Writing – Katy Walters Author

A First Class Recipe

May 28, 2022May 27, 2022by katywaltersreviewsLeave a Comment

Listen to the Chicken, I mean Chef.

Mouth-watering pancakes are famous worldwide. I know my family finds them irresistible. They are also so easy to cook, even if you burn everything. The ingredients can be found in any cook’s cupboard. Some have been there for years, so this would be a good time for you to use the flour. Just watch out for mould. Having said that, if you do find the flour is years old, you can find new ingredients in the local supermarket or village. They are crying out to sell their flour and eggs. But usually, they are on tap in your cupboards. They do not really need a special visit to the supermarket or local shop.

This delicious food recipe originated in prehistoric societies worldwide.

The preparation and cooking utensils are easy to obtain and use without any mind-boggling fuss that raises the heartbeat and sends the pulses racing. We don’t want to get doctors and surgeons involved if we can help it.

As I said, all you have to do is retrieve the ingredients that are usually hiding in your kitchen cupboard. Then you can easily access a pan and a grid or just switch on your oven.

A pinafore might be a good idea because of the flour. And, if you have today’s fashion of waist-length hair, you can just put your hair up in an elastic band. But, of course, if you are male, then you can just brush it back; having said that, I have seen quite a few males with shoulder length and longer hair. And why not? They look lovely with their beards as well. So, it is up to you. I mean, it’s nature’s way of keeping us warm. Not me; I’m female, but I do have hair but not a beard, or hair on my chest. Thank goodness.

But apart from these little tips, it is so easy to produce a pancake. No fuss or bother. The joy of this recipe is that all you need is flour, eggs, milk, and your favourite cooking oil. I use olive oil unless it is rancid, then I do throw it out. You don’t want to poison your family even though you may have been rowing. Olive oil does damage the taste somewhat. But the joy of this recipe is they can be made just from flour, sugar, oil, and fruits. I think that is a repetition, but better to be safe than sorry. It’s just like leaving the pancake in the oven while you take the dog for a five-mile walk. Easily done, though you should warn the Fire Service. But leaving it in the oven for some time does have its advantages; the dog is healthy with the extra exercise. So really, it is something to think about.

But, I am getting away from the subject. The shape of the pancake is usually round unless you like cutting out patterns in the batter, which is almost impossible; if it is runny and only becomes solid after cooking. I find it is off-putting as I have yet been unable to cut patterns in a runny batter. But of course, once the batter is cooked, you will have more joy with cutting patterns in it. It won’t run away, you see.

The pancake can also have differences. Some are fluffy or thin and flat. Again, not much choice, but even then, fluffy ones are flat. They are all a quarter of an inch in depth. To help out here, I have never seen a runny batter with holes cut in it.

Oh, and one more thing, it is exciting to know you can have a potato pancake. I think the French call them pancakes or crepes.

But now, for the really exciting tip, you can choose chocolate or cheese. If you have a special taste, you can put the chocolate and the cheese together in just one pancake!! And wait for it; you can then cover the cheese and the chocolate in strawberry jam. As you can imagine, the pancake can be cooked in so many ways with so many ingredients. I even know one friend who uses seaweed and then coats that delicious ingredient in red jelly. Scrumptious.

Happy eating!

I do hope you enjoyed this post, and that it induced crazy snorting laughter … or at least a glimmer of a smile. Feel free to check out my many other blog posts on WordPress as well as my large collection of novels on Amazon. My books cover a number of genres, such as Regency Romance, Science Fiction, Crime Horror, and fantasy. I am sure you will find something you like. Please click on the link below to visit my US Amazon author page (or search for other regions).

AMAZON US

historical romance, history, Writing

Origin of Languages

August 7, 2021by katywaltersreviewsLeave a Comment

Writing is actually a fascinating concept. I often ponder on how and why it evolved. What are the origins of writing? Why did we start? Was it to facilitate trading? Did authorship develop from that same source? Or was it an entirely different avenue? How did the two separate avenues of vocalization and sign language evolve? Did people listen to the trickles of a stream or the raging of a volcano and try to mimic them? In so doing, did they begin to build a language? Did signs, the separate consonants, and vowels evolve from the vocal sound of a whistling wind? A raging storm?

