Tasty Tuesdays–Quick Oven Quesadillas

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books, Catherine Castle, entrees, food blog, Mexican food, Oven Quesadillas, Recipes, Tasty Tuesdays, The Nun and the Narc

The other day I wanted a quick easy meal, so I peeked into the pantry to see what I had on hand. I found cans of chicken, green chiles, corn, black beans and cream of chicken soup, and some tortillas, so I set out to create something. Here’s what I came up with. We liked it, and I hope you will too.

Quick Oven Quesadilla

Ingredients: 

• 2 12.5-oz canned chicken, drained and broken up
• 1 4-oz can diced green chilies
• 1 2.5-oz can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-11-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 or less cup water (start with a smaller amount. You only need enough water to allow the condensed soup to mix with the other ingredients )
• 1 cup finely shredded Mexican style cheese.
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning, or to taste if you like it spicier.
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 high-fiber large tortillas (or corn tortillas) or  enough to fit a straight sided cake pan, or 2 high-fiber street tacos to make individual servings in a smaller pan

Directions:

• In a skillet over medium high heat brown the tortillas on both sides.
• While tortillas are browning, mix chicken, corn, beans, chilies, olives, soup, cheddar cheese and water. Heat the mix in a large saucepan stirring until well mixed and beginning to bubble.
• Lightly spray the bottom of a cake pan or baking sheet. Lay one tortilla in the pan, top with about 3/4 cup mix (for a large tortilla, less for smaller tortillas) onto top of browned tortilla, spreading mix almost to the edge. Top with 1/4 cup of finely shredded Mexican cheese.  Repeat with other tortilla and 3/4 cup mix. (You will have mix left over for another day’s use, or you can double the tortillas and make a bigger meal the first time)
• Bake in 350 degree oven about 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top has melted and you can see filling bubbling. (I’ve also baked this for a shorter time at a higher temp when was in a hurry.) Turn off oven and switch to the high broil setting on the oven and broil until cheese on top begins to brown.
• Remove from oven. Cut and serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, guacamole, salsa or other Mexican side toppings.

If you want to make several stacks at a time lay the base tortillas on a baking sheet and assemble as many as your ingredients allow. Number will depend on the size of your tortillas.

If you only make one stack, or 2 smaller individual servings, the first time you can use the remainder of the filling for a second quesadilla meal or as filling for enchiladas. It will make about 4-6 enchiladas depending on the size of your tortilla. Warm your ingredients before assembling the stacks or enchiladas to cut down on heating time in oven. Make a cheese sauce, or other Mexican sauce to cover the enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Heat in a 350 degree oven until cheese has melted and is beginning to brown. 

While your dinner is cooking, check out Catherine’s multi-award-winning Inspirational Romantic Suspense The Nun and the Narc. Partially set in Mexico, the heroine, Sister Margaret Mary, an adventurous novice, dines on some unusual marketplace snacks.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

Buy Links Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain—I’m Looking Over My Four-leaf Clovers by Catherine Castle

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award-winning books, Catherine Castle, five-leaf clover, four-leaf clover lore, four-leaf clovers, lucky clovers, Musings from a Writer's Brain, St. Patrick's Day, The Nun and the Narc

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up in 2 days, March 17. Do you have your lucky four-leaf clover yet?

I’ve got mine.

In fact, I have thirty-five four-leaf clovers, several which were found in one day. I’ve probably found more than thirty-five since I only began pressing my finds between mailing tape in 1987.

I’ve been looking for these lucky charms all my life. Hunting four-leaf clovers was a pastime of my mother, who searched most of her live and rarely found one. As a teenager, I often gave my finds to her or gave them away to other people who couldn’t find them as easily as I could.

I also have three five-leaf clovers, which appeared after we fertilized our yard one year. I also found several of them on the same day. They were gigantic compared to the run-of-the-mill clovers that inhabited our weedy yard. I thought the fertilizer put the regular clovers on steroids. I later learned that five-leaf clovers are believed to be even luckier than their four-leaved counterparts. If I’d have known that I’d have purchased a lottery ticket or three the day I found those babies!

I remember one time, after showing my daughter and her friend a few of my mounted clovers, the two of them decided to search in our yard for their own lucky clover. After a while they came in, disappointed because they hadn’t found anything. I took them outside, looked down at a couple of dense clover patches and then pointed to one of them.

“Search here,” I said. Within a few minutes each of them had discovered a four-leaf clover.

