Amanda Flower's Blog, page 7
January 28, 2022
Triple Chocolate Brownie #Recipe
It’s hard to believe January is coming to an end, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you are are looking for a dessert for your sweetheart, friend, or yourself for the holiday, look no further than my Triple chocolate brownies. My husband said they were in the top three recipes I’ve ever made him. You’ll want to give these a try!
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Ingredients
4 eggs2 sticks melted unsalted butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups sugar1/4 cup milk chocolate cocoa powder1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup chopped walnuts1 cup chocolate chips.Directions
Preheat over to 350 degrees.Grease 9×13 baking dish.Mix together all ingredients in a bowl, holding back 1/4 cup of walnuts.Pour brownie batter into a the baking dish.Sprinkle the remaining walnuts on the top of the batter.Bake for 25-30 minutes.Let cool and enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
Pre-order Marriage Can Be Mischief, Farm to Table Mystery #2, from the Learned Owl Book Shop and get a signed copy of the book and exclusive lemon recipe card!
They ship!
Order from the Learned Owl https://www.learnedowl.com/book/9781492699941
You can also order by phone! 330-653-2252 / 800-968-2685
There’s fowl play afoot on the farm
Shiloh Bellamy has saved her family’s farm from financial ruin—but now what? She’s barely scraping by on the farm’s new organic business model and the fall festival she organized to drum up business comes to a screeching halt when the body of a prominent townswoman is discovered underneath a scarecrow in a nearby field. Worst of all, the evidence points to Shiloh’s childhood best friend, Kristy, as the prime suspect.
Between cooking up delicious treats made with her farm’s produce, convincing her cantankerous father to let her do things her own way, and dealing with a newcomer in town who could be serious competition for her customers, Shiloh doesn’t have time to wade into a murder investigation. But with a killer on the loose and suspicious activity circling closer and closer to Shiloh and the people she loves, she realizes there’s nothing to do but roll up her sleeves and get down to the dirty work of finding the killer and clearing Kristy’s name once and for all.
You can pre-order the title HERE!
Happy reading! 
Amanda
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January 21, 2022
Pre-Order Put Out To Pasture for a FREE gift!
Pre-order Marriage Can Be Mischief, Farm to Table Mystery #2, from the Learned Owl Book Shop and get a signed copy of the book and exclusive lemon recipe card!
They ship!
Order from the Learned Owl https://www.learnedowl.com/book/9781492699941
You can also order by phone! 330-653-2252 / 800-968-2685
There’s fowl play afoot on the farm
Shiloh Bellamy has saved her family’s farm from financial ruin—but now what? She’s barely scraping by on the farm’s new organic business model and the fall festival she organized to drum up business comes to a screeching halt when the body of a prominent townswoman is discovered underneath a scarecrow in a nearby field. Worst of all, the evidence points to Shiloh’s childhood best friend, Kristy, as the prime suspect.
Between cooking up delicious treats made with her farm’s produce, convincing her cantankerous father to let her do things her own way, and dealing with a newcomer in town who could be serious competition for her customers, Shiloh doesn’t have time to wade into a murder investigation. But with a killer on the loose and suspicious activity circling closer and closer to Shiloh and the people she loves, she realizes there’s nothing to do but roll up her sleeves and get down to the dirty work of finding the killer and clearing Kristy’s name once and for all.
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
You can pre-order the title HERE!
Happy reading!
Amanda
Join my email list
By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.January 14, 2022
Crimes and Covers Now Available!
It’s finally here! The last installment of the Magical Bookshop Mysteries has arrived! I am so glad that I am able to bring this final novel in the series to you and end the adored series right where I wanted it to end. It’s been hard to say good-bye to these characters and the world of Charming Books and Cascade Springs, but I know it’s time. Thank you for loving these books. This series would not have lived on so long without my amazing readers. I hope you love the end as much as I do. For Violet, Rainwater, Grandma Daisy, Faulkner, Emerson, all the other beloved characters found in this series, and for myself, thank you for reading!
Now enjoy this sneak peek!
Love, Amanda
CRIMES AND COVERS
Chapter One
“Violet, we have to talk about the wedding!” Sadie said as she bounced through the front door of Charming Books. Bouncing was Sadie’s main mode of movement. She wore a red dress with white faux fur trim and a matching red beret on her head. No one since the 1920s has loved a beret as much as Sadie. She was basically Tigger in a Mrs. Claus outfit.
