Kate Collins's Blog, page 171

Remember The Rent House From Hell?

By Leann

I never thought anything could beat the Rent House from Hell where we lived for two years while our house was being built. But our stay at a certain Econolodge in Atlanta came pretty darn close. All I can say is, thank goodness it was only for one night.

I have to start this little story by stating my husband is always looking for the "best deal," while I will forgo the "deal" for comfort most of the time. I've never stayed at the Ritz. I like a bargain as much as the next person and I have never been extravagant. I'm just talking about a nice, clean motel room like, say, the kind the Hampton Inns offer. But the guy I live with always complains about the price (mostly because he is stuck in the 70s and never really prices things like motel rooms) and is always complaining when I book the room.

This time, I decided to do it his way. We had to drive to Atlanta (3 hours), spend the night and park the car at this motel. There are plenty of options like that in Atlanta since people come from small towns to travel. I chose the cheapest one. The total price for 9 days of parking and an overnight stay was $85 (tax included!).

Here' what we got for that money: no phone in the room, we had to pay a deposit for ONE key, no glasses or cups, a 19" old TV without a working remote, a filthy bedspread, a heating system that had two temps--hotter than all get out or freezing--a sink that took 15 minutes to drain and a room that had been painted orange and burgundy in the 60s. The bedspread was discarded as far from us as possible but there was no blanket on the bed or in the room, so we both slept in our clothes on top of the sheets.

I won't even go into the "rules" that were posted in the motel office. When they are
charging a full night's price for four hours or less and have to post it ... well, you understand who stays in motels for that amount of time. YUCK.

Our only saving grace was the shuttle driver. He didn't run every 30 minutes as advertised on the website, but he came right away when I called. He was friendly and kind. I was lucky enough to get his personal cell number to call him when we returned and that helped out a lady who had been waiting for an hour at the airport for the same shuttle we needed. She was trying
to talk to the man at the front desk and was getting nowhere. She was grateful. When we both wondered if our cars would still be there when we arrived to pick them up, the shuttle driver assured us they would. See, that guy was also the night shift security guard. THANK GOODNESS! I like happy endings. Our car was fine and started right up. We couldn't get out of there fast enough! And I do believe there will be no complaints the next time I book a motel room.

CHRISTMAS AT LONGWOOD

by Mary Kennedy                           

 Christmas at Longwood Gardens is one of Delaware's most popular sights. This year, over 15,000 visitors enjoyed the fabulous former Dupont estate that is world famous for its gorgeous plants and shrubs. This is the first time I've visited Longwood at Christmas and it definitely has a wow factor. Exhibition Hall, pictured above, was once used for dances and dinner parties.                                                                                                               There were dozens of Christmas trees, each one unique. One of my favorites was decorated by children.  Think of how much love and attention went into each home-made decoration, and I'm sure the children were delighted to see "their" tree on display in the main conservatory.                                                                                                                  
Longwood has a wonderful educational program with world-class gardeners who explain how their four acre conservatory operates and how they maintain the beautiful plants on display. 
                                                          
 The Orangery is one of Longwood's iconic indoor displays.    The Orchid House was truly amazing. Pierre Dupont's sister donated 2300 varieties of orchids to the conservatory.  Amazingly, all these plants are hand-watered. There are over 100 gardeners at Longwood and several hundred devoted volunteers. It is truly a labor of love. People come from all over the world to visit Longwood and when I worked in the travel industry in North Carolina, we used to send so many tourists to Longwood. Everyone raved about it and said it was the highlight of their trip.                                           If you have the opportunity to visit Longwood--in any season--I hope you jump at the chance. You won't be disappointed! Happy New Year! from Mary Kennedy

Nose to the grindstone?

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

I started the month of  December with grand plans to write 30,000 words on the new Booktown Mystery (#10 -- which I'm calling A Not-So-Fond Farewell. Who knows what the Marketing Dept. of Penguin will decide to call it).  I made it through the first 7 days of the month with my plan intact,and then got caught up in the holiday RUSH!

Except ... I didn't.

I put up my tree (which took three days to decorate), but then I worked on getting the new book ( With Baited Breath , out on Tuesday) ready for publication. That seemed to take a VERY L-O-N-G TIME.  Then we put together the print version of my collection of (prequel) Jeff Resnick short stories, EVOLUTION: Jeff Resnick's Backstory .

Then all of a sudden it was Christmas week and I was shopping, and baking, and cooking, and cleaning and ...

I started working on a short story in the evenings ...

Then all of a sudden it was my Mother's birthday and I was cooking and cleaning and ...

I finished my short story ...

Then all of a sudden it was New Year's Eve. 

Now here we are at January 2nd and I still haven't hung up my new calendars.  And I started the year off wrong because ... If you have a messy office on January 1st, you're doomed to have a messy office the whole year. Mine looks like a warehouse with bookmarks, postcards, books, CDs, and piles and piles of paper.


But ... I'm going back to work on Monday.  On the new Booktown Book.  No excuses.  (Maybe.)  But not in my office.  I can't work there--it's too cluttered.  I'll be in the nice and tidy (but cold) living room  with my laptop and an granny-square afghan.