“How did you know where to look?” my daughter asked.

“I didn’t,” I replied. “I just looked down and I saw them.” They left clutching their clovers in awe of me.

Irish tradition says three-leaf clovers are associated with St Patrick’s use of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish; three leaves for the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Celts thought four-leaf clovers would ward off bad luck. In the Middle Ages, children who carried a four-leaf clover in their pockets believed they could see fairies.

Other traditions tell us that those who find a four-leaf clover are destined for good luck. Three of the leaves in the clover represent good omens for faith, hope, and love. The fourth leaf means luck for the finder, a fifth leaf even more luck.  If you should find a six-leaf clover you can add fame to the mix, and a seventh leaf adds longevity, according to Wikipedia. Considering there are 10,000 of the three leafed varieties for each lucky four-leafed clover (or 5,000 to one, depending on whose research you believe), I feel blessed to have found as many four-leafed clovers as I have.

My husband just thinks I’ve found so many because I’m good at recognizing patterns in the clover, but I’m not so sure. I’ve searched on occasions and not found a single lucky clover.

I do think I’ve had a blessed life, but I don’t believe I can attribute it to those thirty-five clovers. I would say, however, that the three main leaves of the four-leaf clover that represent faith, hope and love are the drivers for my blessings. If you have those three things in your life, you’ll feel lucky no matter what life throws at you.

May you have the Blessings of Life that faith, hope and love bring you,

and the luck of the Irish today and always.

Catherine’s published books have also been lucky. Her debut novel, The Nun and the Narc is an ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2014 EPIC finalist, and the winner of the 2014 Beverly Hills Book Award and the 2014 RONE award, as well as placing in several other contests.  Her sweet romantic comedy/drama A Groom for Mama, is the recipient of the 2018 Raven Award.

Check out this blurb from The Nun and the Narc.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

Tasty Tuesdays–Quick White Chicken Chili from Catherine Castle

Tags

Catherine Castle, entree, food, Quick White Chicken Chili, recipe, Tasty Tuesdays, The Nun and the Narc

The other day I made some chicken breasts in the crockpot in anticipation of making a batch of chicken pot pies. I threw in a couple extra boneless breasts, and hubby and I went out to run some errands. When we got back later that afternoon we were hungry and the scent of chicken filled the house.

“What’s for dinner?” hubby asked.

I decided to use some of the crockpot chicken breasts and throw together a quick White Chicken Chili with what I had in the pantry. I didn’t have enough cannellini beans so I substituted and came up with a pretty good chili, if I do say so myself. I hope you’ll think so, too.

Here’s what I had in the pantry to make this chili.

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans), drained

1 15-ounce can of butter beans

1 4-ounce can green chilies

8-16 ounces of chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Cumin to taste if you like a hot chili

Directions:

Place cannellini beans, diced green peppers, and 8 ounces of chicken broth into a pot.

Place butter beans in a food processor and pulse until beans are mashed up.

Add to ingredients in pot and stir well. 

If chili is too thick add more chicken broth until it reaches the consistency you want.

Heat and serve with homemade cornbread and coleslaw. 

Makes 4 1-cup servings

While you’re waiting for the chili to heat check out Catherine’s Award-winning Inspirational Romantic Suspense The Nun and the Narc.

Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

Catherine’s Comment–A Winter Wonderland Table Setting from Catherine Castle

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Catherine Castle, Catherine's Comments, clean romance, essay, Holiday table settings, inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, Winter wonderland

.

Christmas is over, but don’t put your Christmas village away just yet or those special winter themed dishes you may have lying around, like these adorable Norman Rockwell tumblers pictured below.

Instead, use these selected pieces to create a winter wonderland table setting and this charming centerpiece.

For this table setting you’ll need

• Your winter village accessories. I used my skating rink, the snow covered trees and bushes, and as many village figurines I could find that showed people playing in the snow. If you don’t have a skating rink, don’t worry. Just add some more of your snow covered village buildings to make up for the lack.  The point is to create a winter scene. And who doesn’t think a Christmas village isn’t wintery?
• Some cotton batting for the snow
•  A white tablecloth.
• 4 blue plates. I had 4 turquoise blue plates that looked great on the table. If you don’t have 4 colored plates, mix with white, or use all white plates against a blue tablecloth. The point is to make a striking contrast between the dishes and the tablecloth.
• Cute wintery napkins. I pulled some darling snowmen out of my stash.
• Clear bowls. I had some with snowflakes on them.
• 2 white candle in glass holders

• 

• 

Snowman napkin and snowflake bowl

Since I was using a smaller 48” diameter table, I set my skating rink at an angle to give more room for the village pieces.  If you have longer table you could spread the figurines out along the length of the table.

