Notes from Nadir

My Awesome Recipes Books: Blank Paperback Cookbook Organizers

2026-03-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

My Awesome Recipes – the perfect blank paperback cookbook series for organizing your favorite meals, desserts, drinks, holiday classics, and more!

🔥 My Awesome Recipes Are YOUR Awesome Recipes

Record your recipes in these nifty 128-page paperback recipe cookbooks, journals or organizers. From crafting the perfect cocktail to baking delightful treats, these 'My Awesome Recipes' journals are designed to help you document and perfect your culinary creations. Explore the full series below.

My Awesome Recipes – 5 paperback editions available only at Amazon!
All 5 books here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGVYJFX1?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

🍰 My Awesome Dessert Recipes
Capture your sweetest creations in one delicious place! This blank dessert recipe book is perfect for bakers who love cakes, cookies, pies, and everything in between. Book link: My Awesome Dessert Recipes

🍹 My Awesome Beverage Recipes
From cozy cocoa and smoothies to cocktails and mocktails, this blank drink recipe journal is perfect for mixologists, hosts, and everyday sippers alike. Book link: My Awesome Beverage Recipes

🍳 My Awesome Cooking Recipes
A flexible blank cookbook designed for everyday meals, comfort food, and kitchen creativity. Book link: My Awesome Cooking Recipes

🥖 My Awesome Baking Recipes
For home bakers who love kneading dough, whipping up pastries, or inventing new bakes. Book link: My Awesome Baking Recipes

🎄My Awesome Holiday Recipes
Celebrate the magic of the season and preserve your most delicious traditions with My Awesome Holiday Recipes, a DIY blank recipe book made for home cooks, bakers, and festive foodies of all skill levels. Book link: My Awesome Holiday Recipes
These blank recipe journals are designed for bakers, cooks and mixologists of all levels!

Build your own kitchen journal set – the perfect gift for food lovers, students, or newlyweds!

Imagine Beverly Hills: Romantic Mini Stories in Video Form

2026-03-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Imagine stepping inside a Beverly Hills mansion where romance, mystery, and cinematic moments unfold in short videos. My Imagine Beverly Hills series brings these moments to life across several platforms.

Why am I so intrigued with Beverly Hills? Because my latest book, North of Sunset: A Novel is set there. In brief, it’s about a levelheaded temporary assistant who is sent to the Beverly Hills home office of a demanding and successful action movie producer, only to discover he’s testing her loyalty in unusual ways.

Rather than market this slow-burn romance book with a series of ads, I defaulted to creative mode and made short videos highlighting various scenes in the book or inspired by the book. When I lived in Los Angeles, I was only a ZIP Code away from Beverly Hills. I sometimes even walked there to see a movie or get some exercise. I also had many long and short-term jobs in various companies in and near Beverly Hills.

Some scenes in the Imagine Beverly Hills short video series include:

A romantic rooftop dinner with views of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles
A poolside lunch with Emily’s boss and a renowned movie star
A private screening room
Emily discovers the door to a secret room
A beautiful home library

Step into the world of Imagine Beverly Hills and experience the romance, intrigue, and luxury one short video at a time.

If you love books, videos, and videos about books, explore my three main channels linked below.

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaMaligaCreates
Imagine Beverly Hills playlist
Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/authorlisamaliga/
BitChute channel: https://old.bitchute.com/channel/hqznWScN52k3/
Imagine Beverly Hills playlist

Link to book information and excerpt

North of Sunset: A Novel — 2026 Edition with Excerpt & Book Trailer

2026-02-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

In January, I took a one-month-long break from the internet. My goal was to rewrite one of my novels. The events in the book also took place in January, so I was completely immersed in my rewrite. Going over my original notes, reading old books, and researching the last decade of the 20^th century, I saw what changed and what hadn’t. I wanted to be certain that “North of Sunset” gave off that 1996 vibe. Back then, the internet was only a few years old.

My passion for this project increased as I was able to stay away from the online world which can be distracting. I made notes in a spiral bound notebook. I remembered how Los Angeles was so different than it is now. I listened to music from that time period and watched movies filmed in the mid-nineties. Research always pays off.

While this book is still a novel with a strong female protagonist, it's a bit more romantic and the ending has changed from the 2015 version. Some of the language has been cleaned up.

Book Description:

1996. Beverly Hills, California.

Sherman Lee is a wildly successful action movie producer with one obsession left: critical respect. But his temper, indulgences, and irrational demands have made him difficult to work for — no assistant lasts more than a few days.

Until Emily Karelin.

Disciplined, grounded, and far removed from Hollywood excess, Emily steps into Sherman’s home office with no industry experience — and no idea what she’s walking into. Navigating his unpredictable demands is challenging enough. But when Sherman’s best friend, internationally adored movie star Wesley Barron, becomes captivated by her, the stakes turn personal.

Will Emily survive Sherman’s loyalty tests?

Can she resist the charm of a renowned movie star?

In a world built on ego, image, and ambition, Emily must decide how much she’s willing to endure and what does loyalty truly cost?

EXCERPT

Emily let herself into the gate that morning. Not since her health food store days had she worked on a Saturday. Last night he’d given her a key to unlock the front door and she opened it and went into the office. No sign of him. Emily made coffee and retrieved several messages, mostly from the pesky media. Which was she to do first, the Rolodex or the scripts? She switched on the computer. Emily went into the kitchen to look for him. Harriet was there, scrambling eggs.
“Hi, Harriet.”
The older woman looked up and smiled. “Good morning, Emily. You’re just in time for breakfast. Sherman’ll be out in a minute.” Harriet pointed her spatula toward the open sliding glass door. Beyond that was the pool.
Emily hadn’t been near the pool. She decided to ask her boss about her first project of the day. She walked out on the large redwood deck and over to the pool that was a natural stone-lined edifice rather than a turquoise oval.
Sherman wore black trunks and was swimming the crawl stroke. He finished a lap and went over to the edge, breathing rapidly. He smiled at her and pointed to a towel on a nearby chaise lounge. “Hi Emily. Hand me that towel, will ya?”
“Sure.” She picked it up and gave it to him.
Sherman dried his face. “Just did thirty laps.”
“Thirty? Wow, I’m impressed. I couldn’t even do three.”
He pulled himself out of the pool and proceeded to dry himself off with the sheet bearing the Olympic rings. “You can go for a swim...”
“No thanks. Besides, I don’t even own a bathing suit.”
Sherman smiled as he dried off his legs. “Who the hell says you need a bathing suit to swim?”

Amazon link: North of Sunset Also available in Audible: North of Sunset Audible edition
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GPJZH3M4
Apple [iTunes]: https://books.apple.com/us/book/north-of-sunset-a-novel/id6759506151
B&N Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/north-of-sunset-lisa-maliga/1029605165
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/north-of-sunset-a-novel

All other links: https://books2read.com/u/b6NgY6

Lisa Maliga is an American author of contemporary fiction, psychological thrillers, and cozy mysteries. Many of her works of fiction are set in Los Angeles.

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Recipe

2025-11-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion, this vibrant red velvet hot chocolate is a clear winner for a tasty holiday drink. This kid-friendly caffeine-free version is for those of you who want to enjoy a late night beverage. For an extraordinary holiday season, share this simple yet indulgent recipe with your family and friends. It’s from my latest dessert cookbook QUICK & EASY CHOCOLATE DESSERT RECIPES. Scroll down to watch the video!

Click image to see more!

