Carla Neggers's Blog, page 19

The Venus Shoe and writing with a baby

I’ve often said that I can write anytime, anywhere, but flying can be challenging. I’m typing this on my MacBook on a tray table with coffee, water and a package of a munchie whose ingredients include “evaporated cane sugar.” Not quite sure what that is but so far, so good. We are on the way to Tampa with our daughter and baby Niamh, who turns one in late April. She’s a good little traveler. Kate (daughter) is heading to a historians’ conference. We’ll help look after Niamh and enjoy the break from our New England winter, and I’ll do some writi… Read More

Happy Valentine’s Day

We’re back on our hilltop after a quick trip to Boston to see our gang. We hit a serious pothole (crater!) on Storrow Drive that resulted in two flat tires and other damage to our car. Other cars met a similar fate before the area was cordoned off. Thankfully, no injuries! Now we’re enjoying a quiet Valentine’s Day on a quiet day in snow-covered New England.

What do you think, chocolates or roses for Valentine’s Day? I love chocolate but right now, Irish roses would be lovely…

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Carla… Read More

Q&A with the Harlequin Community!

Stop by the Harlequin Community between February 6 and 11 and join a chat with me. Comment for get a chance to win a copy of Red Clover Inn (on sale March 28)! We’ll have a great time. (Open to US and Canada.)
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Cliff Walk in Historic Ardmore, Ireland

Ardmore is a beautiful, historic village on the south Irish coast, well-known for its ancient ruins, sandy beach and stunning scenery. We love to do the “cliff walk” along the headland.

The area plays a role in my Sharpe & Donovan series. In Harbor Island, octogenarian art detective Wendell Sharpe and FBI agent Matt Yankowski meet on the first leg of the cliff walk, near a church ruin not far from where I’m standing in this photo (in my ubiquitous orange Irish raincoat!).

Whether you’ve been to Ardmore or it’s new to you, I hope you enjoy this taste of one … Read More

January giveaway

Our January here in Vermont is off to a great start. Today’s sunny and cold-but-not-too-cold. Joe and I are continuing with our purge of the cellar, where, much to my delight, I’ve discovered copies I didn’t know I had of a number of my books.

That brings me to my January website giveaway.

I have fun with every giveaway we do, but this month’s is extra-special. My publisher has reissued the e-books for my Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals series, but a few of the books are scarce as hen’s teeth in print. I’ll be dipping into my own limited supply of print copies of … Read More

Happy New Year

As the sun sets on 2017, I want to wish you a happy, prosperous, fun new year! We’ll be celebrating here at home with what looks to be a foot of fresh snow on our Vermont hilltop.

I’m digging out my cross-country skis and looking forward to curling up by the fire with a good book after a day on the trails.

For some 2017 reading, check out this preview. I’m looking forward to the release of Red Clover Inn in late March. My own TBR is growing by the day and sometimes the hour!

Joe and I will be home this New Year’s Eve, celebrating the arrival of 2017 with a bottle of champagne and o… Read More

December giveaway

Happy holidays! Be sure to take a moment and enter my website December giveaway. Three lucky readers will receive a book of their choice from either my Sharpe & Donovan or my Swift River Valley series and a $25 gift card.

Sharpe & Donovan 

New to Sharpe & Donovan? We meet FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan in Saint’s Gate,the first book in the series. Next up:

Heron’s Cove

Declan’s Cross 

Harbor Island (includes”Rock Point” prequel novella)

Keeper’s Reach

Liar’s Key (just out in September in hardcover, eBook a… Read More

Enter the MIRA Holiday Sweepstakes

My publisher, MIRA Books, is giving away a fantastic prize pack of books and goodies for a cozy winter evening in the holiday sweepstakes. Click on the link for all the details and enter by December 31, 2016!

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When a writing life gets out of whack

As we look forward to a new year and new beginnings, here’s an essay I wrote for Writes of Passage, an award-winning collection of essays put together by Sisters in Crime and published by Henery Press.

“Enjoying”

A writing life can get out of whack for any number of reasons. I love to write and always have, from the moment I first climbed a tree with a pad and pen as a kid and spun stories on my favorite branch. That doesn’t mean I’m immune to the ups and downs of a writing life. The character who refuses to come together, the elusive plot twist, the 100 pages that end up in the t… Read More

A recipe for scones

I love scones anytime of year but especially as the weather turns cool. It was in the upper 40s on my walk this morning! That’ll be a treasured high before too long. Here’s a recipe for scones in case you missed it when I’ve shared it in the past. Enjoy!

A Recipe for English Scones

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar (less or more to taste)

¾ cup butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

1 cup whole milk

For glaze:

1 egg, beaten with ¼ teaspoon water

(optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a baking sheet with butter and dust lightly with flour.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Using your hands, cut butter pieces into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (may also use a pastry cutter).

Mix beaten egg and milk together in a small bowl.

Make a small well in the butter-flour mixture and add the egg-milk mixture. Stir gently, just until moist. Do not overmix.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough holds together. Pat dough (don’t roll with a pin) into a circle about one-inch thick. Cut into 8 triangles and place on the baking sheet. (An alternative is to cut the dough with a two-inch biscuit cutter.)

Brush the scones with egg-water mixture prior to baking (optional).

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve scones with clotted cream and jam or marmalade of your choice.