Honestly, the pictures I took did not do the table setting justice. It was so darned cute I wanted to leave it up all winter. But since that’s the table we eat at all the time, hubby would not have been happy.

snowman salt and pepper shakers

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Winter Wonderland table setting. If you don’t have a village, look at your Christmas decorations and see what you do have that represents winter. Some other options could include crocheted or plastic snowflakes, set on angles, in a snow bank of white cotton. Or maybe you have some snow-flocked small evergreen trees you could place in a cotton snowbank. Do you have a snowman collection? Use them. Let this setting inspire you.

Have a Happy New Year!

How about starting off your new year with a new read? Check out Catherine’s multi-award winning book The Nun and the Narc.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

Catherine’s Comments–Age Doesn’t Matter by Catherine Castle

Tags

acheivements, Catherine Castle, Catherine's Comments, essay about life, inspirational romantic suspense, Sweet romance, The Nun and the Narc, writing success

I got a text from my daughter the other day. It read, “You’re kind of like Laura Ingalls Wilder. She didn’t get published until 65.”

I took a bit of umbrage to that statement, and pulled a bit of pride from it as well. I’d love to be an internationally well-known writer like Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was one of my favorite authors –as well as my daughter’s favorite author, now and when she was young. I wasn’t so crazy about the 65 bit, however. I was under 65 when my first book was published, and well under 65 in how-young-you-feel-and-look years. (And isn’t that what really counts?)

However, my daughter’s statement got me to thinking about how our accomplishments aren’t limited to age. I was actually in my early 40s when I began writing professionally as a stringer for our local town newspaper. I’d always loved to write and had filled a notebook full of poems, written dozens of short stories that never made it past the Mom-thinks-it’s-wonderful stage, and composed countless school essays that always made great marks. The writing assignments that other students groaned about, I relished. I loved everything about them, from the research, to the actual writing, and even the editing—things that serve me well now as a published author.

Writing and reading have always been my passions, along with singing and acting. As a teenager I wanted to be a rock-and-roll singer or act on stage. At the time, writing never even entered my realm of careers. It was only a hobby I loved. I never made it to the limelight of center stage, in spite of the many times I tried out for school plays or musicals. I got chorus parts, but never the starring roles.

Ahh, but never give up. There’s a time and a place for everything and, for some of us, that time comes later in life. Today, I’m a published author—both as a solo author and co-authoring with my husband. I sing onstage at church, praising the Lord who gave me my voice. I’m also co-writing plays for our church (with my husband), acting and co-directing in plays for our church. Granted, it’s not Hollywood, which I have decided I wouldn’t want to be part of now anyway. Nor am I on the New York Times Bestseller list, to which I still aspire. But I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to. I’ve discovered doing what you love, at any age, is satisfying beyond belief.

Here’s the interesting thing: Age doesn’t matter–just ask Abraham’s wife. After all, if he could give Sarah and Abraham a child in their old age, at just the right time to begin his plan of salvation for the world, who am I to question why my bit of success didn’t come when I was twenty? Knowing how everything turned out, I believe I’m right where God wants me to be, at the time of my life he wanted me to be there.

Mine is not to wonder why, but just to do and be satisfied. So, if you’re bemoaning the fact that you haven’t “made it” yet in the publishing world, or with any other goal you’ve set for yourself, don’t. Just keep working toward that goal and relish the success, no matter how big or small, whenever it comes.

Catherine achieved her goal of publication and also won several awards with her debut book, The Nun and the Narc. Check out the blurb and read a sample on Amazon.

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

The Nun and the Narc is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

Catherine’s Comments–Fantastic Seasonal Tables Using 20 Mismatched Dishes by Catherine Castle

Tags

award-winning romance, Catherine's Comments, decorations, dishes, essay, home decor, table settings, The Nun and the Narc

I’m channeling Martha Stewart today with a home décor post, so bear with me this Friday morning.

As we head into a most unusual holiday entertaining season chances are there will be fewer people around your tables. Fewer guests don’t mean you should back down on the fancy table arrangments.  Instead, why not get creative and try something different?

