Kitchen Chat – Page 29 – Rebekah Lyn Books

January Excitement

Murals on the walls of Dixie Crossroads Restaurant.

In January I had that opportunity to speak at the monthly meeting of the North Brevard Historical Society. I was pleased and honored to address them at their monthly meeting held at the famous Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant. While writing Jessie I spent a lot of time at the North Brevard Historical Society. They were a tremendous help in my research. In addition to gathering facts, I had the chance to sit and talk with some of the folks at the museum who’d been in Brevard county at the time the book is set. Hearing first-hand stories, flipping through old city directories, and reading old newspapers helped me get into the mindset of the era. I especially loved the grocery ads in the newspapers. It’s hard to believe bacon was $0.59 a package and five loaves of bread were $0.99.

At the end of January, I was thrilled to learn that Jessie won the Patrick D. Smith Literary Award.The Brevard Library Foundation created the award in honor of the great Florida author, Patrick D Smith.

“Patrick Smith is a 1999 inductee into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, which is the highest and most prestigious cultural honor that can be bestowed upon an individual by the state of Florida. Smith is the author of seven novels and has been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize. His lifetime work was nominated for the 1985 Nobel Prize for Literature.”

http://patricksmithonline.com/patricksmith.html

It took two weeks for me to wrap my mind around the reality that I had won. I was interviewed by the Brevard Business Magazine and it published this week. Here is a link if you would like to read the full interview. It begins on page 11. http://www.brevardbusinessnews.com/ArchiveDocs/2015/2015-02-01/BBN-021615.pdf

Good things are happening, now if only I could convince Book Bub to accept one of my books!

November Has Been Exciting

November has been an exciting month! I spoke at my first book club and met a group of women that I hope to get to know better. DiVoran Lites and I had the chance to participate in the first annual Florida Bookstore Day on November 15 along with four other authors at our local bookstore. I found out that Jessie is a top five finalist in the Patrick D. Smith Literary contest, and I was invited as a co-author in a book signing with award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jay Barbree. Just one of these opportunities would have been enough to fill my heart with thanks, but all three in the span of 12 days has left me feeling incredibly blessed.

During my talk with the book club, one of the ladies told me she’d mentioned my book to the head of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame and he was interested in having me come down for a book signing. I had hoped to have a launch party for Jessie at this museum, but had never been able to connect with the right people, so I was thrilled to have this door opened for me. I gave this nice lady my card and within days received a call inviting me to be a part of a book signing they already had planned with Jay Barbree. Barbree’s book, Live from Cape Canaveral, was one of the first that I read when I started research for Jessie, so I can’t express what an honor I considered this invitation.

I spent four hours at the museum this past Saturday with veterans of the space program stopping in to see Mr. Barbree, chatting about old times and picking up copies of his latest book, Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight. Many of them took the time to talk with me and purchased my book as well, but even if I hadn’t sold a single copy I would have enjoyed every minute. In many ways I felt like I was watching the nameless, behind-the-scenes characters of Jessie, coming together for a reunion, telling the stories that simply can’t fit into a single novel or biography.

The U.S. Walk of Fame Foundation has been through some difficult times, moving from location to location over the past 16 years. Their current home still won’t hold all of the memorobilia and artifacts they have acquired, but it provides an impressive account of man’s journey into space. In addition to the musuem, the Foundation has created monuments for all those who have worked on the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. These momunents are located at Space View park in Titusville, FL and anyone who has been a part of these programs can purchase an engraving to be added to the monuments.

The Foundation isn’t just about remember our past though, it’s also about encouraging young minds. Students ages 8-13 are invtied to partipcte in STEM Sessions (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) several times a year to learn more about living and working in space, robot technology, and launch safety. Many thanks to Charlie Mars, Karan Conklan, and all of the volunteers who give their time to this labor of love, education, and preservation. If you would like to support the Foundation, you can learn more about memberships here.

You can also connect on Twitter~Facebook~ You Tube

As we go into the Thanksgiving holiday I know that I have more than just these exciting events to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family, supportive fans, a job that allows me the flexibilty to pursue my writing, and most of all a God that holds me in the palm of His hand, guiding my steps, even when I feel like I am walking in the dark. I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

The Magic of Falling Leaves

There is something enchanting, magical even, about falling leaves. They don’t just flutter to the ground, they dance and whirl, as if enjoying their freedom. Even when they land they aren’t content to lie still, they take flight again in a gust of wind or in the wake of a speeding car. I could watch this ballet for hours, except you never know where the next show will be.

I recently spent a weekend chasing fall around Western North Carolina and while the colors weren’t as vibrant as what I’ve seen in the past, there was a different beauty to the landscape. Perhaps spending my whole life in Florida with little to no fall color that made this trip so spellbinding; maybe it was the much needed reprieve from the stifling heat; or maybe it was taking the time to see the world from a different perspective.

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As I watch my photos from this trip slip through the screensaver on my computer, I’m struck by the thought that fall is a chance for God to show us what a master artist He is. There is the side of a mountain with red, yellow, and orange spattered among the deep green of the pines and spruce. There are the fallen leaves, some brown, some still golden, that found a resting place on a moss covered rock in the rushing rapids of a clear stream. In the front yard, red and pink roses are still blooming in front of trees that are changing color daily.

Back in Florida, I can immerse myself in the photos and videos from this trip and find inspiration. There is so much beauty in the world, sometimes we just have to take time to change our perspective.

Pasta Fagioli Recipe

My mom, Onisha asked me to post the recipe for Pasta Fagioli. It is a good recipe for a chilly day, served with some warm garlic bread sticks .

Pasta Fagioli slow cooker crock pot version…

   2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)  I left it out
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta

Directions:
   Brown beef in a skillet.

  Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.

 Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours

During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.