INGREDIENTS:

7 ounces whole milk https://amzn.to/49sMoYE
1 ounce heavy whipping cream https://amzn.to/3K6Aqt8
3 to 4 Tablespoons white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate https://amzn.to/3JWi5iE
Dash of vanilla extract https://amzn.to/482WuNr
Red and/or burgundy food colors https://amzn.to/4iaLdzh
Marshmallows https://amzn.to/3XBdl4Z
Whipped cream
Sprinkles https://amzn.to/4iaKYnO

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat milk in a saucepan on medium heat.
Add white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Stir well and keep stirring until it just begins to bubble. If using an infrared thermometer, the temperature should be about 150° Fahrenheit / 65° Celsius.
Turn off burner and remove from heat. You don’t want to scorch your milk.
Add the vanilla extract.
Keep stirring as it thickens.
Add the food color[s].
Pour into glass[es] and top with marshmallows, sprinkles, whipped cream, or enjoy as is!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting indie authors!
Click HERE to read more!
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Video

Birthday Cake Cookies Recipe

2025-10-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

Buttery, chewy cookies with white chocolate chips and colorful sprinkles are my new favorite! Made with salted butter, pure vanilla and almond extracts, these cookies are sweet and sassy. Make anyone’s birthday a great reason to bake these or just bake them to celebrate any happy occasion!

INGREDIENTS:

·       8 ounces salted butter, softened https://amzn.to/46VDhg9
·       1/2 cup white granulated sugar https://amzn.to/4nCytDl
·       1/4 cup light brown sugar https://amzn.to/3VUsLk8
·       1 large egg https://amzn.to/475pyUa
·       1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract https://amzn.to/4mPzKWt
·       1/4 teaspoon almond extract or cake batter flavor
https://amzn.to/46VDJuR
·       2 Tablespoons milk powder https://amzn.to/46HgrKj
·       1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour https://amzn.to/42tWdRE
·       1/2 teaspoon baking powder https://amzn.to/3IZy3Ic
·       1/4 teaspoon baking soda https://amzn.to/4gZktB7
·       1/4 teaspoon salt https://amzn.to/3KD3V60
·       1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles https://amzn.to/4nNW7Ny
·       1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
https://amzn.to/4nM8mKu

Oven temperature: 350° Fahrenheit / 175° Celsius

INSTRUCTIONS:

· Preheat oven.

· Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

· In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

· Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix until well combined.

· Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, add to butter mixture and beat until it forms a cookie dough.

· Stir in sprinkles and white chocolate chips with a spatula.

· Weigh dough into 1.5 ounce balls.

· Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

· Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. The edges should be slightly crispy.

· Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 18 cookies.

Book link: https://www.lisamaliga.com/book-quick-and-easy-chocolate-dessert-recipes

Video

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth with Quick & Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes!

2025-10-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made French hot chocolate in July when the temperature was 100 degrees? Or mixed up a batch of chocolate cake batter well past midnight so the oven didn’t overheat the kitchen? Did you refrigerate your soda glass so it was nice and cold for your chocolate mint milkshake?

Yes, I did all of that and more when creating the recipes that made it into my latest cookbook. And I also learned that having an extra hot kitchen was an advantage when photographing the chocolate treats. Here’s an example of the melting chocolate in the fresh-from-the-oven Baked Chocolate Fudge Bars.

So, if you love chocolate, or know of someone who does, give my latest book a look-see! Here’s the official description.

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth with Quick & Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes!

Desiring something chocolatey and delicious? Look no further! This tempting collection of 37 irresistible, quick-to-make recipes is the ultimate treat for chocolate lovers of all ages. From dreamy hot and cold chocolate beverages to decadent cookies, brownies, fudge, and puddings, this cookbook is filled with mouthwatering recipes that come together in a jiffy.

Each recipe is paired with stunning full-page color photos, so you can easily recreate these chocolatey delights at home. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, you’ll find simple yet indulgent recipes that satisfy every chocolate craving.

Discover showstoppers like Red Velvet Cookies, Cotton Candy Hot Chocolate, Egg-Free Chocolate Cupcakes, Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes, and a rich Double Chocolate Parfait—perfect for cozy nights, special occasions, or whenever you need a chocolate fix!

Your sweet tooth called – it wants this cookbook!

Book link: https://amzn.to/4nY2gWW

More info: https://www.lisamaliga.com/book-quick-and-easy-chocolate-dessert-recipes

The paperback version will be available in late October.

Book Trailer

Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery Series Box Set, Books 1 - 3 ~ Book Trailer

2025-02-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

Arriving February 14, 2025

Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery Series Box Set, Books 1 - 3

Includes 3 full-length cozy mysteries and four free dessert recipes!

The Great Brownie Taste-off, Book 1

Cat shelter employee Yolanda Carter loves her job, but her dream is to own a bakery. Living in Sherman Oaks, California with her tuxedo cat, her only outlet is baking treats for her friends, coworkers and family.
Her situation changes when her high school friend, Teagan Mishkin, drops by to tell her about an incredible job opportunity that will give Yolanda enough money to launch her bakery.
The job interview takes an unexpected turn and Yolanda stumbles across a scheme to close the cat shelter. She concocts a sweet plan to save the shelter and share her decadent brownies in the Great Brownie Taste-off. Assisted by her artisan parents, friends, shelter employees and a rising young blogger who gives her much-needed publicity, will she win the taste-off and save the shelter?
Includes the winning brownie recipe.

The Missing Sea Captain, Book 2

The successful launch of Yolanda’s Yummery in the trendy Brentwood area of Los Angeles has Yolanda Carter working seven days a week. Her delicious desserts are garnering many repeat customers and in just a few weeks the adjoining Beverage Bar will be opening. She’s involved in a budding romance with sophisticated British tea baron, Nigel Garvey.
The mystery involves Captain Angus, a regular homeless customer who disappears. Clues point toward Yolanda being involved in foul play. Lead investigator Detective Churchill thinks she’s a murderer, along with her best friend, Teagan Mishkin.
Will Yolanda’s name be cleared, and can those bestselling Magical Cakes of Love save her and the yummery?
Includes two new recipes!

A Pie to Die For, Book 3

In this cozy mystery, Yolanda Carter is told of her grandmother’s best friend’s unsolved murder. Mildred Overmeyer was an outstanding home baker who was stabbed to death while baking a cherry pie. The story of the 1960s crime touches Yolanda, along with her new friend, Detective Churchill. Her budding sleuthing skills lead her to search for the killer.
In between investigating and baking batches of pies in time for her latest product launch, Yolanda discovers more about the sweetness of love. And who is heating up the kitchen with Yolanda?
Includes the recipe for Yolanda’s Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

Get your copy today! This cozy mystery box set is available at all major online bookstores. Link: https://www.lisamaliga.com/book-yolandas-yummery-cozy-mystery-series-boxset

Book Trailer

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Macarons and Murder [A Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery, Book 4] – Book Trailer

2024-12-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

In the heart of Yolanda’s Yummery, love is in the air as macarons are baking for Valentine’s Day. But when someone she knows is found dead in a nearby dumpster, Yolanda Carter’s world crumbles. Teaming up with Detective Winston Churchill, Yolanda sets out to uncover the truth behind the sinister murder.

I’ve included three new reviews from readers who were kind enough to read my ARC.

Yolanda’s Yummery is filled with excitement as she prepares for Valentine’s Day by baking exquisite French macarons. That night’s TV appearance on America’s Best Bakeries will further benefit the yummery. But the festive spirit is shattered when a shocking discovery is made—a friend’s body is found in a nearby dumpster. Struggling to cope with the tragedy, Yolanda Carter partners with Detective Winston Churchill to find the killer. Surrounded by a cast of potential suspects, including her boyfriend, Nigel Garvey, Yolanda balances running her yummery, gearing up for the first anniversary celebration, and uncovering the truth.