I don’t know about you, but when I have company, I like to set a fancy table. It’s one of the reasons I have ten different sets of dishes and several different sets of glassware. I can set a Disney table, complete with themed flatware and napkin rings; go native American with my Indian patterned dishes; have an indoor garden party with my garden dishes; set two different themed Christmas tables; or celebrate the Fourth of July Americana style. I also have two sets of patterned Corelle®, a plain white Corelle set, and plain colored stoneware that will span several seasons.

I know, I know. That’s way too many plates, cups and bowls for one person to own. But, much to my hubby’s chagrin, it’s a quirky fetish of mine. I collect dishes like most women collect shoes. I can’t bypass a single display of dishes without lusting after them. I realize most women don’t have access to such a wide variety of dishes, aside from Martha Stewart perhaps. But even if you don’t have a bazillion complete sets of dishes, you can still set a pretty table

Having said that, I decided to challenge myself and my overabundant dish fetish. Instead of using a complete set of one of the ten dish settings I have, could I create four seasonal table settings using only four white dinner plates, 8 solid primary color luncheon plates, and 8 assorted bowls and 4 clear glasses?

With no patterns in the dishes to help set the seasonal mood, I decided to use patterned placemats. Placemats take up less storage room than dishes and cost less to replace if they get stained or you just want a change. Seasonal paper napkins and decorative elements gathered from around the house for centerpieces rounds out the table. Since white contrasts best with colored or patterned placemats I used the white dinner plates as the base for the place settings.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, so I’ll start with that holiday.

When the temperatures drop and autumn rolls around, bring out the warmer colors of yellow and red to contrast with the warm wood tones of your table. A circle of leaves around a tall candle works as a centerpiece and draws in all the colors of the plates into the palette. If you have fall placemats they can be used under the dishes. I only had two matching autumn placemats, so I chose to forego them on this table setting. Instead of white bowls I used some red and green ramekins to pull in more fall color.

Christmas brings out the traditional, cheery colors of red and green. I interspersed green ramekins with the white bowls for a touch more green in this palette and to make the bowls pop on the red plates. Using green napkins in the glasses looks like you have tiny evergreen tree on your table.

Spring bursts onto the table in shades of yellow, white, and turquoise. A vase of airy pink flowers adorns the center of the table, and a cocktail napkin containing all four colors ties the place setting together. If you’re having an Easter dinner, a pretty Easter basket filled with battery operated candles would be the perfect centerpiece, or unwrap that giant chocolate bunny you bought, set him on a plate with your homemade Easter eggs and fill in the empty spots with Easter grass. This is one centerpiece you won’t have to store.

Celebrate summer’s freedom holiday with a red, white and blue theme. A candle in a star shaped dish sets center stage. If you have them, a few sparklers set in small balls of clay around the candle would be an interesting touch. (I didn’t, so I just went with the single candle.) Placing blue and red napkins in the glasses gave the hint of fireworks to the table settings.

I was sorely tempted to break out the garden dishes to create a summer garden party theme, but since I figured most people don’t have an assortment of flower and veggie shaped dishes, that would be cheating on the challenge.

With 20 dishes, not counting the clear glasses, I’ve created four attractive seasonal place settings. Now, the trick will be to not let the hubby see what I can do with only 20 dishes. Because if he finds out, I’ll have no more excuses to buy tableware.

Which one of these table settings do you like best? I can’t decide. I may just have to see how many more I can create using a few unusual pieces. Oh! New antiquing idea—searching for unique seasonal serving pieces to set off my five-color scheme place settings. Then I think I’ll have some dinner guests over—once COVID is gone.

What about you? How do you create inviting dinner tables?

Now that you’ve got some great table settings lined up, relax with Catherine’s multi-award-winning inspirational romantic suspense novel The Nun and the Narc.

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

You can find her award-winning book The Nun and the Narc on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

A Writer’s Garden–Garden Surprises of the Insect and Flower Variety by Catherine Castle

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Catherine Castle, GArden Surprises, Insect, The Nun and the Narc, tropical flower

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing.

Today’s post closes this year’s season of A Writer’s Garden blog series. I hope you’ve all enjoyed your visits and mini garden parties as you’ve virtually strolled through the gardens of 27 wonderful writers and gardeners. I know I’ve enjoyed the writers’ visits and we’ve all enjoyed sharing our garden joys, trials and surprises with our readers this year.

And speaking of surprises I thought I’d end the season with a few of the garden surprises I got this year—of the creature kind as well as plants.

To get the icky factor over for those gardeners who don’t like insects, I’ll start with them.