Did December go buy in a flash for you, too?

Meanwhile, have a happy New Year -- let's hope it's a good one for all of us!

Ellery's Mystery Cozy Contest - New Year's Edition

Hosted By Ellery Adams

It's the first of the month! And in this case, the first day of the year. Happy New Year to all of our reader friends! 

Since this is a holiday and it's the Year 2015, I'm giving you a chance to win an e-gift card for $20.15 to the bookstore of your choice.

This is how it works: I post a few lines from a mystery. Usually, it's a cozy, but not this month. This  month, the mystery is a thriller/suspense novel. You post the title and author in the comment section. Then, I'll draw a random name from the winning guesses and post that person's name on this page and on Facebook by 10 p.m. on January 2nd.


Okay, here we go! Here are the lines from this month's mystery:

"'Richard Hannay,' I kept telling myself, 'you have got into the wrong ditch, my friend, and you had better climb out."


Ellery's helpful hint - This "book" began as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine and was published in book form in Scotland later in that same year. The Year 1915. That's why I chose it. 100 years ago, this famous story was born. Good luck! 

Make it an Adventure!

It’s a new year and everyone is making resolutions. I suck at resolutions. I mean well but things just never seem to work out. So, I was looking on Pinterest and they have this board called New Thing to Try in 2015.
Somehow that made more sense or maybe it’s the wording. It just sounds more adventuresome and a lot more fun than You’re fat, Duffy, resolve to lose weight!
The first thing I’m going to try that’s new in 2015 is learning Italian! I’m off to Italy to discover my Italian Roots as grandpa Angelo was from Bisaccia, a tiny town just southeast of Naples. To try and not offend my relatives I thought it would be nice to try and speak the language. (though with my ability to learn foreign languages it might not work out that way) But at least I’ll try.
I’m also going to start doing Zumba more before this poor old body of mine completely falls apart. And the new thing for me is to start lifting weights! Picture me as Hercules by December. See, an adventure!
I’m going to try the fish oil routine as my eyes are failing and I guess fish have much better eyes. And I’m going to write three pages a day come hell or high-water. I need to get organized. Trust me, this is indeed a new and adventuresome path for Duffy Brown.
So there you have it, my new things to try in 2015. Do you have any adventures you’re taking on? Hopefully something fun and exciting and that will not make you look like Hercules.
Hugs and Happy 2015!
Duffy Brown

Coming of the New Year

by Maggie Sefton




The Cozy Chicks are looking forward to this upcoming New Year of 2015.  We are
excited aboout the opportunities as well as the challenges.  And we will be sure to share any news with all of you wonderful Cozy Chicks readers and fans and supporters.  I wish all of you a Very, Very Happy New Year.  :)    Welcome, 2015!

And For That I Am -- Grateful?

by Kate Collins
It’s that time of year again. You know what time I mean, when we’re deluged with TV news shows that review the events of the past twelve months.
What if that news show was about your year? Would you be able to watch it? If you did, would you sum it up as good or bad?  Maybe it was a quiet year or maybe you had a joyous one. But perhaps you had more than your share of troubles, losses, pain or sorrow. Could you ever feel grateful for them?
I firmly believe that showing gratitude makes us healthier in body, mind, and spirit, because it’s gotten me through some very rough waters, but I’ve never included my hardships on that list. Yet recently I read an article that suggested just that. My first reaction was,  “And how do I express gratitude for losing a loved one?” My second reaction was, “Stop being a martyr. It’s not the loss, it’s that you had that loved one in your life.”  (I give myself these lectures all the time.)
What the author was actually saying was that you can -- indeed should -- express gratitude for the strength and resilience that got you through those times. You should express gratitude for the support of your family and/or friends, even the helpfulness of acquaintances. Look at the challenges you had over the past year and be proud of yourself for facing them.  We don’t have to like the things that come our way but we can find the pearls in those oysters and give thanks for them.
My best remedy to stop feeling sorry for myself is to start listing out loud everything I can think of at that moment to be grateful for, even if it’s just a big ol’ goose flying by my window as I write. Usually one thing leads to another – eyes to see the bird – and another – a warm home with a great view – and another until I feel a whole lot happier than when I started.
So maybe this year, instead of making your New Year’s Resolution list, make a New Year’s Gratitude List.  Those resolutions never last more than a month (okay, a week) anyway, but the positive effects of gratitude can last a lifetime. An attitude of gratitude really can reduce your stress level, blood pressure, and digestive tensions.
Before I end this, I'd like to express my gratitude for all of you. I love reading your comments and feeling connected to you through them and through our shared love of cozy mysteries. 

May we all have a healthy, happy New Year!
Kate

A Year of Joy and Sorrow

by Leann

2014 is closing down as I spend precious time in Washington with my family. We have laughed much, loved much and been grateful for time spent together. The busy airport and crowded plane are forgotten for now, that uncomfortable time erased by hugs and the sticky fingered love of grandchildren.

