Kendall Talbot's Blog

Helloooo, or should I say gidday? Eeeek. Just so you know, not all Aussie’s say gidday. In fact, I think it’s very few. Whenever I hear it in the movies, it seems so fake.
Speaking of movies, today I thought I’d share my top ten favorite movies. If you’ve read any of my books you probably won’t be surprised by most of them. I’m an action girl. It's probably why my books are action packed from the opening scene to the last. So, in no particular order, here’s my list. I’d love to know if any of these are your favorite movies. Or if you think I missed any that absolutely should be here. Raiders of the Lost Arc 
In fact any of the Indiana Jones franchise. I’ve watched these over and over. I can still remember seeing the first one at the cinema when I was a teenager. That opening scene had me gripping my chair. Everybody, and I mean everybody stood up and clapped at the end.  Have you been to a movie where that happened? Titanic - I swear I have watched Titanic about twenty times and I still love it. This one is fascinating because we all know how it’s going to end, right? But it’s still mesmerizing. I just love the personal element James Cameron introduced. I don’t know about you, but even though I knew it was unlikely Jack would survive, I was still hoping he and Rose would live happily ever after. I do think they missed an opportunity though. I thought at the very end (Spoiler alert here, just in case you haven’t watched it, and OMG if you haven’t – get it now!!!) anyway, back to the end of the movie, where Rose tossed the blue diamond off the end of the salvage ship, I did think she could have also revealed to her granddaughter that she had fallen pregnant when her and Jack did the wild thing in that old car. Now wouldn’t that have been sensational? And that way Jack would have lived on through his children etc. Anyway, if James Cameron ever asks me, I’ll give him my little suggestion. LOL. Alien. This one surprises even me. I HATE scary movies. And don’t get me started on horror. But Alien. . . this is one of those movies that I got suckered into seeing at the cinema and that experience will stay with me forever. It scared the bejesus out of me. The graphics to make that creature come alive on the screen blew my mind. It was soooo real. Do you like scary movies? I couldn't even bring myself to find a picture for this one. Creepy. Jurassic Park
​
​OMG. I loved the escape these movies provided. Do you remember the first time you saw those dinosaurs chasing the paleontologists through the jungle? I had my heart in my throat.

​This is what a blockbuster should be like. Romancing the Stone
An oldie but a goodie. This has it all. The romance writer without a lover. The rugged hero. The bumbling crook. The evil bad guy with the pet crocodiles. The plethora of one-liners. And of course, the secret map to lost treasure. Seriously, this is romantic, comedy/adventure at its best. I’m certain this movie has shaped my love of writing action/adventure romance. I mean who doesn’t love a secret map and a hunky hero. Tell me it’s not just me. Please…
Die Hard. Come on, you knew this movie was going to be on my list. Bruce Willis. Action. Action. Action. Yeah, it’s a bit far-fetched, but come on, when Holly is trapped up on that doomed plane, you just had to be cheering for him to save her.
Day After Tomorrow. This blockbuster (end of the world) disaster movie is another I’ve watched many times over. I’ll throw in Deep Impact with this one too. Maybe these two movies are the inspiration behind my upcoming ‘Apocalyptic’ disaster story – First Fate. Although this is the first time I’ve written an epic disaster story like this, I’m loving it. Usually I only kill off a few characters, not in my next book, the death toll is HUGE!!! Wow, that makes me seem a tad physho.
Poseidon. I’m guessing you’re sensing a theme to my favorite movies. Huge blockbusters packed with action. What can I say?
The Impossible. This powerful movie is based on the true story of a family who survived the horrific 2001 Indian Ocean tsunami. It’s absolutely gut-wrenching what they go through in the aftermath of the disaster. The fact that the actual family who the story was based on were on set every day of the filming ensured its authenticity. If you haven’t seen it, add this one to your list. But fair warning, there’s one scene, where Naomi Watts pulls something out of her throat, that is sure to get your stomach curling. Speed. Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. Need I say any more. No. But I’m going to anyway. This adrenalin rush was OFF THE CHARTS. From the opening scene to the explosive ending, this is my kind of movie. This is also how I like to write my books. I want my reader to have their heart thumping and their fingers flicking the pages right into the night. So there you go. Ten of my top fav movies. What did you think? Am i nuts? I probably am, after all, I make up stuff for a living. And I love it.

Thank you for joining me on my author journey. I'm working on three books to release in 2020. It's going to be a great year. I can't wait to bring you my epic cruise ship disaster series later this year.