With love, betrayal, and hidden agendas swirling around her, Yolanda embarks on a dangerous journey to untangle a web of deceit. This story weaves together elements of romance and suspense. Will she solve the mystery before it leads to her own downfall?

“Macarons and Murder” includes recipes for French macarons and cupcakes!

Book link: Macarons and Murder [A Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery, Book 4]. Available in eBook, paperback and Amazon Audible formats. The Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery series can be purchased at most online bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo and many more.

VIDEO

READER REVIEWS

“A new line of baked goods at the store, new employees struggling to fit in, and another murder mystery to solve; it`s all in a day`s work for Yolanda Carter. What a shame the busiest sales day of the year, Valentine`s Day, is marred by the discovery of a body in a dumpster behind the building, even more so when comes to light that Yolanda knows the deceased, and negative, libelous reviews are threatening to ruin her livlihood. Pace, plot, and action are stepped up in Lisa Maliga`s newest installment, and, although still qualifying as a cosy, it is yet much appreciated.
I love following along as the seasons change in the yummery – after reading the fourth book in the series, it`s beginning to feel a lot like home: I care about these characters and their trials and triumphs.”
Reviewed by Cindy Topp, GoodReads reviewer

“This was a real ‘feel good’ story. I love the protagonist Yolanda who with her entourage of friends and family, manages to have the most hair-raising adventures.
Her ongoing love interests are intriguing too, as is the gruesome murder of someone she knew that she decides to investigate.
I really look forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.”
Reviewed by Geraldine Lopez, BookBub reviewer

“Yolanda Carter owns a bakery called Yolanda’s Yummery. A dead body is found in her dumpster and competition is trying to use that by ruining her business. She feels she has to find out who killed her friend Mike to stop all the rumors trying to put her out of business. This was a very well written book. Suspenseful up to the very end. Hard to put down. Highly recommend it.”
Reviewed by Renee, November 5, 2024

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A Pie to Die For (A Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery, Book 3) — Book Trailer

2024-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

I hope that you’ll enjoy reading more about Yolanda Carter in A Pie to Die For, as she stumbles across a cold case that involves pies. In this latest version, the title has been changed from a sweet romance title to one more in keeping with a cozy mystery.

I’ve included two new reviews from readers who were kind enough to read my ARC.

“A Pie to Die For is book 3 in A Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery by Lisa Maliga. I found it interesting that Yolanda did not make pies and Mildred was killed in 1960 while making a pie. I like the main characters and the progression of the characters with each book. I thought the mystery about the recipes and murder was a good mystery and I thought the ending answered all my questions and had a touch of romance. I am enjoying this series and I love the cats, Miss Chef and Mr Whisker! I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.”
My2doxie September 10, 2024

“An innocent request from one of Yolanda`s appreciated guests for adding pies to the yummery`s offerings starts the ball rolling, setting in motion the beginnings of mysterious occurrences and the need to solve a very cold case. “A Pie to Die For” has Lisa Maliga departing slightly from her normal style, and I find the shifted focus most refreshing, the feeling conveyed more polished, mature and authentic. As always, you`ll find an incredible, yummery-worthy recipe at the back of the book. After finishing this installment in the Yolanda`s Yummery series, I am truly looking forward to reading more!”
Reviewed by Cindy, September 3, 2024

This book takes place in December, so it's a nice cozy mystery to read or give as a Christmas/holiday present!

Book Trailer

Book link: A PIE TO DIE FOR

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Chocolate Energy Bars Recipe

2024-11-28T19:47:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Energy Bars

This one ticks a lot of boxes if you’re looking for nut-free, vegan, low-sugar and an easy no-bake snack or dessert. It took me four tries to get it right. I’d also recommend storing them in the refrigerator, especially in warm weather.
This is an original recipe from the second book of the Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery series.
Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil
5 Tablespoons organic coconut sugar
2/3 cup agave nectar
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
3 cups rolled oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

In a large glass measuring cup or bowl, combine the first four ingredients and stir well over medium heat. Remember to sift the cocoa powder before adding it to the oils and sugar so the mixture is smooth.

In a very large bowl, combine the rice cereal, rolled oats, salt, and chia seeds with a whisk.

Pour in the warmed up wet ingredients and mix well. Wait about 10 minutes to add the chocolate chips as you don’t want them to melt completely.

In a parchment-lined 8” x 8” or 9” x 9” square pan, spoon in the mixture. Use a spatula to even out the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for a few hours before slicing and eating.

If you’re in a hurry, put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Lastly, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the energy bars into squares or rectangles.

Store in the refrigerator. Wrap with waxed paper or plastic wrap.

This original recipe can be found in the cozy culinary mystery THE MISSING SEA CAPTAIN.

Available at all major online bookstores. Click image for links!

Video Tutorial

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The Winning Brownie Recipe from “The Great Brownie Taste-off”

2024-11-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago I wrote the first book in what would become a [so far] 4-book cozy mystery series. It was more sweet romance than cozy mystery, but I was pleased with the story and the second book in the series was a proper cozy mystery story.

The changes made to “The Great Brownie Taste-off” include removing some extraneous descriptions and backstory, getting rid of the magical secret ingredient, and having a more realistic relationship between Yolanda and Zac. And I kept refining that brownie recipe until I really liked it. It’s not my favorite dessert or snack, but now I appreciate a good, hot brownie fresh out of the oven.

Please scroll down to see the recipe and watch the video tutorial.

"The Great Brownie Taste-off" Book Description

Cat shelter employee Yolanda Carter loves her job, but her dream is to own her own bakery. Living in Sherman Oaks, California with her tuxedo cat, her only outlet is baking treats for her friends, coworkers and family.

Her situation changes when her high school friend, Teagan Mishkin, drops by to tell her about an incredible job opportunity that will give Yolanda enough money to launch her bakery.

The job interview takes an unexpected turn and Yolanda stumbles across a scheme to close the cat shelter. She concocts a sweet plan to save the shelter and share her decadent brownies in the Great Brownie Taste-off. Assisted by her artisan parents, friends, and coworkers, will she win the taste-off and save the cats?

Link to all versions of THE GREAT BROWNIE TASTE-OFF
Do you like listening to books? The Great Brownie Taste-off is available on Amazon Audible.

THE WINNING RECIPE!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup [1 stick] unsalted butter, melted
1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
2 eggs [room temperature]
1/2 cup [4 ounces] dark chocolate
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, Dutch processed, sifted

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease your pan with butter.
Sift the cocoa powder and flour together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Chop up chocolate if using a bar. Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler. Use low heat to ensure the chocolate doesn’t seize.
In a large bowl, add the sugar.
Add an egg, mix well, then add the second egg and mix well.
Stir in melted butter and chocolate mixture.
Gently fold in flour and cocoa powder, until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
Pour mixture into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely. Cut into squares.
Enjoy.

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Meeting Mel Gibson ~ Excerpt from "Diary of a Hollywood Nobody"

2024-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

Thursday, May 18

Copyright 2011-2024 by Lisa Maliga
I was sentenced to eight hours in the legal department at Warner Bros. The lawyer’s secretary was pregnant and all she did was sit behind her desk and talk on the phone. The lawyer, Mr. Manic, was civil to me at first. He sauntered in around 10:30 and disappeared into his office on the other side of the suite. Preggers sat in the large reception area and I was squeezed into a file room with a desk on the other side of the secretary’s office. The water cooler was beside the desk and he came over to fill up a mug and hand me his car keys! Mr. Manic told me to go down to his car, a Jaguar convertible, and retrieve his briefcase.

