Kate Collins's Blog, page 209

Christmas Wrapping ...

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




(Here, listen to this music video while you read my blog post.)

I am into wrapping. I love it. I always have. When I was a kid, my mother used to wrap my presents in brown paper, and then let me wrap them in  holiday paper. Ribbons were never part of the deal.  (Cats who tried to eat them put the kabash on that.)

Just part of the stash.As someone who worked in retail for 12 years, I loathe full-price for anything. I hit the after-Christmas sales, and also stock up on stuff at yard sales. Consequently I have tons of rolls of wrapping paper, and enough curly ribbon (in many colors) to reach to the moon and back several times. 
 
I even collect vintage wrapping paper. I take it out every holiday season, try to think what gift is worthy, and usually put it back in the box.  I mean, come on...this stuff is RARE. Even my gifts are not good enough for this trove.   : )

So, I'm looking forward to the weekend when I will haul out all the presents I've been hiding away for the past couple of months and have a wrapathon. 

I used to do this while watching It's A Wonderful Life , but my VHS machine died and I don't yet have it on DVD.  (I think I'll get the colorized version...why not?  I know my pal (and major movie buff) Jeff Cohen would probably give me a million reasons WHY!  BTW, have you read his Comedy Tonight mysteries?  Well, why not?  (He's also known as E.J. Copperman.)

Anyway, look out Santa, here comes the tape, the paper, and the tags.  

Have you wrapped all your gifts yet?

Chocolate, wine and books: oh boy!

By Mary Jane Maffini
It was like a first date. For the first time in my fairly long life, I have joined a book club.  
Apparently I have passed the ‘vetting’ process by a group of women who’ve been together for a long time, reading books they might not otherwise read.  I’ve known most of them for years. Several are booksellers, others editors, and, with me, there will be two authors (The lovely Erika Chase is the other one). All are voracious readers and they all know really  how to laugh. They have two rules: you must like wine and you must love chocolate. I’m good with all that. 
As I said,  I’ve always wanted to be part of a book club, but my schedule has been haphazard. Plus (and don’t tell anyone I said this) I never want to read something that I HAVE to. However, all that wine, chocolate and friendship is quite seductive. All to say, I am glad I passed that secret screening process and just in time for Tuesday's meeting: the annual Christmas extravaganza. Our hostess, Ulla, provides a sit-down dinner with three desserts in her beautiful home. I was sure glad I'd dropped all those hints. Especially when I learned that the rest of us are not expected to provide a sit-down extravaganza when our turn comes.
I knew I was going to love this group. I knew about their meetings (have I mentioned wine and chocolate?). That’s because two years ago, they gave me an amazingly warm welcome as a guest author at one of their meetings. That meant they liked and respected mysteries. Ever since then, I’ve had my fingers crossed that I’d be back to be one of the group. 
Women who love books -- old friends and new: what more could a girl want for Christmas?

Do you love discussing books with friends in person or online or …?Let’s hear about it!

Pointsettias Galore

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed


One of my favorite annual traditions is a two hour trek to Green Bay to take my  mom to Schroeder's Flowerland to pick out a pointsettia. It took a long time to make our selections. Can you see why? In the end, we went traditional with a red/rose combination. But aren't these beautiful?

Little Doggie Dress-Up

by Maggie Sefton



When daughter Serena sent me these photos of a close friend's miniature Dachsund, Oscar, I knew right away I had to share them.  The Cozy Chicks Blog seemed the perfect format.  I met Oscar over the Thanksgiving holiday.  He is truly adorable.  All he wants to do is snuggle with you.  You sit down, and Oscar jumps right up beside you and snuggles next to your leg and---if he can---put his little head on your lap for a rub.  Oscar had to adjust his position in order for me to work on my laptop, but we did it.  Oscar was a rescue doggie who had been abused.  How in the world can people do that?  He'd had a couple of ribs cracked, by a kick probably.  Serena's friend found him trembling at the back of the Rescue mission's cage.   And Oscar responded to the affection----big time.  :)  Life has been good for Oscar ever since, and for anyone who meets him.