In my arms, I held a stack of new fiction releases to be shelved as Sadie excitedly told me everything we needed to do for the big day.
“And then there is the cake, and the favors—you have to have favors because you don’t want to look cheap—and the candles—”
My head began to spin. I set the stack of books on one of the couches in front of the large fireplace, which ran at full steam in the middle of the winter. Charming Books was the bookstore I owned with my Grandma Daisy in the small village of Cascade Springs, New York. The village was only a fifteen-minute drive from the majestic Niagara Falls, and Decembers here were bitterly cold. The fireplace had been going around the clock since Halloween.
Faulkner, the shop crow, flapped his wings from the second lowest branch on the birch tree that grew in the middle of the bookshop. It was just after ten in the morning, and Faulkner liked a quiet snooze after his breakfast of fruit and peanuts. Being awakened by a bouncing Christmas elf was not on his agenda.
The birch tree was the soul of the bookstore and the heart of the its magic. Some might think all bookshops have magic because the books found on their shelves can transport readers away to new places. But, in the case of Charming Books, I meant it quite literally. The shop could talk… sort of… It was complicated.
Sadie twirled, and her skirt kicked out around her in a red ring. I was happy to see she was wearing leggings underneath her dress.
Emerson, my tuxedo cat, wound his way around my feet. I scooped him up and set him on the back of the couch. “Sadie, what do I have to do for the wedding? You and Grandma Daisy told me all I have to do is show up.” I was to marry my fiancé, Chief David Rainwater of the Cascade Springs Police Department, the weekend before Christmas. Rainwater was everything that I could want in a partner and husband. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him. I still called him by his last name all the time, even though we were engaged. Old habits die hard and all that.
However, neither of us was excited about planning a wedding. After I offhandedly mentioned to my grandmother, Mayor Daisy Waverly of Cascade Springs—yes, my fiancé was the police chief and my grandmother was the mayor—she and Sadie took the wedding planning into their own hands. Rainwater and I had just held on for the ride.
“I know,” she said. “But the wedding is three days away. We have to get you ready.”
“Get me ready?” I squeaked.
“There’s your hair, makeup, nails. A juice cleanse is not out of the question.”
I tugged on the hem of my red Charming Books sweatshirt. “Oh, it is definitely out of the question. Trust me on that.”
She stopped twirling and dropped her arms, looking like a little girl who’d lost her balloon. Sadie was six years younger than me and was petite with silky black hair and a bright spirit. She had the best vintage wardrobe in the state since she owned Midcentury Vintage, the clothing boutique that was across River Road from Charming Books. She was the one of the first people to befriend me when I moved back to Cascade Springs and was like a younger sister to me. Making Sadie frown was never a goal of mine. I would have to compromise.
“You can paint my nails,” I said, hoping my lacquered olive branch would put an end to the juice cleanse conversation.
She clapped her hands. “Excellent!” She paused. “What juice flavors do you like the most? Lemon packs the biggest punch to rid your body of toxins.”
“As much as I love you, I’m still saying no to the juice cleanse.” I walked over to the sales counter and leaned against it.
“Okay, fine,” she conceded. “But Violet, you are getting married, and you’re acting like it’s no big deal.”
I might be acting like it was no big deal, but it was a huge deal. Massive. Colossal. The proof of it sat on the ring finger of my left hand. The bright green emerald glittered in the morning light streaming in from the skylight above the birch tree. Rainwater had told me that he knew I needed something unique, and the stone was as green as the leaves on the birch that I held so dear. It was his way of saying he not only accepted but supported my connection to this place and the tree. It was the perfect choice.
Sadie put her hands on her hips. “Aren’t you excited about the wedding?”
“I’m excited about being married to David,” I said. “The whole day is intimidating. Any time you and Grandma Daisy talk about it, it seems to grow bigger and bigger. We just wanted a small ceremony.”
“You know the whole village is invited, right?”
How well I knew that. We would get married here at Charming Books, but since we couldn’t possibly fit all the guests that my grandmother felt she was obligated to invite, we would be having the ceremony on the front porch of the bookstore. Grandma Daisy, in her capacity of mayor, would be officiating. Sadie was my maid-of-honor and Rainwater’s younger sister Danielle was his best woman. At least they let me keep the wedding party small like I’d wanted. I’d won a few small battles in the plans. I wasn’t naïve enough to think I’d won the war.