​Did you know I have a book launch, read and review team? If you'd like to know more, you can check out the details here: 
Kendall Talbot Book Launch Team

You can reply to this blog or write to me at: kendall@universe.com.au I answer all my emails myself and love hearing from my readers.

Cheers to you,


Kendall Talbot

It's been a huge year, but not in my writing world. In my home life. We've been renovating our apartment for ten months! I need a holiday.

To prove i haven't been sitting on my bum doing nothing, I thought I'd share some before and after pics.  I'd love to know what you think.

Here's the kitchen before and after. Yes, it's an Ikea kitchen. My hubby and I built it all ourselves.
And we're still married - YAY
For the first time in my life I have a walk-in pantry. AND I LOVE IT. Although we took away some kitchen space to build it, it's made the room look bigger. I love my new stairwell. We replaced the ugly green railing with glass. Ripped up the carpet and painted the concrete stairs. And that little window gives my bathroom natural light. And I love my plants, they give the whole apartment a breath of fresh air. Below is the main bathroom before and after. We raised the ceiling which made a huge difference. We have no idea why there was a false ceiling. The new window gives the bathroom lovely natural light. There are lots of lovely lights and some are on motion detectors. Doesn't my new bathroom look pretty? Here is the before and after of the main bedroom. In an apartment its all about storage solutions.Once again, everything is Ikea. 
My hubby's hat collection now has its own display shelving.

The picture behind our bed is one I took in Copenhagen and i used it as the inspiration for my bed linen.I love it. Anyway that's it for now.

If I don't chat with you before Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful festive season with lots of fun, love and laughter. And of course yummy food and wine.

Next year I'll be back on track with my writing, and I have lots on wonderful things in store to share with you.

Take care,
​Kendall Talbot

​I’m so excited to have a new book coming out. So it's the perfect time to share the inspiration behind the scenes in my new Maximum Exposure series. This series has three stand-alone, heart-thumping, romantic suspense novels all set in a wonderful remote location that I’ve visited.
 
The first book - Out of Reach, is set in Mexico’s Yucatán jungle. I've been to Mexico five times and in 2015, I went to Chichén Itzá, which is a UNESCO World Heritage listed, 1400-year-old complex of Mayan ruins in the middle of the Mexican jungle. Chichén Itzá was one of the largest mythical Mayan cities and I found it hard to believe something so magnificent was abandoned and left to be swamped by the relentless creep of the voracious vegetation. But it was. My visit to the temple, was just one of approximately 1.4 million people who visit the ancient site each year. And whilst the bucket-list experience was truly incredible, it had me pondering how wonderful it would be to be the first to discover an ancient temple. Can you imagine that? Well, that was the initial thought that inspired Out of Reach. ​Anyway, back to the ruins. They were remarkably well preserved despite the centuries of abandonment and the robust vegetation that’d made the ruins their home. Consequently, archaeologists were able to piece together a fascinating history from over a thousand years ago.

An immense step pyramid, known as the Temple of Kukulcan, overlooks the ancient city, and is probably the most photographed of all the ancient Mayan temples.  Here I am with the Temple of Kukulcan in 2015. The step pyramid contains 365 steps, one for each day of the year. The ancient Mayan's were very talented stone masons and one incredible feature on this temple is the illusion of a snake body that only shows up when the late afternoon sun strikes at the Spring and Fall equinoxes. How they did that is beyond me.
​
​Oh, and how’s this for amazing, at the top of one of the ancient buildings was three windows. Each one has been positioned perfectly for viewing other planets like Venus. Rows and rows of carved columns lead to The Temple of Warriors. Check out these rows of intricately carved columns depicting warriors and astronomical signs. They once supported a roof that led to a broad stairway at the The Temple of Warriors where human hearts were once offered to the Gods. I love this stuff, don't you?  The Sacred Cenotes. Major source of water and site for human sacrifices. Looks yummy! ​The demise of this ancient city is yet to be truly established, although one theory had me fascinated. The Yucatán Peninsula is pockmarked with natural sinkholes called cenotes and the Sacred Cenotes at Chichén Itzá is an impressive 70 feet deep and 200 feet wide well. It was the major water source for the city inhabitants. But, during a time of severe drought, the King ordered human sacrifices to convince the Gods to bring the rain. Archaeologists found the skeletal remains of dozens of children and six-foot warriors at the bottom of the Cenotes. Trouble was, by tossing the sacrificial humans into the well, the silly buggers were also poisoning their only water source. Woops. ​So there you go. I hope this travel blog has inspired you to visit this incredible New Seven Wonder of the World. Hopefully you’re also interested in reading my new book. Out of Reach

When an ancient lost Mayan temple is discovered by a team of archaeologists deep in the Mexican jungle, Liliana Bennett is given her first clue to a family mystery that’s taunted her since her father’s sudden death. 

