All posts filed under: author ML Kilian

Food: In Search Of Olive Oil and Lemon Cake

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I had a recipe a decade ago that I seem to have misplaced. It was a simple cake, baked in one round pan and no frosting. I mean who really needs frosting? Not Europeans and not me, especially if the cake is the best of flavors combined. A few days ago, while in an assembly belt style restaurant, where you pass by a dozen dishes and pick and choose what your eyes think your stomach can handle, and end up ordering too much – sort of place. But it was organic, freshly made variety of proteins, and side dishes, and very creative salads which changes using seasonal veggies and fruits. So, I queued up, and with my eyes opened wide, and my mouth-watering, ordered more than I needed to and by the time I reached the cash register, I noticed a lemon cake made with olive oil and I pointed to the very slice I wanted – making the person behind the counter laugh at my reaction of pure joy. The cake was good enough, …

Random: I Love It When Learning Never Stops

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Strange title for a blog entry you say? Well, this morning while commuting to my day job (haha-see the pun?) I was as usual going through the things I needed to focus on/get accomplished today. Like any other day, my brain is a rolodex filled with things, and I spend the thirty minutes commuting into work, shuffling  the deck in the order I want to work through those things. Unless of course something unexpected happens the night before, requiring me to drop that deck and tend to the whatever….case in most important point-a sick doggy. I reminded myself this morning, that I never stop learning something new every day, even if it’s an old thing, it is a new learned thing. The most influential learnings for me, come from my dog, my hubs, my extended family, and believe it or not from my co-workers.  Who without being aware, manage to teach me about the most interesting of things – about character, values, virtues,  and other matters that make up this  unstable  world of ours. Which …

Travel: Suggested Read While Travelling to Italy or Anywhere

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Choosing the right book to read while travelling is very important. It can either set the mood or destroy it. I, for one, would never consider reading a mystery novel on a vacation planned strictly for some rest and relaxation. The story would bother me so much, I wouldn’t be able to relax.  I do however, choose books themed for the places I visit or a novel-escape. Such as a million and one books (okay 50 or so) books I’ve read and collected on Paris to read while on the plane to my favorite city, or upon my return, to keep the momentum going. So, here’s my suggestion if you are planning a trip to Italy this year or long to travel to Italy just in general and wish to get inspired. Order Piazza Navona (paperback) or e-book, and immerse yourself in the most delightful, funny, charming, lovable story you can possibly imagine. Here’s what others are saying about the book: Anne-Marie Reynolds for Reader’s Favorite – 5 star ratingPiazza Navona had me laughing, crying, and …

Lifestyle: A Place Is Not A Place Until It’s A Seaside Cabin

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One of the benefits of being a writer is that you spend a lot of time falling in love with wonderful places, and extraordinary lifestyles, and interesting people, which and that inspire to create a story-no matter the genre-stories come from the passion writer feel about something o someone. I do a lot of research online, as you may have already noticed from this fun place called RawSilk&Saffron, and when I stumble upon something that sparks an interest or is best suited for a whole or part of my storytelling, I, Bookmark it, the old-fashioned way, right into a folder on my computer, I set up for every novel I’ve published, and the ones I plan to write. So you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon these amazing photographs of a Seaside Cabin-I have no clue as to where it is-adding to a folder-for a wonderful story I have thus far drafted. The Seaside cabin is surely a scene I need to add OR, simply escape to if I can only figure out …

I Don’t Just Promote My Novel…

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There are so many books out there I want to read, and for 2016, I have added my favorites (below) which I plan to read while travelling. Because the rest of the time, or in between travels,  I am going to be  releasing  (mid-Spring) and promoting  novel 3  and completing the first draft for novel 4 by year-end. The list of 2016 books to watch for written by women authors according to Bazaar Magazine is here. And my picks are as follows: This is of course in addition to my own novel here.  

At The Start of A New Year…

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  So much is going on, and in a way I like it. I enjoy busy. A calendar full of events and chores and such, taking up most of January for me. We are starting the new year with a company party, happening this Friday in the city of course, at an old classic hotel near Union Square. Details of which I will mention after the fact. I’ve been busy with the last-minute details, play coordinator-host to a 200 plus gathering of co-workers. The program for the evening cocktails, dinner, raffled gifts and dancing. This is the only time I get to see my co-workers in formal attire. Normally at a software dev company in San Francisco jeans is the norm, a Giant’s cap if you happen to be  a fan, and a funky T-shirt expressing something not offensive to anyone. Saturday I begin my training for the Superbowl 50 volunteer program. Yes, I have volunteered to work during the weeks leading to and including the Superbowl.  San Francisco as you may know plays host …

A Note From the Author of Rawsilkandsaffron

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I started blogging in 2006. At the time it was a trendy online place of my own where I could jot down everything that was going through my mind about life, family, work, society, religion, politics and even films. I realized after a handful of posts  that talking about what was bothering me wasn’t how I wanted to spend my time writing. It was bringing me down, and even though there were many followers,  at the end of the day I simply didn’t feel good. So I turned to happy topics, ones  that make me feel amazing and positive even if there are days I just want to hide somewhere and cry my heart out.  Call it the best therapy-blogging. What I did was shift my blog on Blogspot to films, and the ones on Wordpress, well, to Rawsilkandsaffron,  and my author blog MLKilian.  All of them fun topics. I still have the blog where I write down what ails me,  but I keep that one private and  limit those entries to only once in a blue …

Location Is Everything When Writing a Novel

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Like a film set, location in books are equally important, finding just the perfect house or apartment, cafe down the street, a restaurant, hotels, and cabins, beach scenes or inland, all of it play a major role while writing–enticing the imagination. What’s funny is that I’ll stumble upon a place while exploring the world, or even in the bay area, and I’ll stop and take a picture, and take it home, download it on my laptop and arrange it in the order I want to see a story pan out. In light of this style of writing if you will, I want to share with you the four significant hotels I used in my first novel – Piazza Navona – click here to read about them and here to order the book  

How My Brain Works

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I wear many hats past being a blogger: I am an author, an event planner, software dev quality expert,  avid traveller, photographer fashion consultant, and a supporter of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle.  Not to forget mentioning,  film buff. Oh, and I do love the San Francisco Giants. Because of all that, my brain goes something like this:   {source}