Tina Gayle's Blog, page 101

Monday Morning Inspiration - Courage

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
Here's to exploring new possibilites,

Tina

Fun Christmas Facts

Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America—in fact Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the country's first Christmas under the new constitution.

Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.

Check out more fun facts on http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=57112&display_order=7&mini_id=1290

Have a great holiday season,

Tina

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Got this recipe from one of my myspace friends.

Thanks Cindy for the great recipe.




Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
2 hr 0 min
Cook Time:
12 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
2 dozen cookies

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Have a wonderful day,

Tina

The What and How of Murder Mysteries

Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011.Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom's other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer's Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. His website is: www.TomMach.com He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse at http://tommach.tumblr.com


Now let's read about the what and how of Murder Mysteries

I've never thought about the question as to what attracted me to murder mysteries and especially in writing one called An Innocent Murdered. But now, after giving it some thought, I do have an answer.

My professional background is a combination of writing (having been a magazine editor and an ad copywriting instructor) and a market research analyst (where I have to dig deep to get answers as to why consumers behave as they do.) Then, of course, is the fact that I enjoy reading certain mysteries. Ever since Wilkie Collins wrote the first detective novel called The Woman in White, mysteries have been popular with people.

Authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Ellery Queen may have influenced me, but not as much as TV detectives such as Columbo and Monk because they are such unique characters. I loved writing a short story called "The Crossword Puzzle Murders"--one of a series of my shorter works in Stories to Enjoy where a female detective uncovers the identity of a mass murderer only minutes before she finds herself a possible victim.

 I deliberately made it tough for readers to find out the identity of the murderer of a priest in An Innocent Murdered, by tossing in some red herrings while making it seem as if the case against prime suspect is open and shut.

As to how I do my research, I have to start with a murder victim and a strong motive as to why anyone would kill him. But in An Innocent Murdered, I wanted the reader to also know more about the victim before he is murdered. I wanted readers to have invested a personal interest in him.

Otherwise, there is no emotional attachment to the victim and the victim is a mere object in the story itself In addition, I have also to research methods for this murder, Should it be a stabbing, shooting, hanging, or poisoning? I wanted to show how this person was murdered at the beginning. Many other authors start with a dead body and eventually uncover evidence to show how he was murdered.

I had to plant my clues carefully so they wouldn't be immediately obvious to the reader and so the reader might say at the end of the story--"Aha, so that's why he/she committed the murder."

Finally, I had to research police procedural techniques, including interviewing methods and the process for uncovering evidence. A lot of work goes into researching a murder mystery, but the time invested in doing so is well worth it.


Book Blurb:


Father O'Fallon has been murdered, and police officer Jacinta Perez is arrested and charged. Detective Matt Gunnison, however, is not convinced and with the help of Susan, an ex-nun, he discovers a fascinating link between the priest's death and the death of a child 25 years ago.

Will Matt be able to solve both murders?
See video: http://t.co/H1siZOg


Excerpt:

"No, I understand. Do you think Matt and I can have access to the former rectory? We'd like to look around."

"Well, I guess not, but why in the world would you want to look around over there?"

Matt showed him his badge. "It's part of an investigation we're doing on the murder of that child."

"By all means, check it out." He opened a desk drawer and took out a key attached to a plastic tag. "Here, take this."

Matt pocketed the key and was about to leave when the man stopped him.

"That place is haunted, you know," the old man said.

"Haunted?"


Thank you, Tom, for stopping by. Your book sounds amazing.

Don't forget everyone to leave a comment for a $50 amazon gift certificate. Tom will choice the best comment at the end of his tour and the winner will be notified.

Best of luck,

Tina

CRANBERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon almond or vanilla extract
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries, any flavor
3/4 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together eggs, egg whites and almond or vanilla extract in a separate mixing bowl. Add to dry ingredients, mixing just until moist, using an electric mixer on medium speed. Add sweetened dried cranberries and almonds; mix thoroughly.

On a floured surface, divide batter in half and pat each half into a log approximately 14-inches long and 1 1/2-inches wide. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300ºF. Cut biscotti into 1/2-inch slices. Stand upright on cookie sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool and store in a loosely covered container. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

PER SERVING (1 cookie): Cal 100 (5%DV), Fat Cal. 15, Total Fat 2grams(2.5%DV), Chol. 14mg(5%DV), Sodium 38mg(2%DV), Pot. 35mg(1%DV), Carb. 19grams(6%DV), Fiber <1gram(3%DV), Protein 2grams(4%DV), Vit. A 21IU(0%DV), Vit. C <1mg(0%DV), Calcium 18mg(2%DV), Iron <1mg(3%DV), Dietary Exchange: Fruit 1, Fat 0.5

http://www.oceanspray.com/recipes/Cranberry_Almond_Biscotti.aspx?id=266&nid=9

Have an awesome day,

Tina

MMI - Face that which you fear with the belief there is n...

MMI - Face that which you fear with the belief there is nothing to fear.


Today, write fearlessly.

Thanks Cheryl for the inspiration and stop by Cheryl's blog for pictures of everyone's christmas trees.

http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/

Check Out My Visitor on 12/6

Tom is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to the commenter that he feels leaves the best comment. At the end of his tour blog, the winner will be notify.


Follow his tour
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/10/virtual-book-tour-innocent-murdered.html.

Recipe Hop - Strawberry Ham Sauce

2 (10oz) pkg. frozen strawberries (thawed) have used fresh too but add a little water
1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup ginger ale or 7-up
1/4 cup cornstarch1/4 cup corn syrup
Combine everything in a pot and cook until thick and clear. Takes about 10 to 20 minutes.

This recipe is part of the Holiday Blog Hop

From the Heart...Cheryl St.John: Cheryl, I love your Christmas tree tour! Here is ...

From the Heart...Cheryl St.John: Cheryl, I love your Christmas tree tour!
Here is ...: Cheryl, I love your Christmas tree tour! Here is the picture I took of what we did this year. After moving more times th...


Stop by and visit with me today.
Tina

RT - A Rub

A back rub is never a bad idea.

It shows you care and helps work out some of the knots from a hard week at work.

http://youtu.be/4zEfAjOaT4Q

A video to help, but I'll warn you it's not a fun video. Very clinical.

Tina