Click here for more details.  Please also check out more of my travel blogs and stories that inspired my books. Next time, I’ll take you deeper into the Mexican jungle where only ATV’s and crazy people like me go.

Oh and hey, I love hearing from you, so drop in a comment below and I'll get right back to you. Cheers and happy reading.

Another travel experience that influenced my stories. Enjoy.

The city of Pompeii, once a thriving metropolis, was nestled nice and close to Mount Vesuvius, the very volcano that killed the city’s occupants and buried it beneath tons of ash in 79AD. Dean and I explore Pompeii 1989. Back then there was very few restrictions of what we could or couldn't touch. In 1989 my husband and I visited the extraordinary excavation site. Despite visiting Pompeii more than 25 years ago I still have vivid memories of exploring the remains of that ancient city. The lack of air and moisture created by the mountain of ash that fell upon the city ensured the objects that lay beneath it were preserved in extraordinary condition. What we saw was fascinating and macabre at the same time. It was an incredible reminder of the power of nature. Ancient Pompeii is believed to have been founded in approximately 6th century BC. When it was destroyed, some 160 years later, it was reported to be nearing a population of 11,000 people. During excavation, archaeologists used plaster to fill in the empty spaces that once contained bodies. This ensured they could recreate the exact position of the person when they died. They found men, women, children, babies, dogs, cats, monkeys and numerous other species that died within minutes of that fateful volcanic eruption.
It's hard to believe this Pompeii street was built nearly 2000 years ago. This ancient Roman city was forgotten for over 1500 years. Wiped clean by the hand of God. It was discovered by accident in 1599 when digging commenced to divert the Sarno river.

However, the architect, Domenico Fontana, found the nature of the fresco’s he discovered too promiscuous and promptly covered them over again. It wasn’t until 1738 that the ruins of Pompeii were rediscovered and finally excavation began.   

The volcano is said to have erupted for 6 hours, spewing some 25 metres of ash and rock onto the city. What they have recovered is simply extraordinary and allowed archaeologists to piece together a story of the city that once was.
The House of the Faun. Remains of Pompeii. I feel completely blessed to have shared this wonderful experience with my husband, I only wish we'd had more than one day exploring this amazing piece of history.

Whether its modern day or ancient, I find history fascinating. I swear I must've been an archaeologist in another life. It's amazes me how these experiences influence my writing. I love going back there with my stories and I hope my readers enjoy the journey too. Treasured Secrets is an action adventure story based on a missing 13th Century treasure. Download your copy today.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed another one of my travel experiences. Follow my blogs and come escape with me. Here's my previous travel blog if you're interested.
Treasured Secrets

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Sunken Treasure. Sharks. Shipwrecks. Sex. Evil bad guys and delicious food. What more could you want in an action adventure novel. Grab your copy of Treasured Secrets today. http://amzn.to/1OLqzSW .

Download now.




Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

Here's another travel experience that heavily influenced my current Treasured series of action adventure books. Enjoy. The Solomon Islands consist of more than 900 islands and divers claims there are just as many wrecks to explore too. This is what attracted me to the sovereign country that lies northwest of Vanuatu. The Solomon Islands experienced some of the most intensive fighting of World War II. The most notable operation was launched in August 1942 when the Allied Forces conducted simultaneous naval bombardments and amphibious landings to fight Japanese Imperial Forces. This important and bloody Battle of Guadalcanal signified the beginning of the Allies repelling the Japanese.   Between 1941 and 1945, the island of Guadalcanal saw almost daily fighting between American and Japanese forces. Today however, this area now known as Iron Bottom Sound, is a scuba diving mecca. It’s the final resting place for dozens and dozens of wrecks including fighter planes and tanks, cargo ships and destroyers.  It’s a glorious underwater museum for anyone willing to make the long journey to get there. In 2010 we did. My boys were just 14 and 12 years old at the time and this was their first scuba diving holiday. During World War II the Japanese built an airstrip that was successfully concealed by rows of coconut palms suspended by cables. This was the very same airstrip we landed on and the first grass landing strip I’ve ever experienced. It was hair-raising to say the least.
My two favourite dives of the week were to explore two very different WWII wrecks.  The first, The Kasi Maru was a Japanese freighter that was hit with a bouncing bomb while it was anchored at shore to offload cargo. Because it lies in just 15 metres of water and remains almost upright, this makes the Kasi Maru perfect for both snorkelers and divers. We penetrated the hull and were treated to a treasure hunters dream with an abundance of artefacts scattered throughout the ship. Items such as Saki bottles, small jars, gas masks and cooking gear were in remarkable condition. One thing that remains very vivid in my memory was a pair of boots with the laces still done up. I couldn’t help but wonder if the person who owned those boots made it to safety.
The second wreck has a fascinating story. On the 21st of June 1943 dive bomber pilot Jim Dougherty and his radio gunner Robert Bernard, took off to swoop low over Munda Island to sink Japanese ships supplying local troops. A barrage of bullets crippled his plane and he tried to limp back to safety. But he didn’t make it. They crash landed just off Rendova. Incredibly, they both survived the crash, swam ashore and made it to an American hospital. The crash happened on Jim’s 21st birthday. More than 50 years later their plane was rediscovered and in 1995 Jim returned to Munda and dived down to his plane wreck on the anniversary of the day he was shot down. I can’t imagine what was going through his mind when he sat back in that cockpit one more time.
One other site at Munda Solomon Islands that had me enthralled was a little museum in the jungle. For years, possibly decades, Peter Joseph has been collecting all manner of rusty trinkets and artefacts that he’s salvaged from the jungle surrounding the town. WWII relics from both the Japanese and Allied forces fill every aspect of his little jungle hut. We saw everything from plane parts, to machine guns, to hand grenades to dog tags. It was truly fascinating. I feel completely blessed to have shared this wonderful experience with my husband and two boys. Whether its modern day or ancient, I find history fascinating. I swear I must have been an archaeologist in another life.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed another one of my travel experiences. You can check out a few more if you wish, HERE.
Treasured Secrets is out NOW.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever...

Treasured Secrets is the beginning of an adrenalin fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and action-packed adventure.
Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

My heroine in Treasured Secrets is a talented chef, so of course, as a lover of food, I just had to make all the meals that Rosalina prepares in my books. This recipe features in a tapas feast in book two in my series: Treasured Lies which is due out in October 2015. These Thai Fish cakes are delicious, easy to make and certain to become a favourite with your whole family. This recipe makes 12 fish cakes, so I always make at least a double batch. You can make them a day ahead too and reheat if you like. They are perfect party finger food too.
Ingredients

250g White fish fillets, skin & bones removed
1/2 cup cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup green beans roughly chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red chili, seeds removed and chopped
1 coriander plant, roots included chopped
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying

Method

Put all ingredients except oil into a food processor and process until just combined. Don’t over mix.

Place about 1cm of oil in a hot pan.

Place a heaped tablespoons into pan and fry a few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve with fresh green salad, sweet potato fries and dipping sauces. Click HERE to download this recipe. Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

People often ask me where I get ideas for my books from and sometimes it amazes me what instigates that initial spark. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll blog some of the experiences that inspired my 'Treasured' series of book. 
In 2011 my husband surprised me with a trip to Tuscany for our 20th anniversary. We had 10 wonderful days exploring this fabulous region and we stayed in a 700 year old villa called Villa Pandolfini in Signa, a little village just a fifteen minute train ride from Florence. Our spectacular historic villa with extremely high ceilings, magnificent frescoes and original antique furniture was surrounded by vineyards and olive-groves and offered an extensive view over Arno Valley. This incredible villa was the perfect place to set my author brain into action and consequently features prominently in  Treasured Secrets.
Our rooms were overflowing with antiques. Villa Pandolfini Signa Tuscany Italy It was a visit to a little church in the medieval area of Florence that catapulted my creative writing ideas into overdrive. The Church of St Apostoli was built in the 11th century and is very insignificant compared to the many more grand churches in this historic city. This church is located in the Piazza Del Limbo, a nondescript concrete plaza, so named as it was once the cemetery for unbaptized babies.
The floor inside the church is inlaid with a beautiful marble mosaic, but the aspect that caught my interest was an oval door in the mosaic floor. Our guide informed us that this was where they threw the bodies during the plague of 1348. (Whether or not this was true, I still don't know). But I do know that there were so many bodies that they didn’t have time to give the deceased proper burials. Of course, in doing this, they actually contributed to the spread of the disease, by literally feeding the rats. Sixty percent of Europe’s population died from The Black Death - some fifty million people.
"Die Pest in Epiros" ("The Plague in Epirus") a copper engraving by Pierre Mignard (1610-1665) depicts a bubonic plague epidemic. As soon as our guide mentioned this horrific event, my head was spinning with ideas of entire families being wiped out and long buried secrets. Then I began to wonder what happened to all their precious possessions. By the time we were on the plane home, I was drafting the bones of a story.

