A Long Time Ago, In This Galaxy…

CURRENTLY

We saw Solo in 3D on Saturday for my husband’s birthday. The reason for the title of this blog. Yes, since my son got into Star Wars Angry Birds several years ago I have since become quite the geek. We even have the LEGO Death Star set. Although it’s the open-sided version, it’s still pretty cool. 

Some time has passed since I blogged, but I think it’s time I write about my current goings-on. 

I’ve been back to writing my second book, Divided, for several months. I have about 240 pages complete, but have several chapters to go. For me, it’s been difficult to write in Corbin’s voice because I have to be in a certain mood to do it. I also realized I’ve been sleeping much better recently. While I wrote my first book, I was awake into the early hours of the morning and most of the writing was done after 1am. Hence, I’ve been retraining my brain to work during the day.

My new iPad Pro 12.9 (that I absolutely LOVE) has been extremely helpful with Microsoft Word to help me carry my book with me everywhere I go! I’ve been using it with OneDrive so it automatically updates and if I really wanted to… I could open it up on my laptop and keep going from where I left off (I don’t want to open my laptop). So while I sat in my car during Tae Kwon Do class for an hour, three times per week, I could do something productive.

These days, since my son earned his 1st Dan black belt, he’s tried a few new things. For close to three months, he learned some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which was a little too horizontal, grapple-y, and sweaty for what he wanted to do. He and my husband decided to try Karate together, so now they’re two weeks into training, but they seem to enjoy it. The best part is I get alone-time at home to continue writing. Much easier to keep the flow going. 

---

DIVIDED

The next novel in the Divided Series picks up where we left Corbin in Indelible, walking from the Florida State Prison on his search for Christine, back to the dark realm of Malvolem. All his memories have returned and he is confident he can find her. Lucian throws a wrench in his plans though, complicating their re-entry to the light realm of Elypsus. 

Corbin gained a basic understanding of his background and of the realms in Indelible. Divided takes him deeper into the storm as all of his past catches up to him and he must reconcile who he is with what he was. He now has the knowledge it will take to dethrone Lucian as the Fates have commanded of him, but many obstacles lie ahead as he gathers his allies in Elypsus and Malvolem. 

Demons, both metaphysical and metaphorical, haunt him as he continues on the path the Fates have laid out for him. 

 

Read Indelible before Divided is published! Dates TBA.

Last FREE Day!

Last day for a FREE copy of Indelible on Kindle!! Over 400 have been grabbed off the Kindle “shelf”! 

And please review it for me when you finish reading. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXEXZEU

Flowers for My Father

The Plumerias continue growing
without my father here to keep them.

The Jasmine are still fragrant
though he’s no longer here to smell them. 

The weeds that I potted
become beautiful flowers because
my father taught me to appreciate a flower,
no matter what we name them. 

“Flowers for My Father,” A poem by J.E.DiPalo
Photos by J.E.DiPalo

Easy, Fresh Salsa!

And Now For Something Completely Different*!

Going off my normal topic of my usual whining and complaining about life and writing to bring you a delicious and simple recipe! lol  

This is the easiest thing you can make for a group or… maybe just yourself if you feel like chomping on a lot of great, healthy, and fresh veggies all at once;-) Three peppers is only 8 carbs! And look at those beautiful colors! 

As you can see, this salsa is all chopped stuff, right? Essentially, get this quick list of fresh veggies, grab your slap-chop and you’re in business.

Easy, Fresh Salsa! Recipe

Serves:  4 (who really like salsa) – 6 (who are more interested in other stuff)
Time:  20 mins (chopping fast!)

---

Ingredients:

1               medium Vidalia onion
1               bunch of Fresh Cilantro
2 Tbsp     Lime juice (fresh squeezed, or from the bottle is ok too)
10-12        small, multi-colored Sweet Peppers (see my fat, German thumb for scale. The peppers look tiny. Sorry for my big fat thumb.)
+ Salt & Pepper to taste
(Optional)
1     Hot Pepper of your choice – Jalapeno, Cubanelle, Habenero, or just a sprinkling of crushed red pepper 
Tortilla chips (I like the Tostitos Scoops, but you could use your hands, depending on the nature of the party you’re hosting/attending.)

Pick-A-Pepper

(DO NOT use green peppers in this salsa. They’re too bland.)

One thing I want to mention that I read on Pinterest a while back, and it took me a while to try it out, is that the Female peppers are the ones you’ll want to eat raw. They’re sweeter (like all of us females, of course) and in general, more flavorful! So, sauté those male bad-boys.

The way you can tell which ones are the Females are that they have 4 bumps on top (smaller peppers, as in the photo to the left with my fat, German thumb for a scale reference) or bottom (larger Bell peppers, it’s easier to tell). 

Another thing about this Salsa is that if you prepare it a day beforehand and allow it to ‘marinate’ with the lime juice overnight – you’ll have a delicious, softer salsa (not as crunchy, but not mushy either) for those wanting to partake in your healthy veggie-fest! 

*(Monty Python will never be irrelevant, by the way)

Go. Make Salsa! Go Ahead… Run Along Now!

I hope you enjoyed my post and will enjoy the delicious snack that results from the reading of this post.

Thanks – J.E.DiPalo

For Readers: A Free eBook!

Calling all fantasy, supernatural, paranormal, and romance-readers who would like a free copy of Indelible in exchange for a review, please contact me!!

jedipalo.books@gmail.com

Thank you,

JEDiPalo