Tag Archives: heather hiestand

Favorite Historical Mysteries, a new Pinterest board

I track most of my reading on Goodreads. Generally I don’t put in the middle grade books I read every day with my 3rd grader (sooo much Geronimo Stilton), but just about everything else is in there. I went through the past six months or so of my reading and started to build a visual representation of my favorite historical mysteries on Pinterest. I’d love to know your favorites, and hope you enjoy my reads! I started writing historical mystery in late 2016, and my first Heather Redmond tale will be out this July…

When Historical Fiction Gets Real: Finding Emotional Truth

greekcomedytragedyThe terrorist attacks in Belgium today settle on me uneasily as an author of historical fiction. As I blithely changed the timeline on my work in progress , I wondered what historical events I might be missing that might distract the characters in my novel, or even affect them. Characters live in larger worlds than our plots. For instance, my current hero is from Sicily. What might have been happening in his hometown during that week I just added to my story because I realized my plot timeline was too tight?

The other issue that concerns me is how I write about circumstances like what happened in Belgium today. My upcoming series (debuts 9/27/16), The Grand Russe Hotel, is concerned with Russian immigrants in England. Most of them are solid citizens trying to restart their lives after the Russian revolution, but some are Bolsheviks hoping to disrupt the British government. There are bombers and bomb threats and even actual bombs. Danger for all, a very real situation. As I writer, I need to make sure to keep the emotion tangible. It’s not just a plot. My characters need to feel the fear that is present in Europe today in the midst of so much sorrow, uncertainty, and despair. I must remember to keep my world of 1925 London three-dimensional. The terrorists of 2016 are different than those of 1925, but the emotions of those living through the experience are the same as those suffering today.

If we want readers to bond with our characters, understanding the mindset of people in crisis is very important. And if we can give our characters happy endings despite the traumas they live through, hopefully it can give readers a feeling of closure and hope that all is not lost, no matter how dark the sky that day.

https://heatherredmond.com/books/if-i-had-you/

IfIHadYou

Raspberry Cranachan #recipe from Wedding Matilda blog tour

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This was my husband’s favorite new recipe of the summer. Since I became a vegetarian this summer, I’ve done a ton of fresh cooking, so that’s saying a lot. I’ve modified this recipe a tiny bit since it was on the tour, but we ate it every day for quite a while during berry season.

Raspberry Cranachan

  • 2 tbl rolled oats
  • 2 tbl coconut flakes
  • 2 tsp vanilla or whiskey
  • Honey (to taste)
  • 8 oz Cool Whip, any variety
  • 12 oz raspberries

Serves 4

Toast rolled oats and coconut on the stove in a dry pan until lightly browned, about four minutes. Fold the vanilla or whiskey into the Cool Whip. Layer just under half of the raspberries into four serving dishes, then cover with just under half of the Cool Whip mixture. Sprinkle rolled oats and coconut over the top, then repeat. Top with the last little bit of Cool Whip, one raspberry, then drizzle honey over the top. Voila! One easy but very delicious dessert.

Note:  A mix of toasted coconut/oatmeal blends fantastically into breakfast cereal for a morning pick-me-up!

Apple Eggnog Cobbler #recipe #baking

We were so ready to eat this right out of the oven I forgot to take a picture of it! Very tasty as it is, but if you want a sweeter dessert, serve with ice cream or whipped cream, or some extra eggnog poured on top.

Apple Eggnog Cobbler

Oven to 425 degrees. Cook for 25 minutes

  • 5 cups chopped apples. I leave the skins on, personally.
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1 1/2 tbl. tapioca
  • 3 tbl. brown sugar
  • 1 dollop honey
  • 1/4 cup pecans
  • 2 tbl melted butter
  • 1 3/4 cup biscuit mix
  • 1/2 cup eggnog
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 4 tbl melted butter

Gently mix together the ingredients up to the butter and pour into an oiled 8×8 baking pan. Then dribble the melted butter over the top. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and spoon over the apples.

Bake and enjoy!