The Chuck Wagon: Greek Tzatziki Chicken Wraps

Greek Chicken Wraps with Tzatziki Sauce


Cut Chicken in strips and brown with favorite Greek Spice
Add peppers and onion as desired to done chicken
Place on a tortilla wrap and add Tzatziki sauce as desired.


Simple and fun!
Not sure the cowboys ate this, but we do!


The Wagon Master

Sawyer's Rose is a Golden Heart Finalist for 2015!!!!!



I hadn't thought about submitting Sawyer's Rose for the Golden Heart until someone at GRW asked me if I was going to enter. So I read up on the rules and did a little work on Sawyer's Rose and got it submitted by the deadline, really on a whim. I figured, what the heck, I will at least get more feedback on the story if nothing else. I was so certain it would never make it to the finalist listing that I didn't even take a look at what day the finalists would be announced. Seriously, until I went to lunch with a group of ladies after the March GRW meeting I had never paid it any attention. Thanks Tanya Michaels, who happened to mention her nerves were on end about Thursday's announcements of the Rita Finalists. Of course being new to this contest I asked if they announced the Golden Hearts on the same day. Yes she told me. OK, so between Sat. and until Thursday morning the possibility sat in the back of my mind. Naahhh,  I told myself as I am a new author and I still have so much to learn that there is no way I will place nationally. But I did leave my cell phone on at work, just in case ya know. Well, that darn cell phone rang loud and clear in my pocket while I was alone in my office. I jerked it from my pocket and took a look. Long Distance. This can't be happening:
"Hello?"
"Is this Kim, Kim Turner?"
"Yes."
"Well, I am calling from RWA....


I can't even remember what I said from there. All I had to hear was RWA...I knew they rest of the story. They don't call you if you don't final. My knees went weak, my hand to my mouth and the tears began and I was visibly shaking as we hung up. I sat the phone down afterwards and continued my little cry of happiness wiping tears that would not stop. I was sorry I was in my office alone. I needed to scream and tell someone! So after the tears I did that and then called my husband and lost myself to tears again. Then I got myself together and called my Critique Partner, Maggie. I really do not even remember what I said. I had teased Maggie before that I wasn't planning on New York Nationals with RWA but should Sawyer's Rose final and win, that she would have to do my acceptance speech. Honestly, I never thought this would happen. So...I figure it this way. When Sawyer's Rose was entered into the Golden Heart it was an unpublished work and the contract didn't come until later and so due to this, I can no longer be a Golden Heart Finalist after this event. I GOTTA GO TO NEW YORK!!! I booked my conference ticket on my lunch break and my hotel later that night. Airfare will come after we get our family plans in order for this summer.


SAWYER'S ROSE: Maggie Finalist, Golden Heart Finalist, and this story will be published soon by THE WILD ROSE PRESS. Somehow I am living the fact that dreams do indeed come true.

A look back at THIS WRITER'S JOURNEY

Last year some time I put up a post on my writing journey. I updated it in October after the Maggie Awards where Sawyer's Rose got an honorable mention. After the happenings of Thursday I thought it was time to repost the journey and all that I have gone through to get where I am today with writing. Somewhere I never thought would happen if that makes sense, but here we go!


Aug. 2011-Started the book I've meant to write all my life.

May 2012-Completed a three book series in rough draft format, not knowing a thing about how I should be writing.

July 2012-Joined RWA (Romance Writers of America) and GRW (Georgia Romance Writers). The best advice a multi-published friend had for me.

Sept. 2012-Attended GRW: I didn't know I would have to introduce myself...what the heck do I write again? If I hadn't been sitting by Diana, who pushed me forward, I would have passed on this part without anyone knowing. The best thing was that Maggie grabbed me by the arm as I left the front and invited me to Southside Scribes. Seriously, there are people who want to write as bad as I do and they live nearby? Yes!

Sept. 2012- Attended Southside Scribes and discovered my critique partners who have been an invaluable wealth of knowledge. Thanks Maggie, Trish and Cheryl.

Oct. 2012-Attended Moonlight & Magnolias (M&M) GRW conference: I took the only two pitch sessions open...let's just say I was a naive in thinking one editor was as good as the next. It was Tracey who gave me a quick lesson on pitching, but I should have known there was something to the look on my guides face when she lead me to the editor no one else wanted. Six minutes later, I was all too aware that all editors were not the same and this one just about bit my head off, but she still asked for a partial.  I pitched again the next day, thinking I would rather vomit instead, but this editor was much nicer and asked for a partial also. I never sent those partials to either editor as my book was full of all the things new writers must learn...head-hopping, show vs. tell, filtering, not to mention just the regular requirements for what I call, "writing in the romance box". I prefer to think outside that box, thank you very much.

