Kate Collins's Blog, page 151

I Love British Mysteries--Then and Forever

By Leann

Like many of you, Agatha Christie was my first introduction to British mysteries and I was about ten
when  I started reading her books (with a dictionary right beside me). Little did I know it would become a love affair that would last my entire life. Not only do I adore the puzzle and the character development, but it's the respect for language and setting that means so much to me.

When I took a 5 day workshop taught by Elizabeth George in  the late '90s, she gave a quote I have never forgotten--and I am not sure who to attribute it to, but it went something like this: A good book puts you in the arms of a loving narrative. She went on to
say that if you feel that love from the beginning of the book, you can suspend your disbelief immediately. It doesn't matter what genre, it's just the truth about a good book. British writers do this so well.

The other thing I love is how well British authors weave scenery into the story. The landscape sets the tone for each scene and I try very hard to remember that when I am writing. Perhaps that's why I write about the South even though I am from the North. I truly felt as if I had moved to a foreign country when we left New York for Texas and this helped me realize just how important atmosphere as defined by locale is to the narrative.

There are many more beloved foreign writers in my slew of books now.
I have come to enjoy Scandinavian mysteries almost as much as the UK writers. (And yes, Stieg Larrson's title for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was actually The Man Who Hated Women.) Not that I don't love American writers, too. I have many many favorites and have enjoyed so many books in my life. (I am currently reading Linda Castillo's most recent Amish mystery). I just love to read and no day is complete with reading. And if you don't adore books, then it's my belief you can never become a writer. I think writers absorb stories as if they were athletes working out. I need the workout to strengthen my writing muscle--my brain.

Tell me what authors put you in the arms of a loving narrator. I'd love to know.

3 INSANELY EASY SUMMER DESSERTS

by Mary Kennedy                             
                                                              
  My Favorite Berry Cobbler  Ingredients:  1 cup milk 1 cup of self-rising flour 1 cup of white sugar 1 stick of melted butter 2 cups of berries (blackberries, raspberries, whatever you like) a little extra sugar for sprinkling on top. Directions: Mix flour and sugar, add milk and melted butter. Add berries to greased baking dish and pour the batter on top.  Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Easy peasy! You will love it.                                                                                                                      Shoney's Strawberry Pie   Have you tried this? You must! It looks impressive and it's easy. Ingredients:  1 c. water
1 c. sugar
6 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 pts fresh strawberries
4 tbsp. strawberry Jello
Dash of salt
1 baked pie shell
Whipped cream Directions:     Mix cornstarch, sugar, water and salt and cook over medium heat. When mixture turns clear, remove from heat. Add the dry Jello mix and stir until dissolved. Place strawberries in pie shell. Pour cooked mixture over strawberries. Chill. It is delicious!                                                                                                               Coffee ice cream with Kahlua and walnuts  This is one of my favorite desserts and it's good all year round. Ingredients: Coffee ice creamRoughly chopped walnutsKahlua (if you want to substitute caramel sauce, you can)Whipped cream Just spoon coffee ice cream into parfait glasses or dessert dishes and top with walnuts. Pour some Kahlua on top and then add whipped cream. Perfect for one of those days when it's really too hot to cook anything! Enjoy... Mary Kennedy  

It's National Yellow Pig Day!

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

Well, who knew it was National Yellow Pig Day? 

Not me.  Well, not until I went to the National Day Calendar.  (I don't even know what it means or is about. Do you?)

There's a National Day of something EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. OF. THE. YEAR.  Most of the time, it's really kind of fun. These days are the perfect excuses for being bad.  For instance, Sunday is National Ice Cream Day.  To celebrate, I made a graphic for my Lotus Bay characters.

Mmm...ice cream.  Now I have an excuse to EAT ice cream on Sunday.  And if I'm going to be bad, should I have a mere ice cream sandwich (I've got a box in the freezer), or should I buy a pint or half gallon (although I think they've shrunk that size)? Maybe I should go to an ice cream parlor, and instead of a cone go for a sundae -- or worse, a banana split!

See, these National Days give you a real excuse to be bad. Very bad.

On Tuesday, it'll be National Junk Food Day.  Mmmm...junk food.  I know what I'm going to have.  How about you?

Would you like fries with that frog?

