Time Flies!: September 2015

September 30, 2015September 28, 2015 / saraletourneau / 25 Comments

Welcome to the latest edition of Time Flies! It’s my version of a monthly update, where I recap the past month’s accomplishments and articles, share news and random things from my offline life, and hint at what may be coming in the month ahead.

It can’t be fall. September can’t be over. I refuse to believe it!

See? Even Pikachu agrees!

Ah, well. Denial only works for so long, right? And in some ways, I really enjoyed September. But in other ways, I ran myself into the ground halfway through the month. You probably noticed the massive output of articles over the past two months, not only here but at DIY MFA and other guest posts. In short, I demanded too much from myself over a short period of time – which led to a case of blogging fatigue. (A crazier-than-usual work schedule also didn’t help things…) I still pushed through it to stay on top of my writing, but I let a lot of other things (visiting other blogs, commenting on posts, etc.) slide because I’d simply lost the energy. And it’s not the first time I’ve done this to myself, either.

This time, I need to ensure I’ve learned my lesson. Which, in this case, means no extra blogging assignments for a while, apart from two October guest posts I’ve already committed to for DIY MFA and The Sprint Shack. More on both articles when each goes live.

All right. Let me give you a chance to catch up on the past month’s posts now:

Continue reading →

Tea Time at Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s GABA Oolong Tea

September 29, 2015September 29, 2015 / saraletourneau / 1 Comment

Being a tea reviewer has allowed me to sample all kinds of teas that I had never heard of before. GABA tea is the latest example – and I bet this is a new one for many other tea drinkers, too. Find out what makes this oolong from Tea From Taiwan so unique in my latest post at A Bibliophile’s Reverie.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Ever heard of GABA Oolong Tea before? Most likely you haven’t. Neither had I, until Tea From Taiwan sent me a sample for review. Apparently it’s popular in Japan and Taiwan, but it hasn’t caught on here in the United States yet. Hmmmmmm. I wonder why?

First produced in Japan in 1987, GABA tea is made from high-grade whole leaves (either green or oolong) that are naturally rich in glutamic acid. The leaves undergo a unique process where they’re exposed to nitrogen gas under controlled conditions to release gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body’s nervous system and retinae. As for possible health benefits, scientific studies have shown that GABA tea may help with relieving anxiety and stress, increasing mental alertness, and lowering high blood pressure.

Interesting, don’t you think? If you’d like to learn more about GABA Oolong Tea, check out Tea From Taiwan’s…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s Zhong Shu Hu Oolong Tea

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 / saraletourneau / 1 Comment

Another tea review is up at A Bibliophile’s Reverie! This time I try Zhong Shu Hu Oolong from Tea From Taiwan. If you’re a fan of light or milky (Alishan) oolongs, this one might be of interest to you.

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Forgive me if I’ve said it before, but the variety of oolong teas never ceases to amaze me. Vegetal, floral, fruity, roasted – each one has been as unique as a person’s fingerprint. Today we have another oolong offering for you: Zhong Shu Hu Oolong, courtesy of Tea From Taiwan. This particular tea is grown in the Ali Mountain region (Alishan), which is one of Taiwan’s most famous tea-producing regions. Most oolongs from this part of the world are known for their unique “milky” presence in both aroma and taste. However, Tea From Taiwan describes Zhong Shu Hu as sweet and complex. Maybe it’s a little bit of all three qualities? Let’s find out.

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Tea From Taiwan

Tea From Taiwan’s Description:“Zhong Shu Hu oolong tea has a sweet taste and refined aroma. Each brewing brings out new flavours and taste sensations. This…

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Tea Time at Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s Wu Ling Oolong Tea

April 15, 2015April 15, 2015 / saraletourneau / 5 Comments

Oolong fans: Here’s something you might not have tried before. Tea From Taiwan’s Wu Ling Oolong brews up lighter and fruitier than its more floral- and vegetal-flavored siblings. Curious to know why this might be? Or what I thought of this change of pace? Then head on over to my review of Wu Ling Oolong at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

I was already a fan of oolong teas when we launched Tea Time last June. Since then, I’ve developed an even greater appreciation for this flavorful medium between black and green teas. Today we have another oolong for you, courtesy of Tea From Taiwan. Wu Ling Oolong (also known as Wu-Long) is grown and harvested in the mountains of Taiwan’s Taichung county. What’s fascinating about this particular tea is that, according to Tea From Taiwan, it was grown on land that was once home to a fruit orchard. And as you’ll find out, those soil conditions have contributed to Wu Ling’s light, distinctly flavored brews.

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Tea From Taiwan

Tea From Taiwan’s Description:“Wu Ling oolong tea (wu-long tea) is our best tea in our regular collection. Wu Ling is a mountain area in Taichung County, and its high altitude (more than 1800 meters) contributes…

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Time Flies!: January 2015

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015 / saraletourneau / 9 Comments

[EDIT: Somehow I forgot there were 31 days in January, so this is accidentally going up one day early. *oops*]

No, that’s not possible. Another month hasn’t gone by yet. I’m still trying to get used to writing 2015 instead of 2014!

That pretty much sums up how I feel as I write Time Flies!: January 2015. The first month of this year went by way too quickly – and it was an awfully stressful month offline, which stalled my blog-writing for a while. I was forced to put articles for this site on the backburner just so I could meet my deadlines for my outside columns. So… yeah, January 2015 was a blur. Things look like they’re starting to slow down, though, so I’ve been able to start catching up and cross off items on my “to-do” list.