Nov. 2012-Started a new book with intentions of writing inside that darn box after all, but not could use a lot of what I was learning hanging around the Professionals.

Dec. 2012-First draft of SAWYER'S ROSE complete with help from critique partners and beta readers. Thanks to you all!

Jan. 2013-GRW: With less than twelve hours left, I decided to enter then Gin Ellis Critique Workshop....seriously, in less than a day I got the first three chapters of SAWYER'S ROSE ready, complete with writing the dreaded synopsis. Whew!

Mar. 2013-Gin Ellis Critique. I was so scared about the event I thought about not going, but Jennifer was great at explaining the issue in a positive light. I left determined to write even better.

Apr.-June 2013-Worked solely on the first three chapters of SAWYER'S ROSE for submission to the Maggie's. I didn't expect to place, but I got two good critiques.

July 2013-RWA-Nationals in ATL. Pitched three times and found I did much better by not rehearsing a word. I got three requests for partials.

Aug. 2013-First rejection. Bummer.

Sept. 2013-Got my PRO pin from RWA after submitting proof of my first rejection. What other group in the world helps you celebrate a rejection as a positive thing? I 'm loving this!

Oct. 2013-M&M 2013. Almost skipped the pitch coaching session, but found it invaluable with Hilde's coaching advice. Got requests for a full and a partial and again rehearsed nothing. I must be best under pressure when it comes to pitching.

Nov. 2013-Friends set me up and had me called to the front for my PRO pin. For those of you who don't know me, I would rather pull out my fingernails than go up in front for something like that.

Dec. 2013-When I look back, I sigh...it was a busy year full of a lot of firsts, a lot of writing, rewriting and learning. The best parts of it all, the wonderful writers I've met who celebrate the good and bad together. My critique partners who are a wealth of knowledge and support are always there with positive feedback and encouragement. I've reconnected with old friends who have become my beta readers, of which I could not do without. I am amazed that I've conquered my fears long enough to pitch, go up in front of the crowd and send my manuscript off to editors. Most of all, I love how it feels when I am so lost in my writing that it feels like I am right there with my characters. There is also no better compliment than when a reader tells me they loved my story or one of the characters.

Jan. 2014-Planning out this year feels a bit lighter than last year as I think I know more about what I am doing with each item. I will be entering the GIn Ellis Critique with GRW. I want to send out SAWYER'S ROSE anywhere and everywhere once I go through it again. Right now, it is in the best condition of any of my stories. I have joined GRW's most rejections and finish the book pools and I plan to enter the Maggie's in Historical and Contemporary this year. Oh yeah and I just got my second rejection on SAWYER'S ROSE...bummer,  but Sawyer is a good man and like I said he is going places. I also have a request for my newest contemporary story ALL BUT THE FALL when it's ready and this agent is willing to wait until I have it written at it's best. So things are moving along and I do feel good about all I have accomplished so far in this crazy business of writing for publication. Stay tuned...

August 5th, 2014-Got the phone call from Mary at GRW that Sawyer's Rose finaled in the Maggies. This is so what I needed to hear. Spending so much time writing and not really having anything at all happen can take a toll. I had been feeling pretty rock bottom for a few months, but this is a big lift for my ego and frankly I needed it. 

Oct. 11, 2014-Sawyer's Rose gets an honorable mention kind of like 4th place at the Maggie awards. It felt so good all weekend at M&M to be recognized for being one of the finalist although I was really nervous but excited. I was shaking so bad when I got back to my seat that it took me a few minutes before I could even look at the certificate I got! Now I can really start my writing scrapbook and have something wonderful to put in it! Sawyer's Rose has grown on me and it was nice to see it in big print and on the big screen being recognized, so I owe Sawyer a big thanks along with Rose, because they seemed to write their own story while I watched. Such a fun weekend with all my writing friends. It also helps that I sat in the pitch room seeing all the editors and agents I could get to for pitching Sawyer and now I have 7 requests--do I stress now or later about how to handle that many. But I did get them all submitted in one night of intense work.

Jan. 12, 2014-Sawyer's Rose submitted for the RWA Golden heart.

Jan. 13, 2014-The Wild Rose Press contacted me and offered me a contract on Sawyer's Rose. I was at lunch at work when I got the email and I hardly remember the rest of that day. Yes of course!!