There was one more potential member of the wedding party—Fenimore James, my father. But I hadn’t spoken to him in months, and I didn’t know if he would attend. I didn’t even know if I wanted him to be there.
Sadie sighed. “Vi, we are so different. I want a huge wedding. It’s the one time in your life that you truly are the center of attention. When I get married, it will be a giant blowout and I won’t make apologies for that.”
I smiled. “And no one is asking you to.” Sadie’s dream might not be that far away. After years of chasing the wrong man, she had finally found a good and decent guy, Simon Chase, who was stable and over-the-moon in love with her. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she got a ring for Christmas.
“Now back to that manicure. My friend at the salon has an opening tomorrow morning. She can give you a hair trial too.”
I raised my brow. “An opening this close to Christmas?” I asked.
Sadie nodded. “We got lucky, two people just canceled. Don’t worry, no one else will snap it up. I already grabbed it and talked to Daisy about watching the store while you’re out. It will take a few hours.”
“Hours?” I squeaked, realizing that I squeak a lot when it came to listening to Sadie and Grandma Daisy’s plans.
“Well, we couldn’t do it before this because you were busy at the end of the semester. We have to cram everything together in one day. Don’t worry, we will get it done. I have an itinerary.”
I knew this was true. December was always a crazy time for me between the shop and the end of the semester at Springside Community College, where I was an adjunct English professor.
Before I could ask Sadie what exactly was on the itinerary, the front door of Charming Books opened and a delivery man walked inside.
He had so many boxes stacked in his arms that I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it had to be my delivery man.
“Hank!” I cried, and ran over to help. “What are you doing carrying all those boxes in at once? They are all books. You could throw your back out.” I took the top two boxes from the stack. When I did, I could see most of his narrow face turn into a wide grin.
Hank was a congenial man, close to Rainwater’s age, so somewhere near forty. He had a beard and wore the insignia jacket of his delivery company, NY Box. He was an inch or two shorter than I was and had a thin frame like he had run cross-country in high school.
He has been delivering to my store since early September. He told me once that he’d taken the delivery job to make some extra money for his family, especially for his ill daughter, and now planned to continue after the new year.
He placed the three remaining boxes on the hardwood floor by the sales counter. “Aww, you know I have to keep pushing myself to carry more. The more boxes I can deliver all at once, the more stops I can make and the more money I can earn. Also, you know I love coming here the most.” He rubbed his hands together. “What do you have for me today?”
I chuckled. “I’ve got a new teen romance in I know Abby will enjoy.” I walked to the stack of books that I had left on the couch and picked up a hardback with a glossy silver cover.
“I know Abby will love it. She has loved every book that you’ve given her,” Hank says. “We are so grateful to you for them. The books are huge comfort to her during treatment.”
I smiled. Hank’s fifteen-year-old daughter Abby had been in treatment for lymphoma for over a year. I knew how hard it was on Hank and the entire family. On a personal level, I knew how hard it was to watch because my mother died of cancer when I was close to Abby’s age.
“She will probably read the whole thing in one sitting.” Hank’s eyes glimmered. “How much is it?”
“No cost. It’s yours.” I held the book out to him.
Hank waved me away. “Violet, you can’t keep giving me books.”
I just smiled.
He sighed. “Someday I’ll be able to pay you back for all that you’ve given me.”’
“Just think of it as a tip for your great service delivering all the supplies we need for the shop.”
He chuckled. “Nice try, but my company doesn’t want us to take tips.”
“Okay, it’s not a tip then. It’s just a Christmas gift for Abby.” I held it out a little further.
He accepted the book. “I guess I can take a Christmas gift for my daughter. That’s different.”
“It’s very different,” I said, but as I spoke, Hank was already reading the dust jacket closely.
“This sounds like something she’d love. I don’t know how you find all these authors that she likes so much. You always know what she wants to read.” He held onto the book tightly. “It’s like some kind of magic.”
Something like that, I thought as I glanced at the tree.
“Violet is the book whisperer,” Sadie chimed in. “Every time I come into the store, I leave with books to read. Violet really knows her stuff.”
“Imposter,” Faulkner cawed from the branches. Leave it to Faulkner to call me out.
Hank’s whole body jerked at the sound of the bird. “I will never get used to that crow looming overhead. There are a lot of scary animals on my route, but your crow takes the cake. Are you sure he won’t attack someday?”
“Faulkner is harmless. He talks big but would rather nap than cause any real trouble.”
