creativity

Seafood Heaven!

| Melia Alexander

There are two people in my family who are terribly allergic to seafood. Makes their lips swell, and then they itch like a gazillion ants are crawling all over them! You can almost feel it, huh?

Thankfully, I don’t fall in the stare-longingly-at-plates-of-shellfish category. Nor do I fall in the ewwww-it’s-fish category. Which pretty much means that there’s more for the rest of us! Aren’t I mean? 🙂

But going out to eat is another thing altogether. While I’m admittedly a steak eater (I likes me some meat!), I sometimes bow down to the need for variety and will order an aquatic creature on my dinner plate instead. Here’s what it looked like on one of those occasions:

Scallops, halibut, and shrimp. YUMMINESS on a plate! And, yeah, I ate the whole thing!

Do you like seafood? Any kind in particular? Please share!

Happy Food and Wine Wednesday,
Melia

 

Summer Dreamin’

| Melia Alexander

I know I’m going to sound like I’m belly-aching, but, man, oh, man do I miss the warm summer weather! 20140822_211355What can I say? My cabin-fevered little heart is so wanting to get out and enjoy the outdoors!

I especially miss sitting around a pseudo-campfire, particularly when I get to wear really cute open-toed sandals. (Hey, priorities, people! 🙂 ) An open flame with a glass of wine and awesome friends, sharing stories and laughing – always laughing! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than that!

Well, okay, throw in some s’mores and I’m all in. 😀

Do you miss the warm weather, too? What’s your fave thing to do?

Stay warm and dry!

Happy Mash-Up Monday,
Melia

 

An Irish Blessing

| Melia Alexander

Corned beef, leprechaun, and pots of gold! Oh, my! It’s time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

While leprechaun and pots of gold aren’t anywhere in my reality (darn!), the corned beef and cabbage will definitely show up. And with it will be gratitude for all of life’s wonderful blessings.

Honestly, I couldn’t say it any better than this:

(Many thanks to a dudette at The Male Observation Lab for letting me snap a pic!)

Do you celebrate St. Patty’s Day? What’s your fave thing to do?

Have an awesome week, everyone!
~Melia

Behind the Falls

| Melia Alexander

I admit it. When I think of travel, I sometimes totally forget how awesome the Pacific Northwest is, often looking for a more exotic destination than the area’s gorgeous scenery. Shame on me!

I was reminded of all this gorgeousness when I met up with a few of my friends recently. See, with all the crazy-ass snow and ice we’d gotten up to that point, we were pretty much bouncing off the walls and ready to get outside and DO SOMETHING on the first somewhat warm, non-rainy day that finally showed up. Well, okay, it did rain a bit, but it wasn’t the drowning kind, so I’m glad we braved it! Take a peek!

_dsc0104The Silver Creek Falls hiking trails take you behind a couple of the water falls. Like, you’re standing behind them! This is the northern most fall, with this constant roar as the water dumped itself over the edge – way cool!

This summer I plan to explore more of the local area and take advantage of the sights and sounds and general awesomeness that makes up my part of the world. So excited!

What treasures are in your part of the world?

Happy Travels,
Melia

Searching For Summer

| Melia Alexander

Ohmigod!

Between Snowpocalypse and the kind of rain that practically required a raft to get around, it’s been one heck of a winter in the Pacific Northwest! Small wonder that there are many of us longing for warm, sunny days! And for me, this is what summer looks like:

dsc_0275What parts of summer are your faves?

Stay warm and dry!

Happy Mash-Up Monday,
Melia

Beyond Infinity

| Melia Alexander

In my experience, a writer doesn’t exist in a bubble. On the contrary. There are people who 20150722_185525help us along on this crazy roller coaster publishing ride, and even well past the times our babies are launched into the world. While we seek some of these people, others fall onto our paths at the most opportune moments. So much so that we never forget them. Ever.

Romance writer author-pal Donna Alward definitely falls into this category for me! See, there was a time at a RWA National Conference when I seriously questioned what the hell I was still doing trying to get published in the face of rejection after rejection after…you get the picture.

