xakara

Greetings, Kittens!

Welcome to the Summer Chillin' Blog Hop. I hope you find some great recipes and delightful promotions to help carry you through the hot weeks ahead.

For my entry I've chosen a dessert. Yes, it might heat up your kitchen, but trust me, these cookies are more than worth it. To further make amends, I've provided a refreshing beverage to cool you back down.

I encourage making things from scratch, but I know we don’t always have the energy or the budget to keep the ingredients on hand. Box cake mixes are the perfect back up/alternative. I stock up on my favorite mixes any time I see them on sale and often for $1.25 or less, have the perfect base for sheet cakes, cupcakes, cookies and bars. Here’s the newest favorite in my household.

Cake Batter Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 box red velvet cake mix,
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1tsp baking powder
3tsp water
6 - 8oz chocolate chips
Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. Combine Red Velvet cake mix (I used Duncan Hines, but any 18oz mix will do) with baking powder, eggs, water and oil until dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Form into teaspoon sized balls, roll in powdered sugar and place on tray about an inch apart. You can pat down the tops lightly, but these will spread fine without that if you prefer. Bake for 8 to 12mins depending on your oven, the top of the cookie will crack and it will set around the edges. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar immediately after removing them from the oven. They're crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and perfectly moist.

Blended Strawberry Lemonade:

1 ¼ lb strawberries, washed and halved, about 4 cups
2 lemons, washed and quarted
½ to ¾ cup honey or agave nectar to taste
6 cups of water
Ice

Blend the strawberries, lemons and honey with 2 cups of water. Strain and add the remaining 4 cups of water. Adjust sweetness as necessary. Serve over ice.

Alternately, blend lemons, honey and 2 cups of water. Strain and return to blender, add in frozen strawberries and remaining water for a slushie treat.

Comment for a chance to win my food-centric TherianWorld novel A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART, or backlist of your choice.

Ramble Done, Kittens!

~X

Greetings, Kittens!

It's been a while and I thought I'd start back with another look at A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART, before moving on to a holiday theme offering next week. You can read the entire 1st chapter HERE and there will be a chance to when a copy of A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART in two weeks at TRS party.

Be sure to leave your name in you comment so I can be sure to visit!

Enjoy.

Caleb quickly shook his head. “No, it’s never been like that, I’ve encouraged Xander to go for it from early on when they first met. I thought they’d be good for each other, and I felt better knowing Kryssa would take care of him the next time I left.”

He looked over at her, “Even when his brothers were at their most negative and vocal, Kryssa never wavered in her support. She offered to throw me out a window the first time Xander and I were off-again after they became friends, but the goal was to clear the way so we could go straight to make-up/comfort sex after I healed.”

Caleb laughed and nodded, “I know she’s been on my side from the beginning, and with his Fae blood and my Therian and Vampire instincts, I knew we’d go back to being polyamorous eventually; we always do. I’ve even spent more time than I should admit to wondering about it being Kryssa."

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: giggly
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Today I got the official confirmation on my Halloween Day release date for A Way To A Dragon's Heart. Yay! So today I bring you 13(ish) paragraphs from AWTADH, (not counting single line dialogue or short descrip as always).

Enjoy.

“So, you like, get scaly, and big, and stuff?”

Kryssa Drake gritted her teeth and counted to five. What she wanted to do was get scaly, and big, and stuff, and eat the annoying young woman following her around the office loft, but Human Resources had warned her about doing that again. Not that she’d actually eaten the other temps, but the way that last one had hollered you’d have thought she had him half swallowed when security showed up. It’s what they got for sending irritating, yet crunchy and salty-good humans during her period. It was a conspiracy.
Firmly ignoring the too-cute, too-blond, too-perky Barbie clone, Kryssa continued the tour to the break room, explaining the shelving and territorial marking of foodstuffs. Just when she thought the dedicated over-talking of the girl had imparted a clue to the temp, it—she—took Kryssa’s arm.

“You’re like, warm and stuff.”

She gave a slow blink as she looked at the girl. Taking that extra breath before speaking, just like they’d taught in anger management, Kryssa tucked a glossy black spiral curl behind her ear and sighed.
“The air conditioner is on low, and it’s eighty-nine degrees outside, not to mention I’m Therian and run hot. What exactly is the mystery?”

