We are just weeks away from the big day! As many of you know, this is my absolute favorite time of year. We’ve been picking apples at our favorite orchards. I’ve sampled some local wines at chocolate pairings… a girl must get her antioxidants and polyphenols, after all. The pups have gotten their costumes and the children have visited the costume store and some specialty online retailers for embellishments to theirs. My small skeleton is smiling from inside the front window and I have my orange and purple lights up. I’m pretty much finished decorating for the season, because my home is spooky year round.

This year, the family has adopted a divide and conquer mentality. Some will be trick-or-treating (weather permitting), some will be handing out sweets at home, and I’m handing out sweets at the mall this year with our martial arts school. I’ve even signed up for some spooky vending opportunities. You’d think I was all set for Halloween.

However, I’m not the traditional spooky Mom with inflatables and pumpkin spice lattes. I swap out haunted hayrides for time alone on completely empty beaches with a book or my work in progress and a hot apple cider. As the roar of the ocean booms over a silent beach, I’m home. There is much to be discovered in the stillness, and I always take time mentally preparing myself for big holidays. It’s a witchy thing, grounding yourself when you need to and I have my favorite ways to ground.

I know that the children will be excited for loot, seemingly ill gotten gains they politely ask for in the form of whatever delectable sugary sweetness is available. I have tiger pops this year and gummy brains, since an itty bitty mentioned a chocolate allergy last year. I also have spider rings and things that are completely sans sugar, since some trick or treaters can’t have any sugar at all. Still, despite the pleasure from seeing children run amuck in their alternate personas, my thoughts return to the family members and pooches that won’t be with us this year. My beloved dead are well cared for in my thoughts and there is not only the memory of the times that we shared held dear in my heart, but the ways in which they forever changed me. I’m kind of like a Frankenstein’s monster in that way, a collection of parts taken from other people and held precariously together.

However, I am exchanging my dumb supper for the mirth of children, something I know my beloved dead would have been most eager to see and hear and I will share that with them this year and for as many years as I drag this body around the earth. It’s my tribute to them in a way, as I know every doorbell ring would have got them up and to the door with candy, maybe not the dogs, but they would have barked their fool heads off in excitement. The thing about loving anyone (even a dog) is you feel their loss acutely, but you also remember their joy. To the matriarch and sister that showed me grace, to the aunt and uncle that showed me perseverance, and to the dogs that gave me endless affection, visit with joy when the veil thins and return with a little of our happiness.

Take a moment to remember your beloved, breath in their wisdom, breathe out despair, and then re-enter the world inspired.

Now, back to the mundane.

With the coming Nor’easter, I have my candles ready.

I have recently submitted a crossover book, something that bridges the gap between my All Tied Up In Knots Series and my Help Wanted Romance Series and now, I’m waiting for the gods of Amazon to release it officially, so I can bring you all the spicy and gory news of it’s arrival.

In the meantime, you have a moment to catch up on both series. Today I’m going to showcase the full length books in the All Tied Up In Knots series. Rope is near and dear to my heart, and I hope I’ve portrayed it in the best light. Rope suspension can be freeing and I hope you have a chance to experience it, whether it’s at a dungeon, a rope event, or one of the many rope shares.

Knot An Actress

Violet, a young acting student, sees her last chance to get picked for the lead role in the school’s stage production slipping away. Knowing that a talent scout will be there at the opening performance, she must win the lead and cement her chances for stardom or put the last nail in the coffin of her future as an actress.

“You can’t take directions! Seven performances, seven dress rehearsals, and you treat each play as if you personally wrote it.”

But there is still a glimmer of hope. Violet still has four weeks to re-fashion herself into a star, but it’s going to take more than learning lines. She has to reach into everything she has buried down deep inside and find out who she really is.

She meets Jericho Blythe, a strong attractive man, who after making a fortune on Wall Street, dedicated himself to pursuit of darker pleasures. He agrees to train her, if she gives him full control of every aspect of her life for the next critical four weeks.

Time is short but the romance between the two of them will either have them burning as hot as a bright star or leave them scorched forever.

Knot A Criminal

Holly, a former runaway, returns to her hometown to reclaim her life, but it might prove more difficult than she thought. She was the only witness to a double homicide. Her father, a detective, and her mother are both gone and even though she was shot, Holly can’t recall any of the event at all.

Focusing on her future, Holly attends a local college, gets a part time job and is consumed with the desire to learn some fancy pyrotechnics from a renowned expert in the field. As fate would have it, Mr. Riley, is a master of more than one skill and soon she begins to fall for him.

Now that Holly is back and surrounded by people, places, and things from her past, the tumultuous memories begin to resurface. She begins to suspect that she might just be the killer and part of an elaborate cover up. She is torn between her desire for love and the fear of what she might be capable of. Will the truth set her free or destroy everyone she loves?

I always include a recipe of some sort with my blog, and instead of sitting down with a nice amaretto, I’m adding 1/2 shot to my cupcake batter-trust me it’s delicious.

I always include a recipe, and since we are a few weeks away from Halloween, this gives me the perfect chance to give you a super quick cupcake recipe-you can modify it to your taste and I have included some options below, but this is great if you have a school bake sale or just need a cupcake.

Ghost Cupcakes- so good they’ll disappear

Ingredients:

2 cups flour- I use unbleached

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt- you need it to bring out the sweet

1 stick unsalted butter (or 1/2 cup butter substitute)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk (or milk substitute-I use Lactaid, hubby prefers oat milk)

optional add-ins: a few drops food coloring, 1 bar melted dark chocolate, 1/4 cup coconut flakes, 1 Tablespoon amaretto (trust me, it’s delicious), 1Tablespoon lemon juice… just go with whatever flavor profile you’re in the mood for

supplies:

measuring cup/spoons

bowls

whisk or mixer

cupcake liners 20-24

cupcake baking pan

Hot to make it:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (325 degrees Fahrenheit if using nonstick pans) or 177 degrees Celsius. Give it a good ten minutes or so to get warm.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. You can do this by hand or with a mixer. If you are adding in some melted chocolate this is the time to do it.
3. Add in your vanilla and any liquid flavorings or coloring
4. Add eggs one a time (always check your eggs first). If you get a shell in, wet your finger and grab it out-works every time. If you want super light cupcakes, whip your egg whites and fold in wet ingredients before adding dry. There are just so many variations on the same recipe.
5. Combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix (sift if you light light airy cupcakes)
6. Add milk to your wet ingredients and mix until smooth. This is your last wet ingredient and you will start to stir in your dry ingredients next, so make sure your bowl is big enough to handle everything.
7. Gradually add in your dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and stir until incorporated. I try not to over stir as the gluten makes the cupcakes chewy instead of fluffy, but you need all of your flour and dry ingredients incorporated.
8. Sprinkle some rice onto the bottom of your cupcake baking tray in each space. This will stop the bottoms of your cupcakes from burning. Then, line cupcake baking pan with paper liners and add enough cake batter to fill 1/2 to 2/3 of the liner. The baking powder will make them fluff up so you want to leave some room so they don’t spill over and become one giant monster cupcake.
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-25 minutes (this varies with your oven and altitude). You can check doneness with a toothpick(should come out clean) or but lightly touching surface. A cooked cupcake will spring back, a raw cupcake will compress.
10. Once done, let cupcakes cool on wire rack, so they don’t continue cooking in the hot pan.
11. Decorate with your favorite vanilla icing and chocolate jimmies or mini chocolate chips.
12. Enjoy!