I loped downstairs, glad to get out into the sunny day and check out his wheels. It was a white Jag. with a matching leather interior and it sure smelled clean and new when I opened the door. Then I saw the briefcase. It wasn’t the standard issue case made of imported leather; it was quadruple sized and HEAVY! As I lugged it out of the car, I almost dropped the damn thing. That it contained books was evident–but all 26 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica?

The briefcase never left the ground. Having to go upstairs in the elevatorless Admin. building meant that the case rested on each step. Mr. Manic was having me, someone who was probably half his weight, play pack mule? Why? Did he hate temps?

The endearing Mr. Manic also had his car washed for him. A man stopped by and asked Preggers for the car keys so the Jag. could be washed and the gas tank filled. I’d happened to be in the reception area doing some file organizing so I witnessed the man pocketing the keys. I wanted to tell him to make sure he left the top down and hit every phone pole on the way back!

Preggers had me “run” to the mailroom to drop off some important letters. Just as I was rounding a corner, I barely avoided slamming into an equally surprised Mel Gibson! Those famous blue eyes were huge; we were just inches from a collision!

Book link: Diary of a Hollywood Nobody

Visually-Enhanced Book Excerpt

"September Harvest" NEW Cover, Excerpt & Book Trailer

2023-03-12T14:42:00.002-07:00

By Lisa Maliga
Copyright 2023

March 2023

Online comment: If only someone would have warned these gullible people about what was going on BEFORE they took the bioweapon. I warned people. Did you?

My reply: I didn't realize how bad it was until June 2021. I spent all summer writing a novella about what I saw going on. Sadly, I don't have a billion-dollar budget to bamboozle people with endless publicity. But I did try...

After answering that question, I decided to put together a book trailer to promote my eBook. And I changed the cover from one of the watercolor illustration of the mall’s interior to a photo of a dead mall’s exterior. Finally, I rewrote the book's description.

New Book Description:

It’s 1979 and Laurie Caswell is working as a bookstore clerk at the Northbrook Mall. That Saturday evening, she sees a movie with her boyfriend, Dennis Nolan. Instead of dining at a restaurant, the teenage couple goes to her parents’ suburban house for some adult beverages. He leaves, and in the early hours of the morning, she has a horrifying nightmare.

A nightmare of a future where the mall resembles a prison. It’s populated with overweight, black-clad people wearing face masks, and lining up outside the former Sears department store for mandatory Convict-21 injections.

Will the nightmare come true, or will the old book she discovers the next day at a yard sale help change the course of humanity forever?

Excerpt:

“The signs on the door demanded that recipients of the Convict-21 vaccine must wear masks, be over the age of twelve and I stopped reading the sign after that. The cosmetics section of the once-thriving department store was minus its display cases. The Avon and Revlon makeup kits were gone. Vibrant young salespeople offering sprays of perfume were absent. No floral fragrances lingered in the air other than generous gusts of alcohol-based sanitizer from spray bottles being squirted by uniformed medical workers. It reminded me of some sort of pest-control team—and it appeared like we were the pests.”

Book Trailer:

Book Links:

Amazon: SEPTEMBER HARVEST

Apple: SEPTEMBER HARVEST

B&N NOOK: SEPTEMBER HARVEST

Kobo: SEPTEMBER HARVEST

Smashwords: SEPTEMBER HARVEST

September Harvest ~ Nightmare or Prophecy?

2021-10-02T15:15:00.002-07:00

By Lisa Maliga

I’ve finally returned to writing fiction. It’s a great feeling to have completed a novella. There was nothing to bake or melt and pour. In other words, no sweets were made and I only made a few batches of soap for an upcoming book.

The first draft of September Harvest was written in a month. It was the easiest and hardest book I ever wrote. During it, I was doing online retail therapy. I’d watched many videos about malls, dying malls, dead malls and abandoned malls. I watched and listened to the soundtracks of the past. Whether you call it Muzak or elevator music, it was wordless and brought back memories. Yet listening to it made me write better and helped create that long ago and far away era. And as I wrote the Northbrook Mall section, I thought it should live up to its name with an exotic landmark center court area. The Palm Beach Mall was my inspiration. Although photographed circa 1968, I imagined being in that mall back then. People dressed more formally than they do nowadays. Salesmen and managers wore suits and ties. Customers and retail employees had a more stringent dress code than that of 2021.

Being able to use the photograph wasn’t an option as it wasn’t in the public domain, and I’d already decided to change the “wonderfall” fountain to a standard cascading type of fountain. But the bridge over the pond surrounded by tropical foliage was an element that had to be in the Northbrook Mall. It was the landmark centerpiece and most noted feature.

Finding a cover artist to recreate the mall wasn’t an easy task. The first person I found via a search had the promise that all emails were answered in 24 hours. To date, my email has been ignored. I contacted another cover artist, but my suggestion wasn’t deemed possible. I kept looking and found a talented artist who had several images of buildings and people in her portfolio. I had quickly learned that some artists specialized in drawing animals, others in portraits, and some in drawing fantasy landscapes. Would I like a watercolor, oil painting or colored pencil rendition?

I wrote out detailed instructions and even included an excerpt from my novella which described the fountain area. I asked that the ladies on the bridge be changed to the main characters in the novella. A few days later, I received the image and here it is…

What is September Harvest About?

Laurie Caswell loves her life… but a nightmare leaves her terrified of the future…

It’s 1979 and Laurie’s living a great life as a bookstore clerk at the Northbrook Mall. She’s excited to go out with her boyfriend to see a movie, have a drink, and spend a happy evening together. When he leaves, she’s rocked to her core by a nightmare.

A nightmare of a future where her mall is dead, overweight, black-clad people cover their faces like common criminals.

People seem more focused on their light-up book-like devices than her, but the year 2021 holds darker, more sinister dangers. Dangers she desperately wants to wake up from and escape. Laurie just wants her normal life back… but whatever she’s experiencing might not be willing to let her go so easily.

Where to buy:

Amazon: September Harvest
Amazon UK: September Harvest
Apple: September Harvest
B&N/Nook: September Harvest
Kobo: September Harvest
Smashwords: September Harvest
Vivlio: September Harvest

BIG Double Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

2020-12-04T19:31:00.006-08:00

Looking for easy-to-bake super double chocolate chip cookies? Double your fun with these big, thick, and chewy chocolate chip cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter cold, cut in cubes
1 cup coconut palm sugar https://amzn.to/39MFE9b
1/2 cup granulated cane sugar https://amzn.to/2JLTRrX
2 large eggs, cold
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3qls56e
2 cups all-purpose flour https://amzn.to/3mJ8TNu
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder https://amzn.to/3ol5gOi
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt https://amzn.to/2Vymifl
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips https://amzn.to/39KAVEL
chopped walnuts, optional

EQUIPMENT:

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Large bowls
Measuring cups/spoons
Whisk
Sifter
Spatula
Large baking sheet
Cooling rack
Parchment paper/Silpat
Measuring scale

INSTRUCTIONS:

Oven temperature: 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 degrees Celsius

* In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined.

* In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer or mix with a whisk or wooden spoon.

* Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Blend well.

* Stir in the dry ingredients until well blended. It will feel quite stiff.

* Mix in the chocolate chips.

* Form into balls approximately 3.5 ounces [100 grams]. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Refrigerate for one hour.

* Preheat oven.

* Cookies should be at least 3 inches apart. Bake on center rack for about 15 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

NOTES:

This recipe made one dozen 3.5-ounce cookies.
I added a few walnuts to 2 cookies.
Store in an airtight container.
If serving the next day, heat in microwave for about 15 seconds if you want a melty interior.
I’ve added links to some of the ingredients. They are only suggestions, of course.
Chilling the dough in the refrigerator before baking helps to keep the cookies higher so they won't spread a lot.

Happy baking!

