Tomorrow, there will be a new book in the world – Connections! The Unexpected First Collection!
We say that it’s unexpected because we honestly didn’t realize how much we were writing until we did a word count and poof! there’s enough to fill a book!
This is set in between Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers and Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests, but you don’t have to have read those first. Our publisher River City Siren Press didn’t, on purpose, so that she could ensure that this stood on its own. I’m proud to say that it does. It also gives a lot of background to the main books, and there’s a lot of Easter Eggs hidden within – some a lot more obvious than others.
Whether this is your introduction to the Aetherverse, or if you’ve read everything else we’ve written, there’s something in here for you.
This past weekend was Ottawa ComicCon, and it was a busy one. We saw lots of people, sold a lot of coffee, and somehow survived.
Every year while i prep, I wonder why I do it. It’s weeks of set-up, roasting, packaging, planning, and packing. I get all grumpy and introverted and worried.
But every year, the people make it worth it! In no particular order, I’d like to thank:
Our close friends that vend next to us
All the other amazing vendors
The con goers that are both enthusiastic and genuinely happy
The organizers, and
The amazing volunteers that not only keep the whole thing running but are also some of our best clients.
Special shout-out to my family for being amazing. We couldn’t do this without you!
Another special thanks to Dragon and Pegasus, who were amazingly well-behaved and made us proud all weekend.
We feel loved, appreciated, and maybe a little more hopeful.
Enter our contest to win a copy of any book in our catalogue in the format of your choice!
Both Winging It and The Copper Tarnish are set in the same universe but they are twelve years apart. One is set in Westmeath in Eastern Ontario and the other in Ansonville in Northern Ontario.
Despite all that, what four characters appear in both books?
Contact us through this form or tell us on Saturday:
A wedding and a summer camp that Tommy and Carter are never going to forget.
Tommy discovers magic exists, his boyfriend is a rock giant, and his sister is marrying one of the leaders of a supernatural community called Aetherborn.
Carter learns to navigate an in-person relationship, introducing Tommy to the magical world, and being involved in his Ariki’s wedding.
Both boys need to build their confidence in each other, themselves, and their relationship. The Door Tech summer camp seems to be the perfect way to do that, until they get magically transported to the not-so-fictional world of Everdome. In this realm of Domed continents floating in space, winged beasts, and new cultures, the boys will have to overcome challenges beyond anything they’ve seen before.
The only way they, and their relationship, can survive is if they start Winging It!
The Copper Tarnish by Éric Desmarais
Until last summer, I was the most popular girl in school. Then I was accused of killing my boyfriend when he disappeared. Luckily, he didn’t die, but he wasn’t the same when he came back. Murder accusations are nothing compared to the rumours that I kissed said boyfriend’s sister. That rumour proved to be the real killer for my popularity.
Now everyone hates me except the gorgeous new girl who seems determined to ruin any chances of being popular by hanging out with me. There’s also a cute soldier hanging around my mom’s diner and freaky sounds in the woods.
Autumn definitely won’t be dull. All I need to do is graduate…and stay alive.
Éric turns 42 today and Jen turned 40 this year, so we decided to celebrate our birthday with a book release party. There will be food, coffee, and cake; along with our whole catalogue of twelve (what?) books.
When
July 19th (1pm-3pm)
Where
9 Rossland Avenue Ottawa, ON
Cost
FREE (But you’re welcome to buy some books and get them signed)
We’re thrilled to invite you to our launch event happening at 9 Rossland Ave on July 19th from 1:00-3:00pm (EST). Come enjoy an author discussion moderated by FADHILI SAMBA. Readings, refreshments, and a giveaway to follow.
Enter the giveaway!
Enter to win a $250 gift certificate to Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club, courtesy of Dylan Black. Valid for a table for 10.
Each book purchased at the event grants two entries into the draw.
Each book signed at the event grants one entry into the draw.
Only books authored by Jen and/or Éric are valid for entry.
This article ran in All Lit Up‘s Test Kitchen blog that has since been discontinued and taken down.
Fear not! We’ve rescued it from the bowels of the internet and here it is:
Jen and Éric Desmarais are the husband-and-wife writing team behind the new adult series The Gates of Westmeath and its first book, Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers (Renaissance Press). They’re also dynamos in the kitchen; check out their recipes for two dishes found in the book: stuffed mooseballs and a chocolate and chili brownie. Is it lunchtime yet?
When writing about the restaurant Amontillado in Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers, we wanted a place that was both trendy and had amazing food. The kind of place both Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent would feel comfortable. Somewhere that had the atmosphere of a party, but the sophistication of haute-cuisine.
The food itself needed to be elevated but also diverse. We wanted something that reflected the city of Westmeath, but also our main characters’ personalities and love of food.
Stuffed Mooseballs
A picture of Jen and Eric’s stuffed mooseballs. They shine invitingly on the place, with a bit of wild rice and a sprig of parsley for garnish on the side.
The food was a fusion of Aboriginal, North American Italian, and Creole cuisines. […] Kennedy ordered, with Jason’s guidance, the Stuffed Mooseballs, which were moose meatballs in a primavera sauce stuffed with mushrooms and mozzarella.
‘This is amazing,’ Kennedy said, after trying both dishes.
–p211, Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers
Stuffed mooseballs is a variation of an exploding meatball that Éric had developed for an all-day marathon of Good Omens a few years ago. He adapted it to have more of an Aboriginal and creole flavour profile and it turned out pretty well. We’re fairly sure that Alice (the Amontillado executive chef) would be appalled by our presentation, but it was delicious.
Ingredients
Meatball
500g ground moose or venison (extra lean ground beef is okay too)
150g ground pork or bacon
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chives or green onion stems
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 cup mushrooms, chopped finely
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Primavera Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Smoked salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon mint, chopped
1/8 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
Make the meatballs
Combine ground moose, ground pork, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, chives, cayenne, celery salt, and paprika in a large bowl. Don’t overwork.
Mix mushrooms and mozzarella together.
Take 1 tablespoon of mushroom and mozzarella mix and wrap a quarter cup of meat mixture around it.
Place on a greased baking sheet.
Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Make the primavera sauce
Add butter, chicken broth, and cream to a pan.
Bring to a simmer and stir in cheese.
Season with salt, pepper, mint, and allspice.
Assemble
Toss meatballs and primavera sauce with pasta or serve with a side of plain wild rice.
Makes 12 balls.
Chocolate Chili Brownie
The chocolate and chili brownie was an idea that came to Éric when he was enjoying some dark chocolate he’d gotten for Christmas. The recipe is a simple brownie with real chocolate, but he added some allspice and chilies to spice things up.
A towering chocolate chilli brownie is pictured. It looks absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 baking dish. Set aside.
In a microwave-safe dish, melt butter and chocolate chips. Microwave 30 seconds and then stir. Repeat until creamy.
Whisk both the sugars into the chocolate and add the eggs, one at a time, whisking constantly, until evenly combined. Next, mix in the vanilla until smooth. Stir in the salt, cayenne, chili flakes, and flour until they’re evenly incorporated. Stir in the mini chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the side comes out clean.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
This makes me want to make them again.
If you make either of these, let me know how they turn out.