 I should have known this would be an unusual garden year when I pulled my garden shoes from their cubby in the laundry room. Thank goodness I looked inside the shoe because nestled on the black shoe liner I spied something brown and stick like. After I tromboned my arm a couple of times, so I could see what lay in the shoe, I discovered a dried out walking stick. Not of the variety one uses to support wobbly legs, either.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the foresight to snap a photo. I wasn’t in garden blog mode so early in the season. For those who haven’t seen a walking stick here’s what they look like.

courtesy of pixabay

The next garden adventure was encountered by my husband. I know I’ve mentioned before that our southern Ohio yard is crawling with lizards. We have a lot of rocks and hardscape and I guess some pet lizard escapee decided our yard would be their home, so now big, little, and every size in between lizards roam over our stone walls and graveled beds. This year, while putting in new gravel beds that will house my above ground veggie pots, my husband found the lizard nest.

courtesy of pixabay

Dozens of tiny lizards scattered when he shoveled up their home, sending him scrambling off the wall. I’m grateful I wasn’t there to see that or I’d probably have jumped five feet off the ground and broken who knows how many bones when I landed.  I don’t mind that they crawl around and eat insects, but I would mind if they crawled over me or into my house. So far they’ve run the opposite direction whenever I’ve approached them,

My next garden insect encounter of the unusual kind came when Hubby and I were working on the patio garden beds. This lovely hornet-like creature kept buzzing us.

courtesy of pixabay

“Giant hornet!” Hubby yelled as it dived bombed him. Hubby’s been stung by hornets in the past and reacted badly. He was ready to quit and retreat to the house.

 Fortunately, I had a previous encounter with this sort of insect one spring. His presence in my flower bed, and the fact that he dive bombed me whenever I went out, kept me inside until I sourced out what the giant hornet-like insect was.

When hubby’s “giant hornet” finally landed on a stone wall I said with confidence, “Not to worry. It’s just a cicada killer. It’s not after you.”

Unlike the aggressive hornet, which the cicada killer resembles, this wasp hunts cicadas, not people. The female, which has the stinger, stings the cicada and puts the paralyzed insect into the nest with her unhatched eggs so they will have something to eat. Although the female of the species has a large stinger, and will sting you if she’s attacked, she is not aggressive like hornets or honey bees and does not have the nest-guarding instinct of those insects. You can walk through areas where cicada killers are active without attracting their attention.  They do have quite a buzz and they look a bit scary, but in general if you leave them alone they leave you alone.

And personally, I rather have a cicada killer roaming in my garden that be bombarded by those ugly cicadas. 

Then one morning as I was walking up the gravel garden path, this crossed my path.

courtesy of pixabay

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen a velvet ant, otherwise known as a cow killer, in the garden, but it was the first time I’d seen two in the garden. A couple of days later we found some ant hill looking piles of dirt in the fresh gravel beds we’d been laying. Knowing I’d seen a cow killer/red velvet ant, I gave hubby some wasp spray to shoot onto the hills. A red velvet ant came scrambling out of each hill. He soaked them as best as he could as they scrabbled away.

Hubby didn’t know what they were, but when he described them to me and I later saw the back end of one sticking from the gravel where it had crawled to die, I knew exactly what it was. There’s reason these fuzzy red and black creatures are called cow killers.  The wingless female has a potent sting. The winged male, however, has no stinger.

The female velvet ants, misnamed because the species are really wasps, dig into the nesting chambers of ground-nesting bees and wasps and lay their eggs on the larvae inside. When the eggs hatch the immature ants eat the larvae. Female cow killers can be found on bare or sandy soil. The winged male, which thankfully I haven’t seen, prefers flowers and plants. This insect is not aggressive, but if you step on it or handle it you will be stung. So beware if you see this insect in your garden.

And now on to the more beautiful, but definitely unwanted surprise in the garden this year—a Passion flower. Not something I’d planted. According to my research, the tropical vine is hardy up to zone 5 and can be invasive in some areas. Hubby presented one to me after he’d pulled a wild  vine growing up my bridal wreath bush.

He got a hurt look on his face when I didn’t appreciate his offering. “You threw it away,” he complained.

“Even a flower that isn’t where you want it can be a weed,” I replied. “Especially this one. It can be invasive. If we don’t get it all now, you’ll be pulling this for years to come.” He grudgingly acknowledged my dismissal on the beautiful flower. After all, he’s the one who has to climb up the hill, dig into the bushes, and uproot the weedy vines.

