Thanks for all the whiskey tips, y'all. Calli, thanks especially for the history. I've decided that instead of a family distillery, the whiskey in question comes from an illegal distillery run by one of the family's tenants, and that they're happy to turn a blind eye in return for access to the stuff.
Which has set me to thinking more about the heroine's cousin's family than I really meant to, or is likely to have any relevance to the story at hand--a lot of the Highland lairds had evicted many of their tenants and enclosed their lands for sheep by then. Were they among them? And which side would their grandparents have been on in the '45? Stuff like that. It wouldn't hurt me to make up my mind, just to clarify what kind of people these are, but that doesn't mean I need to talk about in my book. If I'm not careful, my tightly plotted 400-page romance will turn into a rambly 800-page family saga on me, and that's a much harder first sale.
That's true, Susan. You don't have to include any of those things in the novel itself, but deciding who the people are, helps make them more real and consistent.
Ach, I was up all night sick to my stomach, guess I got that thing that's going around. Can't keep a thing down. NOT favorite feeling.
pobrecita. that is awful. dry toast and water for you.
Oh, poor Robin. We've been discussing dumb reasons one has to take sick time off (I won), but you're not vaguely in that category. That's rough and horrible, and I wish you all the ginger calm in the world. If you can even handle that much.
Ick. Poor Robin.
The power went out in my building (actually half the complex) this morning, and was still out when I left, so my day started with a walk down 8 flights of stairs.
Kind of wish I'd thought of that before I put on the 2 1/2 inch heels, but since no power=no coffee, that wasn't too likely.
In my head, I'm all - WHAT ARE YOU WEARING HEELS FOR IN THE SNOW!!!??? But then I remember where you are and the crazy unnaturalness of your winters.
Sorry to hear about the sick, Robin.
Ah, single malt scotch. What a beautiful thing.
One last quick note, Susan - really good scotch is almost like vodka (the good stuff should have no taste or flavor at all, unless it's added flavor). The best scotch's I've had do have a mild flavor (from the cask), but the harsh, hard alcohol bite that might make your heroine choke? Wasn't there. The good stuff is smooooooth.
Oh, since we're on the subject of alcohol -- ita, I have a Jamaican rum question. A friend brought me a tiny bottle of Appleton special that I mentioned I was thinking of using in rum and coke, but the person said she thought Jamaican rum made for an awful rum and coke.
However, she's also crazy, weird, and I don't trust her taste. Can you back her up on that? Would it taste awful to put this rum in with some coke? Would that be sacrilege? Got any better serving suggestions?
Hi Sean! I sent you an email a day or so ago. You should answer it.