Given Oscar's story, I thought I'd share these cute photos with all of you.   Here, Oscar is enjoying a Starbuck's treat, a Doggie Whip:













Here is Oscar in his Christmas costume for Serena's annual Christmas party for friends and their families.  The kids get her entire tree decorated while consuming a plateful of homemade cookies:








And here's sleepy Oscar in his "I'm tough"  Darth Vader doggie sweater:



As for my doggies----Border Collie mix Katy and Blue Tick Coon Hound mix Max----there's no way an outfit or hat would stay on either of them.  Katy would be appalled.  Then, she'd knock it off, even if it was tied, because she's super smart and would use her paws to untie the bonnet.  And crazy hound dog Max would eat any sweater I put on him.  Really.  Max is a lean mean running machine with a smooth flat coat, and he would probably lie on the ground and wiggle and writhe until he removed the coat.  Then, he'd eat it.

But little doggies----well, they seem to know they're vulnerable to adult dress up routines, due to Doggie Cuteness.  Tell us-----have you ever dressed up your doggie(s)?   Share the photos with us, please.  :)

RX: TWO TABLESPOONS OF LAUGHTER

By Kate Collins
Is there anything better than a good belly laugh? The kind where you hold your sides, wipe your eyes, and rub the muscles in your face because they hurt?  Seriously, when was the last time you did that?  Did you know that doing so boosted your immune system and reduced your risk of serious illness?
Research reported in Scientific American (Nov 27, 2013) has shown once again that laughter is indeed the best medicine. Why? Not only is it therapeutic, but it has no side effects! What drug manufacturer can say that? (How about none?) But even a normal laugh will work wonders. You needn’t split your sides to get the health benefits. Just be happy.
One of the most famous forerunners of “the science of happiness” was Norman Cousins, who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening autoimmune disease. After being given a one in 500 chance of recovery, Cousins created a laughter therapy program, which he believes was the key to his ultimate recovery.Cousins went on to establish the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology in Los Angeles, California. You can read about his journey back to health in his book, Anatomy of an Illness.
And despite studies that show positive benefits of happiness, conventional medicine is still hesitant to admit that a person’s emotional state might have any major impact on overall health and longevity.
Isn’t that silly?
Why wouldn’t your emotions and mental state affect your health? It’s already well-known that stress can take a tremendous toll on your health. Yet conventional scientists frown on the idea that emotions such as “happiness” or “joy” would make any difference. It makes me want to smack them upside the head.
My favorite TV shows and movies are comedies. My favorite friends have great senses of humors. When my family gets together, we vie to make each other laugh. And the first thing that attracted me to my beloved husband was his wicked wit. He could crack me up with just a glance. In fact, I love to laugh so much that I even make my mysteries humorous.
Do you believe in the power of laughter? Are you generally a happy person? What kinds of things make you laugh?

The December 2013 Report

* * * * * * * * * *Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: December 2013. This month I have three new series for your reading pleasure, and I'm debuting a new feature to my posts: highlighting recent releases. Enjoy!

Lending A Paw by Laurie Cass is the first book in the new "Bookmobile Cat" mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, December 2013

With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she’d better keep both hands on the wheel, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can’t seem to shake the furry little shadow. But in spite of her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!

Minnie and Eddie’s first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble—until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who’s reached his final chapter.

Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they’ll work to find the killer—because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue.

This was a fun read which I enjoyed immensely. I loved how the story flowed from beginning to end, keeping me in suspense with plenty of suspects and a couple of twists and turns that snuck up on me. Minnie is a strong-willed and gutsy heroine and I like her determination to find a killer, even when the odds were against her. Aided by her mischievousness cat, this delightfully charming whodunit is a welcome addition to the cozy genre. Boasting a small town atmosphere and entertaining conversation, this was a terrific read and I can’t wait to see what adventures Eddie and Minnie get into on their bookmobile.

