Eric Wilder Ebook Bargains on Smashwords

Two ebook mini-mysteries, Prairie Thunder and Pontchartrain, are free on Smashwords.com.

Prairie Thunder: When a redneck sheriff jumps to a conclusion about who murdered an American Indian artist, Buck McDivit takes matters into his own hands to save an innocent man's life. A mini-mystery by Eric Wilder, author of the Buck McDivit murder mysteries, Ghost of a Chance and Morning Mist of Blood. About 3,100 words. FREE

Check out Prairie Thunder on Smashwords

Pontchartrain: Home of some of the best cooking in the world, New Orleans has a dirty little secret: The people of the venerable city love fried food as much gumbo. At a restaurant on Pontchartrain Lake, where Margaritas and fried catfish are the stars of the menu, someone is starting fires. Gumshoe Wyatt Thomas must find out who, or die trying. A New Orleans mini-mystery by Eric Wilder, author of the French Quarter murder mystery Big Easy. About 8,900 words. FREE

Check out Pontchartrain on Smashwords

Hot New Erotic Thriller, Morning Mist of Blood.

Put the kiddos to bed, and then check out Eric Wilder's new erotic thriller Morning Mist of Blood. Definitely not for young adults, Sunday school teachers or the faint of heart. So hot, you might just get burned. If you can't take the heat, please, stay away from the fire.

Eric'sWeb

Snowman - a pic

Snowman

This past week has been a mess. I'd complain, but it seems everyone is pretty much in the same boat. Heck yes, I'll complain. Doesn't matter because no one listens anyway. Here's a pic I took on my backporch yesterday.

Eric'sWeb

Joy's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake with Mocha Butter Frosting

Marilyn’s mother Joy had seven children. When her husband died in his early forties, she went to work to feed and support them, first as a waitress and later, owning her own café. None of her children ever went hungry and I quickly realized during the short time I knew her that she was a wonderful cook. Former customers of Joy’s café still remember her home-made cakes and pies. Here is one of her personal favorites.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tbsp cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, water and vanilla. Mix well and pour into two 9” greased and floured layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Spread with mocha butter frosting.

Mocha Butter Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp light cream
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ½ tsp instant coffee

Directions

Cream the butter, adding half the sugar, cocoa and all of the instant coffee until well blended. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Blend in remaining sugar and cocoa, adding enough cream to bring the frosting to spreadable consistency.

Eric'sWeb

Purple Oklahoma Clematis and Honeysuckle Pics

Here are a few late May Oklahoma clematis and honeysuckle pics.

Eric'sWeb

Bar Hopping with the Old Man

I visit my dad at least once a week and I try to take him somewhere every Sunday, usually to a seafood restaurant overlooking Lake Hefner because he likes watching the sailboats and seagulls. A few Sundays ago, I decided to take him to a new place.

Lake Hefner is a large, manmade lake that supplies Oklahoma City with fresh water. Because of the prevailing winds, it is perhaps the best inland sailing lake in the United States. I can attest to as much after spending an exhilarating afternoon on a super-fast catamaran with my friend David Beatty. It is also the deepest lake in Oklahoma, nearly a hundred feet in places. This past Sunday, I decided to take Dad to another restaurant on the lake.

There are at least three Louie’s restaurants in Oklahoma City and Edmond, one less than a mile from my office. My friends Jerry and Terry and I go there almost every Thursday after work, the food and drink tasty and relatively inexpensive, the friendly female waitpersons always easy on the old eyes. Since I had never tried Louie’s on the lake, I took Dad there last Sunday.

Dad and I sat in the bar area, looking out the large picture window at passing joggers, walkers and cyclists, and the gorgeous inland lake. We ordered chips and dip. I had a Sam Adam’s beer while Dad drank decaf. As I sat on the high bar stool, looking at my smiling father, obviously having a great time, I thought about the absurdity of the moment.

My Mom was, and Dad still is a teetotaler. Both disapproved vociferously their wayward son when he was placed on disciplinary probation as a sophomore in college for drinking beer in the dorm. Neither ever tried alcohol, much less frequented a bar. Seeing the confusion in Dad’s eyes, it made me grin as I finished my Sam Adams and paid the tab.

Eric'sWeb