Let’s be more positive from here on, starting with the past month’s updates: Continue reading →

Tea Time At Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s Hua Gang Oolong Tea

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

I’ve really come to appreciate oolong teas in the past year or so. While I’ll try just about any oolong, my favorites tend to be the traditional kinds, ones that lilt with fragrance out of your cup and then go down buttery-smooth. Tea From Taiwan’s Hua Gang Oolong is one of those lovelies. Read more about it – and find out which YA fantasy novel I paired with it – at my latest tea review at A Bibliophile’s Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

I’m still combing through the smorgasbord of oolong samples I’ve received since over the past few months. Today’s pick is Hua Gang Oolong, courtesy of Tea From Taiwan. Hua Gang is harvested on Mount Li (Pear Mountain), one of Taiwan’s most prized tea regions and located in the country’s Jade Mountains range. The plantation’s high altitudes (about 2400 meters, or roughly 1.5 miles) and cool, humid climate is said to be ideal for growing oolongs. So, how does Hua Gang tickle the senses of sight, smell, and taste? Let’s open the packet and find out!

The Basics

Photo courtesy of Tea From Taiwan

Tea From Taiwan’s Description:“…. [A] tea with full, robust flavor and long-lasting aftertaste. The brewed tea has an exquisite aroma and brews to an appealing amber liquor. The leaves can be re-brewed many times while maintaining a full flavor.”

Ingredients: Hua Gang oolong tea leaves

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Freelance Article Round-Up: October 2014

October 31, 2014October 30, 2014 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Welcome to this month’s Freelance Article Round-Up – and Happy Halloween! October turned out to be a very busy month, so let’s get right to what’s happened since the previous update.

Tea Time at Reverie (Tea Reviews)

I’d totally forgotten that I could reblog my tea reviews from A Bibliophile’s Reverie here until just recently. *facepalm* Anyways, here are links to the Tea Time articles from the past month in case you missed them:

Grub Street

Grub Street posted my article “How Music Can Enhance Your Writing” at their blog yesterday! It talks about music can help with concentration and influence emotion, character development, and other aspects of your writing. This article was a joy to write, since I could share a few personal experiences. It was also fun to research and see how other writers have benefited from the same practice – and which songs and genres they listened to!

Click here to read “How Music Can Enhance Your Writing.”

What’s Coming in November

More tea reviews are on their way at A Bibliophile’s Reverie, as well as the column’s first review of a book on tea. I’ve also got some great news regarding another freelance venture – news I’m so excited for, I’m fidgeting in my seat! But I can’t share it until the site officially announces their new columnists. So, stay tuned! 😉

Other Happenings

Despite a hectic month, I managed to cross the 90K mark on my fantasy WIP. *whew!* I still doubt I’ll finish the first draft before year’s end (projected final word count is about 115,000), but I’m thrilled and proud of how I’ve been able to plow forward despite my offline commitments. Makes me want to go trick-or-treating just to celebrate! (Like I need the candy, though. *lol*)

The next Freelance Article Round-Up will post on Sunday, November 30^th. Until then, come back for more Recent Reads (book reviews), another installment of Chronicling The Craft (novel-writing progress series), and much more!

Tea Time at Reverie: Tea From Taiwan’s Dong Ding Ming Xiang Oolong Tea

October 24, 2014October 24, 2014 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

What grows in one of Taiwan’s most famous tea-producing regions and gets its distinctive flavor from… cicada secretions? Yes, it may not sound appetizing, but Tea From Taiwan’s Dong Ding Ming Xiang Oolong really is quite tasty. Find out more about this earthy, honeyed, and unique oolong at my new tea review at A Bibliophile’s Reverie’s Tea Time At Reverie!

A Bibliophile's Reverie

Before we kicked off Tea Time At Reverie, I had no idea that so many types of oolong tea exist. Now I do, thanks to Tea From Taiwan. This Taiwanese vendor specializes in top-quality oolong tea grown and processed in its home country. Each oolong is named after the region where it’s harvested and has different aromas and flavors resulting from their growing altitudes and soil conditions. I was a bit concerned that the Tea From Taiwan samples would overlap some of the oolongs I’ve received (and yet to review) from other vendors. That worry vanished once I opened my package. 🙂

Our first Tea From Taiwan sample is Dong Ding Ming Xiang Oolong Tea, grown and harvested in the Dong Ding region of Nantou, Taiwan. One of the country’s most famous oolong-producing areas since the 1860s, Dong Ding suffered extensive damage during the 1999 Jiji Earthquake. Tea plantations…

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Freelance Article Round-Up: September 2014

September 30, 2014November 11, 2015 / saraletourneau / Leave a comment

Welcome to this month’s Freelance Article Round-Up! If you read last month’s, you might have noticed something different about today’s. See the logo above? 😀 What do you think?

Freelance Article Round-Up is a monthly series (or bimonthly, depending on my freelancing schedule) to keep you abreast of the articles I’ve written outside of this blog. I’ll also offer a glimpse into the coming month’s assignments and other exciting happenings.

Here’s what I’ve been up to since the July / August Round-Up. Continue reading →