Visit Laurie at www.catmystery.com

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book, in hopes I would review it.
Murder, She Barked by Krista Davis is the first book in the new “Paws & Claws” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, December 2013

The Sugar Maple Inn in Wagtail, Virginia, is the country's premiere vacation hot spot for pet owners who can’t bear to leave their furry friends behind. But this tourist town smells trouble when a killer goes on the prowl.

Holly Miller's life has gone to the dogs. She has no job, her boyfriend's former flame is sniffing around, and a scruffy but loveable Jack Russell Terrier is scattering crumbs all over her borrowed car. Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, a troubling phone call about her grandmother sends her rushing home to the family inn on Wagtail Mountain.

The staff—and a frisky Calico kitten named Twinkletoes—adopts Holly and her new dog on arrival. But someone in this friendly town is bad to the bone. One of the employees at the inn has been killed in a hit-and-run accident—which is looking anything but accidental. Now Holly and her furry companions will have to nose out the murderer before someone else gets muzzled.

I love this book. It’s a great read that will have you quickly turning the pages to see what happens next. This action-filled book will have you rooting for Holly and her friends as they dig deep to find a killer within their reach. The mystery was well done as it kept me in suspense with the many twists and suspects that could have done it. It was fun trying to narrow the list of suspects down. The author did a good job in keeping this light and airy whodunit fresh, entertaining and engaging with banter between the characters that I enjoyed. Holly is a great heroine supported by a lovable and somewhat eccentric cast of character that includes Holmes, Zelda, Trixie and especially Oma. I love the concept of a town catering to pets and it’s a joy to see how wonderfully they all interact. I can’t wait to see more exciting adventures in Wagtail with Holly and her friends in this delightfully entertaining series.

Bonus recipes are included for both humans and our furry friends.

Visit Krista at www.kristadavis.com

FTC Disclosure – The author sent me a copy of this book, in hopes I would review it.
Staged to Death by Karen Rose Smith is the first book in the new “Caprice De Luca Home Staging” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, December 2013

Welcome to Kismet, PA, where home stager Caprice De Luca helps her clients shine in a lackluster real estate market--and where someone may only be in the market for murder.

Caprice De Luca has successfully parlayed her skills as an interior designer into a thriving home staging business. So when her old high school friend Roz Winslow asks her to spruce up her mess of a mansion to perk up a slow buyer's market, Caprice is more than happy to share her skills. But when Roz's husband Ted is found skewered by one of his sword room's prized possessions, it appears the Winslows may have a few skeletons in their palatial closets. With the stage set for murder, Caprice will discover she can track down an antique tapestry and a cold-blooded killer with equal aplomb--as long as she's not the next victim.

I like it. This is a good mystery that flowed evenly from chapter to chapter and kept me involved in all phases as I progressed towards a finale that was befitting this light-hearted whodunit. The author did a good job in presenting this well-staged tome with a strong sense of family starting with our heroine, Caprice whose determination to see justice puts her in the cross-hair of a killer. With a great supporting cast, a unique sense of style and good conversations, this is a wonderful entre into the cozy genre and I can’t wait for the next book in this enjoyably delightful series.

Bonus recipes are included.

Visit Karen at www.karenrosesmithmysteries.com

FTC Disclosure – I bought this book.
The Sayers Swindle by Victoria Abbott

Jordan Kelly is delighted to make money tracking down rare and valuable mystery novels for her employer, Vera Van Alst, an avid collector and the most difficult woman in Harrison Falls, New York. But now her boss’s complete set of Dorothy Sayers is missing, and finding them may lead Jordan to a murder suitable for Sayers’s esteemed sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey.