“False,” the large black crow countered.
I shot him a look. He wasn’t doing himself any favors by proving me wrong.
Hank rubbed the bottom of his beard. “It’s like he understands you.”
“He might understand a little. Crows are very smart—on par with dolphins and pigs even.”
Hank wrinkled his brow and removed the scanner from his belt and held it out to me. “Just sign here with your finger, and we are good to go.”
I did as I was told.
“Thanks.” He clipped his scanner back on his belt and held up the book. “Thank you for this. I have a lot more stops on my route today, but I can’t wait to give this to Abby as soon as I get home.”
“Sounds like a perfect December night,” I said with a smile.
“You bet it is.” He grinned and headed for the door. “Sadie, I left a package outside your door too.”
“Oh, thanks. I’ll go grab it now. I think Violet needs a break from my wedding talk.”
He paused. “Wedding talk?”
“Oh, Violet and Chief Rainwater are getting married on Saturday. You didn’t know?”
“They are?” His eyes went wide.
“Violet, you didn’t tell Hank?” Sadie’s question was bordering on an accusation.
I wrinkled my brow. “Should I have?”
“Of course.” She reached into the pocket of her Mrs. Claus dress. “Here’s an invite, Hank. If you are free, you should come. It will be the party of the year!”
He took the invitation and tucked it into the front cover of the book I had given him. “Well, if I’m not on the route, I’ll try to come. I’m never one to turn down free cake.”
“You’re a guy after my own heart, Hank,” Sadie said and turned to me. “Violet, we can go over your beauty regimen later.”
Regimen? Who said anything about a regimen?
“Sounds like your wedding will be quite a big to-do. I thank my lucky stars every day that my wife agreed to elope.”
At the moment, I wished I had done the same when Rainwater brought it up right after we had gotten engaged.
Hank waved, but as he went out the door, a woman blew in with a gust of snow, blocking his path. “Excuse me,” Hank said and tried to maneuver around her, but she didn’t budge.
Another gust of cold air, snowflakes, and a few stray leaves blew into shop. The wind was enough to make the large birch tree sway, and Faulkner complained from his perch. He puffed up his feathers to fight the cold.
When the snow settled, the small woman in a long skirt and a giant coat stood in the doorway. A stocking cap was pulled far down over her face, covering her eyebrows. A scarf hid the lower half of her face. We could not see anything but her bright blue eyes.
“Excuse me,” Hank said.
She glanced at him and moved to let him by.
Sadie and I stared at her. Her skirt was so long it even covered her shoes, making her look like she was floating.
“What do I have to do to get some customer service?” the woman asked in a high-pitched voice.
I stepped forward. “I’m so sorry. How can I help? Can we help you find a book?”
Her icy blue eyes turned to me and narrowed. “I’m not here to buy a book. I’m here to sell a book. I’m looking for a woman named Violet Waverly?”
My eyes widened. “I’m Violet. We don’t have a very large used book section, but I will be happy to talk to you about whatever it is that you wish to sell.”
“You most certainly will,” she said in an almost threatening tone.
Sadie must have heard the threat in the woman’s words as well because she stepped closer to me. I don’t know how she thought she was going to protect me in her red velvet dress and high-heeled boots, but she would surely try. Sadie picked up Emerson like she would protect him too. This did not sit well with the little tuxedo cat, who tried to wriggle out of her grasp.
Emerson was not a timid cat. He jumped to the floor and circled the strange woman like a cheetah on the hunt. My guard was up. When my cat didn’t trust someone, it was noteworthy.
I walked over to the counter. “I’m happy to see what you have, and we can take it from there.”
The woman shuffled across the shop’s old floorboards as I slipped behind the sales counter. Typically, I never sat there unless I was ringing up a sale. I liked to be out on the floor where I could interact with the customers. I encouraged the two part-time clerks I had recently hired to do the same. This time, I felt more secure with some space between the woman and me.
“You said you had a book?” I questioned. There was nothing in the woman’s hands.
She unzipped her massive coat and reached inside to pull out a package wrapped in brown paper.
Standing on her tippy toes, she set the package on the counter. With an air of reverence, she unwrapped a very old book, one I couldn’t believe I was seeing with my own eyes, in my shop.
I stared at it. It couldn’t be…
She removed her hat, revealing a curly mop of reddish-gray hair underneath. As she removed the scarf, I saw she had a tiny nose and pointed chin. “How much will you give me for that?”