When I was writing my latest novel, it began as a historical suspense romance but changed to comedy which I’ve never aspired to write but did when faced with illness. The point is, in my story, an Immortal appears in the later chapters with his own language. As authors know full well, characters have a habit of just springing into a novel without prior planning or warning. Did the writer, true to their muse, not delete it? So I came to the point of this character, the immortal, who had his own language. Yes, he did have one, but how would it sound? How would I put it in writing in my novel?

This bought me to muse on our earliest ancestors and the origins of language. How would our ancestors have exchanged goods? Would it all be by action, not sounds? Taking it further, how would they vocalize the sound of the raging wind, the crackle of thunder, the howl of a wolf? Even more mysterious is how they would put it down in writing? Would they use signs that literally describe the wind? For example, if one looks at the letter ‘W,’ it gives the initial sound of the wailing of the wind. Now it’s the same interpretation in German – interesting. So in portraying the language of an ancestor, I imagined how they would vocalize the sound of space, nature, the elements, and animals. Although it was thought-provoking and made for exciting writing, I realized it may include signs and diagrams as part of the language. I realized I was endeavoring to introduce a new or different version of an ancient language. This was too complicated and far beyond the scope and length of my fictional novel. I would understand the worlds and composition because I’d made it up. Still, I couldn’t expect my reader to enjoy pages of signs, letters, and diagrams.

So I deleted hours of trying to dream up the origin and sounds of my fictitious ancestor.

Getting a Glimpse of the Origin of Writing

I appreciate that the system of writing varies; the Egyptian symbology is different from the Chinese, and so on. So I thought, maybe if I did a little research on each writing system, I might glimpse the source or origin of writing if not vocalization. Maybe with a fleeting thought might come some enlightenment? So for starters. The vowel ‘O’ simulates the howling of a wolf, as does the letter ‘w’ as it carries on the wind. So how did these vowels come about? How did our ancestors put them together?

There again, did singing come first? The high notes of the soprano emulating birds or raindrops or the base/baritone vocalizing the thunder of the storm. If I was just starting out in academia, I might have opted to research these fascinating concepts.

Another reason for the above is my interest in the history of the evolving presentations of the modern novel. I was fascinated with the presentation and language of the first novel in our literary history, entitled ‘Pamela, ‘created by Samuel Richardson, 1740. He used the epistolary style form, which was quite absorbing.

At university, amongst other subjects, I did study the etymology and formation of our modern language. I began my research from two primary roots of our Western language, the soft poetic lilt of Latin languages and the harsh pragmatism of the Teutonic. Of course, there are softer tones in the Germanic language, but that is another area of debate.

We were instructed to write one short story using the Teutonic roots and then another from Latin. I had to work through dictionaries for nearly every word. It was not tiring at all; it was fascinating. It appears a crime novel benefits from the Teutonic – Germanic languages while a romance needs Latin.

I see I’ve written enough for now but will return next time with more ideas, and hopefully, you will have some as well, I would welcome your input and comments.

books, comedy, fiction, Kindle, romance

They’re ‘Sweet & Sassy: A New Beginning’!

July 30, 2021July 31, 2021by katywaltersreviews1 Comment

I invite you to while away some well-deserved hours reading, smiling, and enjoying a whole lotta lovin’. ‘Sweet & Sassy – A New Beginning’, is a wonderful romantic boxed set. Now available for download at Amazon.

Sweet & Sassy: A New Beginning is an eight book multi-author boxset written by New York Times, USA Today Bestselling, and Bestselling Authors.

Despite thwarting dogs and Mother Nature’s wrath, these couples fight to begin again and forge a new path. Sometimes their second chances arrive where they least expect them or even wave through a window. Whether best friends, co-workers, or strangers, these men and women struggle with roadblocks that pop up all around them.
Join us as these romances enlighten your reading time with miracles, poker games, hiding from the past, disabilities, political shenanigans, military tactics, and starting life over for a new lease on life.

Enjoy EIGHT tales of love and life’s roadblocks from this international slate of USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Authors.

Buy From Amazon US

Buy From Amazon UK

I hope you are all keeping safe and supporting those in most need – my husband and I are currently isolating. Please enjoy my website. You will find information on my many books and even a gallery with photos and slideshows of my artwork. Love, Katy.

