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Sherri Stewart

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NOVEL

Let’s take a virtual field trip to Bean Town!

April 2021 Newsletter
Let’s take a virtual field trip to Bean Town!
Sherri Stewart
The last time I was there was on March 18th, 2020—the beginning of Covid. Everything was closed. We had taken the train to Boston to celebrate my husband’s birthday at his favorite restaurant—closed.
Ten Things that Will Shock You about Boston
 
1. You won’t find happy hours in any bars in Boston. They were banned in 1984 after a woman was killed in a drunk-driving accident.
2. The Red Sox have a patent on the color, “Fenway Green.” Fenway was originally painted blue, but the color distracted the players, so they changed it.
 
3. A deluge of molasses once flooded North Boston when a molasses truck exploded. The force caused the molasses to travel at 35 mph.
4. The Boston University Bridge is the only place in the world where a boat can go under a train under a car under a plane at the same time.
5. Christmas was banned in Boston from 1659-1681 because the Puritans felt the holiday had been contaminated.
6. The biggest art heist in history happened at a Boston art museum. Twelve paintings including those of Rembrandt and Vermeer were stolen by two men dressed up like police officers in 1990—the most expensive heist at 100 million dollars.
7. The Fig Newton was named after a Boston suburb in 1891. Many physicians believed that most illnesses were related to digestion problems and recommended a daily intake of biscuits and fruit.
8. Boston has the first lighthouse, public park, college, and subway. The first Thanksgiving occurred in Boston and lasted for three days.
9. The Red Sox were not always called the Red Sox. Unofficial former names were the Boston Americans, Boston Pilgrims, and Boston Somerset.
10. The reenactment of the Boston Tea Party occurs every year on December 16th.
 
 
 
Boston Cream Pie
https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/boston-cream-pie/
PASTRY CREAM
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup (155g) sugar
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups (480ml) milk
  • 2 tbsp (14g) salted butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
VANILLA CAKE
  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • 6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream

Instructions
1. To make the pastry cream, put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
2. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
3. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
4. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat. Be careful not to boil the mixture, you want to just simmer it a bit.
5. Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don’t cook the egg yolks too quickly.
6. Place everything back in the pan and the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. Don’t boil for longer than 2 minutes, or you can overcook it and it’ll actually break down, rather than get thicker.
7. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then pour into a bowl and cover with clear wrap pressed against the top so that it doesn’t get a film on top and set in the fridge to cool completely.
8. To make the cake layers, prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
9. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
10. Add the butter, sugar and oil to and large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
11. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
12. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
13. Add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter will look a little curdled, but that’s ok.
14. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
15. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
16. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
17. To put the cake together, use a large, serrated knife to remove any domes from the tops of the cakes so they are flat.
18. Place first cake layer on a serving platter, then top with the pastry cream. If needed, give the pastry cream a good stir with a whisk to smooth it out before adding it to the cake
19. Add the second cake layer to the top of the cake.
20. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips and corn syrup to a medium bowl.
21. Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour over the chocolate chips and corn syrup. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
22. Pour the chocolate on top of the cake, in the center, then spread out towards the edges, letting some of the chocolate drip down the sides.
23. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 2-3 days and well covered.

A Song for Her Enemies E-book only 99 cents on Amazon from April 26 to May 3. A big savings!

 
She has the voice of an angel,
but the devil is listening
!

 
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?  

A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future.
 
 
Meet Robin Densmore Fuson
Robin recently moved to Sugarmill Woods, Florida, with her husband Jimmy and their Belgian Malinois, Kenzi. She and her husband celebrate with an overflowing cup of blessings with seventeen grandchildren. An award winner for romance and flash fiction, Robin is multi-published in both fiction and nonfiction and has written well over a hundred stories on her blog for children. Two of her novellas were finalists in the 2020 Selah awards. Her historical and contemporary romances, as well as her Christian women’s fiction are wrapped around a twist of intrigue. The Rosita Valdez series for children lends itself to character-building lessons through an adventure. Robin loves company and challenging her young guests to discover the many giraffes in the obvious and hidden nooks and crannies of their home.
 
 
How has your own life informed your character in Worthless to Priceless?
I have never gone through the exact things that Jenny went through, but I have experienced emotional and physical abuse. Her raw emotions came from my groaning deep in my heart. I felt her pain and cried for her. I do every time I read her story. Small parts of my story are etched into Worthless to Priceless. Jenny needed Samuel to come to her rescue and my husband, Jimmy is my rescuer.