I couldn’t put a price on it. I was speechless.
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
NOW Available everywhere books are sold!
Violet Waverly sleuths a Thoreau-ly puzzling Christmastime murder in Agatha Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s fifth Magical Bookshop mystery.
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season–whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.
Amazon Barnes and Noble Indiebound
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Amanda Flower 2022 Release Schedule Update
Happy 2022! Due to the issues with supply chains and publishing books some of the release dates of my 2022 novels have been pushed back several months. Below you will see all the novels that I will be releasing this year. If it’s printed in bold it’s a new date. If you preordered before the date change, do not worry! You will receive your book on the new release date and pay the preorder price. Thank you all so much for understanding.
Wishing you all great things and wonderful reads this year! Love, Amanda
2022 RELEASE SCHEDULE
CRIMES AND COVERS, MAGICAL BOOKSHOP #5 1/11/22
PUT OUT TO PASTURE, FARM TO TABLE #2 2/22/22
PEANUT BUTTER PANIC, AMISH CANDY SHOP #7 8/23/22
BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH, EMILY DICKINSON #1 9/20/22
FROZEN DETECTIVE, PIPER AND PORTER #2 12/6/22
HONEYMOONS CAN BE HAZARDOUS, AMISH MATCHMAKER #4 TBA
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
Coming January 11, 2022! You can preorder the title HERE! Available everywhere books are sold!
Violet Waverly sleuths a Thoreau-ly puzzling Christmastime murder in Agatha Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s fifth Magical Bookshop mystery.
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season–whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.
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Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.December 31, 2021
Happy New Year!
2021 was another challenging year for just about everyone I know. I’m grateful to be at the end of it. However at the beginning of this year, I made a commitment to post here every Friday, and I did it. Honestly, I’m surprised I kept up with it, but I have found I love sharing recipes, book news, pictures, and our farm with you. I plan to continue into the New Year!
Wishing you all happy new beginnings and good health in 2022! Love, Amanda
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
Coming January 11, 2022! You can preorder the title HERE! Available everywhere books are sold!
Violet Waverly sleuths a Thoreau-ly puzzling Christmastime murder in Agatha Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s fifth Magical Bookshop mystery.
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season–whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.
Join my email list
By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.December 24, 2021
Merry Christmas!
I’m so grateful for each and everyone of my readers. Have a blessed holiday from my little family to yours! Merry Christmas! Love, Amanda
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
Coming January 11, 2022! You can preorder the title HERE! Available everywhere books are sold!
Violet Waverly sleuths a Thoreau-ly puzzling Christmastime murder in Agatha Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s fifth Magical Bookshop mystery.
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season–whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.
Join my email list
By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
Processing… Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.December 17, 2021
Grief in Christmas
I have noticed this holiday season, friends and acquaintances are posting on social media about missing someone during the holidays more than Decembers in the past. They might be grieving a spouse, a parent, a friend, another family member, or even a child. I just want to take a moment to tell you if grief is your companion this December, you are not alone. I don’t tell you this to say that everything will be okay or to encourage you to find some holiday cheer. You may want to do that, and that’s okay. You may not, and that’s okay too. During this time, it’s important to listen to your own heart and soul as to what is best for you. If going to parties keeps your mind off of things, that’s wonderful. If staying home hugging your cat brings you more comfort, that’s wonderful too. You know what’s right for you, and as good as the intentions might be, don’t let someone else to tell you otherwise.
It’s going to be hard, but trust me, you can make it through this. When you are in the middle of it, that’s close to impossible to believe. I know this from firsthand experience. However, I do know if you get up every morning, put one foot in front of the other, learn to smile again, and notice pockets of beauty in the world, you will come out on the other side of this. You will be a different person than you were before your profound loss but a survivor too.
That doesn’t mean grief won’t resurface with no warning and bring you to your knees. This will be an aspect of the rest of your life that no one else will understand until they’ve gone through it for themselves. And we would not wish this pain on our worst enemy, would we?
This is my thirteenth Christmas without my father and my ninth without my mother. All of their Christmas traditions that we still do are a mix between sweet memories and sharp punches to the chest. I cry a lot this season. Every year without fail. Nearly a decade later, I cry myself to sleep like the loss was yesterday. Some days, I feel as broken as I was standing beside the bed where my mother died. It’s a fact of my life, one that I’m blessed enough to have a husband who accepts and comforts me during and one where my faith sees me through. It may be your new reality too, and my prayers are with you.
In particular, my prayer for you this season is acceptance, comfort, and faith to guide you through. You will arrive on the other side of the holidays. January is coming.
Love, Amanda
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Violet Waverly sleuths a Thoreau-ly puzzling Christmastime murder in Agatha Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s fifth Magical Bookshop mystery.
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season–whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving a murder most transcendental.
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#Holiday Menu Planning
If you’re like me, you’re a planner and if you are hosting a party you want it to go off without a hitch. But if you’re also like me, you’re over-committed and the thought of party planning is a bit stressful. May I suggest making your life easier this holiday season by planning a Holiday Snacks party instead of a large plated meal. It’s delicious, fun, and most importantly easy!
When I was a child, my parents held Christmas get-together for my grandparents. On this day, which was usually Christmas week, my grandparents would come to our house and watch my brother and I open their Christmas presents from them. After which, my mother would serve a wide variety of holiday snacks. It was one of my favorite meals every year. What is better than a plate full with a little bites of everything?
When my brother and I grew up, my parents continued to host this party. Now that my parents are gone, I have kept up the tradition with the exception of 2020 for obvious reasons. Happily this year, I’m bringing the Holiday Snack party back as my husband and I will be hosting my brother and his family the Sunday before Christmas. We will eat little bites and watch my niece and nephews open gifts around the Christmas tree. I can’t wait to all be together again for Christmas, and since this party is so easy to plate, I won’t be stressed about the food.
Below is the menu I have planned. The best part, very little cooking is involved, which is a bonus when you’re wrapping gifts at the last minute and trying to clean your house like I’m sure I will be right before they arrive.
I hope you enjoy this idea. And remember however you celebrate this season, take a breath and slow down. It will all get done. And if it doesn’t, that’s okay too!
The Menu (in no particular order)
fruit saladpickles (dill and sweet)olives (black, green, and kalamata)precooked shrimp and cocktail sauce (for everyone except my niece and I as we are vegetarians)pretzels and sweet mustard dippumpernickel bread and spinach dippotato chips and onion dipChristmas cookiescheese and crackersvegetarian sausage wrapsveggies and dippita chips and hummusmini pita bread pizzassherbet holiday punchPictured below the 2019 spread.
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Millie is happy that her childhood friend, Uriah Schrock, has returned to Harvest after decades away. He was sweet on Millie in their school days, but she only had eyes for her future husband. Now, there’s a new spark between them, so Millie is concerned when Uriah doesn’t show up at the Harvest concert series—or for his job as the Village square’s groundskeeper. Perhaps Millie has been involved in too many murder investigations, but she has a sinking feeling. And when she and her best friend, Lois, find Uriah with the police, it seems she’s right…
A film crew is in Harvest to make a movie about a forty-year-old unsolved murder. A skeleton has been found at the bottom of a ravine—and Uriah is certain it’s his sister, Galilee. Right before Uriah left Ohio, she disappeared, and her harsh husband, Samuel, was found fatally stabbed with a knitting needle. The sheriff declared that Galilee killed him and ran away. Uriah never believed the theory, and he’s come back to Harvest hoping, Gott willing, Millie will help him stitch together the truth…
Amazon
Happy reading!
Amanda
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Marriage Can Be Mischief Now Available!
I’m so excited to share that my 40th mystery published, Marriage Can Be Mischief, the third novel in the Amish Matchmaker Mysteries came out this week. All you favorite characters from the Amish village of Harvest are back, including goat Phillip and Peter and Jethro the pig. Below, I’m share the the first few pages of the book. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Lois Henry pulled at her multi-colored geometric print blouse. “It’s so hot this evening, I feel like I’m baking bread in my shirt. When is this concert over? Is it running long? Or is that just me because I’m perspiring like Jethro the pig in the noonday sun?” She fanned her red face with the concert program.
Lois and I sat side by side in lawn chairs on the Harvest village square just before twilight. Around us, other villagers both Englisch and Amish shifted in their own seats as the middle school band concert dragged on. I felt the hair on the back of my neck curl from the humidity that at last report was at sixty percent, making the warm night air feel that much hotter. It was one of those few times that I saw the benefit of Lois’s air-conditioned house and car.
The businesses that encircled the square–the candy shop, cheese shop, and pretzel shop–had long been closed for the night. The only business still open was the Sunbeam Café, which was trying to take advantage of the Harvest concert series for a few extra sales. The large white church next to the café glowed in the sunset, looking more like a painting of a church than the real thing.
