I made it through Easter without gorging on Easter eggs. Now that is quite something. In my teens, I would walk to the stores and buy a large slab of chocolate and eat it on the way home.
My passion for chocolate when I was in my teens mortified my father when I had some nasal surgery to remove nodules. My parents had allocated the day into shifts. My mother took me for the surgery and brought me home and my father took the afternoon to watch movies with me at home (on VHS…who remembers those?) Dad brought me two slabs of chocolate, which being a dutiful daughter I immediately offered him some. But he declined and so I devoured both slabs in less than 10 minutes. At some point, my father decided that a piece of chocolate may be rather nice while watching a movie. I think the term ” You snooze, you lose” was quite appropriate for this time. It is a story he still tells.
As time passes, our metabolism is not what it used to be, and I have found that I now react rather badly to sugar. So one marshmallow egg served me well when we celebrated Easter this year.
This leads me to my current research. One of my patrons sponsored a local print run of one of my books and In exchange, I am developing a character based on her personality. We share a passion for chocolate. Getting to grips with the history of chocolate in medieval times took a bit of work, but I am happy with the results so far.
I discovered some super health benefits of dark chocolate along the way. The Mayan people from what is now New Mexico believed that the cocoa beans were a gift from the gods. They had a special drink that they blended from cocoa, chilli and water.
Apparently they did not grow sugar, so it was a rather bitter drink. I have added a recipe below for those who are also chocolate fans… but with sugar. The Spanish found a way to sweeten the beverage, which is why we now eat it that way.
The cocoa bean was so valued that people used it as money. I wonder what crypto currency specialists would think of cocoa beans as a currency. I think it is an excellent idea and one that has stood the test of time as currency in love. Just ask any chocolate store owner on Valentine’s Day.
My patron does not yet know how her character is going to be introduced into the book, but I interviewed someone who knows her and she feels that there are some strong similarities between the real person and the character. Of course she has to add value to the story and I believe she does. I have made her merchant of cocoa beans and manuscripts. As there are so many documented medical benefits to 70% + cocoa, I thought it fitting that my character interacts with my Medicine Woman, Elizabeth. But you are going to have to wait quite a few months to get to meet her. I am only 46 480 words into book 4 and the draft of book 3 is 98 000 words. There is so much more to do. Before I go…. This week I am doing a BUMPER BUMPER author swap. Why? Because it is still school holidays for some schools in our area and I want everyone to find something to read. So have a look below at the promos. Who knows, you may get some early Christmas gifts you can stockpile to ease the year end spend. Have a blessed day.
What am I writing? Extract of Book 3 The Call of the Ancients.
“What happened to the girl?” asked Elizabeth.
“That is none of your concern,” said the Masked Man as he turned away.
“I see,” said Elizabeth.
“Do you now? What do you see when you look at me?” he hissed.
“I see a man who is…”
“A man, is that what you see? Not a thing of hideous proportions… a slave worthy of only pity,” he interrupted.
“This mask that King Radolf forces you to wear, it is an act of cruelty.”
The Masked Man’s laughter echoed against the walls of the room.
“I wear the mask of my own choosing.” he said.
“But why?”
