Guest Post: Aurelia B Rowl with a New Book and Mushroom Soup!

Today, I welcome author Aurelia B Rowl, with a quick and easy Mushroom Soup recipe and a new book with an awesome cover (and I love that title, too!).

About CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED:

 

Matilda 'Tilly' Carter didn't think her day could get any worse, but even Christmas had just been cancelled.

The one girl Dean Watson has sworn never to have—never even expected to see again—just flared back into his life and into his home—his sanctuary—like she belonged there. Christmas would certainly be more bearable with Tilly around though…

As the chinks in Dean's armor appear, Tilly seizes the chance to win her knight once and for all. She's not about to take no for answer—not this time—but Dean must resist, even as his heart rebels and temptation threatens to undermine his resolve.

Win or lose? Love or honor? Which will Dean choose? Assuming he gets a choice…

 

FROM CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED:

 

Tears welled in her eyes, clouding her vision. She turned and wandered blindly toward the exit as the first tear escaped, forging a track down her cheek for the rest to follow. Tilly took in a lungful of air and then another. Having made a spectacle of herself once already, she really didn't want to be the cause of yet another scene.

The crowds swarmed around her, with students and family members heading home for the holidays only adding to the usual rush-hour melee of commuters. They jostled past, threatening to swallow her whole, as they rushed en mass in the opposite direction, using their briefcases and suitcases as a battering ram.

It was suffocating. She had to get out of there. Breaking into a run, broken heel or not, she raced through the doors and out into the biting December chill. Her waterlogged eyes struggled to adjust to the dark, dreary sky after the bright station lights, but she didn't dare slow down, desperate to escape the throng of festivities and merriment.

Carol singers assembled outside burst into a jovial rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," full of joy and happiness. Didn't they know Christmas had just been cancelled?

"Ooof!" Tilly smacked her shin against the edge of a low bench, too dark to see as she tried to dodge the growing audience. She ended up sprawled across the bench, dropping the handle of her suitcase with a loud clatter.

At least the pain shooting down her leg gave her an excuse to be crying. Unfortunately, it meant she had to stop running too. Not good. Whenever things got too tough, too intimate, or too confrontational, you could rely on her to make a run for it. Running away was what she did best...

A tall figure loomed in the edge of her vision, something vaguely familiar about the man's loping gait. In an effort to see him more clearly, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, then cringed inwardly at the black streaks now etched all over them. Great. She could add impersonating a panda to her day from hell as well then.

The mascara stung her eyes, rendering her unable to focus properly. She blinked furiously as the man strode past her, talking into a mobile phone in a deep voice that resonated throughout her body and made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. A surge of adrenaline rushed to her legs, numbing the pain as her subconscious told her to run. Now! 

The cloaked figure stopped mid-stride as if he'd heard her gasp. "Mike, I've gotta go," he barked into the phone, hanging up instantly. He backtracked until he was standing right in front of her, his tone changing from a growl to one of surprise. "Basmati?"

Great. She hadn't heard the nickname for years—nine years, four months and...sixteen days, to be exact—and even then, only one person had ever actually used it. She screwed her eyes tightly shut, shaking her head from side to side. No. No way. There was absolutely no way this could be happening to her. Not now. Not today of all days... Talk about kicking a girl when she was down. Buy the book here!

 

Aurelia’s Oh-So-Simple Creamy Mushroom Soup

 This soup is so deliciously creamy and tasty, yet ridiculously easy to prepare. It can even be prepared in advance, then reheated immediately prior to serving, so is ideal for dinner parties.

 

Ingredients:

Mushrooms 1lb or more – chopped (I like to include a few field mushrooms for their colour)

Cream ¼ pint

Milk 1 pint

Plain flour 1½oz

Butter 2oz

Vegetable stock ½ pint

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and cook for three minutes.
Sprinkle over the flour, then stir to coat the mushrooms. Stir in the vegetable stock and the milk, then bring slowly to the boil.Simmer for five-to-ten minutes.

Allow to cool, then blend – if you like your soup chunky, only blend half.

(At this point you can store soup in the fridge to reheat later) Return to the pan, then add the cream and reheat.
Serve immediately. (Delicious with fresh, warm crusty bread).

 

Thanks so much for visiting, Aurelia! Love the recipe!

Shirley