That idea has blossomed into a trilogy with the first book Treasured Secrets available to pre-order now.

TREASURED SECRETS...
Some secrets should remain hidden forever.
One of my favourite highlights of Tuscany was the food and wine. So much so, that Rosalina, my character in Treasured Secrets is a chef and throughout this series she tantalizes the reader with many fabulous meals.

I like to consider myself as a method writer, so consequently, I cooked, photographed, wrote about and of course, devoured every one of these delicious meals too. I loved this aspect of these books so much that I've created Rosalina's Treasured Treats cookbook. Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

Murazzano Cheese Cups

I needed a dish for my character, Rosalina, to make that would have my readers drooling. This little recipe was the result of much research and input from my wonderful facebook followers.

The scene I created this recipe for is below, I hope you like it.
Murazzano Cheese Cups

This delightful little appetizer can be prepared in advance and cooked in the oven at the last minute.

Upon cooking you will have a delicious little cheese pot to fill with fig jam, caramelised onion relish, crispy prosciutto, or any other filling that takes your fancy. You can find these recipes in my cookbook: Rosalina's Treasured Treats.

Murazzano DOP is a soft cheese made in Alta Langa in the province of Cuneo, a wonderful area located in the South of Piemonte, Italy. Murazzano is a cylindrical, un-ripened, full-fat cheese made from sheep's milk. It’s a milky white rindless cheese with a soft and slightly springy texture. (If this cheese isn't available, use a soft goat's cheese.)

Ingredients
4 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
200 grams of Murazzano DOP Cheese (If not available use a soft goat’s cheese)
100ml Fresh cream
100ml Fresh milk
1 tablespoon of chives
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease 24 cup mini muffin tray with melted butter. 2. Cut puff pastry into rounds to fit into the muffin tray and puncture the bottom with a fork. 3. Blend all other ingredients in a mixer for 1 minute. 4. Fill the pastry cups with the cheese mixture. 5. Cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve hot these yummy little cheese pots with slices of Spiced Poached Pear, Homemade Fig Jam, Caramelised Onion Relish, crispy prosciutto, or any other filling that takes your fancy. These recipe's and more can be found in Rosalina's Treasured Treats. Some secrets should be hidden forever. Here's a tasty snippet from Treasured Secrets:

Rosalina dusted her flour-caked hands onto her apron and then turned to check on the Murazzano cheese rolls already baking in the oven. The scents of aromatic spices, melting cheese and fresh-baked pastry wafted from the open door. She lifted the tray from the oven and placed it onto the cork placemat.

‘Smells magnifica.’ Alessandro ran his tongue over his lips and she had this sudden desire to kiss him. The urge came from nowhere. Maybe she’d had too much wine. Maybe she was falling for him, despite all her determination not to. Maybe, just maybe, she was finally over Archer. She smiled as Alessandro practically drooled over her cooking. He’d always been a dependable part of her life, and that was something she needed right now. And he was the perfect willing guinea pig for her culinary experiments. He reached for a still steaming pastry and she snapped his hand away. ‘Wait,’ she said. ‘You want the whole experience don’t you?’

His eyes lit up. ‘Sì, mio dolce.’

Rosalina liked the way he called her ‘my sweet’, especially given her love of cooking all things sugary. He was patient with her and seemed to understand her need to take everything slow.

Rosalina sliced the now cooled poached pear and placed a sliver upon the savoury cheese pastry. ‘Open up.’

Alessandro obliged and she popped the nibble into his mouth. His eyes did that heavenly eye roll before he closed them and savoured the treat. A low moan of approval teased from his throat and she knew she had him. He was a delight to watch.

First he would taste the sweetness of the pear, delicately poached with cinnamon and Chinese five spice. Next would come the multifaceted Murazzano cheese, smooth and rich in flavour. Finally, the buttery pastry would round it off. She liked to think of it as a smorgasbord in a bite.

Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

Here's another blog from a travel experience that influenced my writing. I hope you enjoy reading it.