When Jordan manages to locate her boss’s missing books, they are in the possession of Randolph Adams, an elderly man in a nearby town. Offering a valuable Hemingway first edition as an incentive, Jordan thinks she’s about to seal the deal—but some of Randolph’s relatives think he should hold out for more.

Then the entire family disappears—and a dead body shows up. It’s up to Jordan to collect the clues—and make sure a killer gets booked.

Release: December 2013
Series: Book Collector #2
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Home For Homicide by Jennie Bentley

Avery Baker was a big city textile designer, until she inherited her aunt’s old Maine cottage and found her true calling—home renovation. But she never expected her latest job would come to such a bone-rattling dead end.

For Avery and her husband Derek, renovating the Craftsman Bungalow was like stepping back in time. The quaint old home was just as its original owners had left it—from the beautiful butler’s pantry to the surprisingly exquisite ribbon tile. But it’s the attic that yields the most heart-stopping surprise.

In a discreetly hidden antique crate, Avery finds a clue to a decades-old missing persons case. As Avery works on the house and delves deeper into the sinister story, it becomes clear that someone very crafty wants the Craftsman home’s secrets to stay that way!

Release: December 2013
Series: Do-It-Yourself #6
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Home For The Haunting by Juliet Blackwell

No good deed goes unpunished.

San Francisco contractor Mel Turner is leading a volunteer home renovation project, and while she expects lots of questions from her inexperienced crew, she can’t help asking a few of her own—especially about the haunted house next door…the place local kids call the Murder House.

But when volunteers discover a body while cleaning out a shed, questions pile up faster than discarded lumber. Mel notices signs of ghostly activity next door and she wonders: Are the Murder House ghosts reaching out to her for help, or has the house claimed another victim?

Now, surprised to find herself as the SFPD’s unofficial “ghost consultant,” Mel must investigate murders both past and present before a spooky killer finishes another job.

Release: December 2013
Series: Haunted Home Renovation #4
Publisher: Obsidian
Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust

Murder comes well-seasoned in this charming mystery featuring a smart and spunky new amateur sleuth, small-town Georgia spice shop owner Piper Prescott

Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in the South, has got her sass back. She might be down, but don’t count her out. “Change of life?” she asks. Bring it on. Recently divorced, Piper decides to pursue a dream she’s secretly harbored: owning her own business, Spice it Up!, a spice shop in her adopted hometown, Brandywine Creek, Georgia. But Piper’s grand opening goes awry when the local chef who’s agreed to do a cooking demo is found stabbed. Not only did Piper find the body, she handled the murder weapon and doesn’t have a witness to her alibi, making the case look like a slam dunk to brand new police Chief Wyatt McBride.

Desperate to uncover the truth—and prove her innocence—Piper enlists the help of her outspoken BFF Reba Mae Johnson to help track down the real culprit. The pair compile a lengthy list of suspects and work to eliminate them using their own creative brand of sleuthing techniques including stakeouts, breaking and entering, and one very unorthodox chocolate pie. When Piper narrowly avoids being a victim of a hit-and-run, she knows she’s getting closer to the truth, but can she catch the killer and clear her name before she becomes the next victim?

Release: December 2013
Series: Spice Shop #1
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Merry Market Murder by Paige Shelton

Bailey’s Farmers’ Market is this season’s go-to holiday destination, but not all the vendors are feeling the Christmas spirit.

Jam and preserve maker Becca Robins is excited about the extra business that the Ridgeway Christmas Tree Farm is bringing to the market this holiday season. But when a competing tree farmer, Reggie Stuckey, arrives with a truck full of trees, angrily barking that he has exclusive selling rights at the market, Becca finds herself pining for more goodwill toward men.

After Reggie is found with a tree stake in his chest, she wonders when the Christmas tree business turned so deadly. Now Becca has to use the only clues she has to the killer’s identity—mysterious ornaments that begin to show up in her stall—to hook a sinister Scrooge who will go to any lengths to drive home a point.

Release: December 2013
Series: Farmer's Market #5
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Charmed Grinch-Green Pie

By Ellery Adams

With PECAN PIES AND HOMICIDES, #3 in The Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries coming out next month (which you can pre-order from Amazon.com, Indiebound.com, Barnes & Noble), I have pie on the mind.

I wanted to make something different for the holidays this year. Something the kids would love and didn't have pumpkin, nuts, or fruit. I'm already making a pecan cranberry cake and I need a whole pumpkin pie for myself, so I thought I'd make a Grasshopper pie with a few tweaks and lots more food coloring. It's a great chilled treat for your guests and the color just makes everyone merry.

Merry Grinchmas and enjoy!

Charmed Grinch-Green Pie
INGREDIENTS:
20 chocolate sandwich cookie wafers, crushed ½ cup melted butter2 cups marshmallow cream1/3 cup crème de menthe liqueur 2 tablespoons white crème de cacao2 cups whipping creamGreen food coloring(Optional) – Andes Crème de Menthe Thins for garnish, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425˚F. In medium bowl, mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press crumbs into bottom and sides of 10-inch pie dish. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Once cooled, place in freezer. Also place large stainless steel mixing bowl and beaters in freezer to prepare to make whipped cream.
In large bowl, add marshmallow cream, crème de menthe, and white crème de cacao. Mix until smooth.  Add food coloring until desired shade of green is achieved. For brighter green pie, add 5-6 drops.
Remove mixing bowl and beaters from freezer. Add whipping cream and whip with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into marshmallow mixture. Pour into chilled pie shell. Garnish by sprinkling Andes mints around rim of pie. Freeze for at least 3 hours.
(If you feel super inspired, you can place a cookie cutter on top of the pie and pour crushed Andes mint inside to create a shape in the center. I didn't wait for it to freeze first, which was a mistake!)

The long and windiing road to audio ...

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

Once upon a time, none of my books were in audio.  Then, I made the mistake of selling the rights to my first novel to a tiny recording company.  Not only was the cover abysmal, but the narrator was ALL WRONG.  My hero was 35.  The man reading the book had to be in his 50s.  Not only that, but my compassionate physician character sounded like a bombastic blowhard.  I managed to almost make it through the first CD before I had to give up.  I was that disappointed.

And then ... Penguin decided (with a LOT of nagging on my part) to put the Booktown Mysteries out on audio.  While I did not get an opportunity to approve the narrator, she was absolutely PERFECT for the role.  She even did good male voices.  (By the way, her name is Cassandra Campbell.) I couldn't have been happier ... until the 6th book came out ... and no audio followed.  "Oh, we canceled the audio editions due to lack of sales."

Hmmm.

I will admit, I didn't have a clue how to promote audiobooks, and I'm still pretty clueless.  But, nevertheless, it's now the rage for authors to act on their own to produce audio.  And earlier this year, my first audiobook under the Polaris Press name came out.  Because Murder on the Mind was still tied up with the first company (and I'm pretty sure it sold less than 100 copies because I never made more than $100 if that), I had to start with the second book in the series (Dead In Red).  Not a good thing.  But I was lucky, since the first company never made any money on the book, they were only too happy to give me back my rights.  By then, I was working on Room At The Inn (the third book in the series).  Finally, in July, production began on Murder on the Mind.  The deal was signed and I was supposed to take possession in September.

And then September came and went.  Same with October.  I had agreed to a promotion with nine other authors to begin in early November.  That got postponed until December.  (It was the Don't Text and Drive--Listen to an Audiobook campaign -- we gave away more than 30 audiobooks and gained 145 new LIKES on The Incredible Indie Authors Audio Facebook page.  We'd love for you to LIKE us, too!) And still the audiobook for Murder on the Mind was not available.

Until today.

Honest, it only popped up at midnight, but finally Murder on the Mind is available from Audible.  (It'll be available via Amazon and iTunes ... eventually.)