Later in the season, when the plant grew back on the bush, I gave the giant seed pod to my landscaper when she discovered it upon pulling the last of the vine from the bush this fall. When I showed her, via the internet, what the plant would look like, she said, “Are you sure you don’t want to keep it? It’s such a gorgeous flower.” 

“If I let it grow it will take over the garden, “I replied. “The vine grows over 20 feet and there are lots of seeds in that lemon-sized pod. You take it if you want it, but be warned, it can take over the area where you plant it.”

 She said she’d plant it by her chicken coop. Better in her yard than mine, although I suspect we’ll still be pulling it out of the bushes next year.

Well, that’s my garden surprises for this year.  I want to thank all my writer/gardener friends for joining me this year, and all you readers for following us this garden season. God willing, we’ll all be back again next spring with more garden stories.

In the meantime, remember this: God made rainy days and winter so gardeners could get the housework done.

Happy Gardening and I hope to see you all next year!

About the Writer/Gardener:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

This fall and winter don’t forget to check out all the books the writer/gardeners have promoted this season.   Here’s Catherine’s multi-award-winning book The Nun and the Narc available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

The Nun and the Narc

by Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

The Nun and the Narc available on Amazon

and Barnes and Noble.

Catherine’s Comments–Forget the Autumnal Equinox. Fall begins with this…by Catherine Castle

Tags

Autumn Equinox, caramel apples, Catherine Castle, Catherine's Comments, inspirational romantic suspense, recipe, The Nun and the Narc

It’s officially fall at my house!

 

Yes, I know the official date was September 22 this year, and I’m writing this post on October 1. I’m sure most of you think I’m late in my proclamation.  I also know the official calendar date occurs on the autumnal equinox when and day and night are almost equal—in most locations. I also know that now it’s officially spring in the Southern Hemisphere. But I digress.

As you might have guessed, I don’t follow the notion that fall begins on September 22, or sometimes on September 21 or September 23, depending on the difference between the Gregorian calendar and the time it actually takes the Earth to complete its orbit around the sun. Because it takes 365 and ¼ days for the Earth’s orbit the September equinoxes shift about 6 hours later each year, eventually moving the date by a day.

So, if I don’t recognize the Equinox as the start of fall, when does it start? Fall begins for me in the grocery store, night or day, and it depends upon when I spot this beauty on the produce stand.

.Yep, you see it right. Fall begins for me when I find caramel apples in the grocery. I start watching for them in early September, savoring the thought of a crisp apple covered in caramel and chopped peanuts.  They come in packs of three at my Kroger and when my daughter lived at home it was one apple for each of us.  Then when she moved out, I usually ate the third apple when the hubby was at work and then resisted getting another package and hiding it from the family. Now that Hubby’s retired I have to split the last treat. But that’s okay, because when they’re in season he always picks up an extra pack for us. Last night he brought three caramel and cinnamon streusel crusted apples home. Can you say apple pie on a stick?

I justify this sweet treat because apples and nuts in moderation are good for you. Caramel not so much. Apples are loaded with fiber and quercetin, a natural antihistamine. When eaten on a stick, or off the stick, apples are a raw food. Nuts have good MUFA fats (Mono unsaturated fat) which means the caramel apple has no saturated fats and lots of fiber. A great combo for lowering my high cholesterol. I ignore the sugar for this seasonal treat. It only happens once and year and I just eat more fiber to counter the sugar’s bad affects.

Have I made you hungry for a caramel apple yet?  Just in case, here’s a link to an easy recipe to make your own caramel apples. Enjoy, and welcome to fall!

Novice Sister Margaret doesn’t consume any caramel apples on her mission trip to Mexico, but she does eat some interesting things. Find out what in Catherine’s multi-award-winning inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc.

 

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

 

Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

 

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

Catherine’s Comments–Do You Have This Human Weakness? by Catherine Castle

Tags

bibliophile, Carl Sandberg’s library, Catherine Castle, Catherine's Comments, essay, excerpt from The Nun and the Narc, Henry WArd Beecher quote, The Nun and the Narc

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?-

-Henry Ward Beecher

 

When I read this quote I said, “Oh, that is soooo me.”

As a kid going into the library, I could never choose just one library book. Three was the minimum, and I’ve been known to go as high as seven, or ten, if I was checking out non-fiction for research or skimming.  I always returned before the two week borrowing limit was over and checked out another armload of books. Of course, back then I had the luxury of time on my side. No housework, cooking, gardening, or other jobs to do. I don’t read books as fast as I did as a teen, but I still collect them. I haven’t lost my love of books, or my weakness for the written word.