The bubbly twit smiled, tilted her head, and gave an affectionate squeeze, confirming the suspicion she had indeed originated from the head cheerleading rung of hell.

“Well, the whole cold-blooded thing, silly. Dragons are reptiles, right?”

Kryssa stared at the porcelain hand on her arm. It stood out against skin the color of gingersnaps, its paleness making it seem delicate and outright fragile. With that in mind, along with a clenched jaw, mental counting exercise, and thoughts of sitting through yet another Anger Management and You course, Kryssa managed not to crush the thin wrist as she removed the offensive touch.

“Regardless of what we shift into, Therians are mammals. We’re all hot-blooded.”

And hot-tempered and just plain hot when in a thriving environment, but that was neither here or there. Kryssa needed something to calm her nerves before she forgot herself and a simple orientation became a full-blown situation. A quick rooting through the fridge produced a large tub of raw vegetables. Almost before the top was fully off, several baby carrots disappeared into her mouth.

“Ooo, you eat vegetables too?” A slow continual nodding of the head followed the question, a trait that took the temp all morning whenever something challenged her to think too hard.

Kryssa crunched louder and groaned. “We’re omnivores, you idiot.” The last two words came out a mumbled wreck that bought her a little extra time for decorum.

“Oh yeah, okay, right. So, um, just between us girls, have you ever eaten anyone, Chrissie?”

Time’s up. “No, but give me a minute.”

Big blue Bambi eyes blinked over at her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand you.”

I’m not the only thing she doesn’t understand, by a long shot. “I said give me a minute. I have to take care of something.” Kryssa backed away slowly, the way you escape from a dog you think might be rabid. Or in this case, one severely mentally stunted, and therefore dangerous to your dry cleaning bill with the slobbering and the pawing. “Get familiar with the cabinets and snack machine and I’ll be back.”

Broccoli florets, raw cauliflower, and more carrots disappeared in the hundred yard dash to a neutral corner. An open concept conference room became her refuge as she ducked through the glass double doors and hopped up on the conference table. She considered the meeting going on at the time just a minor inconvenience she could generously overlook.

“Kryssa, can we help you?”

She looked to the company’s CEO and shook her head.

“Nope. I’m good. Nice suit.” She reached out and fondled the material. “Did I buy you this one?”

The handsome, regal, professional air collapsed in on itself as he looked at her. She reached up and brushed a dark lock of hair from his forehead. It was the same glossy jet black, but had the barest wave to it, unlike the tight curls pinned back off her face and spilling down her back. She couldn’t help but smile at the face, several shades lighter with its olive hue, yet otherwise incredibly similar to her own.

“Yes you did, Kryssa. Nice jeans.”

Funny, it didn’t sound like a compliment. She looked down at the black tailored jeans, matching cropped three-quarter sleeve blazer and white lace cami, unable to find anything wrong. “What? I’m still in head-to-toe Armani. Classic black and white, down to the Italian ankle boots, business casual at its finest. How can you complain, Nicky?”

Dominic Drake sat back and shook his head. “My baby sister just came in eating the equivalent of an entire salad bar and sat on my conference table to crunch her way through the middle of my business negotiations. Where should my list of complaints begin?”

That didn’t leave a lot of room to argue with him, but with family, such a thing is hardly a deterrent to trying. She popped another carrot into her mouth and looked to the oval table. “First, this is my conference table. Your conference table would be two floors above, up the hall from your office. You came to my floor, and for the next two months until my sabbatical starts and I escape this place for a while, it’ll be run my way. As Chief Liaison Officer, I like to liaise in comfort so we do things rather informal here.”

She leaned across the table, smiling at the childhood friend at its other end. “You’re going to accept the merger right, Jimmy? You always were. Your sister told me last week. This is just a bit of show in order to ensure you get the east coast offices; which, let me tell you, Nicky is completely prepared to give to you. So you all may as well take an early lunch, business done.”

Dominic stood abruptly and picked her up, carrying her from the room without another word. As distractions went, it worked, and she munched contently as he strode down the hall, giving the smallest grunt when he finally plopped her down on the receptionist desk in her outer office.

