The Imagination of a Child Writer
“Enter the writing process with a childlike sense of wonder and discovery. Let it surprise you.” –Anon
I spent a good deal of this past weekend snowed in with my family. Out of sheer boredom, my 10-year-old daughter and I decided to write a Christmas story together. She had a title in mind that she had been thinking of for quite some time and as we began to write, I was startled at how imaginative she was.
She didn’t waste time worrying about what she would write, she dove right in. We didn’t just sit down for a few minutes together and write, but we passed the story back and forth for much of the day. We took breaks to eat, play, and she spent a good deal of time designing the cover with scrapbook materials, but we spent just as much time writing the story.
I was amazed at her drive and creativity. I was impressed that she didn’t suffer from the sense of writer’s block that many adult writers are saddled with. She didn’t censor herself at all. No idea was too silly or stupid. She simply had a blast as she discovered and shared a new story.
I think when we write, we have to let go of our grownup tendencies to judge and critique ourselves. We need to stop worrying about what others will think of our writing and let ourselves enjoy the original story we are creating. We should write what we want to write. We should be like my daughter when she writes and let our childlike imaginations take over.
-Tina
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” –Albert Einstein
Kitty’s Mantecada Recipe
Here is Kitty’s recipe for Lucy’s favorite cookie in Ruby Among Us. My real-life friends Kim, Kathie, and Lynn used this recipe to make dozens of Mantecadas for my launch party. Make them for your book club or just to enjoy. (The picture is of the actual mantecadas at my launch party. They tell me they used Almond Extract instead of the Anise flavored liquere)
Kitty’s Mantecadas
Four dozen (about)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more to sprinkle after baking
Pinch of salt
¾ cup chilled, good quality lard or unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (May also use ½ cup butter and ¼ cup lard)
2/3 cup toasted almonds, ground
1 teaspoon Almond Extract OR 2 Tablespoons anise-flavored liqueur
1. Combine flour, 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, and salt in food processor. Add lard or butter and pulse until the pastry resembles coarse crumbs. Blend in almonds, add liqueur, and process for several pulses more until dough just begins to come together. It should not form into a ball.
2. Place mixture in large bowl; press into ball. (If pastry is still too crumbly to stick together, wait a few minutes until the butter softens a little.) Cover ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1½ hours.
3. Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Break off walnut-size pieces of dough; briefly roll dough piece between palms to form 3-inch ropes. Bend ropes into crescent shapes and place on cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place cookie sheets in middle of oven and bake until crescents are light, golden (12-15 minutes).
6. Cool on wire rack.
To serve, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Store in airtight container in cool place for up to one week.
Reading Good Fiction
When I spoke at the Wyoming Book Festival last weekend, I talked about how important it is for writers to read good fiction. If we don’t read, our writing becomes stagnant. There are so many good books out there that I’m sometimes overwhelmed with the choices. How to decide?
I’m usually a favorite book woman, not a favorite author woman, but there are some authors I know I will never go wrong with. Lisa Samson is one of those authors. Her books are well-written, literary, and deeply spiritual with storylines I always find intriguing.
Publishers weekly calls Lisa Samson “A talented novelist who isn’t afraid to take risks.”
When I couldn’t make up my mind about what to read a few months ago, I decided to try Lisa Samson’s latest, The Passion of Mary-Margaret. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and even though I read it several months ago, the story is still very alive and real in my mind.
Like any reader, I love when a story won’t let go of me and I think I will still be thinking about The Passion of Mary-Margaret ten years from now.
-Tina
Book Club Visit in Cheyenne
I had a great time last night visiting the EFree book club in Cheyenne, Wyoming. These ladies are so 
down to earth. I had such a great time with them.
They invited me to talk about Ruby Among Us last year and they all showed up at my release party for Rose House, so I felt like I already knew them.
Readers all come to a story in different ways, so it’s always really interesting to see how they feel about different aspects of the book. The members of this group had some really great insights about Rose House.
Thanks, Ladies, for reading Rose House and sharing your thoughts.