That love of books bled into bookstores, and my pocket book, as I grew older. My kindle is filled with books: books I’ve bought, free books I’ve downloaded, and books given to me by other authors to review. In fact, I’ve even got books on my phone—a place I never thought I’d read books on. I have a stack of snail mail advertising books that I think I might like to buy someday. And we won’t even mention the home book shelves. Or maybe we will, since this post is about my human weakness when it comes to books, and bookstores. They, too, are crammed full and spilling onto the floor with fiction of all genres, non-fiction of all sorts, cookbooks, crafting books, research books, writing books and even dictionaries. A quick glance around the shelves in my office and I can find at least 5 different dictionaries.  Really, who needs that many dictionaries?

I am without doubt a confirmed bibliophile, a disease that apparently even Henry Ward Beecher had, as well as many of America’s wealthy homeowners, as witnessed by some of their great libraries.

Pictured above are the book shelves in the living room of poet CARL SANDBURG. Every room, including the bathroom, and every hallway had shelves like these. All I wanted to do was stop and peruse them, but the docent wouldn’t let me. Sigh.

I’ve always thought it would be fun to work in a library or a bookstore. Being surrounded by all the tomes filled with historical knowledge, poetry, facts and tips about anything you were interested in, and stories that could carry you away to foreign lands, imaginary lands, and let you live vicariously through the characters’ lives has a great appeal. But as I grew older and the desire to own those volumes began to overtake me, I realized I wouldn’t make any money working at a bookstore, because I’d spend my entire pay on the store’s merchandise.

In fact, the disease, and the accompanying human weakness, is so bad that while signing my books at a book store, the author next to me mentioned a book that sounded interesting, and I popped onto my phone and downloaded it using my Kindle app. It was the only book bought at my signing table that day. LOL. When I attended the Lori Foster RAGT event, and couldn’t find a book that interested me (which is a wonder in itself), I ended up buying books for my niece!

Here are just a few titles to which I’ve succumbed most recently. I’m in the process of reading some, some have been read, and others are on the TBR list.

• Alienated by Melissa Landers
• Gateway to Gannah series by Yvonne Anderson
• Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown (a cozy mystery)
• Mama, I am Yet Still Alive: a composite diary of 1863 in the Confederacy, Jeff Toalson, Editor
• Best of the Covered Wagon Women, editor Kenneth L. Holmes
• Desperate Deeds by Patricia Gligor
• Confederato de Norte by Linda Bennett Pennell
• Hog Insane, by Carole Brown
• Dating Cary Grant by Emelle Gamble
• The Marital Bargain: Wife for Five Months by Eris Field
• Recipes to Create Holidays by Sloane Taylor
• Hair Calamities and Hot Cash by Gail Pallotta
• My Fair Guardian  by Suzanne G. Rogers
• A Season for Killing Blondes by Joanne Guidoccio
• A Musket in My Hands by Sandra Merville Hart

This is only a sample of my 50 Kindle pages of books, plus a few print books from my shelves. I have many more on my wanta-buy-list.

What about you? Do you have the Bibliophile disease and the weak human nature that Henry Ward Beecher speaks of ? Be honest, and let me know how it has manifested itself in your reading life.

Catherine hopes you’d like to add her books  to your list  of  wanta-read-books. Here’s a teaser from her multi-award-winning inspirational romantic suspense The Nun and the Narc.

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

 

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

 

Excerpt:

A drug deal! Of all the things Rafael could do, this was the worst.

Esperanza had fought so hard to keep her son away from bad influences. Now he appeared to be involved in the very thing she’d hated most. Margaret imagined Esperanza banging on the gates of purgatory, trying to get out and rescue her son.

She hesitated for a moment, hearing Mother Superior’s admonishment. Stay out of trouble while you are in Mexico, Sister.         

Silencing the nagging voice in her head, Margaret charged forward, protective instincts in full swing.

Stopping Rafael and talking to him about the dangers of drugs surely wouldn’t qualify as trouble. Bluntness, maybe, but not trouble. It was more like saving. Yes, that’s it. I’m saving him.

Margaret grabbed Rafael by the shirt. “I’ve been searching for you, young man.” She faced the stranger, giving him her best withering stare. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

The man stuffed the plastic bag into his jacket pocket. “Who is this?”