Mar. 28, 2014-At work again when my cell phone rang. I knew that this was the Thursday the Golden Heart and Rita's would be calling, only I had never thought I would be the one answering. And so yes, Sawyer's Rose is a Golden Heart Finalist. I stood in my office in tears (happy tears) alone that first moment wondering just how the heck this had happened.

The Chuck Wagon returns!!!

I've had to get the cattle prod out to get the wagon master back on track with the recipes, but here is actually something light and healthy.




Banana/Egg Pancakes




2 eggs
1 ripe banana


Slice banana in thin slices and mash with fork
Add two eggs and whip with a whisk until bananas are dissolved
Spray the pan with pam cooking spray
Drop pancakes to size and brown on each side lightly
Serve with nutella, syrup, peanut butter or eat them plain like me!


Happy eating and happy trails
KIM (And the Wagon Master!)

The Time In Between...

 I am in a place where I never expected to be on several notes. I have spent the last three or more years with my head in one manuscript after another, riding out west with the heroes who have somehow become the voices that speak inside my head. Strange? Probably, but not for a writer. Having only pursued publication since 2012, I never expected to find myself signing a contract for Sawyer's Rose this soon. The funny thing is while I am excited, elated and off the chain about it, some other things I never expected have surfaced. First I have spent all of 2013 and 2014 working toward the goal of submitting to the Virginia Ellis Critique, which both years proved to be invaluable. And then what I learned from these critiques helped me with submitting better writes to the Maggies both years, where just this past fall Sawyer's Rose got an honorable mention. So one of the things I am in limbo about is I do not have a contest to enter. Well, I did put Sawyer's Rose in the Golden Heart. What the heck am I suppose to be doing? Since I signed the contract for Sawyer's Rose with the Wild Rose Press, I am no longer eligible to enter the Gin Ellis critique, which is a good thing, but leaves me whirling with ideas and no where to go. And this time of year, I am usually in hard edits for what I want to place in the Maggies and here I sit, ineligible to do that either. Yes, for good reasons, but what do I do now? My brain has stayed in mode of working up to all the contests for so long. I've submitted what I needed to submit to my editor, but I now am waiting on revisions, which will come some time in April. But here I am needing to use this time wisely since there are no contests for me and Wyatt's story (Sawyer's bounty hunting brother) needs to get written. Yet, while I love this cowboy, he is sitting still and not getting written as fast as I normally write. Something about this time in between first sale and first edits is difficult, almost maddening to quote a friend who knows--and again something I didn't expect as I have never really had writer's block. The good thing is that it has been a month since I signed the contract and I've done a lot of spinning but I think I am starting to get my feet on the ground once again. Wyatt is coming along better the last few days and I now have kimturnerwrites.com website up and running. So I am getting things checked off my list. And since I am a list maker, this means progress. So my advice to the newly published is to expect this time of limbo, and just go with it. This might just be normal. Heavy sigh....breathe in, breathe out and write on!

Good News for Sawyer's Rose--and me!!!

After five rejections last year (2013) and two this past year (2014), The Wild Rose Press is taking Sawyer's Rose for it's Cactus Rose line. I could not be more thrilled or surprised than any of you who have helped and supported me along the way. I kept saying that Sawyer was going places and well, he sure is! Monday I got the email that will change the course of my writing. Published. I sat and looked at the email for a few minutes before it would all compute in this brain of mine. I have said the word in the context of 'when I get published' for so long it seems I am not sure I know how to say I am published or at least about to be. I have spent the first five days in shock but it's starting to sink in. The Wild Rose Press has given me a contract on Sawyer's Rose. Darn near amazing and for someone like me who has dreamed of being published like it was only something to hope for but not something that would ever happen. When I was at M&M and Sawyer's Rose was a finalist in the Maggies, I was really overwhelmed with even that much success, but this just about makes me speechless. I took a look at the list I first posted about where I had been so far with my writing and it's funny that I can remember each step of the way and just how I felt at the time. I only started writing for publication in August of 2011 and so a little over 3 years and it happens and with one of the companies I was most interested in working with since I am a new author. Author. I was told I am not longer a writer but an author. I think that will take time to sink in as well. I wrote Sawyer's Rose nine times if I am counting correctly and three of those writes were major story changes. And now I will be heading into revisions wanted by new editor, so Sawyer's Rose still isn't done but I am excited to see just how it goes and how it will end up. I keep reminding myself that now is not the time to get impatient and hurry. Now is the time to make sure that I revise and edit well and make sure this story is the best it can be before it goes out there. Yes, I am still in shock at just writing this because it is about to really happen and I couldn't be happier. I announced this news at the GRW meeting yesterday and I wish I were brave enough to say more than the basics. I wish my racing pulse and issues with being up in front of everyone didn't close off my brain and voice. I would have said to the unpublished writers that they should take advantage of what GRW offers in the Gin Ellis Critique and the Unpublished Maggie awards. I know the success I have with Sawyer's Rose is that I twice put the story in the Virginia Ellis Critique and the Maggies. Also, if it were not for GRW, I would not have met the critique partners that have helped me tweak Sawyer's Rose over and over. Critique partners and beta readers are the ones who really take the win on this, right along with me and I don't take for granted what it means to have the best. And as I kept hoping, Sawyer Rides again but getting this contract blows the heck out of the 2015 plans I had--see below.