How did you research the setting of your book?
My husband and I lived in Rifle, Colorado, and I chose this for the setting of Worthless to Priceless. I have been to Rifle falls and climbed into the many caves and enjoyed the beauty and the water. Some of the buildings and a church from the1880s are still standing. I joined the historical Rifle Facebook page for pictures of the area and read news clippings from the era. Interesting stuff. I also read many pages on Wikipedia about the Ute Indians and talked with another writer who also researched them. The Utes were a gentle tribe but there are always renegades in every culture and family. I have been to Rifle falls and climbed into the many caves and enjoyed the beauty and the water.

What should readers be sure to visit in Rifle, Colorado?

Readers would enjoy Rifle for the ‘old meets new’ feel of the town. Buildings from the 1800s are still being used and are intermixed with modern structures. Cute boutiques and old taverns line downtown. The bluffs and mountains surrounding the town, as well as the arid climate, draw the imagination to unbelievable places. Rifle Falls is a great destination where three waterfalls crash down into a natural pool. There are caves to explore and trails to trek. One trail, with stairsteps, takes the hiker up above the falls and right next to the powerful spray. Rifle Falls is open year-round but can get pretty cold in the winter and the rocks and pathways surrounding the falls can ice up. The snow on the mountains is exquisite as it sparkles against the blue sky. If fishing or boating is on your radar, you can stop off at Rifle Gap reservoir. My husband and I caught the action of a majestic eagle fishing. He swooped toward the surface and came up with a large fish in his talons. Unbelievable.
Nearby is Glenwood Springs where you can travel up a mountain on a tram and play in the amusement park or go on an adventure into large caves where a tour guide will take you deep into the earth. The town boasts some of Colorado’s best hot springs. A wonderful ski resort will let you play in the powder during the snowy months. Hiking trails traverse all over the surrounding mountains and clear streams flow into picturesque lakes. Standing sentry in the backdrop of Glenwood Springs is Mt. Sopris, towering at over 13,000 feet. Wildlife abounds on the western slope of Colorado where these amazing towns sit nestled in the Rocky Mountains.
 
Worthless to Priceless, a Christian Historical Fiction novella.
 
At the tender age of thirteen, orphaned Jenny Low, decides to take matters in her own hands and runs away from her captive life in a Ute tribe. Rescued from near death by a kindly teamster Samuel Baunof, Jenny is sent to live with a family in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in 1886. She learns the truth of wickedness and runs again straight into true evil.
 
Meanwhile, Samuel holds his head up while facing life’s cruelty head on. A few years later, he crosses paths with the orphaned girl he once rescued. Now a beautiful young woman, Jenny is a godsend in his time of need. Their trials aren’t over and Samuel finds himself tracking her through the wilderness where, unbeknownst to him, someone else is after her too. Will he reach her in time?
 
Can these two people with completely different backgrounds and beliefs help each other and those around them? Can Samuel rescue Jenny from the horror her life has been drawn into? Is his faith strong enough to help her understand that God loves her and hasn’t abandoned her? Jenny is challenged to accept love and forgiveness even when she feels the world closing in.
https://www.amazon.com/Worthless-Priceless-Robin-Densmore-Fuson/dp/B08DSNCYWW/ref=
www.pinterest.com/revelation411/worthlesstopriceless/

Links to webpages: The first is my main one and the second is for children.
Robin Densmore Fuson (www.robindensmorefuson)
Author Robin Densmore Fuson (kidbiblelessons.com)
 
 
 
Robin’s recipe for Johnnycake
 
Here is a line from Worthless to Priceless: “Kindness and caring poured from him like hot butter off a Johnnycake.” (Jenny thought as she looked upon Samuel)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ tablespoons shortening melted
  • 1 cup boiling milk
  • 1 egg separated
  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan cast iron skillet is preferred.
  • Sift cornmeal and flour together and spread thinly on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • In a large bowl, combine cornmeal mixture, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Pour in shortening and milk; stir to blend.
  • In a separate large bowl, beat egg white until stiff. In a third bowl, beat egg yolk then fold into egg white. Gently stir flour mixture into beaten egg. Pour into prepared baking pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.
Per serving: 81 calories; protein 2.2g; carbohydrates 12.1g; fat 2.6g; cholesterol 17.1mg; sodium 141.9mg.

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