Katy Walter’s Website

meditation, poetry, reading, spiritual, Writing

My Study: A Poem

September 19, 2020September 19, 2020by katywaltersreviewsLeave a Comment

My lounge is a place of the heart. I think of carpets, sofas, the comfort of elderly visits. the surprise and birth of children. I remember family birthday parties with cake, blowing out candles and wishing. Spring with French doors open to roses, and horsechesnut trees. In whispers, I recall funereal buffets with soft weeping.

My study, however, is the silent home of my soul; of thoughts unspoken, turning into novels and poetry tapped out onto a plastic keyboard.

My Study

A sunlit room of oaken beams where dreams
Stream flowing through fresh windows,
Searching scarred shadows, papers shown, reams,
Of prose, doomed epitaphs, mellow.
Pastel portraits of animals long dead,
Haunting, dog running, flowers, fields,
The spring of adolescence, blossoms fed
On a winter of shattered innocence, concealed.
 
Figurines from ancient dynasties,
Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist, and Abrahamic,
hover in the mist of lost loyalties,
Whilst the Virgin steps on the serpent's hiss,
Outside the dark Cathedral of Trees,
Inspires, bringing sorrow to its knees.

death, poetry, reading, Writing

Ravens

August 8, 2020August 7, 2020by katywaltersreviewsLeave a Comment

Ravens

Fly from me Raven of Death,
You will not steal my breath,
Whilst l have spirit to fight
To put flight to your vigil.
 
Pick and nip some other where,
Sip blood and tear
More willing flesh.
 
My window of life
Is firmly closed to you,
I did not beckon your darkness,
My fevered muscles still a buttress,
Against your vehement feathers,
Go find some other mistress,
To delight in your blackness?
 
Although full blown,
I still own to the blossom
And the bud,
The Light and the Dove.

books, comedy, fiction, Kindle, romance

They’re ‘Cute But Crazy’ … and finally let loose!

March 20, 2020March 28, 2020by katywaltersreviewsLeave a Comment

In these tragic, troubling times, whether your isolated, getting by, or on the front-lines, I invite you to while away some well-deserved hours reading, smiling, and laughing. The ‘Cute But Crazy – Wacky Wonderful Women’ romantic comedy boxed set is now available for download at Amazon.

Undeterred by misadventures and challenges, these strong-willed ladies take life and love by the ears, embracing the men they have chosen through good times and bad. Furious ex-wives – ghosts and angels with their own agendas – the challenges of PTSD and imaginary friends – even Cupid, chickens, and a bumper crop of marijuana won’t get in the way of true love for these wacky, wonderful women. You can call them cute. Just don’t call them crazy.

Enjoy EIGHT side-splitting tales of love and screw-ups from this international slate of USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Authors.

Buy From Amazon US

Buy From Amazon UK

Katy Walter’s Website

dog, reading, Uncategorized, Writing

Lily and the Viszlas

March 12, 2020March 12, 2020by katywaltersreviews1 Comment

Remembering my canine pals. A warm, lighthearted look at dearly departed pets and their quirky habits. Whilst these memories often bring on a tear or two, I still smile at their fun-loving antics.

Before Lucy, my lovely though lively Sprocker Spaniel, my husband and I were blessed with a succession of other dogs – each with their own distinct personality. Here are some random snippets of our time with these wonderful family members.

Jim – Victor of Jimbolia – a male Hungarian Viszla

Jim was our first encounter with the Viszla breed. As a side note, the breeder’s children nicknamed the pup Jimbud because of his little Buddha belly. Very independently minded with a rather crafty edge, Jim would, despite his many walks, find ways to sneak out of our house and take himself on an adventure around the town.

Taking nearby footpaths and alleyways, the wily dog kept a sharp eye out for our car as we searched for him. Sometimes we would catch a glimpse of an orange head peering around a far corner. As you would expect, he had always vanished by the time we got there.

At one time, Jim invaded the pitch at a local football match – an important fixture for the home team. Play was halted as the fearless Viszla chased both the ball and various players.

We were never surprised upon receiving a call from the local police station, where Jim became a well known ~~felon~~ visitor. Sheepishly we collected our errant family member, always promising to be more vigilant in future.

Most of the time, Jim would get bored and wait for us in his favourite park. He always stood, semi hidden, in some shrubs at the edge of the green, and silently submitted to being put back on the leash. As we drove back home he usually just fell asleep on the back seat.