Our gift this year was our new home and I have never lived in a place where the outside can come inside and bring such happiness. It is a bright and beautiful spot surrounded by water and wildlife and a sense of calm.

My daughter and son traveled the country and ventured out to Europe. It is good to experience their happiness as well. They were the first of our family to stay in the new house at Thanksgiving and we were so lucky they came.

My son and daughter-in-law are discovering the world through the brilliant eyes of their  daughters--who bring such light to their lives along with the challenges of parenthood.

My husband and I are lucky to be surrounded by dear and generous friends in our new spot in South Carolina. Most of them we have known for decades and it is good to share this aging thing with those who understand.

My sister, her wonderful friend rescued Lizzie--who I swear is part Golden retriever--my nephews, my new great nieces and great nephew all have brought such light and joy that I can stop and think of Marlowe without tears. When there is grief, being surrounded by the love of all of you, as well as by my reader friends, by my blog sisters and now by family helps absorb the pain of loss. 2014 was a full year. A good and bad year. A slice of life year. Happy New Year to all of you who come and read my little tales of happiness or woe. It is all good.

CATS RULE...DON'T THEY?

by Mary Kennedy                                   
Every since I posted this adorable photo of Fred Yoder's dog, Duncan, the cats have been up in arms. They say they feel neglected. (You know how narcissistic cats can be, it's all about them.)You can read the post about Duncan and the home-made doggie treats if you missed it the first time around. Maybe the cats have a point. After all, so many cozy writers feature cats in their books, (I have two cats, Barney and Scout in NIGHTMARES CAN BE MURDER) and by now, everyone probably knows I have 8 "real" cats in my life. So I was happy when Linda Turpin solved the problem and gave me a cool recipe for cat treats. Tuna crackers.                                         Ingredients: one cup cornmeal, one cup flour, 1/3 cup water. one 6 oz can undrained tuna. Pre-heat oven to 350. It's easy if you use your hands. Directions: Mix all ingredients very well. Roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut into "treat-sized" piece. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes.                                                                  Pictured above are two of Lynda's adorable fosters, Oliver and Olivia. They're chatting with Santa and I bet they're asking for a "forever" home this Christmas. Lynda volunteers at a wonderful organization called Lapcats. They do an amazing job and if anyone wants to send them a little gift (or two!) I know they'd appreciate it. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to you and your pets! Mary Kennedy  

This one's personal

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

Last Christmas Day, I unveiled (what was then) the latest Jeff Resnick "book" in ebook format.  It wasn't a novel. It was a collection of short stories.  They weren't even mysteries.  Instead, (as the title conveys), it was Jeff's backstory.

According to Wikipedia:  A backstory, background story, back-story or background is a set of events invented for a plot, presented as preceding and leading up to that plot. It is a literary device of a narrative history all chronologically earlier than the narrative of primary interest.

While working on the four original books in the Jeff Resnick series (over the span of about five years—Dead in Red and Dark Waters came much later), I sometimes wrote character sketches to explore why Jeff and Richard reacted the way they did. The first short story was Bah! Humbug (which comes directly after Cheated By Death). While writing a little about Jeff and Richard’s first Christmas together after they were reunited, I wondered what might have happened during their first Christmas together many years before. Out came The First Noel.

I was lucky to have a published author in my local writers’ group critique the first three chapters of Cheated By Death. I was taken aback when she asked, “How long has your protagonist had an eating disorder?” Her observation came as rather a shock to me, but then I reread the first two books in the series, and Cheated By Death, and realized she was right. Jeff definitely showed signs of being food adverse. And so I wrote Food For Thought to explore the whole concept.

Next came the short story Reunion. I was trying to figure out how Jeff told Richard about the death of his wife, and again how difficult it was for the brothers to reconnect.

The rest of the stories came from references made during the course of the various books. In Murder On The Mind, Jeff told Maggie not only how he and Richard met (albeit in only a couple of sentences), but also how his wife died. I needed to know more about those events, so I wrote about them.

Jeff told Brenda about how he repaid Richard’s grandmother for her shabby treatment of him, again in Murder On The Mind, and that incident came back to haunt Jeff in Dark Waters, five books later. There are parallels with the books and the short stories. For example, Jeff and Richard playing basketball or chess in the present time.

Since it's not a mystery, it's been hard for readers to find the book, but those who've read it seem to like it.  Amazon paraphrases reviews (there are currently 39 listed on the Kindle edition page).  Here's a sample:

“Having read the Jeff Resnick series twice, I rate it as one of my favorites.”
    Margie B | 8 reviewers made a similar statement
  
“These stories are beautifully written, and sometimes, hauntingly sad.”
    bunnygirl | 4 reviewers made a similar statement
   
"Gets you involved and makes you feel like you are with the characters.”
    Janelle B | 4 reviewers made a similar statement

The print edition is hot off the press.   If you've read the six novels, perhaps you'll be interested in the eleven stories that make up Jeff's backstory, too.  (This one's personal.) 

Trade Paperback | Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide | Kobo | iBooks | Nook | Smashwords

P.S.  The audio edition is already in the works and should be available in early 2015.

Watch the video here.