By Mary Jane Maffini aka half of Victoria Abbott



I’ve been meaning to write a post on procrastination, but the next week always seems a better time to do that. However, this week, while I was avoiding something that really needed to be done, I have happened to read about the phrase ‘eat your frog’.  Apparently this phrase, which has been adopted by time management gurus and motivational speakers, was inspired by the great Mark Twain:  “If you eat a frog first thing in the morning that will probably be the worst thing you do all day.”   When I regained consciousness, I realized that this metaphor for doing the thing worst first is actually a terrific idea. But it’s hard to argue with the idea, even though around here we quite like frogs and the great job they do. As you can see, daughter Victoria (the other half of Victoria Abbott) loves to photograph them.
Regardless, I resolved to do the hardest thing first, right after my nap.  
We started to adapt the phrase and use it, mostly with each other. Here’s a typical conversation:
Me: Did you eat your frog yet?He: No, I have a problem with a bunch of tadpoles.
Or …He: Did you eat your frog yet?Me: My office is like a holiday camp for frogs.


Don't eat me! I'm just a metaphor

Never mind. We did start to do some horrible things (think government forms) we’d been putting off waiting for the right time.  We love the feeling of exhilaration when that nasty little job is out of the way first thing in the morning.

Go ahead. Take that nap. I'll wait. Honest.


Everything else seems possible and even fun.  Thank you, froggies! 
And now, what about you? Do you ‘eat the frog’? Or do you have another idea for getting unpleasant tasks out of the way? Or a gentler metaphor. Let’s hear it!

Are we there yet?

It never, ever fails within 30 minutes of stuffing the car to its gills with luggage and people for a getaway, you’re left wondering how can I get everyone to the final destination without them killing each other...or me killing them. Despite popular in-car entertainment such as DVD players after the first 200 miles it’s nice to mix it up a little. And it’s a fun way for you to tune in with the fam during trip instead of everyone tuning out on a movie or a video game. So, here’s some of my favs we played as a family and they don't require any tools, paper or accessories beyond the open road. Depending on the age of the vacationer you can tweak the games to make them work.

 I Spy
 is probably the classic make-time-go-by game of all time. One person looks around and chooses an object that the others have to guess, with their only clue being these words: "I spy with my little eye something that begins with (insert the first letter of the object's name)." Or the clue can be the object's color. The player who guesses the object gets to go next. It's not fair to "spy" something that's whizzing by the car but a landmark (mountain range, forest) that’s in view for a few minutes is good. 
 .                  .                 20 Questions
 The first person thinks of, well, anything. The first question the next player asks is always, "Animal, vegetable or mineral?" After that, the players can ask pointed questions to try and guess. Go around the car in a circle asking for clues such as, “ does it bark?” or "Can you peel it?" The answer can only be "yes" or "no." If you reach the 20th question without a winner, everyone has one last chance to figure it out before the "thing" is revealed and another person starts a fresh round. 
.                  .                  License Plates
There are many ways to play with license plates, depending on the age of your kids. Young kids can call out letters in alphabetical order; the first one to Z wins. Next, have them look for doubles — or better yet, triples! — of letters and/or numbers in the plates. The one who has the most at the end of the day/trip wins. Older kids can "collect" out-of-state plates they see.
.                  .                 Slug-a-Bug
The concept is that players keep track of how many Volkswagen Beetles they spot on the road.
.                  .                 Where's the Alphabet?
  You use road signs, billboards, shop names — any reading material outside the window qualifies as long as it's spotted on your side of the car. Look for every letter of the alphabet, in alphabetical order, although the letter can be located anywhere in the word. .                  .                 Name That TuneLike with the classic TV game show, the winner here is the one who figures out the name of the "mystery song" first. For those with singing/whistling/humming talent, this can be as much karaoke as a guessing game. Choose a theme for the game, such as show tunes, movie or TV themes, or Justin Timberlake. (Good luck, mom and dad.) The winner gets to be the singer for the next round. If no one can carry a tune in a bucket (like my family) then try guessing the songs on the radio. Hit the "seek" button so no one gets an unfair advantage from sticking to one particular station.
 .                  .                 The Picnic Game
 One player says, "I went to a picnic Saturday and I brought..." then says a picnic favorite that begins with the letter A, like apples. The next player repeats the opening phrase, and after "...I brought" they repeat the A item then add one that begins with B: "I brought an apple and some bananas." The third player repeats the opener, the A and the B portions, and then adds something that begins with C. Get it? .                   .                 Count the...
 It can be anything: cows, telephone poles, headlights, train cars, blue pickup trucks — you name it. Shouting out the thing to keep track of is all that is required and is good for the younger kids..                  .                 Tunnels
 When you come to a tunnel, see who can hold their breath the longest. True, it may not be one best played by the driver but everyone else can give it a go. .                  Geography Lesson
 The first player names a location, and the next player has to rattle off another that starts with the last letter of the previous player's state. If it were Michigan, the next state would have to start with N, like Nebraska. The A could be Alaska, and so on.

I hope this helps if you’re driving along. IMO the games and videos are fantastic but once in a while it’s nice to talk. So what about you? Is there a fav car game you all play?

