Kate Collins's Blog, page 183

Cats DO Like to Be Home

By Clyde the Vagabond Cat (with help from Leann)

I am Clyde, a cat with a mission. I don't speak on the pages of Leann Sweeney's latest Cats in Trouble Mystery, but I thought I would make an exception today.

One day, I set out on a long journey from Hilton Head Island to Mercy, South Carolina because I am one determined feline. I missed my best friend and besides, he was a very sick man when I was sent to live with his relatives. Why I was sent away is spelled out in the book, so I won't spoil that part for you.

Cats can be as loyal as dogs, they can travel miles and miles on end to get back to where they belong. I am no exception. You've heard the stories in the news, so you know it's true. You'll learn how I ended up with heroine Jillian Hart if you read the book, so instead I will offer a little background about me--Clyde. I am a big, handsome orange tabby and was rescued by Shawn Cuddahee as a kitten. You know Shawn. He runs a no-kill shelter in Mercy South Carolina. I was then adopted by a wonderful man. We became best friends. He needed a friend like me because his family was—what do you humans call it?--dysfunctional. I prefer crazy, but then cats always tell it like it is.

My 200 mile trip wasn't as difficult as it might have been. I know how to make friends and influence people who have cat food readily available. I'd stay for a bit at a nice home and then be off again. See, cats have the equivalent of GPS in their brains. That's why you hear those stories about long return trips to beloved owners. It may be amazing to the public, but it's what cats do when people mistakenly believe they're lost—that is if certain cats are so inclined to return home.

What I found when I returned to Mercy wasn't what I expected. But you'll have to read the book to find all that out. I just wanted to say hello and let you know that Leann Sweeney told my story--and there were plenty of twists and turns--including a rather inconvenient contraption I don't want to talk about. Not that I

don't appreciate Leann's help in bringing me to life. And I don't even require fictional treats as a thank you. Okay ... maybe I do. And so does my friend Marlowe, Leann's new publicist and a not-so-fictional cat.

With a Little Help from My Friends

by Mary Kennedy   I've always appreciated the Cozy Chicks, but never more than this week! What was special about this week? Well, besides the usual end-of-summer craziness (all the things we said we were going to do before September and somehow never accomplished), Tuesday was release day for Nightmares Can Be Murder, the first of the Dream Club Mysteries. My pal and fellow Cozy Chick, Mary Jane Maffini had her own release this week, too, The Wolfe Widow, writing as Victoria Abbott.                                Launching a book is a little like sending a child out into the world. We've done our best, we hope everyone will love our little one but it's all out of our hands. The book has been carefully edited, the cover art has been chosen, and the final product wings its way into bookstores across the country and into the offerings of online vendors.   My cats watched me as I carefully arranged my author copies into what I hoped was an attractive pyramid on the sun porch. (And I'm sure they were only trying to be helpful when they knocked it over and I had to start all over!)                                                     It was wonderful to have Mary Jane, and all of the Cozy Chicks to worry with me, laugh with me, commiserate with me and to know that they had their fingers crossed for me. Always! And it certainly helped to hear from our dear reader friends who wrote encouraging notes, told me they loved the adventures of Taylor and Ali, that they wished they could find a dream club (or even form one of their own.) I made a few promises this week. I promised that there would be two more books (at least!) in the series and that I would always be on hand to answer "dream questions." I have to admit, some of the questions stumped me, but I enjoyed tackling them and will continue to do so. So, please, feel free to keep 'em coming! Thanks for making this a great launch and happy reading and sweet dreams to everyone. Mary Kennedy

Not so photogenic ...

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

I love being behind the camera, but I hate having my picture taken. I like seeing pictures of myself when I was a lot thinner. (Well, except for wedding pictures.  Then I was TOO thin.  We're talking skull head.)  Still ...