I patted away the dew on my forehead. “Pigs don’t actually sweat,” I said. “That’s why they wallow in mud and water on hot days to cool down.”
“I didn’t say it for an animal husbandry lesson,” she said. “Did you see what this humidity is doing to my hair?”
I turned in my lawn chair to have a better look at her. The chair, which Lois had purchased at the local flea market, was far from sturdy. In fact, I had a feeling it might break apart any second. I stopped twisting.
Lois’s typically upright, red-and-purple spiky hair drooped to the left side of her head. I didn’t say it, but it reminded me of a grassy field that had been bent over by the wind. “Your hair looks different from normal.” I felt this was the nicest way to put it.
“It’s going to take me an hour to set my hair again after tonight. People really don’t know how hard it is to look like this.” She picked at her hair with her long purple fingernails, but it did little to put her hair upright again.
I certainly didn’t know how hard it was. Lois’s appearance and mine could not be more different from each other. Although we were the same age, nearing the end of our sixties, and had grown up on the same county road, our upbringing had been very different. I grew up Amish, and Lois grew up Englisch. Even so, we had been the best of friends as girls and remained the best of friends to this very day.
However, I knew to many people we appeared to be an odd pair. I wore plain dress, sensible black tennis shoes, and a prayer cap. My long white hair was tied back in an Amish bun. Lois wore brightly colored clothes, chunky costume jewelry, heavy makeup, and had that striking haircut.
She leaned across the arm of her chair, and the seat made a dangerous creaking sound. “Did I sweat my eyebrows off?”
I shook my head. “Nee, they’re still there.” I did not add that they were looking a tad more wobbly than usual. It was certainly due to the trickle of sweat running down the side of her forehead. I had to agree with Lois: it was a hot night and the concert should have been over an hour ago. We weren’t the only ones who thought it had gone on too long–several couples and families had gotten up and left.
Lois shifted her folding lawn chair, and I found myself wincing with every creak and rattle the chair made. I didn’t want her to be hurt if it broke. Even though we were sitting on the grass square in the middle of the village of Harvest, any time you fall at our age, it can leave a mark.
“Careful, Lois, that chair is not as sturdy as you think it is,” I warned.
She bounced up and down in the chair. “Don’t be silly. It’s as sturdy as they come. They don’t make chairs like this anymore.” With her final bounce, there was a loud crack, and Lois and the chair went down.
I jumped out of my seat. “Lois, are you all right?”
The children playing in the band froze and stopped playing. The leader held his hands suspended in the air. Lois waved from the grass. “Keep playing. I’m fine.”
Several people from nearby blankets and chairs ran over to us. Two Englisch men helped Lois to her feet.
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“Nothing more than a bruised ego, and that stopped bothering me twenty years ago.” She smiled. “If I became upset every time I fell over, I would be in a perpetual state of nerves.” She smiled at everyone who’d rushed over to help. “Thank you, you’re all too kind. Now, hurry back to your seats, so the concert can continue.”
After they were out of earshot, Lois said, “Because we need to move this concert along. It’s going on forever.” Lois rubbed the side of her leg. “I spoke too soon about not being hurt.”
“What’s wrong? Should we find a doctor of nurse?”
“No, no, it’s nothing as serious as all that. I just banged up my knee.”
“Let me at least get you some ice for it, and here–” I moved my chair next to her. “Sit in this until I get back.”
My chair was as unstable as hers had been, but it had to be better than her standing if her knee was bothering her. “Stay there. I will find the ice.”
She rubbed her knee. “We can only hope by the time you return, this concert will be over,” she whispered. Well, mostly whispered, but luckily the band had resumed its concert, making it hard to hear much of anything over the cymbals and drums. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
“All right,” I said. “Please, stay there, and I will find some ice.”
On the far side of the square there was a small concessions booth. I thought I would start there. If I didn’t have any luck, then I would run across the street to the Sunbeam Café and grab a cup of ice from Lois’s granddaughter, Darcy Woodin. I didn’t want to scare Darcy until I knew how badly Lois was hurt.
“Excuse me,” I said to the man waiting in line. “Can I just ask for some ice? My friend fell out of her chair and bumped her knee.”
The Englischer stepped aside. “I saw her go down. It looked like a nasty tumble.”