Dessert Cookbook Series: A Beginner's Guide ~ New Boxed Set

2020-02-26T15:34:00.001-08:00

Includes 3 full-length dessert cookbooks and more than 50 recipes.

Learn how to make many different desserts, no matter what your level of baking experience.

It’s easier than ever to bake decadent chocolate cupcakes and brownies. Get helpful tips about decorating and coloring cupcakes, recommended equipment, and loads of resources. Original and tested step-by-step recipes include Blueberry Brownies, Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes, Blue Velvet Cupcakes, Peppermint Swirl Cupcakes, and many more tantalizing treats.

The book was written by someone who went from baking box mix brownies and cupcakes to discovering the joy of baking from scratch. With a photograph of each finished treat, the reader will be inspired to try baking these delicious recipes.

Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide contains 50+ color photos.

Bake beautiful and delicious French macarons in your own kitchen. This collection of tried-and-tested recipes allows bakers to create these tasty and colorful confections.

The author details what equipment and ingredients you need, offers numerous helpful tips, resources, and shares more than 30 recipes for you to whip up an array of elegant French delicacies.

Full of inspiring color photos, Baking French Macarons: A Beginner’s Guide, offers everything you need to bake stunning macarons that will impress anyone who tastes them.

Some of the flavors include Cinnamon Caramel, Tangy Orange, Key Lime, and Acai macarons.

Available exclusively at Amazon.

U.S. link: Dessert Cookbook Series: A Beginner’s Guide

U.K. link: Dessert Cookbook Series: A Beginner’s Guide

CA link: Dessert Cookbook Series: A Beginner’s Guide

Ruby Chocolate: A Beginner's Guide ~ Excerpt

2020-01-15T20:23:00.001-08:00

I became aware of ruby chocolate when I was watching The Great British Baking Show. A contestant was baking biscuits [cookies] using ruby chocolate. Paul Hollywood, one of the judges, proclaimed that the new chocolate “has a nice kick to it.”

Around this time, one of my baking buddies on Facebook posted a photo of her ruby chocolate truffles. Nancy Hoekman, the owner of Fancy Nancy Bites, is a talented baker and the photo she posted of her lovely pink truffles sparked my interest in trying the chocolate.

I could trawl the search engines for days upon days, or I could buy some and find out for myself how great it tasted and what I could concoct with it.

The best option was to buy it in bar form and order some wafers [callets] online. I called Trader Joe’s to find out if it was in stock and was informed that it had been discontinued, but I could buy it on Amazon.

Callebaut, the company that is in charge of distributing ruby chocolate had many lovely photos on their website and was proud to point out that: “More than 10 years ago, one of our cocoa experts discovered that components of certain cocoa beans could produce a cacao taste experience with an exceptional flavor and color. Since then, we’ve been unraveling the secret behind this, leading to the discovery of the ruby cocoa bean and creation of a totally new flavor experience. Like grapes for fine wines, cocoa beans are influenced by the terroir in which they grow. Ruby cocoa beans grow under unique climate conditions and can be found in Ecuador, Brazil or Ivory Coast. Ruby contains no added flavors or colors.”

What did I make with this big 5.5-pound bag of ruby red chocolate? Scroll down and check out my book trailer!

THE FIRST BOOK ABOUT RUBY CHOCOLATE!

Ruby Chocolate: A Beginner’s Guide includes ten original and tested recipes using authentic ruby chocolate. From healthy granola bars to tasty ruby chocolate chip cookies to decadent fudge, chocolate lovers will be inspired to create their own desserts. The reader also receives gift packaging ideas and lots of resources.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Chocolate-Beginners-Lisa-Maliga-ebook/dp/B082XKXYGF
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruby-Chocolate-Beginners-Lisa-Maliga-ebook/dp/B082XKXYGF

The paperback edition will be available in late January.

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Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method ~ Excerpt

2018-08-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2018

From the INTRODUCTION

Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method covers the simple techniques you’ll need along with the best type of equipment you should have to bake lovely macarons. You’ll also learn how the weather makes a difference, why you should invest in a digital kitchen scale and oven thermometer. I’ve spent lots of time, money, and hard work to get these recipes right. They are all unique and some are more suited to those who like their macarons sweet and others who enjoy their macarons with a little less sugar and are more classically flavored.

The Swiss method is for any level of baker providing you carefully read each recipe thoroughly along with the helpful suggestions.

When you have the ingredients weighed and sifted, the egg whites separated, and the baking trays lined, it’s time to bake macarons, Swiss style.

Official Description:

Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method

This unique cookbook is designed for bakers of all levels. Follow each carefully detailed recipe and bake stunning macarons that will impress any dessert lover.

Helpful information includes the best ingredients and equipment to stock your kitchen, resources, tips and troubleshooting, plus the easy macaronage technique that will save you time and energy.

With a photo of each recipe, Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method, offers everything you need to bake beautiful and delicious macarons. It features 20+ new tried-and-tested macaron recipes.

Some of the flavors include Minty Chocolate, Speculoos [Cookie Butter], Raspberry Cheesecake, and Apple Spice macarons.

Official release date is September 5, 2018.
Available at these fine bookstores for pre-order.

Amazon link: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method
PAPERBACK: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method [NOW AVAILABLE]
Amazon UK: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method
PAPERBACK: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method [NOW AVAILABLE]
B&N/Nook: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method
iTunes: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method
Kobo: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method
Smashwords: Baking Macarons: The Swiss Meringue Method

BOOK TRAILER

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Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide ~ An Excerpt

2017-06-28T14:44:00.001-07:00

Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide

by Lisa Maliga, copyright 2017, 2018

My second cookbook has just been released after months of testing various chocolate cupcake and brownie recipes. It was so much fun baking these sweet treats and learning more cupcake decorating techniques. For example, I tried the swirl method and was able to come up with this:

Peppermint Swirl Cupcakes

I’ve also learned how to make my own sparkling sugar and the various ways to core cupcakes. So, if you love chocolate goodness, keep on reading!

Chapter 1 ~ About the Ingredients

Your cupcakes and brownies can look and taste better than any found in a bakery. What you put into your batch of cupcakes is up to you and your budget. Are fresh eggs and butter available to you? I’ve been able to use farm fresh eggs in many of my batches of cupcakes and brownies. Those hens are free ranging and while kept in a coop at night, during the day they amble around several acres of pasture and eat natural food from the ground as well as organic chicken feed.

Use whatever ingredients you have in your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator for your first batches of brownies and/or cupcakes. Don’t invest a lot of money in ingredients or equipment if you only plan to make the occasional dessert. But once you make brownies and cupcakes from scratch, get creative and try new brands of chocolate, butter, or any of the other ingredients to learn if you can taste a difference. Oftentimes you’ll find some sweet [I couldn’t resist that pun] deals on the ingredients at your grocery store so you’ll spend less money on finding out what you like to add to your chocolaty desserts. Baking isn’t just science–it’s also art.

As the recipes in this book are all about using the most natural ingredients, as well as the best tasting, virgin coconut oil is recommended. This tropical oil is easier to use in oil form rather than solid. Coconut oil is coconut butter at temperatures below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the weather, I can let it sit in the sun to melt or if it’s hot enough then measuring it is always easier. Virgin coconut oil gives cupcakes natural moisture and you won’t taste the extra coconut.

As a Kindle Unlimited title, this eBook is FREE for subscribers!

Amazon Kindle: Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide

Amazon Kindle UK: Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide

Paperback edition: Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide

BOOK TRAILER!