There were times when I should have had my picture taken and didn't.  Like with my Dad at the nursing home.  I remember his last good day.  The physical therapist was taking pictures of him and my mom and I said, "No!  I'm too fat."  So now I don't have a picture of me and my Dad on his last happy day.

I had an epiphany earlier this year when I realized there are virtually no casual pictures of me from the last ten or more years.  (There aren't any professionally taken pictures, either.)  I'm not thin enough. I'm having a bad hair day.  I LOOK MY AGE. (That's the killer right there.)  But then ... I realized that, well, pictures are part of life.  Hey, back in the Victorian age, pictures were also a part of death.  Is there anything sadder than the family scraping together their pennies so they can have a picture of their only (and deceased) child?

So ... I've let Mr. L take some pictures of me.

Like on our anniversary.



Like me and my Mum at his mother's 100th birthday.



I don't think I'll ever be comfortable in front of a camera, but at least I'm giving it a try.

Do you avoid the camera, too?

With friends like these …

By Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott
As you probably know, this week The Wolfe Widow, the third in our book collector series, was released into the world.  At the same time, Nightmares Can Be Murder--the first in a new series from my fellow Cozy Chick Mary Kennedy--hit the shelves. 
The release of a book spells the end of about a year’s work and months of promo and planning. It’s all a bit heart-stopping.  But what is heartwarming is the support from our women friends in the genre. 
Friends know how to celebrate your successes. 
The Cozy Chicks, as you know, are the best book buddies in the world.  They are brilliant and energetic. So it felt wonderful to feel their friendship and hear the good wishes on the run up to the big day: happy release day messages, Facebook posts, Tweets, personal notes and so much more. The Chicks told the world.   In fact, some of you took notice of this:  thanks, Lynda Turpin for your comments!  And thanks to all  The Chicks!


This might be surprising because, as you know, our business is murder. Or is it?  
Well, actually, as cozy writers our business is solving murder and setting the world straight again. 
My friends are good at that. In our books, family and friends matter. They are a huge part of the storylines and the solutions.  As a cozy reader myself, I accept that the ongoing relationships are what I like best about mysteries (although I also love figuring out whodunnit).
Back to my point: there’s something about people who write mysteries:  they may each know 147 ways to kill someone, but they get it all out on the page. Those villains come in handy, because in real life, our cozy writers pleasant and positive, the ones you want on your side.  
All to say, I’m feeling lucky this week, because of them, and, of course, because of you readers. 
I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Chicks, on friendships and on mysteries.  All and any!  Come on down.
Now, did anyone bring cupcakes?

Leaving summer isn’t all bad

Everyone pretty much loves fall. Maybe because the leaves change colors, temps drop, Halloween is just around the corner, it’s time to drag out the sweaters, time for kids to go back to school.
For me it’s the food! Then again for me it’s always the food. I love to eat. (I never did understand the protein drink thing. Where’s the crunch? But that’s another blog) Some people eat to live, and then there’s me who lives to eat!
Now that it’s September I’m already thinking apple pie. I love pie! Pumpkin and pecan are my favs. I even learned to make that lattice top crust so my pie looks cute. ‘course it looks a lot cuter with a scoop of ice cream on top.

And then there’s the pot roast. Fall is so pot roast season. A chunk of beef surrounded by gravy and carrots and potatoes and peas and did I mention the gravy? And what is pot roast without popovers!
 I finally bought a non-stick popover pan. Nothing better than bread that is all crusty on the outside and warm and hollow in the inside. Yummmm. And of course it has no calories because of the hollow part.
And then there’re root veggies. I gotta tell you I’m not a veggie person but roasted turnips, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, fennel are the best.

But the very best autumn food is doughnuts. Okay, I know you can eat doughnuts anytime but a doughnut with hot apple cider is amazing. A just out of the fryer doughnut and sitting around an open fire on a chilly night with hot cider and the stars overhead is what autumn is all about.
So what about you? Now that September is here what part of autumn are you looking forward to the most?
Happy Autumn!Hugs, Duffy
I’ll give away two copies of Hot Southern Nights by Dianne Castell…the other me when I wrote romance. Please check back to see if you won. Thanks! 

