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A Cozy Corner for Books and Pens

September 10, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category Writing

I find it fascinating to learn where other authors write. I know friends who prefer coffee shops, the library, or even the beach, and I’ll admit, I tend to be more productive when I leave the house…no laundry to do, or dishes to put away. But I’m kind of a homebody, so I prefer to write at home.

When the weather is nice, I’ve been known to write on the patio, or our rooftop deck, when we lived in a townhouse overlooking the harbor and ocean a few years back. I’ve had a desk in the bedroom when the boys lived at home, and at times a little office of my own.

For years, I’ve dreamed of a home library. A place for all my books. A place to close the door and immerse myself in the pages of a new story…one I’m reading, or writing. In homes where I had an office, I also had a couple of bookshelves. I’d longingly refer to it as ‘my library’.

Some of you know, Hunky Hubby and I recently moved to Arizona, and I finally have a real library. It’s not finished. My new dream is to make the closet into a reading nook stuffed with pillows, and a more book storage, because of course, I have MORE BOOKS! But I’m happy with it as is.

One bookcase houses autographed books. They’re not all unpacked yet, but every book on the shelf is signed by the author.

The next bookcase holds vintage books, and my own books.

Then more novels, again, not all are unpacked, followed by a full bookcase of cookbooks. That’s right. Just cookbooks. For years, I wrote a food column for The Antelope Valley Press, and then Quick ‘n Easy Cooking magazine. This is a small number of the cookbooks I’ve collected over the years. Next to the cookbooks you’ll find reference books, then my desk.

The picture over the desk represents two of the main characters in the 1920’s book that I’m writing. In fact, I’m going for a vintage feel in the room. (I don’t actually use the vintage typewriter, but I love the way it looks.)

So, when you can’t find me, I’ll be, hiding in the library with a good book, or writing. I’d love to hear where you like to read…or write.

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Food and Fiction

June 10, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Writing tagged as Beach reads, fiction, food, romcoms, Summer

I’m working on a new romcom, and as the story unfolds, I realize that food plays an important role in all of my stories.

Not surprising as a former food columnist, and photo shoot ‘chef’. I raised three boys, four if you count Hunky Hubby, all who loved food. A lot of my life has been centered on cooking and planning menus. I think that in most cultures food is the center of family and friends. My childhood family sat at the dinner table together every night, and we did the same when we raised our boys. Holidays revolve around tables laden with foods, whether homemade, catered, or from a favorite shop or restaurant. And friends get together for Brunch, lunch, dinner…coffee.

So, as I write, I see and smell the food that my characters put on their tables. In the #HermosaForTheHolidays series, the main characters often meet at The Beach Break, a little coffee shop on the Hermosa Beach Promenade. The Beach Break is fun for me, because the owners are two brothers, who experiment with new recipes from time to time, which has me looking through my recipes, through my approximately 200 cookbooks (it used to be more, but I’ve culled each time I move), scouring the internet, and looking at restaurant menus for new ideas. This often sends me to the kitchen to try something new.

In Love and Mud Puddles cooking is the focus of the plot, and Hannah, the main character’s quest for the perfect Christmas Cookie. Hannah doesn’t bake, she doesn’t cook, her oven is another place to store things. But, Christmas cookies are so important, that she’s determined to learn…and maybe find love along the way.

You don’t’ have to be a chef, or even a home cook to love food, or to love romance!

If you’re looking for a summer beach read, I hope you’ll check out #FireworksInTheFog, part of the #HermosaForTheHolidays series to get you set for 4^th of July, and summer romance.

And I thought I’d share one of my favorite summer potato salad recipes. I love it as part of a meal, but I’ll eat a bowl as a snack as well!

I’d love to hear your favorite summer foods, and feel free to share a recipe! And if you try this one, let me know how you like it.

Horseradish Potato Salad

1 ½ pounds red potatoes

1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)

1/3 cup sour cream (again, I use low fat)

2-3 tsp. prepared horseradish (not sauce)

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper (or pepper to taste)

¼ tsp. garlic powder

½ small onion, minced

2 stalks celery, minced

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook 15- 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and cool.

Add mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.

Dice the potatoes, leaving the peel on and place them in a large bowl. Add onions, celery and dressing. Stir gently, until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2- 24 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Serve.

Makes 6 servings.

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A few of my favorite things…about March

March 10, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category Writing

Things I love about March:

St. Patrick’s Day…when I was a kid, St Patrick’s Day meant make sure you wear green so you don’t get pinched, and even then, there was no guarantee.
Flowers begin to bloom. When the boys were young we lived in the California, Antelope Valley. The poppy fields there can be amazing, and a wonderful reason to love March, and spring in general.
The beginning of spring. Okay, I’m a little old school, but for me this means I can wear white again, bring out sundresses and sandals…even if I need a sweater, and maybe plant some flowers of my own.
Love…I mean, love can happen anytime, but spring is the perfect time for romance, maybe a picnic, a hike in the wildflowers, or brunch on a patio…your choice.
And this year Easter, I mean come on, chocolate bunnies, Easter egg hunts, maybe a new dress and shoes…

And did I mention I wrote a book about St. Patrick’s Day? #SilverBracelets, book 2 in my #HermosafortheHolidays series is available in both print and ebook on Amazon. Okay, yes, I know I’ve mentioned it before, but if you haven’t read it and you’re looking for a spring romance, I hope you’ll check it out. Here’s the blurb:

#SilverBracelets by Tari Lynn Jewett

So, you’d like to go viral on social media?

Fourth grade teacher, Ashley Swensen finds herself in a hashtag nightmare, when a picture of her crashing a bicycle at School Safety Day, goes viral, with the tag #AshleyAccidents. And why is it that every time she screws up one hunky cop happens to be around? Before she knows it, she becomes an unwilling poster child for community safety. And even a St. Patrick’s Day birthday isn’t bringing her luck.

Officer Benny (Benito) Lopez just wants to ask the cute teacher for a date, but she doesn’t want anything to do with him. And his friends keep making things worse. Then he remembers his grandmother’s advice, to make a grand gesture.

Will they accidentally fall in love? Or will social media keep them apart? Only her girlfriends and a little ‘luck o’ the Irish’ can help her now. And chocolate of course…

In the meantime, tell me what you love about March?

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Tari Lynn Jewett: Featured Author

February 29, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett, Featured Author of the Month tagged as #Charmed Writers, #FireworksintheFog, #HeromsaForTheHolidays, #PleaseSayYes, Love and Mud Puddles, romantic comedy, Tari Lynn Jewett

Tari Lynn Jewett lives in Southern California with her husband of nearly thirty years (also known as Hunky Hubby). They have three amazing sons, a board game designer, a sound engineer and a musician, all who live nearby. For over fifteen years she wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, wrote television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction . . . and now she is.

She also believes in happily ever after . . . because she’s living hers.

http://tarilynnjewett.com/

Tari’s newest title is Love and Mud Puddles, available now.

Hannah loves her accounting job, the condo that she purchased herself, and her best friend Melinda. What she doesn’t love is baking. To be fair, she’s never tried. But when her cousin shames her into bringing homemade cookies to the family Christmas Eve celebration, she begins a quest to make the perfect holiday cookie.

Paramedic Josh also occasionally teaches kids’ cookie baking classes at his family’s bakery. When a beautiful accountant mistakenly signs up for a children’s holiday baking class, he realizes immediately that she’s in the right place.

Can this local hero help to save Hannah’s Christmas? Or will it all go up in smoke?