Kate Collins's Blog, page 113

What do we all scream for?

By Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott 

We all scream for ice cream, of course  Okay, you guessed it: that’s my official drug of choice. I try not to have it in the house too often because it calls to me from the freezer, especially around midnight, especially if it’s mint chocolate chip.
Still, we’re having hot humid summer days here in the frozen north and a cone or a cup of ice cream is just the ticket. 
But ice cream is good for more than just cooling down and giving your taste buds a workout, apparently just talking about it is good for you!   I recently read that listing your ten (!!!) favorite ice cream flavors can help ward off an anxiety attack.  Who knows if it’s true? Who cares!   It is actually very fun and distracting to try to name ten favorite flavors of ice cream.  Most of my friends claimed they couldn’t do it.
No surprise, I was able to, although it was so relaxing that I had to take a nap. Obviously, no anxiety materialized.  However, I have been dreaming of ice cream ever since.  Today I found a ‘new to me’ flavor and brought it.  Chocolate Fudge Crackle also contained peanut butter.  
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to have a waffle bowl will with my new treat.  Love waffle bowls!

My view: what’s not to love?  
But we like to hear from you: are you an ice cream fan?  Can you name ten flavors that you love?   What about cones versus waffle cups? Or just plain ice cream in a dish? Chocolate sauce on?   We want to know! If not ice cream, then what?
Remember to click on the title to leave a comment.  If you don’t hear from me, it’s because I’m on my way to Newfoundland and may not yet have access to internet, but I’ll keep checking in!  The doggies will be here with Victoria, so maybe they’ll take over the keyboard. 
Thanks for coming by!  Enjoy your summer moments while they last.

On the Places You’ll Go.

I love this book, given it as presents to so many grads with their whole life in front of them. And of course it is totally true. The places we wind up are truly amazing!
In Braking for Bodies, Evie Bloomfield never thought she’d wind up on Mackinac Island chasing a killer...who wound up chasing her! In my Consignment Shop series Reagan Summerside never thought she’d fall for the very man who represented her  ex in a rotten divorce settlement.
And I never thought I’d drive through Tuscany. Just me and my daughter in a little stick-shift Fiat and a Garman GPS. Thank heavens for the Garman or we’d still be driving in Tuscany! Actually, thank heavens for my daughter as I can’t read a map…even a Garman…worth beans!
I never dreamed I’d have a garden with so many lovely flowers. My grandfather could grow anything anywhere. He was from Italy and had ten green thumbs! I love flowers and whereas I’m not nearly as good a gardener as Grandpa Angelo I feel a part of him every time I plant or trim or water.
And a few things I got into I never thought I’d get out of. Like the time I got lost in wilds of Kentucky in the middle of the night with a dead iPhone that wouldn’t take a charge. Then there was the time my daughters and I got chased by two huge gators in Alligator Alley in Florida. You think a sixty-year-old woman is slow? Ha! I can run like the wind!
Then there was our adventure to Canyonlands in Arizona. Everything is huge and steep there. My daughters and I DROVE this road two years ago! It’s just like this with hairpin turns, 1000 foot drops with no guardrails, wide enough for one car only and dirt!!!!! Oh the things my kids get me into.  


This is a picture of Canyonlands National Park.Last week’s rain washed out a portion of the Shafer Trail road near the bottom of the switchbacks. It now says... Use caution if you are planning to drive this section. IMHO you have to be nuts to drive this thing!











So the question is...what crazy things have gotten you into? What wild places have you survived or nearly didn’t? Where have you wound up that you never thought you would? 

Travel Travails

by Maggie Sefton



Since I forgot to include the cover for DEADLY POLITICS when I Spotlighted it last Saturday, 
I thought I'd include it now.  Better late than never, right?  :)  



If you travel a lot as I do, then you'll eventually have a day when all the schedules don't mesh well.  Since I'm anal by nature---remember, I was a CPA so anal traits run deep---I take care of all the details of each trip---airlines, car rentals, hotels, shuttles, etc.  And I print them out so I have all the reservations and schedules in my backpack ready to check on a moment's notice.

This past Saturday, however, my turn to have the mixed-up travel day came around.  First, there was a paperwork problem when I returned my rental car to Washington Dulles airport in Northern VA on Saturday.  I won't go into details, but it was totally weird.  By the time it was solved, I saw that I was not going to be able to make my flight returning to Colorado on time.  Thank goodness, I was able to cancel that flight  before  departure and schedule another flight on the following day, Sunday.

I extended my car rental and drove back to my friends' house in Vienna, VA (Northern VA) where I had visited the week before.  Thank goodness my friends had just settled down for "cocktail hour" complete with our favorite additions of mixed nuts, cheeses, and various nibbles.  And assorted mixed drinks, of course.  I enjoy a nice Cosmo, personally.  And my friends kindly keep my favorite Cosmopolitan ingredients handy.  They welcomed me, said the downstairs bedroom was always ready and waiting, and we had another of our enjoyable evenings together.

You know----there's nothing like Old Friends.  They know you.  And they know your past history plus everything else.  They've been there for you, just like you've been there for them.  That is golden in my book.

The next day, Sunday, dawned sunny and problem free.  So my return to Colorado was easy and uneventful.  And, it felt good to return to Colorado's wonderful weather.  No more hot and sticky heat and humidity of upper 90s Back East.  It had been in the low 90s earlier that day in Colorado, but with LOW humidity of the usual 30%.  Boy-oh-boy-----does that make a huge difference.  And boy, did it feel good.  :)  

YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!

By Mary Kennedy
It's delectable, it's tantalizing and it's seriously addictive! Summer seems to be the perfect time to indulge in our favorite frozen treat. An occasional treat is okay (in fact, I think it's GOOD for us to splurge once in a while), but here are some facts you should know.
                                            

Whether you like your ice cream in a dish or a cone, size matters. Did you know that a standard serving of ice cream is one-half cup. Yes, a measly half cup. Think about it. When have you had just half a cup of ice cream? That's the size of a tennis ball.

Is ice cream fattening? Well, yes, but everything in moderation, right. It's hard to give a calorie count for ice cream without knowing what kind of ice cream you're talking about. Most premium ice creams use 14% milk fat. The higher the fat content, the higher the calories.

Haagen-Dazs can contain as much as 250 calories per half cup serving. And if you add sauces and sprinkles, the number can go ever higher.

                                                                           

There are also "reduced fat" and "sugar free" ice creams available. Some are pretty good! You might want to give them a try, and add fresh berries or fruit instead of high calorie sauces.
                                                                              
If you feel you absolutely must indulge in a high calorie dish like a banana split, think about sharing it with a friend. And make sure it's not a regular occurrence. The calorie count could soar to over 1000 calories.
Frozen yogurt is lower in fat an weighs between 100 and 120 calories for a half cup serving. You might try this in a sugar cone and find it satisfying. (waffle cones are good but they pack a lot of calories.)        
One strategy is to eat your delicious treat slowly, take tiny bites and savor each one!                                                                                                                                      
What's your favorite kind of ice cream? When I was a kid, I loved Neapolitan.
                                                                                
Now I'm a big fan of ice cream pie with a chocolate-Rice Krispie crust. 


It's incredibly easy, just melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, add a chunk of butter and then stir in Rice Krispies until it holds together. Place in a pie pan sprayed with Pam and freeze for an hour or so. Then remove from the freezer, fill with your favorite ice cream (mint chocolate chip is really good! And so is Chunky Monkey) and freeze again. Your guests will love it. Hopefully there won't be any leftovers, because it is so tempting to have a piece as a midnight snack.                                                                        
Another favorite "adult" ice cream treat is coffee ice cream, topped with a little fudge sauce, some Kahlua and toasted almonds. Delish!                                                                             Be sure to enjoy some ice cream this summer--Fall is almost here!
Mary Kennedy

Spotlight on Molly Malone in DEADLY POLITICS

by Maggie Sefton


Today for our Cozy Chicks Spotlight Saturday, I’m going to spotlight the heroine from my political suspense series---Molly Malone.  I like to think of Molly as a lot like my heroine-sleuth in the Knitting Mysteries---Kelly Flynn, but twenty years older.  Plus, Molly has experienced a lot of trauma and turmoil in her old hometown----the political cauldron of Washington, DC. 

DEADLY POLITICS , the first in the Molly Malone Suspense  Series, was released in August 2012 in trade paperback and E-books from Midnight Ink Books.  It’s available in bookstores and online.   Please visit my website for reviews and an excerpt:   www.maggiesefton.com
Welcome to Molly Malone’s world----
Politics is a blood sport in Washington, DC, and only the strongest survive.    Like the politicians she’s rubbed shoulders with for a lifetime, Molly Malone is smart and tough and savvy enough to stay out of trouble---most of the time.  However, trouble has a way of finding Molly.
Years ago, Molly Malone was driven from Washington, DC by political back-stabbing, scandals, and personal heartbreak.  But now, circumstances have forced her to start a new life in the one place she swore she’d never return to—the city that broke her heart---and face the ghosts and the enemies from her past.
As the daughter of a respected United States Senator and once the wife of a rising star young Congressman, Molly has seen it all in Washington politics---the cynics, the sincere, and the schemers.  But the brutal murder of her Congressional staffer niece brings Molly up close with Washington’s darker side.  “The beautiful monuments and parks are deceiving.  Washington can be ugly.”  How ugly, Molly’s about to find out.  There are other schemers out there who may not have won elections, but are more powerful than the politicians they ensnare.  

Starved for Conversation

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

I work. A lot. Therefore, I don't have a lot of social time. I haven't spoken to my neighbor Amy in a week. The only people I really see are Mr. L and my brother. I've gone on several writing retreats this summer where I've just stayed in the house and not gone anywhere or spoken to anyone (except on the phone to Mr. L and my brother). My two local girlfriends both work day jobs. Not a lot of time for socializing. (I think it's been two years since we got together. Mostly we chat on Facebook.)

Mr. L goes out to lunch once a month with the guys he used to work with. (I worked with some of them, too.) Mind you, they'e been meeting for OVER TWENTY YEARS. When he comes home, I badger him. Who was there? What did you talk about? Mr. L clams up. "I didn't record the conversations."



If it weren't for the Internet, I don't know what I'd do. I'm lucky that I get to "talk" (okay, type) to the Chicks, to my BFF Jennifer, and many of my readers (mostly on Facebook), many of whom have become friends.  (Hi, Amy, Linda, Pam, Geneva, and all the ladies and gents from Lorraine's Perpetual Tea Party.)

And then there's my Thursday morning meetings. (Except we didn't have one yesterday--we had to reschedule for today.) I also belong to another author group known as Storytellers Unlimited. Every week the three of us do a Google Hangout (which is like Skype) and we talk, face-to-face, about BUSINESS.

I can't tell you how much I look forward to these meetings because I get to TALK to someone other than my cats, husband, and brother. We usually meet for about two hours, and talk about our work, and what we'd like to accomplish as a group. One of the ideas we're currently tossing around is holding an event--a luncheon in Western New York for cozy readers. (Doesn't that sound like fun!) You'd think it would be easy to plan such an event. Um...not so much. Inviting 100 friends for lunch is as big an event as putting on a wedding reception. Are we crazy to think about doing this? Maybe. (And be sure to let me know if you think this could be a fun event.)

There are all sorts of things to think about. Table decorations. Door prizes. The menu. The venue! Round tables of eight, or round tables of ten? Transportation. Will we need a microphone?  Should we have a keynote speaker? What time of the year should we hold it? Can we find some volunteers to help stuff the goody bags? Should we hold a pizza party the night before for those coming from out of town? Yes--lots of decisions.

So, will we talk about that or our upcoming Winter Magic anthology? (We're on pins and needles waiting to see our cover.) Maybe we'll talk about Shirley's new car (which she picked up yesterday and why we had to reschedule our meeting). Maybe we'll talk about Kelly's cutie-pie granddaughter (she's babysitting her for the summer). Whatever we talk about--it'll be FUN.

The Cozy Chicks will be having a meeting at the end of the month. I'm really looking forward to that, too. We had such fun the last time we did it in January. I'm counting the days.

Do you ever feel the need for conversation?

Something different about that rabbit

By Victoria Abbott aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini 
I had the fun experience of taking two really nice seven-year-olds to a movie this past Saturday.  Of course, I had to pick THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS because I knew I would also get a big kick out of it. .  The kids had fun and laughed in all the right places, but I had even more fun. 


Why? 


Not because of the animation although that was just fine.  Not because of the story line although that was an intriguing adventure.  Not because of the dachshund using the stand mixer as a back scratcher although that was what first caught my attention.  No. It was because I couldn’t quite step out of my role as a writer while watching it. I thought the screenwriters did a really good job of establishing individual character traits for each of the main ‘players’. 
While Max and Duke (and most of the other pooches)  play the dog stereotypes straight: needy, loving, loyal, food motivated, there are some surprises. 
The cats were hilariously haughty and wicked (of course I am a dog person).   Chloe the cat's dialogue rocks: As your friend I gotta be honest with you, I don't care about you or your problem. The dogs, naturally, were needier.  No big surprise. But the characters that really ‘worked’ were the ones that played against type:  Gidget, the sweet, gentle and very ‘girly’ pooch (possibly a white blonde Pomeranian who must have a live-in groomer) turned out to have a spine of steel when she decided to rescue Max. She won my respect, as did the falcon who tries to go against instincts creating some great moments. 
But it was Snowflake, the adorably fluffy evil bunny, a totally hilarious deranged revolutionary/anarchist that made the movie for me.
It all reminded me of the value of giving characters depth and surprise by playing against type. 
I sort of regretted not making Walter the Pug a secret bank robber or anarchist.  Too late now, he’s just a cuddly pug, good only for love in our Book Collector Mysteries.   Still, there’s nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, we have done something different with the pug theme in The Hammett Hex (coming soon as you know).
So what about you? Seen any good movies lately? Like animation?  How about thoughts on characters who play against type? Got a fave in animation or regular films? 
 We love to hear from you. Don’t forget to click on the title to make the comment area appear like magic at the bottom of the post.  See you soon!
 The Secret Life of Pets Oifficial Trailer

Soemthing different about that rabbit

By Victoria Abbott aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini 
I had the fun experience of taking two really nice seven-year-olds to a movie this past Saturday.  Of course, I had to pick THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS because I knew I would also get a big kick out of it. .  The kids had fun and laughed in all the right places, but I had even more fun. 


Why? 


Not because of the animation although that was just fine.  Not because of the story line although that was an intriguing adventure.  Not because of the dachshund using the stand mixer as a back scratcher although that was what first caught my attention.  No. It was because I couldn’t quite step out of my role as a writer while watching it. I thought the screenwriters did a really good job of establishing individual character traits for each of the main ‘players’. 
While Max and Duke (and most of the other pooches)  play the dog stereotypes straight: needy, loving, loyal, food motivated, there are some surprises. 
The cats were hilariously haughty and wicked (of course I am a dog person).   Chloe the cat's dialogue rocks: As your friend I gotta be honest with you, I don't care about you or your problem. The dogs, naturally, were needier.  No big surprise. But the characters that really ‘worked’ were the ones that played against type:  Gidget, the sweet, gentle and very ‘girly’ pooch (possibly a white blonde Pomeranian who must have a live-in groomer) turned out to have a spine of steel when she decided to rescue Max. She won my respect, as did the falcon who tries to go against instincts creating some great moments. 
But it was Snowflake, the adorably fluffy evil bunny, a totally hilarious deranged revolutionary/anarchist that made the movie for me.
It all reminded me of the value of giving characters depth and surprise by playing against type. 
I sort of regretted not making Walter the Pug a secret bank robber or anarchist.  Too late now, he’s just a cuddly pug, good only for love in our Book Collector Mysteries.   Still, there’s nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, we have done something different with the pug theme in The Hammett Hex (coming soon as you know).
So what about you? Seen any good movies lately? Like animation?  How about thoughts on characters who play against type? Got a fave in animation or regular films? 
 We love to hear from you. Don’t forget to click on the title to make the comment area appear like magic at the bottom of the post.  See you soon!
 The Secret Life of Pets Oifficial Trailer

Join or not to join...that is the question at least for today.

I was thinking of joining a group. Actually I’m thinking of joining the Red Hat Society. Why? ‘Cause some of my friends have moved away and some are more content to sit at home. I’m not much good at sitting unless I’m writing. 
Some of my friends are connected with their church groups and have friends there or have groups with common interests like knitting, quilting, singing, acting, politics and the like.

And then there’s the single woman thing. Those with hubbies and partners tend to hang with others with hubbies and partner.
I have my family of course and they are a group and totally fantastic but I thought it would be nice to hang with some old gals once in a while.
I want go out to dinner, shows, events and thought the Red-hatters might be a good way to meet others in the same boat. I love to hike and walk new trails and discover new things. New friends are always a good idea I told myself so I did it, I joined up.

I haven’t bought a red hat yet but suspect I probably will have to somewhere along the line. I’m excited! New things are always good. And I love the company of other women esp at this age. Over 65 and people tend to mellow out. Not so much the who has to impress who thing. It’s done. We are who we are.

So what about you? Are you a groupie? Do you belong to any organizations or social groups? Are you having fun? Any Red-hatters out there? Wish me luck and I’ll let you know how things go.  

The Recent Past---2000 to 2009

by Maggie Sefton


I’m still here in the Northern Neck of Virginia, one and a half hours from the D.C. Metro Madness and a block  away from the Potomac River.  The summer temperatures have been hot, hot, HOT.  Just like most of the East Coast.  This week, however, I am seeing the temps start to moderate. 

Back in Colorado, the last week of July and the first week of August are called the Monsoon Season, which means rainstorms practically every day.  Those Monsoon rains are essential to our weather systems out West.  Summers in July can be hot and dry, so the Monsoon is always welcome.  Back East, however, hot and dry Julys are not the norm.  So, this year has been a big surprise.  Rainstorms have not appeared regularly.

Summer is also the time of the year that the most popular new movies are released.  Summertime movie attendance skyrockets.  So during these last weeks of Summer and early Fall, while I’m finishing the 15th Kelly Flynn Knitting Mystery, I thought I would include a list of the Most Popular movies (based on attendance figures) for the last several decades.  Yes, decades.  I Googled them all.  I’m going to start with our last complete decade, 2000 through 2009.  Here they are-----
Slumdog Millionaire (the hands-down winner), followed by Gladiator, Avatar, and Black Hawk Down.  Right behind them is my favorite Tarantino movie, Kill Bill, Volume one.  Yes, I have very eclectic tastes.  :)  Farther down that top list was what I consider the very best Woody Allen movie he ever made.  No, not Annie Hall, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The movie was Match Point, one of the best Suspense movies you will ever see.  Check it out.  You won't regret it.