An Interview with Author, N. R. Bates
N. R. Bates, Author of At The Sharp End of Lightning As part of the virtual book tour for Mr. Bates’ latest book, At The Sharp End of Lightning, we were pleased to have a chat with the author. As an Oceanographer, his love of the ocean shines through in all that he writes. With this book, his love and knowledge of the oceans combine into a fantasy novel that young adults and adults will enjoy. Grounding the fantasy within reality makes the story more intriguing. The book tour, running through the month of January, is sponsored by iRead Book Tours. You can learn more about the author and his book by checking out the various stops he will make along the tour. The schedule can be found here at the tour site. The Interview If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be? Yalara Narika, the Sea Sprite in my stories, is my favorite character. She has an intelligence fierceness and strength that unfolds in the Oceanlight series. She loves to fly and breathe underwater: a couple of abilities I’d love to have. What is your next project? I really enjoyed my foray into short-stories (the collection “The Fall of Icarus”) and writing in the first person. I am presently working on minor edits of the second book in the Oceanlight series, The Gathering Places, and I hope to publish before the spring of 2016. The storylines of the three main protagonists from the first book continue and deepen. Several new characters are introduced including a human scientist who is dying and The Watcher who ties the storylines together. In the first book, the murderous Man in the White Suit disappeared. Some of my readers are hoping he will reappear. Although I haven’t been writing recently, I have been mulling over a couple of novella-length stories. I do feel myself drawn away from the genre of epic fantasy and science fiction towards magical realism and literary fiction, and so I expect that these two novellas will be based upon serious issues—with some fantastical and surreal elements to them. What is the last great book you’ve read? This may not be a familiar book to some readers, but the last “great” book I read recently was “Beside the Ocean of Time” by George...
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Mandarin Cauliflower Salad
The Adaptable Cauliflower This vegetable is continually surprising me. From the first time I tried using it in fried rice, added it to burritos, meatballs, even chicken salad, I have been so pleased with the resulting good taste. The added nutrition and lower calorie count were bonuses. After using it in so many cooked meals I wanted to try some using it raw. This particular one is unique. I first tasted one similar at the assisted living home where mom lives. It’s so delicious, yet takes only minutes to assemble. Another plus, you can make it ahead of time. Marinating increases the flavor. It tastes crisp and light, the onion and the mandarin orange adding delightful flavor. To save even more time, I used the Ninja Master Prep Pro for the onion and the cauliflower. It only takes seconds though, or you will end up with small bites. Still delicious, whatever size you like. Give it a try. The variations can be unending. Try your own favorite dressing. Use an orange or another fruit, toss in some raw broccoli for color. Those are just a few ideas. I hope you will share what you add too. Save Print Mandarin Cauliflower Salad Rating 5 from 1 reviews Serves: 4 to 6 Ingredients ½ cauliflower 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained ¼ cup chopped red onion ⅓ to ½ cup Ranch dressing Cilantro or Parsley Instructions Clean and chop cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Combine in medium bowl with chopped onion, cilantro, and Ranch dressing. Gently toss in mandarin oranges. Serve right away or marinate, covered, in the fridge. 3.3.3077 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Merry Citarella, often writing as Merrci, writes on a wide range of topics. Recently relocated to the Oregon Coast in the northwest United States, she frequently writes travel features on the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She specializes in health and aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, food, lifestyle, and book reviews. For more information you can see her on The Writers’Door. You can read more articles here or at her websites Mystery Suspense Reviews...
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N. R. Bates, Author of At The Sharp End of Lightning As part of the virtual book tour for Mr. Bates’ latest book, At The Sharp End of Lightning, we were pleased to have a chat with the author. As an Oceanographer, his love of the ocean shines through in all that he writes. With this book, his love and knowledge of the oceans combine into a fantasy novel that young adults and adults will enjoy. Grounding the fantasy within...
Read More
The Adaptable Cauliflower This vegetable is continually surprising me. From the first time I tried using it in fried rice, added it to burritos, meatballs, even chicken salad, I have been so pleased with the resulting good taste. The added nutrition and lower calorie count were bonuses. After using it in so many cooked meals I wanted to try some using it raw. This particular one is unique. I first tasted one similar at the assisted...
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Be a Real Life Hero For Halloween Astronauts are real life heroes most kids look up to still today. A good percentage of those children would say that is exactly what they want to be when they grow up. How fun to encourage their love of the field with a costume they love. I remember how many of the kids in my daughter’s school wanted to be astronauts. Most of the boys, and quite a few of the girls too, wanted to board a...
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Say hello to Jack Reacher Are you a Jack Reacher fan? If so, you won’t want to miss Nothing to Lose, the 12th in the series by Lee Child. Actually, if you haven’t read the series, this one might get you hooked. Considered part of the mystery/suspense thriller genre, Mr. Child’s novels certainly hold my attention. I started listening to the audiobook yesterday morning and ended up listening most of the day! I was glad...
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