Current Mood: yay
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Welcome back, always glad to hear from you! This picks up within the same conversation between Kryssa and her brother Dominic.

Enjoy.

“I know that, and you don’t have to mentally measure me for a coffin, Krys, I’m not talking about a relationship, I just think you need another focus. What about Xander? He seems great from everything you say. When’s the last time you had sex anyway?”

Kryssa slid back on the desk and folded her legs tailor fashion, “Don’t bring this down to sex and stress relief, Nicky; I could sleep with the entire Human Resources department and that girl would still be only slightly smarter than a bag of hammers. Why are you making this about me?”

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Welcome back and thank you for coming by each week. Today I offer more of A Way To A Dragon's Heart. I'm so excited for the release next month that I can't focus on another story yet, so I'm thrilled that you all seem to love Kryssa as much as I do. This picks up just a bit after last week and you can read all of the offers so far HERE. For reference, this is Kryssa speaking with her brother Dominic.

Enjoy.

“She touched me to check if I was warm-blooded, and you and I both know, I’m going to be checking her blood if she touches me again.”

Dominic ran his hand over his face. “At least you haven’t thrown her out of a window like the last time someone touched you.”

Kryssa’s jaw dropped, “First of all, as an Avian, he should have known better. Second, we were only twenty stories up, for a WereFalcon that’s playground level; he would have landed safely in his sleep. Third, not only did we still get the account, but he thanked me for the compliment to his virility and he asked me out.”

Other Six Sentence Sunday Offerings

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

We're back to A Way To A Dragon's Heart today. I loved last week's 6SS, but I couldn't find a snippet I liked that wasn't a spoiler for the first two books, maybe next week. :)

Previous offerings from this story are HERE and thanks for coming by, as always! You all lift my day more than you know.

Enjoy.

“Where’s your assistant?”

“She’s on maternity leave, remember,” Kryssa muttered around the mouthful of vegetables.

She watched Dominic look around the office like he expected the object of his question to materialize out of nowhere. “Where’s the temp they sent over this morning? Tell me now if we need someone from Clinic to come up.”

“No, we don’t need medical personnel," she grinned, "I left her in the break room and by now, she’s probably trying to figure out if the screen on the microwave gets cable.”

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens! Welcome back, I always appreciate you coming by. I didn't get around last week like I wanted, so please pardon double comments this week as I catch up on your 6SSs. Today is a continuation of last week after Kryssa came and interrupted her brother Dominic's meeting.

For those who need to catch up, you can do so with our First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth offerings.

Enjoy.

She leaned across the table, smiling at the childhood friend on its other end. “You’re going to accept the merger right, Jimmy? You always were, your sister told me last week. This is just a bit of show in order to ensure you get the east coast offices; which, let me tell you, Nicky is completely prepared to give to you, so you all may as well take an early lunch, business done.”

Dominic stood abruptly and picked her up, carrying her from the room without another word. As distractions went, it worked, and she munched contently as he strode down the hall, giving the smallest grunt when he finally plopped her down on the receptionist desk in her outer office.

Update: I have caught up on last week's 6SS for all those who posted here. The only people I may have missed are those who posted anonymous without leaving a name. Please be sure to let me know who you are so I can return the favor! :)

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: Classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Thank you for joining me here again. Your comments are always appreciated! Today is the fifth offering from A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART because I needed the smile. In our last entry Kryssa had escaped from the babbling temp to head for a neutral corner. She ends up sitting on a conference table, conveniently overlooking the meeting going on at the time. *grin*

Also, for those who need to catch up. First, Second, Third, Fourth installments.

Enjoy!

Dominic Drake sat back and shook his head, “My baby sister just came in eating the equivalent of an entire salad bar and sat on my conference table to crunch her way through the middle of my business negotiations. Where should my list of complaints begin?”

That didn’t leave a lot of room to argue with him, but with family, such a thing is hardly a deterrent to trying. She popped another carrot and looked to the oval table. “First, this is my conference table; your conference table would be two floors above, up the hall from your office. You came to my floor, and it’ll be run my way; As Chief Liaison Officer, I like to liaise in comfort so we do things rather informal here."