“Some crazy gringa.” Rafael shrugged, hard, trying to escape her grasp.

The plastic bag contained something white. Heroin? Cocaine? Margaret tightened her hold and drew Rafael closer. She would save him whether he wanted to be saved or not.

“Get out of here,” Rafael snarled.

“What would your mother say if she saw this?”

Rafael’s expression darkened. “Leave my mother out of this!” He wrenched out of Margaret’s grip and spun around to face her. His expression morphed from anger to fear. “¡Madre de Dios!”

The man’s head jerked around. “Get down!” he shouted.

Rafael took off running down the street as the top row of pottery in the stand exploded like popcorn.

Margaret jumped at the loud noise and whirled around searching for the source. The man removed a gun from his jacket, swung around, and scanned the area.

Margaret’s knees buckled at the sight of the handgun. Her body tensed, her gaze frozen on his weapon. He fired off a couple of shots. Heart thumping like a jackhammer, she ran for cover behind the open car door. The window glass shattered as bullets whizzed over her head. She scrambled into the car and crouched on the floorboard. Another row of pottery shattered, sending fragments into the car like tiny projectile rockets. Sending up a quick prayer, she covered her head.

Slamming the door shut as he passed, the man leapt over the trunk. He jerked open the driver’s door then jumped behind the wheel. Jamming the car into gear, he roared out into the market street. Shoppers and vendors screamed, leaping out of the car’s path.

Margaret scrambled into the passenger seat. “Stop this car immediately!”

“Keep down,” he ordered, “unless you want to get shot.”

The rear window glass erupted into the car’s interior, punctuating his words. The man fired at the attackers through the shattered back window.

“Shot?” Her voice rose an octave. “Oh, dear Lord in Heaven, what have I gotten into?”

“Trouble, Lady.” He fired off another round. “Big trouble.

BUY LINK

 

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

 

 

A Writer’s Garden–A Historic Peony Support from Catherine Castle

Tags

A Writer's Garden, Catherine Castle, flowers, peony stakes, romantic uspense, The Nun and the Narc

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Catherine Castle. She’ll be showing off the first peony blooms in her garden this year.

Hi, gardeners!

Earlier this year I showed you a picture of my peonies as they emerged from the ground. Knowing I had to stake them, I was on the search for staking methods. Most of the peony supports I found, that seemed strong enough to support the flowers, were very expensive. Then I came up the The Hildene Star method, using wooden stakes and twine. I was taken by the star that this method formed as a support. Since I had some four-foot high wooden stakes, and the hubby had some jute twine he was willing to contribute, we set out to stake my peonies. I guessed how long the stakes needed to be, and we cut them at two foot, since the plants are young and very short. Unfortunately, the stakes ended up much lower than I’d intended since they sank into the ground deeper than I’d anticipated. I should have cut them at three feet.

In the picture below you can see the star pattern woven in between the peony leaves and buds.

You can find out how to create this support at http://oldhousegardens.com/SupportingPeonies

The Hildene star is an historic method that is used at the Manchester, Vermont summer estate of President Lincoln’s son. I haven’t been to these gardens, but now that I’ve discovered them, I’d love to take trip some May or June to see 175-plus, herbaceous, mostly heirloom peonies.

I have three different kinds of peonies in this row of tiered beds. Two white Duchesse de Nemours, planted at the top and the bottom tiers, and two red peonies—Scarlet O’Hara and Karl Rosenfeld, which are planted in the two center beds.

The Scarlet O’Hara blooms in early spring. The Karl Rosenfeld blooms midspring and the white Duchesse de Nemours blooms late spring to summer. I planned the flowers to have blooms all season long.

The Scarlet O’Hara isn’t the typical peony you think about when you think peony. This bloom looks like a bright red poppy.

It rained 4 inches worth this past week and although the peony drooped during the rainstorms, it sprang back up, unlike the heavy-headed blooms of traditional peonies.

I can’t wait to see how the Hildene star works for my peonies. I ended up staking the last peony with a four foot stakes, after I saw how short the other stakes were. The four-footer stands up over the bush a bit, but it will be a good test of how high I really needed to make the stakes.

Do any of you grow peonies? How do you stake them?

 

About the Writer/Gardener:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

The heroine of Catherine’s inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, also loves gardening. It’s one of the jobs she does at the convent. Check out the book blurb below.

The Nun and the Narc

By Catherine Castle

 

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

 

Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon