Kate Collins's Blog, page 200

Working in Pajamas

By Mary Kennedy
 Do you go to work in your pajamas? Okay, true confession time, sometimes I do! Not on the days I see clients at the practice, but on the days that I sit at the computer, writing mysteries for Penguin-Random House.  Working from home is very trendy; one in five Americans work from home these days. Not only writers, of course. Accountants, marketing specialists, computer analysts, fund-raisers, medical coders, etc, all find it useful to spend at least part of the week at home. The upside is that you get to work in your PJ's, the downside is that you may be spending far too many hours at the computer, and you are also subject to constant interruptions. Some of my friends refuse to believe that I'm really "working" on my "writing days," and think I'm secretly watching Netflix with a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey. (not true, I swear! I prefer Cherry Garcia.)  If you do work from home, here are a few tips to get you started. First, find a separate space for your work area. Don't let it bleed into the den, the family room or your bedroom.  Also (and this is tough), try to set realistic boundaries with friends and family. You cannot be available by phone all day long, you are working! Make a plan to return phone calls and e-mails at a certain time each day and stick to it. If possible, put the phone on mute, unless you are afraid there will be an emergency or you are waiting for a call from a doctor.  Set specific times to work and schedule a daily lunch break.  And stop checking your phone!                                                                                                              Finally, understand you personal working style, do you work best in the mornings, or in the afternoons? Choose to do projects at your most productive times. Remember, you have the privilege of working from home make the most of it! If you work from home, what are some of the obstacles you face? Is productivity an issue? Thanks for stopping by.Mary Kennedy

A Decluttering I Will Go!

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

It started when we moved my mother-in-law from assisted living to a nursing home. Her closet at the assisted living center was stuffed with clothes she never wore. She has considerably less space in the nursing home, so I picked out the clothes I thought she could use, tossed anything that was stained, and washed the rest. My brother got some BIG moving boxes off Craigslist and gave me a few.

The next thing you know, Mr. L and I were going through our closets to fill one. Then two, then THREE!  And I didn't stop there.  My bookshelves are overflowing.  I have a tendency to buy every cookbook I see at a yard sale.  It was time to cull the herd. 

We got rid of a LOT more clothes than books (it's still very difficult for me to part with them), but my shelves don't look nearly as cluttered. Given more time, I could probably part with a few more, but time is now of the essence.We've got a guest coming this weekend, so must get this house shipshape in Bristol fashion!

Now that I'm on a roll, I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot more decluttering in the future. After all, yesterday was the first day of Spring ... time to Spring Clean.

What's your favorite way to declutter?   (I'm sure our own Mary Jane Maffini knows how -- she wrote a whole series on organization starring Charlotte Adams.  The first book in the series is Organize Your Corpses!)

Tea and sympathy

In which  Mary Jane Maffini/Victoria Abbott rambles on about a favorite beverage

Cup of tea anyone? Seems so simple and comforting and yet, I can imagine that wars have been fought with less vehemence than the correct way to make a ‘cuppa’.
Up here in Canada, we merely refer to tea and assume it’s hot. If we want ice tea, we’ll ask for that.  The first time I heard the expression ‘hot tea’ in the USA, I asked what other kind there was. Feel free to chuckle.  I can take it.
Tea has a long and occasionally fraught history since back in the Shang Dynasty, about 1500 BC, but who’s counting.  It’s a soothing tradition and one that apparently can build a strong, proud and brave nation.  Think of those Londoners during ‘The Blitz’.  “Never mind. Put on the kettle and we’ll have a nice hot cup of tea." Take that right in the eye, Luftwaffe. 
These were given to me by my daughter, Victoria Maffini the other half of Victoria Abbott
My grandmother taught me to make tea.  She was clear on the way to do it and offered kind and precise instruction.  First you must ‘hot the pot’.  That meant, before you add the tea, warm the teapot, then make sure the water is back on ‘the rolling boil’. 
When my mother got married, brides received tea cups as shower gifts. That’s because married women gave teas as a way to entertain friends, neighbors, allies and enemies and, in our town, to get coverage in the local newspaper.  I never hosted a ‘proper tea’, but I did use my childhood memories of my mother’s teas, to write a murder mystery short story.  But let’s not go there now. One of my mum's - a fave!I know that some of you (hello Lorraine!) love teacups. Many of you love the rituals. To this day, I enjoy every tea cup, every teapot and every ‘cuppa’.   I let the tea steep for exactly four minutes, before whisking away the tea leaves or bags.  My grandmother’s lovely voice echoes in my head. And also the startled shriek of one of my friendless (I won’t name her!) who thought I’d forgotten the tea in the pot after the crucial four minutes.  
My friend, Audrey's teapot: a memory of happy times
Then we get to the key part: the long-running dispute about what to put in first. Milk or tea?  When I was in college, you could define yourself as a MIF or a TIF.  I am a MIF. Don’t ruin my experience by putting the tea in first.  
Of course, there are also controversy about whether to use loose teas or tea  bags.  Then there’s strong or weak tea.  Feelings run high on this topic.  My hubby used to call the tea served by my relatives Cape Breton Paint Stripper, so you can see where he stands on the strong/weak issue.  I am of the ‘life is short ‘persuasion, so I think everyone gets to make their own decisions here.  Ahem.   My hubby's teapot. Manly or what? 
Tea shops are springing up in these parts with wonderful exotic and special teas. I like mine bracing and plain.  I’m not that big on the special teas. We’ve discovered Yorkshire Tea (an orange pekoe currently a great deal) and its big brother Yorkshire Gold. My grandmother would approve. 

Although, I love the chance to experience a ‘high tea’ and I love my cups, the most relaxing moments are when the tea is in a capacious mug, enjoyed with feet up, relaxed and happy.  So, sit a while with me and have a cuppa. You can tell me what you like about tea; how you feel it should be made and served and any other secrets you want to share in a warm and happy moment.

Reflections on the Past Year

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed


This week marks the one year anniversary of my divorce. One whole year has passed.

It’s had its ups and downs, that’s for sure, even though we have remained friends. It’s the adjustment that’s been difficult. From 25 years of togetherness to singlehood.

Before ‘the D’, most of my time was taken up by a big old house that needed constant repair and a gigantic yard bordered by flower beds that needed to be constantly deadheaded and weeded. My days were consumed by shopping, meals, laundry, keeping the grown kids coming back for family gatherings… until one day I noticed that my life had become filled with drudgery. I’d become a house elf!

Fast-forward to today – I live in an apartment, small and cozy. The yard work – flowers, trees, snow, mowing - is handled by management. Things that used to weigh me down are pretty much on autopilot.

The introverted side of me is basking in aloneness. Writing, reading, long walks, reflecting, planning, plotting new stories, relishing all the extra time I've found.

But a different, smaller part of me is becoming more vocal, asking tough questions.

What’s next?

Is anything next, or is this it?

What is the meaning of my life, the purpose for the rest of it?

I’ve left the "American dream" behind, heading for a new reality with a slightly hazy vision of the future. And I have to admit - it’s a little bit scary.

Where Is It?

by Maggie Sefton


Okay----this is a blog for mystery readers and featuring seven, sometimes eight,
mystery authors.  So it's a natural response for people like us to be fascinated by the Mystery of the Missing Plane.  Specifically, the Maylasian Airlines 777 jet airliner that disappeared ten days ago. . .without a trace.   This is the first time in my lifetime that there has been no sign of wreckage on land or oil slicks on the ocean's surface that would indicate the plane fell---accidentally or deliberately---into the deepest part of the ocean.  So deep, there has been no trace of wreckage.  No metal parts of a plane, no seat cusions floating, nothing.

Or. . .maybe there was some wreckage that floated---for a day or two then sank beneath the seas.  We're told wreckage will do that.  And it's a BIG ocean.  More than one big ocean, as a matter of fact.  The Indian Ocean meets the Pacific Ocean, and that ocean is HUGE.

Or. . .maybe the plane crashed-----either accidentally or delberately----into a remote jungle where the wreckage wouldn't be noticed upon a flyover, especially if the investigator was flying over a LARGE area of jungle.  So----it would take a more careful observation of those jungle areas.  And that brings me to my overall question.

We have all sorts of technological equipment which can pick up on "pings" and other signals coming from black boxes and other missing equipment.  No doubt, way more sophisticated equipment actually exists that we don't know about, and I have no doubt that is probably being used.   So. . .when will we hear about those results?  Meanwhile-----everyone is speculating.  The media is having a field day speculating.  So, why don't we do it here on Cozy Chicks Blog?    What do YOU think happened to the plane?

Do you think there was an accidental or deliberate crash?   Or. . .are you joining the folks who are beginning to voice opinions of a more supernatural nature?  :)   I have to admit that I'm amused by the similarity of this plane's disapparance and the "set up" for the TV series LOST a few years ago.  A plane was strangely diverted and fell somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near a deserted island.   Fascinating.

If it goes on for another week, I think the searchers should ask screenwriter J.J. Abrams for help.    

Hopscotch, Jacks, and Marbles -- Flashback!

by Kate Collins

I happened to spot an article on Yahoo the other day about the origins of childhood games. Ever curious, I checked out the article and learned the history (or theory) of 15 common games played by kids all over the world. Most I knew, but a few, like Mumblypegs, Capture the Flag, and Four Square, were new to me.

My favorites on the list were hopscotch, jacks, and marbles, in that order. Half the fun of hopscotch for me was drawing the hopscotch board on the sidewalk. Who needed chalk? A big soft stone worked in a pinch. I usually started out with two large boxes at the top, and by the time I'd worked my way down to the last three in a line at the bottom, the boxes had not only shrunk, but also had gone off kilter. But who cared? Then the hunt was on to find the best throwing stone. Had to be flat for the best aim.

And then there was Jacks. I can't begin to imagine how many hours I spent tossing and grabbing and chasing the little bouncing ball. I introduced them to my own kids, and they were like "Eh." Their loss.

What wasn't on the list was dodge ball. Every kid in our neighborhood would turn out for a game on a summer's eve, using a driveway or, on a quiet night, the street. We'd play for hours, until it was dark and we couldn't see the ball.

 Tree climbing was another of my favorite sports. I spent hours up in our crabapple tree pretending I was Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden spying on evildoers. Imagine that.

I hope today's children are learning these wonderful games.but I fear they'll be lost amid the computer/iPad activities. If you're interested in the article I mentioned, here's the link.

What were your favorite childhood games?

The Irish Issues

by Leann

We have always celebrate St. Patrick's Day because both my husband and I have a generous dose of Irish in our genes. (Take a look at my
granddaughter. She comes by that red hair naturally.) When we were in college in Syracuse, the Irish as well as the not-so-Irish partied all day and all night. College town. Any excuse will do.

After we married, I made sure we had corned beef, cabbage and potatoes on the special day--or as we called it when I was a kid--"boiled dinner." During my childhood, we used to have it often throughout the year, not just on the holiday.

But as I grew older and developed one food issue after another--some cause hives, some cause simple rashes, some cause a runny nose, some cause an asthma attack and the worst of them trigger a migraine. What triggers more than one reaction? Nitrites in foods. You find it in lunch meats, bacon and of course, corned beef. Last year, when my husband begged for corned beef, I hunted up a recipe to "corn" or "cure" the beef myself. But it was too late! It takes days and days to "cure" and St. Patrick's day was already upon us.

This year, I planned  ahead. I would buy a brisket and do it myself. All it requires is a salt and herb marinade, after all. One problem. I could not
find a plain brisket in this town to save my life. In Texas, where beef brisket is used for barbecue year round, that cut of meat is EASY to find. At Whole Foods--or as many of us call that store WHOLE PAYCHECK--you can get naturally cured corned beef without nitrites. But man, is it expensive. And the nearest Whole Foods is an hour away. With my stupid back giving me trouble, I could not make that trip.

So, while my husband is enjoying regular old grocery store corned beef tomorrow, I will be eating leftovers from Sunday. No nitrites for me! (They are really bad for all of us, anyway.) What about you? Do you like corned beef? (I LOVE it!) Have you ever "cured" a brisket yourself?  

The March 2014 Report

* * * * * * * * * *Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: March 2014. Below are musings from five cozies for your reading pleasure, and highlights from some recent releases. Enjoy!

* * * * * * * * * *
Pearls and Poison by Duffy Brown is the third book in the "Consignment Shop" mystery series.

It’s election time in Savannah, Georgia, and Judge Guillotine Gloria—aka Reagan Summerside’s mom—is neck and neck in the polls with Kip “Scummy” Seymour. But the already dirty campaign is about to get downright filthy—with one candidate getting buried six feet under.

With her strong opinions and knack for getting into trouble, Reagan is not an ideal volunteer for her mother’s alderman campaign. Plus, she’d rather be running her consignment shop, the Prissy Fox, and eating doughnuts with her dog, Bruce Willis. But when her mother’s opponent, Kip, is found poisoned and her mother is pegged as a suspect, Reagan nominates herself as lead murder investigator.

Reagan is intent on finding Kip’s killer and clearing her mother’s good name, but she soon finds herself on the bad side of Kip’s enemies-turned-suspects. This time, no amount of costumes and makeup can keep her inconspicuous and out of danger. Because the closer Reagan gets to the truth, the hotter things get.

This was a fun and humorous read that I could not put down. When Reagan's mother becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her political rival, Reagan is determined to find a killer and clear her mother's name. What she discovers is fraud and deception running amok in her small town. This book embarks on madcap escapades that Reagan, Kiki and her Mamma finds themselves in. The mystery was good as it kept me tuned to the pages in this fast paced and light fare that tickled my funny bone. Ever present was Walter Boone who I see having a closer friendship with Reagan and we also met a few quirky residents that inhabits the space that is Reagan. I enjoyed this book and I look forward to more amusing antics with Reagan and her friends in this delightfully entertaining series.

Visit Duffy at www.duffybrown.com

Keeping Mum by Alyse Carlson is the third book in the "Garden Society" mystery series.

Cam and her best friend, Annie, are planning a gala for a local Senate candidate—a murder mystery themed silent auction where the guests bid on who will be the night’s “victim.” Coordinating a beautiful display of fall flowers and planning the perfect fake crime is hard enough, but with a guest list that is a “who’s who” of the Roanoke elite, Cam has her hands full navigating the egos and grudges of her high society guests.

When local financial tycoon Derrick Windermere is found dead next to a shattered pot of chrysanthemums, the night’s fun and games quickly turn serious. Half the guests had good reason to want Windermere dead, but only one is suspiciously missing in action—Annie’s father. Now Cam will not only have to figure out which partygoer is a killer, but find her friend’s father before all their reputations end up dragged through the mud

I enjoyed this book, which was hard to put down. Once again, Cam gets involved in a murder investigation and with the support of her friends, she is able to bring justice to all involved. The tone of this book is very comfortable and the flow is easy to follow the plot that will get you to the end in this delightfully charming light fare. I enjoyed all the scenes in the book, especially the closeness of Cam and Annie. Cam is very likeable, as are her friends and I look forward to more adventures with them in this terrific read that boast a beautiful setting, a great secondary cast in this well-written drama.

Visit Alyse at www.waterytart23.blogspot.com

Steeped in Evil by Laura Childs is the 15th book in the "Tea Shop" mystery series.

Theodosia Browning has never considered herself a wine connoisseur—tea has always been her forte. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to pass up an invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party at the upscale Knighthall Winery, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

But a sweet evening takes on a bitter aftertaste when a dead body is discovered in one of the wine barrels. The son of proprietor Jordan Knight has been murdered.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, Knight turns to Theo for help. She’s heard through the grapevine that there are both family and business problems at Knighthall. They say in vino veritas, but everyone at the winery seems to be lying through their teeth. Sorting through the guest list as well as family and staff, Theo has her pick of suspects. It may look like the killer has her over a barrel, but cracking tough cases is vintage Theodosia Browning.

I like it. How could I have missed this series? This is the first book that I’m reading in this charming series and it was very enjoyable. Theo is a wonderful character and I like how she gathered all the clues that resulted in the apprehension of a killer. This evenly paced tome hit the right spot giving us enough intrigue to keep me drawn to the story. The suspects were plenty and every time I thought I had a handle on the culprit, the author had some tricks up her sleeve to point me in another direction and boy was I surprised when the killer was revealed. This was a well-written whodunit that put me in the middle of all the action and I look forward to more teas with Theo and her friends.

Visit Laura at www.laurachilds.com

Inherit the Word by Daryl Wood Gerber is the second book in the "Cookbook Nook" mystery series.

The Cookbook Nook is set to host the town's upcoming Grill Fest, a tasty tradition which pits local amateur chefs against one another to concoct the most delicious dishes. This year's challenge: grilled cheese. But with competing chefs bearing grudges from past years, more mouths are running off than savoring the fare.

The expression "too many cooks" proves all too true when the eight-time champ is found murdered in the alley behind the café. Soon a local diner owner (and Jenna's "second mother") is suspected of bumping off the competition, and Jenna has to douse the flames before the wrong person gets burned.

I like it. Not only does Jenna look for clues to clear her BFF’s mother of murder, but suddenly another mystery impacts her life for which she’ll have to find the answers. The comfortable tone and the easy-going flow of this light-hearted whodunit was hard to put down as I had to know what happens next. The author did a good job in keeping me in suspense with the list of suspects and some intriguing twists that I didn’t see coming, especially when the killer was revealed. You can count of the supporting cast that surrounds Jenna to provide some comic relief, especially her BFF Bailey and her aunt Vera in this character-driven drama. Murder, betrayal, and a grilled cheese contest are found between the pages of this wonderfully prepared drama and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the residents of Crystal Cove in this delectably appetizingly series.

Visit Daryl at www.darylwoodgerber.com

Dead Between the Lines by Denise Swanson is the third book in the "Devereaux's Dime Store" mystery series.

To keep her new business in the black, Dev opens up her shop to local clubs. But in the first meeting of the Stepping Out Book Club, the speaker storms out after members attack his poetry’s sexism and scorn for small towns. Later that night, the poet’s body is found outside Dev’s store.

Dev can’t afford for the murder to close her down, so she does a little stepping out of her own to investigate, with help from her two sexy suitors, Dr. Noah Underwood and Deputy U.S. Marshal Jake Del Vecchio. But when the killer threatens Dev, they will have to use every trick in the book to solve the case before she becomes the final chapter in this murder mystery.

This was a good read that was hard to put down. A dead body, two suitors, and a murder investigation is what you’ll find in between the pages of this fabulous book. How will it end? You’ll have to pick up a copy of this fast-paced and action filled light whodunit. The author does a great job of pulling you into every nook and cranny of this well-written drama. Dev is at her best trying to solve this mystery and I was taken by surprise with the revelation of the killer, which I did not see coming. Another fine job by the author and I do hope that Dev makes her decision soon (Jake!). With a great cast of quirky residents and good conversations, I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Dev and the possibilities in the next book in this fabulous series.

Visit Denise at www.deniseswanson.com

Other books released this month:

Shunned and Dangerous by Laura Bradford
Series: Amish #3

Claire has always been game for a good puzzle, so when she hears that Mose Fisher has made one of his famous corn mazes, she can’t wait to walk the paths and test her skill. But she’ll have a much more serious puzzle to solve when, deep inside the maze, she discovers the body of Amish dairy farmer Harley Zook.

It won’t be easy for Detective Jakob Fisher to investigate a murder on his own father’s farm—not after being shunned by the man for leaving the Amish community and becoming a cop. With Mose himself as a suspect, and old family secrets cropping up, it’s up to Claire to help catch the killer before she finds herself at a dead end.

Iced To Death by Peg Cochran
Series: Gourmet De-Lite #3

Gigi’s business may be hot, but her home life is leaving her cold. Her sister, Pia, has dropped in for an unannounced visit and, much to Gigi’s chagrin, has immediately fallen for handsome bar owner Declan McQuaid. So when Declan asks Gigi to help him prep for a big engagement party, she’s not only dealing with the heat of the kitchen and her own feelings for Declan, but Pia’s jealousy.

However, Gigi’s rising temperature quickly chills when the host of the party is found stabbed to death with an ice pick in back of the pub. Now, as Gigi’s beau, Detective Mertz, hones in on Declan as a possible murderer, Gigi will have to shave down the growing list of suspects quickly, before Pia’s newfound love interest finds himself locked in the cooler…

How to Paint a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale
Series: Cats and Curios Series #5

San Francisco isn’t the biggest city in the country, but it feels pretty vast when you’re canvassing its neighborhoods looking for clues to your missing uncle’s hidden location. Aided by my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, I try to follow Uncle Oscar’s painted clues on a trail that leads from Coit Tower’s famous murals through San Francisco’s New Deal art—all while hoping my uncle’s sudden disappearance is unrelated to the murdered intern at City Hall.

Just when it seems our search has hit a wall, we receive some surprising help from beyond. But will it be enough to save us from our own brushes with death? Here’s hoping we don’t paint ourselves into a corner...

Spinning in Her Grave by Molly MacRae
Series: Haunted Yarn Shop #3

It’s time for Blue Plum’s annual historical festival, and everyone—including Kath and her spunky fiber and needlework group, TGIF—is getting in on the action. Expert spinners are being gathered, and a businessman has approached Kath about using the second-floor windows of her store for part of a reenactment. But the reenactment ends in real-life bloodshed when local baker Reva Louise Snapp is shot—with a bullet from a modern-day gun.

Kath has her theories about who wanted to end Reva Louise’s life. But there’s also talk of a sniper stalking Blue Plum, and Kath’s shop is suspected to be the murderer’s hideout. Now Kath, her TGIF pals, and the gloomy ghost, Geneva, must unravel the mystery quickly, or someone else might be left hanging by a thread....

My website is located at dru's book musing

What's new in Booktown?

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

For years I've wanted to do nothing more than gab about my characters and discus them with my readers. I could never quite figure out how to do that.

I think I finally have!

I've now got a Facebook Page dedicated to just to the Booktown Mysteries. Every day I post a picture and a fun fact about the series.

Sometimes it's behind-the-scenes information about the covers ...

The original pencil sketch for Book Clubbed.

Some days it's a fact about a character or the village of Stoneham.

Wouldn't you love to lunch at the Brookview Inn? 
You can enter Pixie's Vintage Clothes Closet...




See what Nikki is baking over at the Patisserie...



Find out what's on the menu at Booked for Lunch ...



And lots more!

I hope you'll drop by and like the page, and feel free to comment on any of the posts. The more the merrier! Click this link to visit!

And don't forget to stop by often -- and tell me, what would you like to know about Booktown?

Why is it so hard to say no?

A firmly voiced opinion by Mary Jane Maffini

Why is that plaintive cry so often heard? It's so hard to say no.
After all these years, why do I still find it hard to peer over the towering inbox that sometimes defines my life and utter a firm but polite 'sorry, but I can't' to the latest request?  
I know that a lot of women also have this problem.  I imagine some non-women have it too. I think we are used to helping people and want to.  The trouble is, many of us feel guilty if we can't.   It's hard to learn to be selective and to choose how we spend our time.
We choose to say no to cats
This week,  I was fuming because I gave up some needed evening  "down time" to do a project on someone else’s ‘urgent’ timetable only to have it double and triple in time needed. But deep down, I know I could have saved myself and my blood pressure if I’d just said no. It was up to me to safeguard my personal time.
Over the years, I’ve tried a number of ways to refuse requests. Some are very gentle fibs: “Oh I’d just love to, but I am having my appendix out on (insert date here).  
Others are quite effective:  “I can’t but let me give you some names of people who might be able to.” (Sorry for you, my friends, but, yes, I will throw you under the bus if I need to deflect a request.) 
I have learned to say that I have a deadline that prevents it or that my calendar is full or that I am already overcommitted.  You’d think that would do the trick.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting turning your back on your friends and family when they need a hand or rejecting every new idea that comes along. We all need to help others and try new things.
But there are some people with their own agendas who just can’t take no for an answer. They didn't get where they are today by accepting our weaselly rejections.
Not too long ago, I had to turn down a friend’s request because I had too many commitments. Instead of simply saying, “I understand’, she gave me an earful because it was high time I learned to say no.
Of course, I had  just said no. To her.  And that’s another thing I’ve learned: the people who tend to inform you that you need to learn to say no, never mean say no to them. 
In the end, we have to make our own choices of where to put our time and effort.  For me, that's a tough lesson to learn.  
But we never say no to treats or new outfits!
And so my lovelies, shall we form a support group right here and now? Feel free to say no to that, but if you want to you can post a comment with advice or a story about making a big fat NO! count in your life.
I’d love to hear about it.  Yes, I would.