The July 2015 Report

* * * * * * * * * *Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: July 2015. This month we have one recently released new series for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!



Peaches and Scream by Susan Furlong
Series: Georgia Peach #1
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

In the first Georgia Peach Mystery, when murder threatens her family’s orchard, Nola Harper is ready to pick out the killer and preserve the farm’s reputation.

To help run the family peach farm during her parents’ absence, Nola Harper returns to her childhood home of Cays Mill, Georgia, and soon discovers that things back at the farm aren’t exactly peachy. A poor harvest and rising costs are threatening to ruin the Harpers’ livelihood, and small-town gossip is spreading like blight thanks to Nola’s juicy reputation as a wild teenager way back when. But Nola really finds herself in the pits when she stumbles upon a local businessman murdered among the peach trees.

With suspicions and family tensions heating up faster than a cobbler in the oven, this sweet Georgia peach will have to prune through a list of murder suspects—before she too becomes ripe for the killer’s picking.

This was a fun read that kept me engaged in all aspect of this enjoyable whodunit. The pacing was perfect and the ease in which the story was told felt so comfortable. The author did a great job in presenting this mystery with the perfect blend of suspense with a lovable cast of characters. I loved how the author set up the killer with a little bit of twist as the end, but all-in-all, it was a satisfactory solution. The writing was superb and the storyline had several subplots that catered to the overall telling of this drama that kept me glued to every nuance in this delightfully charming tale. Boasting a great ensemble led by Nola Mae Harper, who is surrounded by her family and BFF Hattie, I can see wonderful and exciting new adventures happening in Cays Mill, Georgia. This is a great addition to the cozy genre and I look forward to the next book in the series.

You can visit Susan at www.susanfurlong.com

Ever Tried B.E.A.R. Jam?

by Maggie Sefton


Have you ever tasted B.E.A.R. Jam?  How about Southern Chow Chow?  Bread and Butter Pickles?

Those  are some of local specialties found here in the Northern Neck of Virginia---hour and a half from the DC Beltway and what I call the Metro Area Madness.  B.E.A.R. jam is made from blackberries, elderberries, apples, and red raspberries.  Southern Chow Chow is cabbage, bell peppers, onions, jalapeno peppers,  vinegar, sugar, and spices.  At least that's the recipe used at Westmoreland Berry Farms in Westmoreland County, Virginia.  It's well worth a visit, just to relax on their wide back porch in one of the rocking chairs and gaze out at the Potomac.  While enjoying one of the yummy snacks from their small snack bar, of course.

I visited the Berry Farm last year in July and will again this year, probably when daughter Melissa comes to visit this week.  Melissa comes by train from Manhattan---a nice relaxing trip---and arrives in Fredericksburg, Virginia which is only 40-some miles from the lovely wooded area where I am.  I'll pick her up, and we'll have dinner at one of the many new and trendy restaurants that are now part of the Fredericksburg scene.  I may have posted a photo last year.

She'll have until Saturday to rest and relax here, sitting on the wraparound deck, staring into the woods.  We have beautiful cardinals singing in the trees right beside the deck, and bald eagles soaring overhead and nesting in the tall trees.  Deer, of course, wander out of the trees and nibble grass in the front yard.  The backyard stretches way back into the woods and a ravine.  So. . .naturally there is more wildlife.  Those naughty deer have a great time in the spring eating the azaleas in the garden.  :(

I've been writing the delayed Kelly Flynn #14, my current work-in-progress, while sitting on the deck.  Early in the morning is cooler.  And I had some B.E.A.R. jam this very morning.  :)   What are the local specialities where you folks are?

MY FAVORITE FRUIT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF

by Kate Collins

My friend and I drove forty five minutes yesterday to go to one of the biggest indoor markets around, a home and garden center so large it takes up a city block. It's in a tiny town near Lake Michigan, called Sawyer, Michigan, that is known for -- Ta-Da -- the Sawyer Home and Garden Center. We try to go a few times a year to get produce not widely available. But they have

many other things, too: unique kitchen items, a winery, a huge candle shop, a garden shop, a clothing shop, a gourmet grocery shop that sells home baked pies in three sizes, and one of the largest nurseries I've ever seen.

This market is a destination. While we're out that way we work in a meal in New Buffalo, Michigan, situated on Lake Michigan, a town that has a whole street of boutiques, and call it a great day.

On this trip, among other things, I was looking for peaches and found more varieties than I knew existed. A Saturn peach shaped like a bagel? Who knew? And then I discovered a new fruit and knew I had to buy some. It's a mango nectarine and I've got a photo of two here on the right of a regular white flesh California peach. It has a mango-ish flavor and is deliciously sweet, easily a dessert.

