Today's Inspiration - homemade marshmallows

Today's inspiration is the look on the kids faces when they saw what I was putting into their lunches for school: homemade strawberry marshmallows.  While they slept, I made them for the first time.  It didn't take long.  I followed the instructions on the internet (mostly).  Use the link above if you want to give it a shot.  They probably should have set for a little longer - the recipe says 8 to 10 hours and I didn't finish making them until around midnight, so they were only 7 hours along when I drove the kids to school.  Nevertheless, they cut easily and look right, and have an amazing taste.  Next time I think I'll try chocolate!

My kids are accustomed to little surprises in the morning.  Usually these are either musical or literary.  I often work late into the night on writing or composing.  As such, while they eat breakfast I'll play them my latest song, or read a scene that I just wrote and ask their opinion.   Sometimes they offer suggestions for improvement.  Today, they had only praise for the candy.

I try to infuse the characters in my novels with a similar desire to create and collaborate.  All through the Socialite series solutions to problems are arrived at, well, socially, rather than individually.  For example, when Elle is struggling to think of a perfect Christmas present for Jacob, she asks his mom, who relates a very personal anecdote of a creative gift she once gave.  This inspires Elle to make Jacob's gift, rather than buy him something (the easier option for her since she is wealthy.)  The whole Socialite story, in fact, is about social interaction in its many forms: using the internet, sharing talents, and helping others (human and alien) to solve their problems.

So try a new recipe, make some marshmallows, then share them, to brighten someone's day.  And during the 8 to 10 hours that they take to set, download my books and read a really fun scifi adventure.

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Martin%20Renaud

Apple iPad, Ipod, Iphone: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/martin-renaud/id477163464?mt=11

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Martin+Renaud+Socialite