I (heart) bookstores

“Bookshops are the most valuable destination for the lonely, given the numbers of books that were written because authors couldn’t find anyone to talk to.”
–Alain de Botton

The Firebrand
is a valentine to booksellers and a testament to the power of love and the mysteries of fate and happenstance. It has a lot of ground to cover.
In the midst of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, unconventional debutante Lucy Hathaway risks her life to save a baby girl, raising the orphan as her own while running The Firebrand, a bookstore that caters to suffragettes and free thinkers. Five years later, fate throws her into the path of Randolph Higgins when she discovers the scarred, bitter, divorced man believes his baby died in the fire. She realizes Maggie, the child she saved that terrible night, is his lost daughter.
Now the conservative banker and the fiercely independent Lucy must deal with each other for Maggie’s sake. Despite the resulting clash of wills and differing political views, the powerful attraction that drew them together five years earlier still exists. Can these two stubborn, opinionated people find a way to create a family for the sake of Maggie, risking their own battered hearts?
I would love to meet you! Please mark your calendar for these upcoming events:
1 October 2010 – Poulsbo WA

• 6:30pm
• Chocolate and Wine with Romance Authors: Susan Wiggs, Sheila Roberts, Kimberly Fisk, and Julia Templeton
• Kiana Lodge, Poulsbo, WA
• Ticket Price: $25.00
• Join Susan Wiggs, Sheila Roberts, Kimberly Fisk and Julia Templeton at Kiana Lodge to support your library! An evening of chocolate, wine and words in a romantic setting. Discuss their writing styles, careers, and stories for an unforgettable evening of fun.
• Click here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/109614 for tickets and more information.

11-16 October 2010 – Seattle WA

• “The Novel: LIVE!” event to benefit literacy. 36 authors. 6 days. 1 blockbuster novel. For more info please see Words4Women-subscribe.
  Firehouse Veggie Chili (adapted from www.marthastewart.com)
  INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1 (15-ounce) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 stewed (28-ounce) tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup chili powder
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • toppings of your choice–sour cream, chopped green onions, cheddar cheese, etc.

  In a large pot, warm the oil. Saute onion, green and red peppers, carrot, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Stir in 7 cups water, lentils, tomato paste, kidney beans and pinto beans. Add stewed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about an hour. If the chili starts to dry out, add hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with toppings and corn bread.
  Stay cool!