The rest of the series will be available on audio next year.  In the meantime, I need to figure out how to find audio listeners.  They're out there (I'm one of them), but finding them ... that's going to be difficult.  But then persistent is my middle name. 

I'm not the only Cozy Chick with audiobooks available.  All Leann's Sweeney's books are available in audio, and Deb Baker's first Gertie Johnson adventure (Murder Passes The Buck) is available.  You can find more information at this link.. 

BTW, if you join Audible, you can get your first audiobook free!  (They also offer discounts on ebooks so you can read AND listen switch to the audio edition for seamless reading/listening pleasure.)

So that's my story.  I'm off to do lots of cool holiday stuff today and guess what I'll be listening to while I do it? An audiobook.  (Garrison Keillor's A Christmas Blizzard. And if there's time, I'll listen to Patrick Stewart narrating (and splendidly so) Dickens' A Christmas Carol.)

Try audiobooks.  You'll like them!

Hey! There’s a Nap for That

By Mary Jane Maffini

In the run up to Christmas this year, I find more than the usual number of things going on. Maybe because this is the first time we’ve had a book release in December and The Sayers Swindle is keeping us busy.  Plus all my friends and groups are having Christmas parties. Then there’s the seasonal buying, wrapping, baking and obsessing, but also a book to finish. 
All to say, this is why I seem to be among the walking dead today. I was up way too late last night and early this morning.  Now I have circles under the circles that are under those red things that used to be my eyes (and not some weird Christmas decoration).  
We all know that sleep deprivation has been linked to heart attacks, stroke, depression, weight gain, accidents, muddled thinking and wrinkles.  
But I’m not worried because there’s a nap for that. The first time I lurch into a wall, I know it’s time to face the music, or more accurately, the pillow. 
Although babies seem to have a natural knack for it, napping is a skilled activity. It can be passed from generation to generation. I learned from my father, one of the world’s greatest nappers. Luckily, I didn’t learn to snore from him at the same time.
 
The anti-nap bias runs strong in our go-go culture, but naps are a way of perking yourself up quickly to go flat out once you are awake.  The secret: twenty minutes or less.  Some people call them power naps.  I think just plain nap is cozier and more soothing.  
I wake up recharged and energetic.  I used to set a timer or an alarm, but now my eyes just pop open at 19 ½ minutes.
Lots of people can’t nap. It ruins their night’s sleep. My sympathy if this is your story. But if you can nap, celebrate it!  The price is right and the benefits are many. 
And as you can see, I have some very effective role models in the family. Lily is a pro.

But Daisy gives her some competition.












How about you? To nap or not to nap, that is the question. Let me know in about twenty minutes.

Die Furby Die

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed

I'm flashing back to 1998. My daughter was eight years old, my son was nine. Guess what they wanted for Christmas?  If only all they wanted for Christmas was their two front teeth. But no. They had to have Furby. That was the beginning of a long rein of terror in our home. Those two Furbys learned to speak our language quickly, not exactly fluent English but they were able to get their point across - they were in charge.

I shiver at the memory of those long ago nights after my kids went to bed. That was when those Furbys really came alive and terrorized me with incessant demands for attention. Who knew where the kids had left them to work their evil - sometimes one would be lurking in the family room or the kitchen or...or in any room in the house. And the worse part, the absolute most horrifying part was that they had NO OFF button. Really, it's true. What crazy person would create something like that!

Well, those days are behind us.

Or...wait...are they?  Oh, no!!

40 million Furbys later, I've learned that they have been resurrected from the dead. A new generation of Furby is on the move, plotting to take over control of our lives, this time possibly forever.

And they are cuter than ever. What innocent child could resist this tempting little number?

Just imagine if you will, today, fifteen years of more advanced technology. I don't want to thing about what Furby is capable of. And I suspect this one, like its predecessor, doesn't have an off button either.

Do NOT let this 'thing' into your homes.

Die, Furby, Die!