Summertime, Birthdays, and the River

by Maggie Sefton

Twilight on the Potomac River 

I'm back in Northern Virginia celebrating family birthdays (four birthdays within 12 days) and enjoying Summertime's Last Hurrah, aka  Labor Day Weekend.  That weekend always seems to symbolize the "official" end of summer for everyone.  Kids return to school if they haven't started already, pools close in cities all across the nation,  and that ultimate symbol of Fall---the Football Season---officially starts.

I managed to squeeze in a few days down at the river house and daughter Maria joined me for part of that time.  We indulged ourselves in a favorite pastime---discovering and enjoying new restaurants.  New to us, that is.   We found two we particularly liked----one in Fredericksburg, Virginia, that lovely historic Colonial city south of Washington, DC, and the other in a small town farther east in Virginia's Northern Neck.  Both restaurants had female chefs and specialized in sourcing super fresh local ingredients----vegetables, fruits, fresh seafood----fish, shrimp, crab, oysters.


Another Fredericksburg cafe I've discovered.

In Fredericksburg we arrived a little after 5:00pm in order to make sure we got a table at Foode (pronounced  "foodeee").  Maria had a delicious vegetable plate and I had a hanger steak with a wonderful sauce with fat blackberries and a rich, creamy polenta that was to die for.

Farther east in the little town of Warsaw, Virginia, we came earlier to insure a table at Relish, another delightful culinary find that has been discovered via word-of-mouth, plus 5 star reviews on Yelp and other online review sites.  I had a beautiful broiled salmon with this marvelous Wasabi sauce with fresh fruit, believe it or not.  Maria had a beef loin that "melted" in her mouth.



DC Metro Area Madness at night

Both Maria and I congratulated ourselves on checking reviews online and following up on two fantastic   dining spots.  There are many more in this area which is a Getaway and Escape destination for many in the Northern VA/DC/Suburban MD  Metro Area Madness.   We will definitely go exploring again.


Are you hungry yet?

Ellery's Mystery Cozy Contest

Hosted By Ellery Adams

It's the first of the month! Time for me to give away a $10 card to the bookstore of your choice.

This is how it works: I post a few lines from a cozy mystery. 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 September 2nd.


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

"Let us see, Mr. Clever Poirot, just how clever you can be. Perhaps you'll find this nut hard to crack. Look out for Andover, on the the 21st of the month."



Ellery's helpful hint - This classic mystery has a school-themed title. A perfect read for back-to-school!

How to Write a Mystery Without Really Trying (Okay, That's a Lie ... But I Lie for a Living)

by Leann
I spent a good portion of my life hoping to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Oh, I was an RN, worked in various areas of nursing, but that was for security, so I could help provide for my family. What did I truly want to accomplish? What would I do with this time on earth?
My "first" (actually 3rd) job was raising puppies (#1 I was a wife and mother and #2 I was a nurse. I bred Shelties to be specific—many, many Shelties. Messy job and not profitable, but oh so fun. Nurses and moms are used to poop and pee, after all. But all along I knew what I wanted. I was just too afraid to admit it to myself. Fear of failure is a powerful thing.

As my two kids grew older, I remember one day pointing my finger at them and saying, "Find a job you love, find your passion," and suddenly the unconscious became conscious. Was I leading by example? No, I wasn't. I believe it was the very next day I went out and bought my first copy of Writers Digest.
That was in 1989. My first book was released in 2004. No, you cannot write a book without trying, and trying ... and trying some more. You must face rejection and heartbreak and confront your ego. You must understand there is no correct way to write a book, but there are hundreds of wrong ways. The learning curve is steep, the pain, the exhaustion, the self-doubt will shut you down if you allow it. I repeat. You cannot write a book without trying very, very hard to learn what a "voice" is, to trust yourself after you have cut yourself to pieces over and over.