Beth – Bethany of Bethesden – a female Hungarian Viszla

Beth – Bethany of Bethesden with Christian

After Jim sadly passed away, Beth, our second Viszla, presented us with a very different personality. Loving and motherly, Beth never took herself away on adventures, but instead kept an eye on our family. She was far more of a guard dog than Jim and would always growl through the letterbox when a stranger came to our front door.

Despite her protective motherly ways, Beth never gave up being a lapdog. We all, especially my husband, endured the pain of a large bony dog clambering up and awkwardly settling herself across our laps. She would lie there, cutting of the circulation in your legs, for as long as you could endure it.

Strangely, Beth also loved the same park as Jim, and spookily liked to play around the shrubs where Jim used to hide. After many joyful years, both Viszlas’ ashes were scattered here. My husband and I still sometimes visit the park and like to think that our beloved pets are still there, waiting for us.

Lily – the Blond Bombshell or the Disco Diva – a female Golden Retriever

Lily – the Blond Bombshell with Katy Walters

A cross between a force of nature and a ditzy Hollywood blond, Lily, the golden retriever really kept us on our toes – or our backs if we lost our balance. Extremely friendly and always happy, she would almost bowl you over as she excitedly raced over to greet you at the front door.

More than any of our previous dogs, Lily would meet and greet anyone who passed by as we walked along the promenade. Her happy go lucky nature was infectious and she demanded and always enjoyed a lot of attention. Perhaps her favourite place was the beach, where she would splash through the surf and launch herself into any large puddles she could find. In fact, she got so mucky that we often returned home to a battle in the shower.

Lily spent many hours watching me write my latest greatest novels. I like to think she she was impressed by my ‘stream of consciousness’ writing style as I rapidly typed away, but it was probably the dog treats I kept in the drawer below.

Like her predecessors, Lily found her way into my stories. In the novel ‘The Wounded Therapist’ – part of the Doctors In Love 2 boxed set – Lily has a prominent role and even has a love interest of her own. Now that Lily has also gone, that particular book holds a special place in my heart.

So, now we have Lucy. Whilst I type away on my PC keyboard, she sits close by on the sofa. Sometimes she ignores me, but there are many times where I get the uncanny feeling that she is taking a real interest in my work. … and I’m sure the two of us have many surprising moments and adventures both real and written ahead of us.

I hope you liked these brief glimpses of my canine pals. However, I am often asked whether I might get a cat instead. Well, we’ve had cats before and, knowing their dark ways, I’m sure it would find a way to delete my precious files while I go to the loo.

Please visit my website, where you can find information on my many books and a few slideshow galleries of my artwork. Love, Katy

Katy’s Website

comedy, fiction, Kindle, reading, romance, Writing

The Music That Inspired my Fowl Romance

March 9, 2020March 9, 2020by katywaltersreviews1 Comment

I almost never write without music in the background. Music enhances my emotions and it’s influence inevitably finds it’s way into my work. When writing my Rhonan Trilogy – a supernatural historical romance set mainly in early 19th century Scotland – I turned to a playlist of atmospheric Celtic inspired tunes and even a couple of Jeremy Soule tracks from the almighty Skyrim video game.

For my romantic comedy, ‘Listen to the Chicken’, soon to be released in the marvellous boxed set, ‘Cute but Crazy‘, I found that a different style of music was more appropriate. Using novel musicality, the rasping poultry tones sent me soaring to new heights of inspiration. I hope you may also find inspiration in this beautifully fowl rendition of Satie’s ‘Gymnopedie no. 1’.

TwoSetViolin performing chicken version of Satie’s Gymnopedie No.1

The ‘Cute but Crazy‘ boxed set, that includes ‘Listen to the Chicken‘ plus seven other hilarious romantic novels is released on 20th March 2020.

Pre-order ‘Cute but Crazy’

Pre-order from US Amazon

Pre-order from UK Amazon

Please visit my website, where you will find information about all of my books plus a gallery of my paintings and photos. Love, Katy.