Baking French Macarons: A Beginner's Guide ~ Introduction

2017-01-05T14:11:00.001-08:00

By Lisa Maliga,

CHAPTER 1Introduction

A funny thing happened when I baked my first batch of French macarons. They didn’t turn out the way I hoped they would. So I decided to make another batch. And another. And another. I wanted macarons with those ruffled edges known as feet. I wanted them to be brightly colored and light as air, and without hollows. In other words, I wanted a perfect batch of macarons. And I kept trying until I got it right.

Making a pound cake from scratch is the most advanced baking I’ve ever done. This dessert contains the most basic ingredients found in your pantry and fridge: eggs, butter, flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking powder. As long as you have a hand or stand mixer and measure your ingredients correctly, it’s not difficult to bake.

Macarons also require few ingredients: two types of sugar, egg whites, almond flour, and color. That’s it as far as the cookies, a/k/a shells go. The fillings can be diverse: jam or jelly, caramel, Nutella, butterscotch, lemon curd, etc. You can make your own whether it’s buttercream, chocolate ganache, or a fruity homemade jam.

I’d never used a piping/pastry bag before. In fact, I thought they were only used for decorating cakes and cupcakes. It took me two dozen tries to get the perfect macaron with a smooth yet slightly rounded top, little frilly feet that are the hallmark of this delicacy, and without hollow insides. The filling was scrumptious too – lemon butter curd. What’s that? You’ll find out as I’ve included the recipe.

After discovering local bakeries and stores that sold macarons, I didn’t have to settle for a limited selection of colors/flavors. I didn’t even have to drive to the nearest store that sold them in their freezer section. Nope, I could have fresh macarons whenever I wanted. Well, whenever I had a few hours to spare…

I took copious notes each time I baked a batch. I also took photos, though not always of every step. Still, for the past eleven months, I’ve learned so much and now want to share some tips and recipes with anyone who’s motivated to bake these delicacies.

Baking French Macarons: A Beginner's Guide is FREE with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8QIIWI
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M8QIIWI

Paperback edition: https://www.amazon.com/Baking-French-Macarons-Beginners-Guide/dp/1539636593

Paperback edition [UK]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baking-French-Macarons-Beginners-Guide/dp/1539636593

Here's the book trailer...

Ripping Readers Off: Kindle Unlimited Scam eBooks

2016-04-26T10:58:00.001-07:00

Last April, I wrote this article: Don’t Buy or Borrow Kindle Unlimited Rip-off eBooks.

What’s changed since then?

In July 2015, Amazon launched KU2, which pays authors by pages read. KU1 was a fluctuating amount of at least $1 per eBook borrow. The Amazonians have altered the system for their benefit and the amount per page is less than a penny –.0049 per page or less. If an author wants to make any money, they need to write longer books. And those books need to get read.

Or do they?

Nope, the author offers a free book or gift card or something for nothing and has that clickable link take the reader to the back of the book. Like magic, all the pages are read!

With the KU program, Amazon is like long defunct author’s sites Themestream and the Vines – pay per click companies that went belly up. While some legitimate authors are doing quite well, others are faring far worse than they were in KU1.

One of the main problems I’ve seen in the KU program, and this is in the nonfiction area, are foreign plagiarists stuffing books full of repetitive “information.” Or they upload their entire catalogue into one title. I’ve also seen books where the contents are available in a dozen different languages. Can you guess that the translation is run through an online translator resulting in hilarious errors?

What inspired this article was a review request from an author: someone who had been “University” educated, and an expert in various fields dating back to the early 90’s. A quick search revealed nothing except the author’s books in various Amazon stores. Here’s the email:

As an avid buyer and author on Amazon, I want readers to feel they are getting value for money and would recommend to their friends and family. I feel this book meets that requirement.

I was hoping you could review a books and leave an honest review.

If you are interested I can send you the book as a gift free of charge.

I saw that the title wasn’t unique and when looking at the author page I noticed:

“She has a passion for sharing his experience…”

Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner? Nope, someone who just didn’t care about proofreading their bio or who wasn’t too fluent in English.

There are many excellent titles in the KU program. But I’m going to point out potential rip-off titles that are often plagiarized from websites, blogs and Pinterest. By reading this article, you’ll learn how to avoid downloading or wasting your time and money on rip-offs and supporting scammers.

If you’re a reader who wants to learn how to bake cupcakes, wouldn’t you want to read a book by someone who has baked the recipes and can provide photos along with helpful tips? I want that! A few weeks ago, I mistakenly downloaded a scam book. At first I thought, oh goodie, 600 pages of cupcake recipes and information—all for 0.00. Wrong! 600 pages of drivel, NO pictures, and recipe after recipe of things I didn’t want to bake. The few cupcake recipes were so generic that one of them listed cake mix. I deleted that eBook.

Spot Those Scammy eBooks

Here are some things to look for when shopping at Amazon.

* No author biography

If there’s no bio, there’s no way of knowing how much knowledge they have pertaining to the subject they’ve written about. There won’t be an email address, website, Etsy page or social media information such as Twitter, Pinterest or Face Book. They have no blog or newsletter.

* Fake Author Biography

Some of the scammers have gotten smarter and include biographies and even pictures or illustrations of themselves. Read it carefully and you’ll see it’s false if no professional training is indicated. Or they might mention a school or university. How is the bio worded—in proper English or does it read as if it was translated from another language?

* Common American Names

This is another way to lure borrowers and buyers—by using familiar surnames like Thomas, Brown, Mitchell, White, etc. It’s also how those from other countries make names seem more acceptable than their own. Authors who use several pseudonyms may do so to avoid detection. It’s also a way of using a name like a keyword – to attract more borrows and sales.

* Poor Translating

Foreign authors may have run the manuscript through an online translator resulting in unintentionally hilarious reading. My favorite was the one about heating your soap over a “weak fire.” Some of the faux fiction scam books have incredibly bad titles.

* Offer FREE Bonus/Gift at the BACK of the eBook

This encourages you to click the link and get the page reads. You won’t be able to miss this offer as it’ll be shown in very large and colorful fonts. It may appear more than once.

* Very LONG eBooks

KU1 featured scamlets of 50 pages or less. Now the less is more motto has been replaced with the more [pages] the merrier! One trick I discovered is seeing lengthy books enhanced by offering the book in a dozen different languages. You can also bet that a professional human translator doesn’t translate, as that would be very expensive and time consuming. Ultimately, no one benefits.

Another method is for the scamming “author” to take several books and rearrange the order so the book becomes bloated with excess pages. You get a bundle of books you [probably] don’t care to read.

* LONG Titles Stuffed with Keywords

Example: Homemade Body Butter: 25 Natural Body Butter And Lotion Recipes To Keep Your Skin Smooth And Feeling Moisturized! (How To Body Butter, DIY Body Butter, Natural Body Butter And Lotion Recipes).

* Enticing Cover Photo of the Product[s]

A rip-off will be revealed if the featured product[s] recipe and photo aren’t included inside the eBook. For example, a stack of oatmeal soap on the cover, yet there is no oatmeal soap recipe in the rip-off title. Also, most rip-off eBooks won’t contain any photos.

* If recipes are included, they may be in a mixture of ounces, grams, tablespoons and teaspoons, which is very confusing for the reader.

* No medical or legal disclaimer. No safety precautions.

* The name on the cover may be spelled differently than the name on the book’s Amazon page.

In order to avoid being ripped off, please use this article as a checklist.

Also, read what author Ann Christy has written about this topic. She includes in-depth analysis along with screenshots of some flagrant examples.http://www.annchristy.com/anatomy-of-ku-scams

Macarons of Love – Sweet Romance/Cozy Mystery Excerpt

2016-03-23T11:50:00.001-07:00

Love, Valentine's Day, Macarons, and ... Murder?

