Book Festival nabs acclaimed bestseller – John Jakes named 2013 Literary Legend | PRLog

Sounds like it will be a great conference. I’ll be there for the Friday sessions. Truly looking looking forward to learning the latest perspectives on publishing. ,marketing and promotions — and of course, writing!

Short story contest news — Writers Weekly

Better hurry! Registration is limited to 500 for this popular short story writing contest at writersweekly.com

We did it again – and even better – Inspired Mic thrives!

The Inspired Mic event sponsored by FWA/Palm Coast, Words Etc., Clearview Press and BeachHouse Beanery is the place to be the 3rd Tuesday of every month – 7 – 9 pm

The Inspired Mic

Palmcoastnow's Blog

July 16th at 7pm began the third Inspired Mic of the season at Flagler Beach.

Michael Ray King owner of ClearVeiw Press, http://www.clearviewpressinc.com/ , started the event along with Christine Speno with Words Inc.  http://www.wordsetc.info/ The event is an evening of up to 18 writers who have five minutes to read from their works.

The Beach House Beanery http://www.beachhousebeanery.com/hosts The Inspired Mic by opening their doors much later than usual. Owners of the Beanery, Carol and Jeff are great supporters of the arts and The Inspired Mic. The quaint coffee shop normally closes around three o:clock,  opening for breakfast and lunch. However once a month they re-open before 7pm with a lovely snacking menu of appetizers, sandwiches, salads. deserts, wine, beer, and of course coffee.

The presenters are not always writers. Tuesday night we had two magicians on the stage.

Tom Sisti          And Dima Zale along with a young helper

The pictures I took did not…

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First FWA Palm Coast Open Mic a great success with more on the way….

FWA Palm Coast Open Mic Event – May 21

Open Mic Event next week in Flagler Beach, Florida

Sorry to confuse you!

Hello readers. I’ve been working on dividing my old Words Etc Blog. You’ll find the “fun stuff” on my new WordPress blog here. I call it Pudbudder. What is Pudbudder? You’ll have to visit me there to find out!

For business posts, please visit me at my business website blog here.
Thanks for reading and please subscribe to my new blog locations! Thank you!!

Be sure to follow me on my blog’s new location!

Please continue to follow me!

Hello readers!

Please be sure to continue to follow me through my new site.  Click here to resubscribe to my blog at its new home.  And be sure to look around the rest of my website while you’re there.  It’s still  a work in progress so come back often!  I look forward to your future comments and visits!

Christine Speno

Words Etc Writing & Editing

Words Etc. – we’re moving!

To all my followers and devoted readers, I am in the process of moving the WordsEtcWriting.com blog to my website at www.wordsetc.info.  I apologize for the confusion during construction and hope you’ll visit me there.  Be sure to subscribe to RSS feeds on the new site location so you’ll still be in touch with me and my posts!  You’ll find it on the “connect” section on the left of every page of of the site!  You can also follow me there on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn if you’re not already connected with me.

Words Etc. blog is moving.
Photo credit: Flickr

Thanks for visiting, reading and commenting!

Pickled Sweet Pepper Strips – a vegan recipe

Today is the first ever Flagler Beach Vegan Fest. I’m not a vegan myself, but I’m finding myself eating this way more as I’ve been working with a great group of people to help them promote this event.  The excitement has been growing over the past few weeks. This is a passionate group who believe whole-heartedly in their commitment of creating a balance in the world that is the end result of eating vegan-style. Exactly what classifies a recipe as vegan? To be vegan, a recipe must exclude meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Check out Vegan by Choice for more information.

Bounty from my garden 2011
Photo credit: Words Etc.

My husband and I often eat vegetarian meals and many of those meals and dishes end up being vegan.  What I’ve observed in recent weeks is that by “hanging out” with a few vegans while planning and promoting this event, I’ve started to analyze everything we cook and eat to see if it fits into the “vegan” category.

So it is in that spirit that I make my vegan recipe contribution today.

Communication with the earth by growing your own stuff is a favorite form of communicating for me.  Last year my yellow banana peppers just wouldn’t stop communicating with me!  We were overrun with Datil peppers as well as sweet yellow banana peppers.  The Datils have been turned into an amazing hot sauce, and I also developed a Datil Pepper Relish that has become very popular with friends and neighbors. But the real fun I had last summer was to perfect my version of a sweet pickled banana pepper. I am already anticipating what new creativity this summer’s garden will inspire!

I’ve finally got it down to science so here it is for all the world to see.  And to all my vegan friends in Flagler Beach and all around the area, Happy Vegan Fest Day!!

Christine’s Pickled Sweet Pepper Strips
Photo Credit: Words Etc.

Christine’s Pickled Sweet Pepper Strips

Start with 2 pounds of yellow and red sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 or 1/2 inch strips or rings (about 4 cups yellow banana and 4 cups of red bell)

Cover peppers with ice water, adding a few cloves of garlic and  1/3 cup pickling salt.  Mix well and allow to stand covered for about 3 hours. Drain the peppers well in a colander.

Pack 4 pint jars with peppers. Be sure to pack the peppers tightly.  Remember they are raw when you pack them and will shrink up a bit from the hot brine.  To each jar add:

½ tsp pickling salt

¼ tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard seed

1 clove garlic

One Datil pepper or a few slices of jalapeno pepper for spicy jars.  I usually make a mild jar or too for those less adventurous!

Prepare the brine by mixing together:

 2 cups white wine or cider vinegar

1 ½ cup sugar

1 ¼ tsp turmeric

 Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes.  Pour brine over peppers. Leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal and process 10-15 minutes in boiling water bath. Let jars cool on a towel on counter top. Store the cooled, sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry place for at least 3 weeks before eating the peppers.

Be prepared to make more.  Everyone will love these peppers, and you can tell by the photo that they are beautiful!

Have some recipes that fit into the vegan category?  Please share with me!

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