While on vacation in Paris, my husband and I tried their fresh figs. As I'd only eaten dried figs, (not a fan) I didn't think I'd care for them. And boy, was I wrong. They are one of my all-time favorite fruits. Unfortunately, in my area in the Midwest, it's impossible to find them. California figs are close but we don't get them here either.

These mango nectarines also made me think back to another fruit I discovered a few years ago that I'd never tried, a persimmon. Wow! I was in love. And then they kind of disappeared from my grocery. I tried a star fruit once and wasn't crazy about it. But it made me wonder what else I'm missing that I've never tried and/or heard of.

Have you ever tried an offbeat fruit? Or a mango nectarine? What would you recommend I try next?

The Mystery onThe Lake

by Leann

I grew up near water--big water. Niagara Falls and Lake Erie. I had my share of summers on the lake up north and though I enjoyed much of it, it was always too cold for me, even in summer. Now I have returned to water, though on a much smaller scale. I find it a very soothing place to live.

This is our first full summer here in the new house and I watch and learn. This past week has been
quite interesting. A lone fisherman in his camo bass boat seems to like a spot about 50 feet out from our house. One day this past week he was there from dawn until I went to bed. He didn't seem to be doing a whole lot of fishing, though I did see him catch an occasional small fish. As you can imagine, I love a mystery. What in the heck would make
a fisherman stay in the same spot all day long?

Since my husband was out of town for several days, it made me nervous to look out the window and see him there doing a whole lot of nothing. He didn't have binoculars so he wasn't staring into our windows. But he's been there every day for a week. My husband thinks this is his vacation. But my imagination has gone in all different directions.

I am already writing the book for 2016 so I can't use these strange thoughts I've come up with, but now I have all sorts of ideas for the 2017 book. It will definitely involve a fisherman who keeps returning to the same spot day after day to fish, whether they're biting or not.

What do you think? Could you come up with some great ideas that involve a lone fisherman obsessed with a certain spot on a lake in South Carolina? I'd love to hear them!

IS YOUR LIFE A SOAP OPERA?

By Mary Kennedy                           
 This past week, three female friends said to me, " My life is like a soap opera." Were they telling the truth? Was it an exaggeration? Were they drama queens?  Or were their lives so fraught with drama and crises that they really *did* feel that they were living in a soap opera?  I was intrigued by their stories and decided it might make an interesting blog. As I listened carefully to their narratives, I found some common themes. * They all were wrapped up in various crises involving friends, acquaintances and family members . How did they get so involved in things that really didn't concern them? As busy professional women, wives and mothers, surely they had enough on their plate--why get involved in the drama of others? Sometimes it was a *boundary* issue, sometimes they had a heightened sense of responsibility for others, sometimes they were sucked into other peoples' emotional demands without realizing what was happening.                                                              *Women seem especially vulnerable to "the soap opera syndrome." Excitement, drama and living on the edge is entertaining in soap operas, but it doesn't make for a healthy emotional life. People--whether friends or family members--with fragile egos and a flair for drama, can be exhausting. Women are accustomed to being caregivers and we feel an innate desire to help, to listen, to give counsel. Sometimes the "drama queen" just wants to vent and our helpful advice falls on deaf ears. We walk away from the encounter exhausted and vaguely irritated. "Well, there's an hour of my life I'll never get back," I've been known to mutter. * Relationships with needy, histrionic people (female excitement-seekers) can be addictive . It's almost as though we're tuning in to see what new crisis, what new drama has erupted in their lives.  Just like we tune into a soap or our favorite TV drama. Sometimes their stories are so fascinating we find our own lives drab by comparison. How could so many dramatic events happen to one person, we wonder?                                                          * Our own sensation-seeking traits can make us blind to what is really going on . Are we really helping our friend by spending hours on the phone--or over coffee--hearing their rendition of "Woe is me!" Since the same scenario seems to be playing out over and over in their lives, we have to assume that there is no end in sight, and we are not helping the situation.  *You can gracefully extricate yourself from these situation, but it is not easy . There might be some ruffled feelings at first. Keep the conversations short, and when possible, turn the topic to something pleasant or calming. (This will be difficult but persevere.)                                                             *Remind yourself that the best favor you can do for a sensation-seeking person is to inject a note of reality . Everything is not as black and white as they are describing. No one could survive the constant drama in their lives without a strong sense of self. You can offer a friendly sounding board, but don't let yourself be dragged in. Remember, it is their drama, not yours.                                                            *There is a very good book, sadly out of print, but you can buy it used, called The Soap Opera Syndrome by Joy Davidson that is a great resource. Good luck and let me know how you do!  Mary Kennedy