So, being a mother was the key to everything. I looked into their pre-teen eyes to offer advice and found answers for myself lying there. The first mystery I wrote, Pick Your Poison, turned out to be the first book published in 2004. How many times did I rewrite it? I'd guess a hundred. I believed in that book even when I didn't believe in myself. Then came the cat series and I have now published eleven books in two series. I love my fictional cats and in the new release, I have created a fur friend I wish I could have sitting on my lap right now. I hope you enjoy Clyde from The Cat, The Vagabond and The Victim as much as I do!
 

Relax, rejuvenate and refresh!

by Mary Kennedy                         
 Last week, I did something I rarely do--I devoted a three day week-end to rest and relaxation at a fabulous hotel in Rehobeth Beach. No computer, no pressure to work, just a time to decompress and enjoy the beautiful weather at this popular seaside town.                         I felt pampered from the first moment I saw our "garden room." A private garden, what could be better?                                                                       
Every morning we had coffee and breakfast from a terrific buffet. There was no hurry to do anything, the ocean was waiting for us and it was only a few blocks away. It felt decadent, lingering over the newspaper and coffee, enjoying some great food. Best of all, I didn't have to cook it!                                          
                                                                I could relax and enjoy the scenery, throw a few bread crumbs to the koi in the pond and just kick back.              I could enjoy the "adults only" pool at the edge of the garden (there was a kiddie pool on another floor.)                                                         We could stroll along the boardwalk or take a dip in the ocean--the water was perfect!  This is one of the first times I've ever left my laptop at home (sorry, laptop!), and it was wonderful to disconnect for a few days. In the evening, I could curl up with a book; the hotel had a great library filled with books,chess sets and games.                                                                        And there were plenty of places to have coffee or wine after dinner and enjoy a good chat.  
 Was it worth it? Yes! Do you have a special place that you like to escape to, a place where all your worries are cast aside and you experience pure joy and relaxation? I hope you do. Here's wishing you a happy getaway! Mary Kennedy

Celebrations of life are sweet -- if cake and Nillas are involved!

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

It was just under a month ago that our family celebrated my mother-in-law Mary's 100th birthday.  She was surrounded by her family (her children, her three favorite nieces, and me, my mother, and my sister-in-law).  Mr. L made a video. We all took loads of pictures.

 The nursing home provided pizza, punch, and we brought a wonderful (HUGE) birthday cake that was gobbled up in no time flat. A good time was had by all.  It was a happy day we will long remember.


Sadly, two days later, Mary suffered a devastating stroke. A week later, she was gone.

Wow. How could such a small lady leave such a big hole in our lives?

The Cozy Chicks sent us a lovely dish garden that we will enjoy for years to come. Every time we see it we think of Mary and of the friendships we've made with the wonderful women here on this blog.  (Love you guys!)

Mary loved Nilla wafers and hard candy. We bought her boxes and boxes of wafers and pounds and pounds of candy, which she shared with members of the nursing home staff.  When we cleared out her room, we found the last box of Nillas in a drawer. It hadn't been opened.

Truthfully, neither of us are fond of Nillas (I'd prefer a GIGANTIC OATMEAL COOKIE with walnuts and raisins!!!) so we aren't likely to eat them. But ... I know that other recipes use Nillas as a base.  Among them, bourbon balls.  Our friend Jean used to make bourbon balls and bring them to work every year at Christmastime. Boy, they sure were the hit of the office party.  (She did NOT spare the bourbon!) I'm sure Mary would have enjoyed bourbon balls (although she drank beer when she was younger, and white wine these past couple of decades).

I've made bourbon balls before, but I was wondering if there were other recipes out there that use Nillas as a base and that you guys have made and enjoyed.  I know I'd be pleased to know about them, and I'm sure those reading the comments would, too.  So, if you have a recipe, please share it.  (If I make one, I'll let you know the results.)

Thanks!