In 2005 I travelled to Egypt with a girlfriend. That holiday is still up there as one of my favourites. So much so, that’s its one of the few places in the world I’m determined to get back to… one day.  We stayed at the Marriot Cairo which is an absolute oasis compared to the surrounding bustling streets. 
Our hotel was lovely relief from the dust, smog, heat and hustle and bustle that is Cairo. I even sampled some Egyptian Hookah. Our first day we made our way to Cairo Museum, even though a trip to the museum was part of our tour, we couldn’t wait. We weren’t disappointed. We caught a cab to get there and what an experience that was. Every single car I saw was riddled with scratches, dents and worse. Red lights meant nothing to the drivers and neither did traffic lanes. And they constantly honked their horns. Unfortunately our camera's were confiscated before we even walked through the doors of the museum. These are the only pictures I have. The artefacts in the museum were scattered everywhere with no apparent thought to their layout and sadly, many of the pieces had little or no information detailing what they were. Despite all that it was still amazing.  We saw many many sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, some as small as a little child, some as big as a van. We saw 5000 year old wooden statues and the remains of a Queens intestines that had been preserved in Alabaster jars.
The treasure of Tut-ankh-Amun was incredible. So much gold and so many pieces to see. The jewellery was beautiful and amazingly intricate and the colours were very well preserved. It’s hard to believe these pieces are thousands of years old. I’ll go into more detail about his tomb in a future travel blog.
The pyramids of Giza are mind blowing. Until you see them it’s impossible to comprehend just how big they are. The individual blocks are enormous too and when you learn that each block was carted from Aswan and shipped 750km up the Nile its mindboggling. In the pictures below look at the size of the pyramid then see the next photo where I'm standing in amongst the giant blocks. It's gives you some appreciation of just how enormous these constructions are. I was completely unprepared for the amount of history on display in Egypt. Hieroglyphics were everywhere. I couldn't get enough of them. #wsite-video-container-637448949624699723{ background: url(//www.weebly.comhttp://www.kendalltalbo... } #video-iframe-637448949624699723{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-637448949624699723, #video-iframe-637448949624699723{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-637448949624699723{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } The Sphinx was just as impressive, although it has some damage to its nose. It’s bizarre that right across the road from it is KFC and Pizza Hut.

In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the haunches of a lion, the face of a human and sometimes the wings of a great bird. It was considered treacherous and merciless. The Sphinx is said to have guarded the entrance to the Greek city of Thebes, and travelers had to answer a riddle in order to pass through. Apparently those who can’t answer the riddle were killed and eaten by this ravenous monster; a fate considered to be typical in mythological stories. Can you answer the riddle? "There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?"
The answer is "day and night"
(both words are feminine in Greek).

I would've been eaten. History fascinates me, which is why my latest book Treasured Secrets is based around a 13th century missing treasure. It was so much fun to research that era and weave fact and fiction into my story.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s travel blog. Check more of my travel blogs here. Treasured Secrets
available to pre-order now.

Some secrets should remain hidden forever.

Treasured Secrets is the beginning of an adrenalin fuelled new series with sexy sassy characters, exotic locations and action-packed adventure.

Want to know more? Click HERE Register for my newsletter and receive a FREE eBook copy of Rosalina's Treasured Treats. A cookbook containing all the meals Rosalina makes in Treasured Secrets and book two in the series Treasured Lies.

Macadamia and Salted Caramel Friands I've never made friands before so I was amazed at how easy these were. And they were so so yummy.

Ingredients
5 large egg whites
220 grams soft brown sugar
185 grams butter melted. Plus extra melted butter for greasing friand moulds.
125 grams almond meal
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 level teaspoon of sea salt
75 grams of plain flour, sifted
50 grams if macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush friand moulds with melted butter.

Whisk egg whites lightly until amalgamated.

Thoroughly stir in sugar, to ensure all lumps are gone. 

Mix in butter, almond meal, macadamia nuts, vanilla and salt.

Sift in the flour and fold in lightly.

Spoon mixture into moulds. Place filled tins onto a tray and place in the centre of the preheated oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on top and springy to the touch.

Stand in moulds for a minute or two before turning out Click HERE for a printable copy of this recipe. It’s no coincidence that all Kendall Talbot's books have at least one character who loves to cook. She loves food, she loves to eat it, loves to cook it and Kendall loves to write about it too.

This recipe book is a collection of all the scrumptious treats her character, Rosalina, cooks in her romance books:  Treasured Secrets and Treasured Lies .