Cathy Perkins's Blog, page 13

Grateful for Audiobooks!

By Lynn McPherson

My first audiobook is finally out in the world! I'm so excited to share with readers that they can now listen to the first Izzy Walsh Mystery, The Girls' Weekend Murder. As an author, it is an absolute delight to hear your words read aloud by a professional narrator--even more exciting than I'd imagined.

The timing couldn't be better either with Thanksgiving two days away. I have so much to be grateful for, my audiobook is only adding to the lengthy list.

I hope everyone is able t...

The Red Penguin Collection

by Paula Gail Benson

Red Penguin Books, a small publishing company based in New York and headed by Stephanie Larkin, began an imprint to showcase new and established writers of shorter works. Its Red Penguin Collection currently has twenty-eight volumes of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, monologues, and short plays. The editor is J.K. Larkin, Stephanie's son, who has published his own autobiography, not kidding .

The collection first drew my attention when I noticed that John Floyd had been pu...

Red Letter Days for Writers -- and a Cover Reveal for Murder in the Mountains

by Shari Randall

There are many special moments in the life of a book that are worth celebrating. Of course, publication day, the "book birthday," is the day to pop the cork on a bottle of champagne. But there are other days that feel equally special to writers:

The day you type "The End" and finish your draft. Every writer knows that it's really the beginning - second and third drafts, edits, editor's letter, and copy edits are coming. It's a hard won milestone. I don't know any writers who celeb...

From Stage to Page with Barbara Kyle

I’m often asked if my previous career as an actor helped my writing.

 

Yes, it certainly did.

 

Acting gave me a deep appreciation of strong story structure, because it’s hard to act in a script that has weaknesses like unfocused conflict or unmotivated turning points or a feeble climax. That stayed with me in writing my eleven novels.

Photo: With crew members (me in 19th-century bonnet) on the set of the TV series "The Campbells"

And, of course, it helped me in crafting a nove...

’Tis the Season for Food, Food, Food by Saralyn RichardH...

 

’Tis the Season for Food, Food, Food

by Saralyn Richard

Holidays and food have a symbiotic relationship. You can’t have one without the other. The same can be said for mysteries and food, at least in the two Detective Parrott mysteries, Murder in the One Percent and A Palette for Love and Murder.

 

The former begins with a December birthday weekend retreat at a country mansion in the lush Brandywine Valley. The guests indulge in a gourmet dinner consisting of nine courses and wine pairings. The ...

Elizabeth "Betty" Wason: Journalist and Cook Book Author

by Paula Gail Benson

While doing some research on the history of cooking, I came across foodtimeline.org, created in 1999 by reference librarian and food lover Lynne Oliver and meticulously maintained by Lynne until her death in 2015. The site now is updated by the Virginia Tech Library system, which has a special collection on cooking history, including many volumes contributed by Lynne.

Food Timeline Library

The timeline indicated that the first recorded menu was from ancient Sumeria. The source ...

Three Things with Lynn McPherson

Three Things with Lynn McPherson – by Debra H. Goldstein

I had so much fun playing the Three Things Game when Shari Randall interviewed me last month, that I decided to pass it forward by playing the game with Stiletto Gang member Lynn McPherson. Lots of good answers and some I didn’t expect!

Three favorite foods:  Pizza, tacos, cupcakes

Three places I've lived: Toronto, London, Vancouver

Three jobs I've had: Golf range owner, waitress, ESL teacher in Seoul

Three things I can't do without: my famil...

An Exercise in Motivation

An Exercise in Motivation by Debra H. Goldstein

People who exercise have always fascinated me. One of my friends thinks she’s in heaven if she gets two long walks in during a day; another one can’t survive without at least four yoga classes a week; one installed a dance bar and mirror in her home because ballet moves make her happy; and, then there’s the one who doesn’t feel satisfied unless he does an equipment circuit followed by at least a mile of laps in the pool. Although I like these peopl...

Interview with Kathryn Lane

 by Bethany Maines

Today I'm interviewing fellow Stiletto Gang member Kathryn Lane. Kathryn enjoyed a two-decade career in international finance with Johnson & Johnson before taking an early retirement from corporate life to follow her passion to write fiction. So today we're finding out more about her writing and what inspires her.  From growing up in Mexico to traveling the globe, and splitting time between Texas and New Mexico Kathryn's journey into writing has been unique.  

Q: What do you wri...

Gay Yellen: Rubber Duckies

 Ever been to a duck race? It's fun and inspiring.

Last weekend, thousands of rubber duckies were dumped off a downtown bridge into Buffalo Bayou, the main waterway that flows eastward through the Port of Houston to the Gulf of Mexico.
...and they're off!What's more fun on a sunny day than a family-friendly outing that's also a fundraiser for a good cause? This year, all proceeds for the event went to the Play it Forward Fund at AFAtexas.org. This marvelous group touches the lives of thousands of ...