So my plans for 2015:
1) Complete Wyatt's Bounty Full Manuscript (Still working on this)
2) Enter Wyatt's Bounty in the GRW's Gin Ellis Critique for some feedback (Now due to being published I can't)
3) Enter Wyatt's Bounty in the Maggies-even with the upped deadline (Now due to being published I can't)
4) Keep the blog updated at least monthly (Doing good here.)
5) Stay hopeful Sawyer's Rose will get it's chance (DONE!!!!!!!!!!!)
6) Start on Dawson's Haven, once Wyatt's Bounty is complete (This will be on hold until Sawyer's edits are done and I have Wyatt written.)
7) Enter All But the Fall, my contemporary in the Maggies (Now due to being published, can't enter.)
8) Maybe enter Sawyer's Rose in the Golden Heart next time (Done....I got Sawyer off in time but I didn't know it was going to get published.)

2015 Writing goals, hopes and dream...

I am guilty of blog neglect, but what better way to get started again than to think about where I have been with my writing and where I want things to go for 2015. First goal of the year is to do better with this blog in 2015. I will see what I can do, but my writing must come first for the most part.

As I look at me and my writing, it is difficult trying to find the time to write, what with a full time job and a family. The last few months have been full of family medical issues which do not lend to finding the words late at night when I do have time to write, but this too shall pass and I am hoping with the new year things will get back to normal.

Since the height of October's Moonlight and Magnolia's event with SAWYER'S ROSE receiving an honorable mention, a few things have happened. I got the manuscript off to seven different editors and agents, some asking for partials and others for a full. I managed to get them all off in one night of serious determination long before November. The verdict so far? Two rejections, but a couple of promising emails that leave me hopeful for a couple of the others.

Rejections come hard. The height of hope comes crashing down, but I've managed to take a deep breath and pick it up with fresh hope each time. I am reminded of a couple of quotes from writer friends. One is that "it all boils down to the right editor/agent at the right time." The other is that it is "the journey you must remember to enjoy." So what did I do when I absorbed these rejections? Well, I jumped right into the November challenge to complete a book. The result was about 80,000 words into Wyatt's Bounty. :)

I started writing for publication in mid 2011 and I remember being so lost in the characters of that first story that I could hear their voices and sagas in my head all day long. But I remember the joy of coming home from work, handling the children and all the daily chores and then later excited to find myself alone again with my laptop and my story. It was fun, and it still is. I don't want to lose that. Another writer friend has reminded me that writing before publication is sometime when you have the most fun, because there are no pressures and time lines you have to meet. Your story is your own, your time frame is your own and you decide. Maybe she is right as I kind of call my own shots now on how it gets done. But then again, I can push myself harder than anyone else might ask me to do. I don't set hard daily number counts and while I do try to set a goal of when I will complete a rough draft, sometime I meet it and sometimes I don't. Usually when I don't there is a good reason and the writing will win if I give it more time.

So my plans for 2015:
1) Complete Wyatt's Bounty Full Manuscript
2) Enter Wyatt's Bounty in the GRW's Gin Ellis Critique for some feedback
3) Enter Wyatt's Bounty in the Maggies-even with the upped deadline
4) Keep the blog updated at least monthly
5) Stay hopeful Sawyer's Rose will get it's chance
6) Start on Dawson's Haven, once Wyatt's Bounty is complete
7) Enter All But the Fall, my contemporary in the Maggies
8) Maybe enter Sawyer's Rose in the Golden Heart next time

While I set new years goals carefully most of the time, I never have been one that is rigid about them. Life sometimes gets in the way and you have to give yourself a break here and there. And so there you have it, at least for now. Stay tuned to see how things go in 2015.