Writer's Repast: Blueberry Streusel Cake (call it Crumble Cake, if you prefer)

Blueberry Streusel Cake

Heaven knows I'm no photographer. That's one of the main reasons I'll never start a food blog. That and the fact that I'm far too lazy and undisciplined.

But I do like to bake.

Blade Runner meets Perdido Street Station? Can do, says debut author Nina D'Aleo.

Nina D'Aleo's been a great confidante in recent months. Her first book, The Last City, has just been released by our mutual publisher, Momentum, and as she's already been through the process I'm shortly to embark on, she's been a wonderful sounding board. That might also have something to do with the fact that in addition to her degree in creative writing, she's a qualified psychologist!

She's agreed to be interviewed by me to tell us a bit about her book, which has been billed as an intoxicating blend of noir crime, science fiction and fantasy. Sounds awesome, right?

Forget perfection. Just write!

I've had a longish break from writing, and it's taken me quite a while to get back into it. Weeks of frittering and time wasting and occasional opening of my document to fiddle with the scene summaries I've jotted down, but not actually do anything else.

I think this was partly because I'm at the beginning of a new book, and the task ahead seems so daunting.

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The ultimate hot chocolate

It's been cold 'round our way. Cold and wet. Leaden skies. Damp grass which never quite seems to dry out. Typical winter weather, really.

When staring at a computer screen waiting for inspiration, what's a girl to do but drink hot chocolate?

I did have a particular inspiration for my hot-chocolate-making extravaganza. This cup.

IT man came back from a trip to the shops with it, two weeks after Mother's Day, looking a bit sheepish, and claiming that it was chosen by our daughter. Not him. Oooooh no! He just paid for it. :-)

Anyway. I'm all for a simple recipe, and this one only has two ingredients; chocolate (I used milk chocolate) and milk. I used Lindt couverture for reasons which will shortly become apparent. But any good quality chocolate would yield a nice cup.

Now if you take a look at this picture, you may at first glance think that my hand is really small. Or that the bag of chocolate is REALLY big.

Unfortunately, it's the latter. I'll just zoom in on the label for you:

Yeah, I'm well aware that no sensible person buys chocolate in bags that big, not least of all because it takes up more than its fair share of space in the pantry. Unfortunately our local wholesale bakery sells these bags at such a reasonable price that they're impossible to pass up. I made about a kilo of gourmet rocky road with it at Christmas time, but I still have lots left - and it ain't getting any younger.

Anyway - back to the hot chocolate. For my taste - sweet and rich, but not overpowering - eight little hexagons is about right for an average sized mug. I know, a whole 2.5kg bag of little chocolate hexagons. Too cute.

Heat your milk until just short of boiling, then pour it into your mug. Or if you're lazy like me, microwave it in the mug.

And if you want to be all fancy and gourmet about it, when you pour the chocolate pieces into the cup, stir until melted with a cinnamon stick like this:

'Cos we all keep cinnamon sticks handy for such occasions, right?

There's always a bit of semi-melted chocolate stuck to the bottom of the mug when you're finished. Scraping with a spoon is permitted (and in my book, obligatory).

Right, so now I only have 800 grams of chocolate left. Ideas, anyone?

And do you have a favourite time-wasting drink or snack to fuel you through your writing benders?

Why the digital publishing model is GREAT for debut authors!

Hi all,

I'm guest posting here at Rach Writes on why the digital publishing model is good for debut authors and, ultimately, for readers too.

Come and visit!

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Publishing deal!

Image by http://www.scenicreflections.com

I didn't expect to be writing a post like this so soon. If you'd asked me at the beginning of the year whether I saw a publishing deal in my near future, I'd have said "No way!" Then my agent sent my manuscript to new digital publisher Momentum, a division of Pan Macmillan Australia - and they liked it. And they offered me a deal for international digital publication. And I accepted.

I'm back!

It's time to get out the metaphorical broom and whisk away the cobwebs on the windows and cornices; don gloves and pull up the weeds which have grown in the corners of the landing and twined their way up the banisters of my stairway...

Okay, enough with the unnecessary imagery. I'm back! And very glad to join you again. What have I been up to? All sorts of very worthwhile enterprises, some of them actually outdoors, which is always nice for a writer.

In November, I enjoyed my roses in full bloom. Can't resist sharing a picture.