The girl inside the food trailer handed me a cup of ice and a fistful of paper towels.
I smiled at her. “Danki, this is so kind of you.”
“I’d hurry back to your friend if I were you. Margot Rawlings is headed this way, and she’s staring right at you.”
I looked over my shoulder and found that she was right. I thanked her again.
“Millie Fisher, can I have a word with you?” Margot called.
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
You can order the title HERE! Available everywhere books are sold!
Millie is happy that her childhood friend, Uriah Schrock, has returned to Harvest after decades away. He was sweet on Millie in their school days, but she only had eyes for her future husband. Now, there’s a new spark between them, so Millie is concerned when Uriah doesn’t show up at the Harvest concert series—or for his job as the Village square’s groundskeeper. Perhaps Millie has been involved in too many murder investigations, but she has a sinking feeling. And when she and her best friend, Lois, find Uriah with the police, it seems she’s right…
A film crew is in Harvest to make a movie about a forty-year-old unsolved murder. A skeleton has been found at the bottom of a ravine—and Uriah is certain it’s his sister, Galilee. Right before Uriah left Ohio, she disappeared, and her harsh husband, Samuel, was found fatally stabbed with a knitting needle. The sheriff declared that Galilee killed him and ran away. Uriah never believed the theory, and he’s come back to Harvest hoping, Gott willing, Millie will help him stitch together the truth…
Amazon
Happy reading!
Amanda
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Authors Are Small Businesses: How to Help
The holiday shopping season is here! When you are out Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or the rest of the season, don’t forget to support authors. Authors are small businesses and need your support for our careers to continue because the truth is we stay in print when we make sales.
So how can you help? Check out the suggestions below. And you don’t always have to spend money!
Pre-order your favorite authors’ books. Pre-orders tell publishers that a book will do well and if that’s true it may get more support from the publisher. At the very least it will help initial sales which many publishing contract decisions are based on. Most books sell the most copies in the first few weeks after release, and pre-orders are count on the day of release.Write reviews. Even a short review that says “I like this book” causes the book seller algorithms to place a book in front of readers who are visiting their websites more.Request the book from the library. Libraries are essential for authors. It’s a great way to find new readers. Also if an author is popular at the library, many times the library will buy multiple copies of their books.Attend author events. Every author has had a book signing or two where no one showed up. Stopping by to say “hi” will make your favorite author’s day. This goes for virtual events too!Support their side hustle. Many authors have other jobs or side businesses. For example, I have my Etsy shop. Making jewelry bring me joy and I’m even happier when my readers love and buy the pieces I make. https://www.etsy.com/shop/AmandaFlowerDesignsTell your friends. Love a book? Tell your friends about it. Word of mouth is still the best way to sell anything. You can tell them in person or even online through social media.Speaking of social media if your author has news, share it on your social media accounts. The more the news is shared the more people it will reach. Publishers looks at authors’ social engagement when making contract decisions.Finally, buy their books. Sales are huge in publishing. Award-winning series are canceled because of low sales. In publishing, it is the ultimate deciding factor for a long and successful career.
Pre-order Marriage Can Be Mischief, Amish Matchmaker Mystery #3, from the Learned Owl Book Shop and get a signed copy of the book and exclusive lemon recipe card!
They ship!
Order from the Learned Owl https://www.learnedowl.com/book/9781496724052
You can also order by phone! 330-653-2252 / 800-968-2685
Millie is happy that her childhood friend, Uriah Schrock, has returned to Harvest after decades away. He was sweet on Millie in their school days, but she only had eyes for her future husband. Now, there’s a new spark between them, so Millie is concerned when Uriah doesn’t show up at the Harvest concert series—or for his job as the Village square’s groundskeeper. Perhaps Millie has been involved in too many murder investigations, but she has a sinking feeling. And when she and her best friend, Lois, find Uriah with the police, it seems she’s right…
A film crew is in Harvest to make a movie about a forty-year-old unsolved murder. A skeleton has been found at the bottom of a ravine—and Uriah is certain it’s his sister, Galilee. Right before Uriah left Ohio, she disappeared, and her harsh husband, Samuel, was found fatally stabbed with a knitting needle. The sheriff declared that Galilee killed him and ran away. Uriah never believed the theory, and he’s come back to Harvest hoping, Gott willing, Millie will help him stitch together the truth…
Amazon
FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK
You can pre-order the title HERE!
Happy reading!
Amanda
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