And when my critique partner insisted that I join her while she met up with some Harlequin editors and multi-pubbed authors, that was THE LAST place I wanted to be. I mean, who was I to dare sully the same air as these greats, right? So I trailed behind, stayed on the fringes of the group, and generally tried to find interest in the touristy things we were seeing: The Reflection Pool, The Washington Monument, some rocks at The Natural History Museum. I didn’t feel like I belonged with them. At All. At least, that was until Donna stepped in.

She talked to me. Like, actually cared about what I was writing, and that I WAS writing at all. With her interest, I found myself back in the writing game. And am I ever happy I continued!

That day I learned about the awesome power of  hope that we all hold over each other. One word…one look…one smile…sometimes that’s all that’s needed to make a positive difference in another human being’s life. I try hard to remember that, although I do need to be reminded every now and then, too!

So today’s Take-Me-Back Thursday photo is of the two of us at RWA 2015 in New York City. We planned, we schemed, we laughed, and we shared “special” chocolate pieces! Honestly, I’d go beyond infinity for this lady! Well…as long as it’s moral and legal! Okay, okay…those are admittedly flexible rules, too! (But don’t share that with her, ‘kay? She might draft me onto a committee or something! 😉 )

Have you met someone super-influential in your life? Please share!

Happy Almost-Friday!

Hugs and chocolate kisses,
Melia

Nature’s Art, Man’s Machine

| Melia Alexander

It rains in my part of the world. A. Lot.

Which was why it wasn’t a surprise to hit liquid sunshine on a road trip over to Central Oregon, where the opening of my last romantic comedy, DRIVEN TO TEMPTATION, was set. But while Aidan and Delaney’s romance began in sunshiny weather, this was what we saw on our trip:

_dsc0033Pretty, huh? Frankly, I’m amazed that nature’s beauty presented itself in the most unexpected places! And I couldn’t help but smile!

Where do you see something unexpectedly beautiful? Please share!

Happy Photo Friday,
Melia

 

Valentine’s Chocolate Treat, Anyone?

| Melia Alexander

Oh, who am I kidding? This is a treat for anytime you want to indulge in something nummy-tasting that’s semi-good for you!

See, I’m a chocolate hound. Like, seriously, when is something better without 20170102_110143chocolate on or in it! And that includes…ummm…never mind… That’s a topic for another post! 😉

Where was I? Oh, right…As someone who likes to follow a mindful, healthy lifestyle, chocolate kinda doesn’t really fit. Not that I haven’t ignored “the rules” completely and indulged! But when there’s a special holiday, a real reason to indulge, then what’s a girl to do?

Scouring the internet, I found a recipe for a double chocolate cookie that is sooo delicious, I don’t miss the fact there isn’t any gluten in it at all! The secret is in the cocoa powder. It acts just like flour in binding the cookie dough together, and is so amazing, I don’t know that I’d make any other of its kind from now on!

Want the recipe? Well, since I didn’t develop it myself, I’m going to have to send you to Rachel over at bakerita.com. You’ll find the link to the Paleo Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies here. If you whip up a batch, let me know how you like it, ‘kay?

(And, yeah, for the record, a single girl can like Valentine’s Day! Even if it’s only for the chocolate… 😉 )

Happy eating,
Melia

Valentine’s and the Single Gurl

| Melia Alexander

Ah, Valentine’s Day! It’s just around the corner, and with it comes hearts and chocolate and kisses and champagne and someone sunset-hands-love-womanspecial. The perfect recipe for creating memorable, intimate moments, yes? I’ve had a history of such moments, but things are a whole lot different for me now.

Because while the day seems to be reserved for couples in lurvvve, as a single lady, I see Valentine’s Day a bit differently. No, I’m not hating on the day. Quite the contrary!

See, the way I figure it, if it’s a day of love, who better to love than oneself? Who better to treat well and celebrate than the wonder and the beauty that is you? I figure that the strength of a relationship with anyone else is only as strong as the relationship we have with ourself. At least, it makes sense to me!

So this Valentine’s Day, I’m taking myself to dinner. And if there happens to be someone across the table, then great! If not, then why should it matter? I’d consider myself the most important person in the room anyway!

At least, those are my musings. But I’m single, so what do I know? 😉

All the single ladies out there, what do you think? Valentine’s Yay or Nay?

Have an awesome week!

~Melia