make a
handle, cut a piece of aluminum foil 8x16 inches. Fold in half lengthwise 4
times. Wrap with ribbon, securing the ends with tape. Insert ends of the handle
into the cake top. Fill basket with Easter candy and goodies, if desired.
April Fool’s Day: The origins of this custom are complex and a matter of much debate. It is
likely a relic of the once common festivities held on the vernal
equinox, which began on the 25th of March, old New
Year's Day, and ended on the 2nd of April.
Though the 1st of April appears to have been observed as a general festival
in Great
Britain in antiquity, it was apparently not until the beginning of the 18th
century that the making of April-fools was a common custom. In Scotland the
custom was known as "hunting the gowk," i.e. the cuckoo, and
April-fools were "April-gowks," the cuckoo being a term of contempt,
as it is in many countries.
One of the earliest connections of the day with fools is Chaucer's story the Nun's Priest's Tale (c.1400), which
concerns two fools and takes place "thritty dayes and two" from the
beginning of March, which is April 1. The significance of this is difficult to
determine.
For additional
information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fool's_Day
News/Updates: Work
continues on my first romantic suspense, Kandi
Kisses. For this book I’m trying something different. I’m actually, are you
sitting down? Plotting!! Yes, you read that right plotting. I’ve left my pantser
ways behind…well for the most part anyway. I’m really pleased at the progress.
Book 2 of the Blue Moon Magic Series, Twice in a Blue Moon, is now available. The story of the Langford sisters that began in Book 1, By the Blue Moon, continues with Charity, the second daughter of the wolfen clan chief in Twice in a Blue Moon.
Upcoming
Appearances:
April 4: Book
Signing – Anadarko Library, Anadarko, OK
May 12-17: Romantic Times BookLovers Convention,
Dallas, TX.
Coming
Next Month: Preparing for Romantic Times Convention this
May in Dallas.
With much
gratitude, until next time…keep reading.
Maxine
Spark your imagination and entice your
mind
Be adventurous in your own home
Take a journey into a new world and be
inspired
Enjoy the pleasures of reading ~~
It does the mind and body good.
