Firefly Book Trailer Revealed!

The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe in the World

The Viking's favourite cookie is a snickerdoodle. I send him some every Christmas and I've found a perfected snickerdoodle recipe. I would suggest these to anyone who likes cookies, because they are the best snickerdoodles ever.

The following is a recipe for the yummiest snickerdoodle in the world, perfect for shipping ground long distances. If you are packaging them for the mail, wrap two cookies back to back with foil. Put the foil wrapped cookies in a large zip-lock bag. Put the zip-lock bag in a metal cookie tin. And, viola!

Makes: 30
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 10 minutes

You need:

2 non-stick cookie sheet pans
2 large mixing bowls
1 hand held electric mixer
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cup unbleached flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Sugar mixture:
3 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger powder

Note: Make sure to set out your eggs and butter for about 20 minutes before you start the cookies. When you start mixing, remember to do it as thoroughly as possible. The secret to good cookies is very well mixed ingredients. 

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Sugar mixture: Mix your white sugar, cinnamon, and ginger powder in a small bowl. Set it aside, it will be used later.

3. Dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in one mixing bowl

4. Butter mixture: In another big mixing bowl combine butter, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix very well.

5. Carefully combine a cup of dry ingredients into the butter mixture bowl. Mix well. Repeat step until dry ingredients and butter mixture are combined.

6. Put your dough and ungreased cookie sheets in the fridge for 10 minutes.

7. After the dough is chilled, scoop 1 inch globs of dough into your sugar mixture. Cover the globs completely, then line them up on the chilled sheet. Don't let your dough get too soft, if it does go ahead and bake one batch of cookies first.

8. Bake for 10 minutes. Chill the rest of your cookie dough. Remove your baking pan immediately after 10 minutes.

Firefly Book Tour Sign Up

Hey guys and gals, I'm co-hosting a book tour for the release of Firefly by Belle Whittington. This is going to be a very fun tour involving lots of free goodies, multiple interview subjects, and an Easter egg blog scavenger hunt! Hurry up and sign up, limited copies available to those who wish to review!

The Official Butterbeer Frappuccino Recipe

My two months working as a Starbucks barista didn't grant me much, but the one thing I'm proud of is my Butterbeer Frappuccino invention that caught on like wildfire on Tumblr. I originally posted it on my Tumblr (imochayoualatte) about a year ago, along with some other recipes. I still love to order new things at Starbucks and give the baristas a run for their money.

This is exactly how you order it:

[Beverage size] Toffee caramel frappuccino with one pump of vanilla, double blended, extra whip, and extra caramel drizzle (they put it on the inside of the cup).

There are some people who leave off the extra whip and double blend. I prefer double blended because it makes the texture perfect.

I think it's superbly tasty and all it really is, is a toffee caramel frap. Lots of repostings of my recipe tell you how many pumps to put in, that's wrong. Only because you should leave that to the barista because pumps change depending on what size you buy. Also it seems like lots of people are forgetting to add the pump of vanilla, believe me. It makes a difference.

It's also very sweet, I suggest getting a tall. I know most of you like to get ventis or trentas, but seriously... that's a LOT. I told all my friends to try it and they all couldn't stop drinking it. That's when I posted it on Tumblr. A few days later several people started reblogging instagram pictures of their butterbeers. I was very happy and I'd love to share this with all interested!

Here are a few pictures people have posted snagged from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/butterbeer+frappuccino

 

(From a cute rant about my recipe)

There have even been some lovely demonstration videos! This lovely lady in Vancover adds root beer to her's, yummy!

10 Ways to Stand Out as a YA Indie Author

No one said indie publishing was easy. And if they did, I'd be wary if they really knew what they were talking about.


What acclaimed indie-author Belle Whittington says: 

When LB approached me about co-writing this post, I thought it was a terrific idea. Not only because of the subject material, which is one of my most passionate obsessions, but mostly because I was excited about co-writing something with my very talented daughter. She and I have worked really hard together over the past year-and-a-half on promoting Cicada and Firefly and also promoting me as an author. We’ve learned a lot, to say the least. And, no doubt, we’ll learn a lot more over the next couple of years. However, LB wanted to share what we’ve learned so far, and she gave me the restriction of listing five tips to stand out as an indie author. I can’t tell you how difficult it is for me to smash this swarm of information that’s buzzing around inside my head into five tips. But, here goes!

LB's tips:

1. Be dynamic! Whether you want to come off as magical and sparkly or simplistic and minimal, you want your book and website design to be dynamic. It should not only capture your personality and your book's concept, the designs that represent you should be bold and follow the rules of design. 

If you're not familiar with design principles, start small. For instance, have your name bigger than your book title. That's a big no-no and takes away from your cover. Research what makes an eye-catching cover before you seek out a designer. Look around at other book covers and see what you like. Then bring those covers to the designer you pick so they know what you're looking for.

2. Mold your persona. Even as an indie author, you're still in the spotlight; more-so because you directly communicate with your readers. Brainstorm for a while and figure out what top two or three traits you want to be known for. Perhaps you want to be whimsical and kind like J.K. Rowling, sassy and out-going like Amanda Hocking, or maybe you are more of a recluse like J.D. Salinger.

Burning Stuff and Other Things I Shouldn't Do

It's been a while since I posted a blog... wait, I shouldn't start out like that. I hate when posts start out like that. Let's see, what should I say?

I'm refocusing the blog on reviews in general, not just books. This is for a few reasons. First of all, I read mostly non-fictions and scholarly journals in my leisure time. (I know it's a little shocking.) The second reason is I play video games and watch TV shows a hellavua lot. I'm a junkie, really. And that's cool too, because it's a hobby. This totes doesn't mean I won't review an indie book, it just means I'm broadening my horizons. My first review will be on a game called Little Inferno. Never heard of it? That's okay, you will hear of it soon enough. If you're like me and you like burning things, you'll like the game.

I have a few projects I'm starting up. The biggest one is learning Coral Draw and exploring designing vectors and logos (using vectors, derp). If I can do well at this, I will be hired as a graphic designer for a new sign business that will create advertisements, billboards, and business signs in the greater Houston area. Exciting? Yeah, I know.

I am also taking a Design I class. This isn't really for a degree, since I already have art credits. It's more because I love the professor and I want to sharpen my design "eye". I'm working with a lot of mixed media, NOT graphic art. This is super awesome because I can take what I learn and apply it to my design work.

What does this mean for readers? Well, it means since I'm "learning", my rates for book covers and logos will be cheaper for a while. So, you should probs contact me if you like my work and want to make sweet magic with me. I know you want to. ;)

Montgomery County Book Festival was a SMASH HIT!

"I really do have the best readers in the whole wide world! Just look at these two lovelies from Texas Bibliomaniacs who stopped by my table at Montgomery County Book Festivall to pick up Cicada and Firefly! Love, love, love! ♥" - Belle Whittington

We sold out of Cicada books and only had a few Firefly left. Mom got to interview Sophie Jordan, Kathi Appelt, and Tracey Deebs. We also got to meet Deeanne Gist, Brian Falker, and so many others. We even got to see the wonderful and talented Melissa Studdard again this year!

Don't miss the Montgomery Count Book Festival next year!

If you want to get the most up-to-date information on my mom, make sure to follow her on Facebook!!