Novel Tips on Rice!

At last! And it has been worth the wait! Our book of recipes we writers use when we're under deadline. And our heartfelt advice to other writers.

We are thrilled to offer to our loyal readers this free Christmas gift-- a downloadable copy of the incredibly gorgeous work of our own Katy Popa and Cotton Bond Studios.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll see us in our bathrobes. However, you must sign the permission to download button below to begin the experience.

Disclaimer: The NovelMatters authors cannot be held responsible for any untoward factors related to the development and use of this cookbook, including but not limited to: errors in printing and/or errors in judgment; food poisoning, gagging children; small kitchen fires, large kitchen fires, house fires of any description; appliance malfunctions, ingredient malfunctions, logic malfunctions; wrong measurements, unauthorized condiments, failure to rise; rejection slips, slips of the tongue, slip and fall cases; the spoiled or out of date condition of your ingredients or query hooks; marital disputes, editorial disagreements, writing-related depression; accidental insertions of chapters from WIPs due to rogue cut and paste computer functions; hurt feelings, moral outrages, menopausal symptoms; forgetfulness, hearing loss, oblivion; ringing in the ears, phantom tastes, missing-limb syndrome; weight gain, weight loss, intolerance to all waiting; list-obsession, list-phobia, listlessness; tics or other involuntary actions; allergies, lip chewing or any other causes of swelling of the mouth; technophobia, claustrophobia, cibophobia (look it up), bibliophobia, gynephobia, chronophobia; dropsy, palsy, leprosy or any other King James malady. Or from any other Bible version.

This book was processed in facilities which produce other literary works involving nuts.

Click on the giant button below to begin your download and indicate that you have read and agree with the above conditions.

Some Secrets Can't Be Kept

Our first Christmas as man and wife was especially tight financially. No problem. We were in love, and we brought with us a tradition of making gifts for one another. I chose to make Dennis a corduroy jacket with a pocket on the sleeve. (Stupid, stupid pocket.)

Our apartment was about the size of a walk-in closet, so I sequestered Dennis in the "living room" while I sewed at the "kitchen" counter. He read while I snipped, pressed, basted, and stitched. Then I ripped that darn pocket off more than once. Finally, the stitching was perfect. I shouted, "The
pocket looks great!"

I clamped my hand over my mouth and sobbed. I'd ruined the surprise. Dennis knew better than to come into the kitchen. He soothed me from the doorway. "I don't know what kind of pocket or what it's on. You could be making me just about anything--pajamas, a pool table, a pair of overalls. I'll be surprised, I promise."

A few days later he kept his promise. But the jacket was too small. Sigh.

That was years ago, but here's another Christmas, and the Novel Matters gals are just as eager to surprise you for Christmas with something worthy of your friendship and support over the last two years. And we know it will fit!

Soon after 2010 dawned, we started talking about creating a Christmas gift for our readers. We tossed around a few ideas--eReaders all around or perhaps all-expenses-paid vacations to the Tahitian Islands. We settled on a collaborative eDocument. You've become so dear to us, so each of us did our modest magic and tardily sent off the results to Katy for compilation.

Oh my.

We expected something wonderful from Katy. She's an artist, after all. But she has taken our offerings and created a masterpiece--all for you.

What is it?

Know this: It's free. It's beautiful. It's full of Novel Matters wisdom and inspiration--and something else, something exceptionally clever and useful. And it's for you and anyone you care to share it with--and you won't be re-gifting! Just in time for Christmas. Every Christian writer and reader will want one.

Honest.

No lines. No shipping. No hassles.

Coming this Friday (drum roll, please!), Novel Tips on Rice: What to Cook When You'd Rather Be Writing or Vice Versa. The link to the .pdf document will be included in Friday's post. I'm blurting out the surprise again. I'm too excited to keep the secret that long. Also, we don't want anyone to miss out.


We think we've come up with the best way to say we love you at Christmas and always. See you on Friday!