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Here's a bit more of A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART. It's more or less right after the last entry and still between Kryssa, (who the temp keeps referring to as Chrissie), and our temp from "the cheerleading rung of hell". *grin* Kryssa is speaking around a mouth full of crunchy veggies.

If you wish to catch up. First, Second, & Third offerings of AWTADH.

Enjoy.

"So, um, just between us girls, have you ever eaten anyone, Chrissie?”

“No, but give me a minute," Kryssa said.

"I'm sorry," Big blue Bambi eyes blinked over at her, "I didn’t understand you.”

I’m not the only thing she doesn’t understand by a long shot. “I said give me a minute, I have to take care of something,but you can familiarize yourself with the snack machine.” Kryssa backed away slowly, the way you escape from a dog you think might be rabid; or in this case, severely mentally stunted, and therefore dangerous to your dry cleaning bill with the slobbering and the pawing.

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: Mmm...
Current Location: Classified

Greetings, Kittens!

Thank you all for the kind comments last week! I'm feeling a bit better, but over-did it in the heat Saturday, probably like many of us. So glad to see you again this week, and your comments are always appreciated. Today I'm going back to A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART since I'll be entering edits soon and it's on my mind. The following is just a few paragraphs after the First and Second offerings.

Enjoy.

Kryssa needed something to calm her nerves before she forgot herself and a simple orientation became a full blown situation. A quick rooting through the fridge produced a large tub of raw vegetables. Almost before the top was fully off, several baby carrots disappeared into her mouth.

“Ooo, you eat vegetables too?”

Kryssa crunched louder and groaned, “We’re omnivores, you idiot.” The last two words came out a mumbled wreck that bought her a little extra time for decorum.

Other Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Update: I've been told open ID is glitching and some of you have to post as anonymous. Please put your names in the subject line, or sign your post. And always feel free to leave your link as well. I just want to be sure to visit everyone who visits me, plus those extras I can sneak in now that I'm feelin a bit better. Thanks!

Current Mood: hot
Current Location: classified

Greetings, Kittens!

I'm thrilled that so many of you enjoyed the glimpse into A WAY TO A DRAGON'S HEART last week and I thought it only right to bring you more. This follows directly after last week's offering.

Enjoy.

Firmly ignoring the too-cute, too-blond, too-perky, Barbie clone, Kryssa continued the tour to the
break room, explaining the shelving and territorial marking of foodstuffs. Just when she thought the dedicated over-talking of the girl had imparted a clue to the temp, it—she—took Kryssa’s arm.

“You’re like, warm and stuff.”

Large, chocolate eyes gave a slow blink as she looked at the girl. Taking that extra breath before speaking, just like they’d taught in anger management, Kryssa tucked a glossy black spiral curl behind her ear and sighed. “The air conditioner is on low and it’s eighty-nine degrees outside, not to mention I’m Therian and run hot; so what exactly is the mystery?”
The bubbly twit smiled, tilted her head, and gave an affectionate squeeze, confirming the suspicion she had indeed originated from the head cheerleading rung of hell.

Six Sentence Sunday Participants

Current Mood: peaceful
Current Location: classified

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xakara

Xakara.com

January 2021

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Page Summary

Summer Chillin' Blog Hop
Six Sentence Sunday #15 A Way To A Dragon's Heart
Thursday Thirteen #87 A Way To A Dragon's Heart
Six Sentence Sunday #14
Six Sentence Sunday #13
Six Sentence Sunday # 12
Six Sentence Sunday #10
Six Sentence Sunday #9
Six Sentence Sunday #8
Six Sentence Sunday #7
Six Sentence Sunday #2

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Writing From the Middle: Tales From the Bi Side

Entries tagged with a way to a dragon's heart

Summer Chillin' Blog Hop

Six Sentence Sunday #15 A Way To A Dragon's Heart

Thursday Thirteen #87 A Way To A Dragon's Heart

Six Sentence Sunday #14

Six Sentence Sunday #13

Six Sentence Sunday # 12

Six Sentence Sunday #10

Six Sentence Sunday #9

Six Sentence Sunday #8

Six Sentence Sunday #7

Six Sentence Sunday #2