Living in the South, comfort
food is a language of love. The characters in The Haunting on Palm Court eat a
lot of delicious meals together. So much that my beta readers commented on how
my writing made them hungry.
Today, I’m making Nancy’s Saucy
Shrimp and Grits. Nancy is the feisty grandmotherly character who helps the
main character, Blake, navigate through the haunting. The recipe below is
written from Nancy’s perspective.
Nancy’s
Saucy Shrimp and Grits
1 1b. shrimp
½ lb. bacon
½ cup butter, halved (Real
butter, y’all)
1 cup of cream (None of that half
and half nonsense)
2 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of stoneground grits
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 chopped green onion stalk
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
(Don’t even think of using fat free cheese.)
2 tbs. barbecue sauce
Bring broth to a boil. Add grits,
stirring frequently.
Turn down stovetop heat to medium.
Fry up the bacon to a
real nice crisp and set aside.
Add the cream, half of the butter and spices to
the grits, turning down the heat to low.
Add the remaining butter to a skillet.
When it melts, add the shrimp, allowing them to cook for approximately four
minutes on each side or until they’re pink all of the way through. This ain’t
something you want to do halfway. Be sure to keep an eye on the grits, which
should be done.
Stir in the cheese.
Plate the grits and top them with the
shrimp, bacon, the green onion and a dash of love.
Drizzle barbecue sauce to
taste.
Hon, you’ve earned yourself a
swig of peach brandy or at least a glass of my sweet tea. Let’s sit for a spell
and catch up on your mom and ‘em.
 |
Want to get to know Nancy better?
Check out Pearls of Wisdom, an adult coloring book featuring more of her
Southern colloquialisms, or sign up for Stephanie Edwards’ monthly newsletter
for more of Nancy’s recipes. Email Stephanie at stephanie@stephedwardswrites.com for more details.
The Haunting on Palm Court
Isle of Palms Suspense
Book One
Stephanie Edwards
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal
Date of Publication: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 9781735169101
ASIN: B089QXJHPV
Number of pages: 252
Word Count: 69,786
Cover Artist: Stephanie Edwards
Tagline: He refused to leave her alone, even after his death
Book Description:
After Blake Nelson catches her abusive fiancé, Parker, with another woman, she seeks serenity at her late grandmother’s beach cottage. He follows Blake to the island and attempts to kill her, but instead, he dies in an accident while fleeing the police.
His malevolent spirit returns to the cottage to finish what he started. The haunting intensifies when Blake reconnects with her first love, Clint. Will Blake discover how to banish Parker before it’s too late?
Excerpt:
The last bit of
winter wind pierced her flesh as she put on the cardigan. She sat down on the
worn decking boards on the widow’s walk. Pulling the sweater down over her
knees, she allowed the waves to impart their healing magic, calming her as much
as possible.
Once she had
experienced all the bitter wind she could handle, Blake went back downstairs.
She caught her reflection in the foyer mirror. Her eyes swollen and red, and
her skin chapped from the wind. Nancy reached out to comfort Blake.
“I’m staying
with you tonight. You shouldn’t be alone. By the way, Clint is sleeping in his
patrol car in the driveway.”
“Please tell him
to go home,” Blake said.
Nancy walked
outside for a moment. When she returned, she put her hands on her hips. “He
refuses to leave you.” She gave Blake a meaningful wink, but Blake was in no
place to pick up on hints, regardless of their level of subtlety.
“Goodnight,
Nancy. Thanks for staying with me.” Blake walked upstairs to her room.
She squirmed in
bed for hours. Parker had hurt her; still, his death saddened her.
After falling
into a fitful sleep, her unrest turned into a series of disturbing dreams and
frightening images. In a state between nightmare and wakefulness, she woke in a
cold sweat, with a pounding headache. A prickly sensation tingled across her
body. She turned. Parker lay behind her, smirking. Paralyzed with fear, Blake
sat frozen in her bed, staring at him. His wasn’t the first spirit she’d seen,
not by a longshot. But seeing him, her heartrate sped up, and her breathing
turned shallow.
His face
illuminated by the light of the full moon, Parker smiled and traced the outline
of her face with his index finger. He leaned in to kiss her, but she jumped out
of bed. He began inching toward her, but Blake flipped the mattress onto the
floor.
Blake turned on
the lamp on her bedside table. When her eyes adjusted, Parker had disappeared.
She bent over to check under her bed, jumping when she accidentally stepped on
one of Willow’s squeaky toys. She breathed a sigh of relief when she kicked
aside the plush stuffed animal.
Someone knocked
on her bedroom door. She called out, “Yes?”
“What’s the
matter?” Nancy asked.
Blake opened the
door. Nancy rubbed her eyes. “I had a nightmare that Parker was in bed with
me,” Blake said. “When I woke up, he was there. It’s the creepiest feeling I’ve
ever experienced.” She shivered.
Nancy gasped and
placed her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, my word! Are you all right?”
“I’m frightened,
but I’m okay.”
Blake’s chest
caved inward. Over the past year, she had faced some traumatic, life-altering
events. As an empath, Blake was no stranger to interacting with spirits, but
Parker’s was the first who had frightened her.
“Will he come
back? If he does, how will we get rid of him?”
Nancy hugged her
but didn’t say a word, unusual for her. She had to be hiding something.
“What aren’t you
telling me?” Blake demanded.
Nancy put her
finger to her lips. “It’s a long story for another day, but you’re not alone in
seeing spirits. It’s part of your family’s past, and mine for that matter. Just
trust me, it’ll be okay.”
Blake threw her
hands into the air. “But…”
Nancy shook her
head. “Shh, honey. Not right now. Please calm down. It’s late. Get some rest.
We’ll take care of Parker all in good time.”
Emotional and
physical exhaustion had taken its toll on Blake. She returned to her bed but
did not sleep for the rest of the night. Every time she drifted off, Parker’s
dead eyes stared at her, boring a hole into her soul.
About the Author:
Stephanie Edwards has been writing professionally since she landed her first newspaper column at the age of 13. Her love for the Lowcountry, the Atlantic Ocean and a good ghost story inspired her to write her first book. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Ron, and their adorable dog, Shadow.
Website: www.stephedwardswrites.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/steph_a_edwards
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/StephEdwardsWrites/
1 comment:
Thanks for featuring my book!
Post a Comment