Yolanda Carter is preparing for Valentine’s Day as romance and macarons are baking in Yolanda’s Yummery. But things take a dark turn when the body of someone she knows is found dead in a nearby dumpster.

Teaming up with Detective Winston Churchill to find the killer, some employees are suspects, including Yolanda’s boyfriend, Nigel Garvey.

A February 14 appearance on the TV show, America’s Best Bakeries, and the yummery’s upcoming first anniversary are overshadowed as she strives to run her business and help the detective.

Macarons of Love also contains recipes for French macarons and cupcakes.

THE EXCERPT

As the sun had finally shown its rays and brightened the day, she was about to return to the kitchen when the front door opened. There stood a handsome young man in his mid-twenties wearing an elegant hunter green jacket and tan corduroys. He beamed upon seeing her and she noticed that he was the one to initiate the first move by rushing across the store and behind the counter, where he greeted her with a big hug and kissed her gently on the lips. She felt the strong attraction and stared into his penetrating dark eyes. Beneath the light of the shelving units filled with bagged and boxed sweets, she saw that his natural golden brown wavy hair had more gold than brown. He had been in Miami for three days, which explained the difference.

“I missed you, Nigel,” she said as a way of greeting her boyfriend.

“Darlin’, you know I missed you. But I can’t wait to spend tomorrow night with you. There’s something very important I want to discuss with you—after we see ourselves on America’s Best Bakeries, of course!”

♥

Amazon Kindle: Macarons of Love
Amazon UK: Macarons of Love
B&N NOOK: Macarons of Love
iTunes: Macarons of Love
Kobo: Macarons of Love
Scribd: Macarons of Love
Smashwords: Macarons of Love

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The Crafty Writer

2015-12-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

I was once asked how have crafts inspired your writing? Well, I can’t sew a straight line. I can’t knit without dropping stitches. And I’m sure my signature dish of French Toast would be laughed at by Gordon Ramsay.

But I get creative in the kitchen in a different way – by making soap! Even before Lush opened their first store in Southern California, I was a huge fan of their products. I’d ordered several of their soaps from Canada and eagerly awaited the package’s delivery. I was impressed with the appealing chunks of goodness as they cut the soft soap from a large cheese-like wheel. All were nasal bliss, and did the job of cleaning and softening quite well. I’d never used glycerin soap before and back in 1997 there wasn’t that much information about it online. A few companies sold it in bulk and after making my first batch of soap with some marigold [calendula] petals on top, I was hooked.

I immersed myself in learning how to make soap and found it easy to concentrate on what I was doing. I guess I could compare it with writing. The soap base is the story. The shape of the mold is compared to the characters and their motivation, the color equals dialogue, and the fragrance corresponds with the tone of the story. Wrapping and labeling is like the sense of location[s] found in a novel. Writing involves sitting in front of the computer and staring at the monitor. In the kitchen is where I decide what type of soap to make and I concentrate on that. The creativity involved can be spontaneous…for my La Brea Tar Pits soap I used a plastic cookie liner for a mold and the name came from the nearby tar pits. Tea tree essential oil removes tar from the skin as does lavender, and it enhances the aroma. Whole oats help clean and soften the skin, and cornmeal is an exfoliant, removing excess dirt. Each element has its place.

Taking the same creativity I use when designing soap and other bath & body products, writing about soapmaking is easy. I see it as sharing the joy of a fun and crafty hobby [tho’ it was a business for me for almost five years]. I hope to make everything easier for the reader so they don’t make the same mistakes I did. The recipes I’d created over the years were all handwritten. When I wrote The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting, I actually typed them out for the first time. To this day, every product I make always involves writing down all the ingredients so I know what fragrances I’ve blended, what oils and butters I’ve used, the amounts, etc. I also remembered what it was like when I made my first batch of soap using one page of instructions. I wanted more information as I had many questions. And just like my writing, I’ve learned it all by doing. By making hundreds of batches of soap, and by writing hundreds of thousands of words.

In the above photo, I was able to put my creative skills to use by packaging some of my products in a little gift box I found at a thrift store. Learn more about wrapping soap in

Happy Birthday Melt and Pour Soap Recipes

About the Author:

Lisa Maliga is an American novelist and nonfiction author of several soap crafting books. She's recently released "Organic and Sulfate Free Melt and Pour Glycerin Soap Crafting Recipes" and "Nilotica [East African] Shea Body Butter Recipes [The Whipped Shea Butter Series], Book 1." Lisa's coming of age novel set in the 1970s and 80s is a book that took more than a decade to write. A reader wrote, "Out of the Blue: A Novel is a story about a young woman's journey to emotional maturity but there is an underlying thread. That thread is the connection between intuitives which will be familiar to anyone of an introspective bent." She is also working on the fourth book of the Yolanda's Yummery Series. When not writing, Lisa reads an assortment of books, watches movies, makes soap/bath and body products, and bakes late at night. Sometimes she manages to escape to a quiet park and photograph animals, especially squirrels.

You'll find more about her work at:
http://www.lisamaliga.com
http://lisamaliga.wordpress.com
http://pinterest.com/lisamaliga
http://eepurl.com/UZbE9 [The Discerning Readers' Newsletter]

'I Almost Married a Narcissist' + Excerpt

2015-05-29T08:21:00.003-07:00

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2015
I Almost Married a Narcissist is a new and updated story about a woman who learns the man she’s dating is more than conceited and hung up on his body image – he’s a narcissist.

When I was going through some notes about a short story I’d written “Flipping Over Grigori,” I thought that exploring his personality disorder would make this a more moving story. From 12,000 words to nearly 23,000, the expanded version reveals more about both main characters and how they get to know each other. I also changed his name from Grigori to Andrei. His last name is still Antonescu, but A.A. are now his initials; it’s symbolic of him being a source of addiction to Charlotte White, the woman who falls in love with the gymnastics coach.

Briefly, here’s what I Almost Married a Narcissist is about:

Charlotte White falls in love with a younger Romanian gymnastics coach.

Andrei Antonescu is a sexy and handsome foreigner who loves to have fun and flirt with the ladies.

The more she gets to know him, the more red flags are unfurled. Once she’s able to see past his good looks and muscular body, Charlotte is unprepared for some shocking revelations.

Excerpt from Chapter Two

Three of the coaches introduced themselves to me. I liked them right away. But there was this one, a real serious looking guy, who completely ignored me. Maybe it was his dark blond curly hair and the fact that he was so tanned and muscular. His T-shirt’s sleeves were rolled up, showing off his strong arms. He was so self absorbed that he didn’t even notice me.

Later, I got to go out into the gym, and didn’t have to remove my shoes because I was a staff member. I had to give a message to Andrei, that serious coach. That was how I finally met the younger man – right next to the parallel bars. He had just dismounted from them after showing an element to his private student, a wiry adolescent boy. After handing him the message, he grabbed it with chalky hands and thanked me quickly, not even looking at me. But I was used to being treated like that.

A few days later, I was in the coach’s lounge for my afternoon break. It was a dark, depressing day and it seemed like nothing was ever going to go right. Svetlana had yelled at me that morning for taking too long to do the reports and I wondered if I’d even last the week at the job. Andrei rushed upstairs, and I thought of how young and energetic he was. He didn’t smile at me, but he lowered his sunglasses as he asked about his schedule. All I saw were his Mediterranean blue eyes.

I wanted to take the Tuesday or Thursday night adult gymnastics class he taught. I wondered how to go about asking Svetlana about it. I knew that Eastern European coaches were able to get excellent results from their students, and by taking the class, I’d get back into shape. That afternoon, I stood near the filing cabinet when Andrei walked in, went past me, and pinched my hip! There was no one else nearby. The gesture was something most American men wouldn’t do because they’d probably end up being sued for sexual harassment.

Amazon: I Almost Married a Narcissist
Amazon UK: I Almost Married a Narcissist
B&N NOOK: I Almost Married a NarcissistiTunes: I Almost Married a Narcissist
Kobo: I Almost Married a Narcissist
Scribd: I Almost Married a Narcissist
Smashwords: I Almost Married a Narcissist

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Don’t Buy or Borrow Kindle Unlimited Rip-off eBooks

2015-04-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Just after the July launch of the Kindle Unlimited program an author of a soap making eBook emailed me asking for a review. After reading it, I got the impression that everything within the 50 pages was regurgitated information. There weren’t any resource links. The recipes weren’t coherent—add some of this oil with some of this water and this amount of lye. Instead of getting a review, the author received an email asking about her soap making experience. Unsurprisingly, there was no response.

That was my introduction to a Kindle Unlimited eBook.

Books in Kindle Unlimited, KU for short, are only found on Amazon’s website. None of the titles are available at Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Oyster, Scribd, Smashwords or other online bookstores.

While free for authors, readers pay $9.99 per month for the service that “…allows you to read as much as you want, choosing from over 700,000 titles and thousands of audiobooks. Freely explore new authors, books, and genres from mysteries and romance to sci-fi and more. You can read on any device.”

Read this title for free and get unlimited access to over 700,000 titles.

Authors with books in the KU program generally price their titles from $0.99 to $9.99. They can also give a title away for up to 5 days during each 90-day period their title is enrolled in the KU program. If free, anyone can download the book whether they are KU members or not. Another huge benefit for the KU author is the borrowing part of the program. Whenever a KU member borrows a title, the author receives up to $1.40. The amount varies every month but it’s always more than one dollar. Even if the book is priced at 0.99, the author still gets $1.40 [or whatever the amount is that month] PER BORROW. That’s why every single rip-off title is enrolled in this program.

There are many excellent titles in the KU program. But I’m going to concentrate on the rip-off titles that are often plagiarized from websites, blogs and Pinterest. By reading this article, you’ll learn how to avoid downloading rip-offs.

[For the record: I won’t tackle fiction because that’s a lot different, especially with series, serials, billionaire romances, erotica, and alphas.]

A rip-off title is usually less than 50 pages in length. Of course, regular nonfiction titles may also be brief, so I’ll point out the many red flags that boldly signal a rip-off. Again, this is only for nonfiction books, as that’s where I have the most experience as I write about soap crafting. I’m going to expand it to include all bath and body/bath and beauty books.

However, even if you read and write about real estate or farming, you still should find this article helpful.

* The Formula

Soap making books begin with the history of soap making. For other bath and beauty books, the opening pages will let you know how toxic commercial lotions, lip balms, sugar and salt scrubs, bath bombs, etc. actually are.

* LONG titles with up to 30 words. This is called keyword stuffing.

Example title: Homemade Body Butter: 25 Natural Body Butter And Lotion Recipes To Keep Your Skin Smooth And Feeling Moisturized! (How To Body Butter, DIY Body Butter, Natural Body Butter And Lotion Recipes).

I’ve only changed a few words, but this is how some rip-off books are marketed. It’s not necessarily wrong but it’s clumsy!

*Nonexistent Book Contributors

Every author credits him or herself, but there are also other contributors that can be added like editor, foreword, photographer, illustrator, introduction, preface, translator and narrator. I’ve found books that have ‘body butter’ as an editor, ‘lotion’ as a foreword, and ‘soapmaking’ as an illustrator. Doing this exploits the entire Kindle publishing program and if found should be reported.

* Not crediting stock images.

* No author biography

Interested in learning about the author? If there’s no bio, there’s no way of knowing how much knowledge they have pertaining to the subject they’ve written about. There won’t be any sort of email address, website, Etsy page or social media information such as Twitter or Face Book. They have no blog or newsletter.

The lack of an author bio may indicate a new to KU author who is unaware that Amazon offers this free promotional tool. Alternatively, it might be a deliberate omission.

An author bio should indicate the author’s experience in making the products they are writing about, as they should be an expert in the field. Do they include their company name and contact information? Whether or not they own a business, or have owned a business in the past? How long have they been making B&B products? If they don’t make and sell their products, what qualifications do they have to write their book?

* Common American Names

* Reviews

If a book has dozens of reviews, that might mean it’s often borrowed/sold. All of the reviews may be legitimate ones, especially if the reviewer indicates that they received a free review copy. To find a rip-off title, look beyond lots of 5-stars or 1-stars, or even no reviews.

eBooks may contain numerous 5-star reviews with only a smattering of bad reviews. Suggestion: read the bad ones. For example, a one star review written by a soap maker noted the amount of lye in a recipe in one of the rip-off titles was incorrect and the author had confused percentages and ounces. In other words, some “author” with no knowledge of soap making is presenting potentially harmful information. If a reader follows the instructions, that soap would burn their skin. Additionally, they would have wasted their time in reading the book and trying to apply the instructions, and money on buying ingredients and equipment. The responsibility of the author of any type of DIY book is to offer correct and accurate information. Sadly, the author of the questionable amounts has also written a dozen other titles in related fields.

A rip-off title may have garnered many positive reviews based on review swaps. I’ll go on record and state that I did a few of them from September to December 2014. Since then, I have completely stopped reviewing books due to the numerous rip-off titles I was getting.

* Proofreading problems

If the author is someone who is fluent in English as a first language, the quality of authorship ranges from excellent to riddled with grammar and “spell checkitis.”

* Poor Translating

Foreign authors may have run the manuscript through an online translator resulting in unintentionally hilarious reading. My favorite was the one about heating your soap over a “weak fire.”

* Offer FREE bonus or gift in the beginning of the book.

* Enticing Cover Photo of the Product[s]

All book covers should be enticing, of course. However, a rip-off will be revealed if the featured product[s] recipe and photo aren’t included inside the eBook. For example, a stack of oatmeal soap on the cover, yet there is no oatmeal soap recipe in the rip-off title.

* NO sample other than a table of contents or a legal disclaimer. The reader has to purchase or borrow the book in order to read more because there’s no actual writing sample.

* If recipes are included, they may be in a mixture of ounces, grams, tablespoons and teaspoons, which is very confusing for the reader.

* No medical or legal disclaimer. No safety precautions.

* The name on the cover may be spelled differently than the name on the book’s Amazon page.

* Rip-off titles can be heavily promoted and reviewed by bloggers. Unlike non-KU titles that only earn 4% commission on each title sold, bloggers may get up to 8.5 % on KU titles sold and/or borrowed.

In order to avoid being ripped off, please use this article as a checklist.

Notes from Nadir

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Book Trailer

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The Winning Brownie Recipe from “The Great Brownie Taste-off”

"The Great Brownie Taste-off" Book Description

THE WINNING RECIPE!

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Meeting Mel Gibson ~ Excerpt from "Diary of a Hollywood Nobody"

"September Harvest" NEW Cover, Excerpt & Book Trailer

September Harvest ~ Nightmare or Prophecy?

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Baking Chocolate Cupcakes and Brownies: A Beginner’s Guide ~ An Excerpt

As a Kindle Unlimited title, this eBook is FREE for subscribers!

Baking French Macarons: A Beginner's Guide ~ Introduction

CHAPTER 1Introduction

Ripping Readers Off: Kindle Unlimited Scam eBooks

Macarons of Love – Sweet Romance/Cozy Mystery Excerpt

♥

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The Crafty Writer

'I Almost Married a Narcissist' + Excerpt

Don’t Buy or Borrow Kindle Unlimited Rip-off eBooks

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