Katy’s Website

dog, fiction books, kindle, romance, spaniel, Writing

Canine Collaborator

March 4, 2020March 4, 2020by katywaltersreviews3 Comments

Slumping back in my chair, after spending an age editing the structure of an awkward sentence, I am almost ready to engage in writer vs monitor pugilism. Instead, I take a breath and reach over to stroke my dog’s head. Lucy, my attentive Sprocker Spaniel, looks up from her vantage point on the sofa – her sofa – and happily receives the attention.

“Little help?” I ask.

Lucy tilts her head in a quizzical manner, her shaggy ears flopping to the side. For a moment, we gaze at one another, staring deep into each other’s eyes, as if telepathically comparing notes. With a smile, I return to my keyboard and tentatively edit the sentence. Not quite there, but a good start.

“Thank you, Lucy”, I say, briskly stroking her head. She does not reply, not even a nod … because of course, she is a dog.

Do you have a canine collaborator, or some other pet that helps you with your writing?

Love,
Katy

Katy Walters Website

PC Setup, Writing

I love my Ducky! Or, some interesting insights into my new writing setup.

February 18, 2020February 20, 2020by katywaltersreviews3 Comments

A recent battle with eyesight problems, which played havoc with my usually prolific writing schedule, prompted some changes to my hardware and software setup. I thought I might share these changes should they be of any use to any fellow writers out there.

I won’t go into the details of my eyesight problems. Suffice to say that deteriorating focus, headaches, and warped imagery were all involved. Whilst medical treatment has helped dramatically, I also made the following changes – and I love my Ducky!

1: A new PC Monitor: For my main monitor, I replaced my trusty, though ageing, Philips monitor with a new 28” BenQ monitor. The Philips is now my 2^nd monitor and my even older 19” Acer has now ascended to Monitor Heaven (some dark place in the attic known only to my hubby). Not only does the increased screen size of the BenQ mean I’m not squinting as much at small details, but it also has ‘flicker free’ eyecare technology, which is much easier on the eyes and less likely to induce headaches. It also has built-in blue filter settings for late night typing, but I use software for this, so have not used this feature. It also has a great picture, and wasn’t expensive, which is always nice.

2: Ease of Access Settings: My eldest son, who is tech savvy, introduced me to the Ease of Access settings in Windows 10. These can be found by clicking the Settings icon in the Start Menu, and then selecting Ease of Access. In Ease of Access/Display, you can increase the size of text (I use 125%) and also ‘Make Everything Bigger’ (I use 150%). In Ease of Access/Curser & Pointer, you can increase the size of your curser (I use 2 or 3) and also ‘Make the Curser Easier to See When Typing’ (the icon that changes the curser from white to black depending on the background colour is interesting). Experiment with these settings to find what suits you. You can of course use the zoom feature in your word processing software, but with these settings you may not have to.

3: ClearType: This is a Windows feature that can improve the readability of text and is very easy to set up. Just type Cleartype in the Windows search bar and click on ‘Adjust ClearType text’ in the list. Then, you simply follow the instructions and choose the text that looks best to you. If you have more than one monitor then you can set it up for both.

4: My lovely Ducky! Another change, though not as directly related to my eyesight problems, is the acquisition of a mechanical keyboard. For those that don’t know, a mechanical keyboard has a sturdy switch for each key, rather than a mushy membrane. This is more like the computer keyboards from the 1980’s and can give the typist both audible and tactile feedback.

Ducky, a respected Taiwanese brand, produce clean design mechanical keyboards for both typists and gamers and my son had one spare, which he gave to me to try (keep). The Ducky uses Cherry MX switches, which are good quality. My one has brown switches, which have a tactile ‘bump’ as you press, but not a loud click. Red’s, mainly for gamers, have no bump or click, and blues have both a bump and a click. As a touch-typist, having tactile feedback has transformed my typing. I make far fewer mistakes, especially missed keystrokes. In time, I intend to upgrade to a new Ducky with adjustable backlight illumination. I may get a blue switch version, with a louder click for increased touch-typing goodness (obviously not a good choice if there are other people around when you’re typing).

The combination of these changes has really helped my writing and my eyesight. It is important to remember however, that there is no substitute for simply giving your eyes a rest from the PC screen. It is all too easy to take a break from writing your next bestseller and switch to browsing for a while. You really need to regularly look/get away from your monitor and treat your eyes to some longer distance focus; even if it means just gazing out of the window and watching the world go by.

Love,
Katy

Katy Walters Website and Blog