Fried Green Tomatoes
I’ve been getting a ton of hits for my Fried Green Tomatoes recipe, so I thought I would repost last October’s blog:
It’s not just part of Fannie Flagg’s novel title, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and it’s not just a movie. As promised, 
here is my Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe. I blogged a few weeks ago about how early the frost came to my part of Wyoming. One day the garden was hanging in there, and the next it was slimy and wilted from having been frozen twice in one weekend. Luckily, I gathered the green tomatoes before the frost bit them.
My family loves Fried Green Tomatoes and since I’m originally from Oklahoma, a little more south, I know how to make them. I’m not Paula Dean. I have a secret. The secret is there is really no secret. There are lots of ways to fry them. It’s all in what your family prefers. Mine like a batter dipped tomato, others like theirs simply coated with cornmeal. I’ve tried various recipes and have settled on the two easiest. Like I said. I’m not Paula:
Tina Ann Forkner’s Easy Batter Dipped Fried Green Tomatoes:
6 – 8 Medium Sized Green tomatoes
Pancake Batter (from scratch or a box, so you’ll also need Eggs and Oil)
Corn Meal
Salt & Pepper
Canola oil for Frying
Slice tomatoes about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick. Mix pancake batter according to instructions (or box instructions). Add enough cornmeal to pancake mix just so it’s a thicker consistency that will stick to the tomato easily. Heat canola oil in pan. If you are going to treat the family to this snack, you have to have enough oil to do the job, so be sure it’s about 1/2 deep in the pan. Use Canola to be healthier. Fry one side 2 – 3 minutes just until golden. Salt & Pepper. Turn gently and again cook until golden. Salt & Pepper. Drain on paper towels. Serve as a side or as a fun snack.
And here is a classic recipe with just cornmeal. It’s not the way my family likes their Fried Green Tomatoes, but if you don’t like the batter dipped kind, try this one:
Easy Classic Fried Green Tomatoes:
6 Green tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Cornmeal
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick, salt and pepper, dip into corn meal and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden. Turn and brown other side.
[photo credit: Rachel is... flickr.com]
Meeting Our Favorite Authors
This month I attended back to back writing conferences (RMFW & ACFW) and spoke at the Wyoming Book Festival in between. 
Visiting with authors and readers has been wonderful and I came away from all three events with different ideas and inspirations to improve my writing.
Like any writer, I want to do better. I want my next work to be a meaningful novel that touches readers. And speaking of readers, some of you came by my book signings at these events and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet you.
I remember the first time I met a real live published author. It was Amy Tan.
I was a student at Sac State and at the time, I was unpublished and just beginning to discover my own writing voice. Meeting Amy Tan was like meeting a Rock Star. I remember being so nervous when she signed my copy of her book, I could hardly speak, but I did mumble a few incoherent words. How could I miss the chance to tell her how much I loved her book?
How odd it sometimes seems that I would be signing copies of my own book for readers at a book signing. I don’t feel like a published author and I am always surprised that a reader would take the time to read my book, let alone make it a point to meet me at a signing.
I was especially touched this weekend when I met Jan, a reader I mentioned in an earlier post (Where We Read), who 
enthusiastically introduced herself and asked me to sign Ruby Among Us. She said she read Rose House sitting in the shade of an Aspen grove.
Another reader, Eve, stopped by to have me sign her book and very sweetly said that meeting me was the highlight of her conference.
Meeting me?
No, Eve (and Kathy from the Wyo Book Fest, Jan, Rosanna, and all the other readers who stopped by), meeting you was the highlight of MY conference/weekend. And I hope you had the chance to meet your other favorite authors at these multi-author signings.
I am always touched to meet my readers and I am not the exception at all. I don’t know an author who doesn’t love to meet readers.
Next time you have the opportunity to meet your favorite author at a signing, go for it. And when you are standing across from them waiting for their autograph, talk to them. They are just normal, like you, and very grateful.
After all, we write our books for you.
-Tina
Hope in Fiction
This weekend I’ve been a guest at the wonderful Colorado Gold Conference sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. I love RMFW and it’s been great to see so many authors in one place seeking to improve their writing. Today I teach a seminar about Faith & Writing, so I thought I would re-post my favorite quote:
