Kate Collins's Blog, page 234

The April 2013 Report

Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: April 2013. This month we have three new series for your reading pleasure.



Some Enchanted Murder by Linda S. Reilly is the first book in the new “Apple Mariani” mystery series. Publisher: Five Star, March 2013

Paralegal and title searcher Apple Mariani is accustomed to solving mysteries—mysteries such as lingering liens and missing heirs. But when appraiser Lou Marshall is stabbed with an antique dagger at an estate sale‚ she finds herself plunged into the heart of a murder. For starters‚ she learns that the victim had entrusted her with a decades-old valentine minutes before he was killed. Then Apple’s Aunt Tressa—the victim’s new squeeze—is pegged as a prime suspect‚ and their elderly friend Lillian goes suddenly missing. Was Lillian kidnapped, or worse, because she witnessed the murder?

Despite the local police chief’s irritating lack of concern, Apple is sure her friend is in trouble when a cryptic call from Lillian’s cell phone awakens her late at night. Still haunted by childhood memories of her own mother vanishing, Apple is determined to find Lillian before it’s too late. From the shelves of a local antique shop to the culinary horrors of the grungiest diner in New Hampshire, Apple and Tressa collect a series of clues that seems maddeningly unrelated. But time is running out, because a desperate killer—a killer bent on keeping the truth buried in the past—is still walking free.

We are introduced to Apple Mariani and her Aunt Tressa in this delightfully charming debut series. This is a great read in this well-written drama where the mystery kept me glued to the pages as I had to know what was going on. The author did a good job with developing the flow of the story that never wavered from the beginning to an ending that I can’t wait to see how it is explored in the next book. There were plenty of suspects; a couple of surprising twists and it was fun watching Apple and Aunt Tressa narrow the list down while putting the pieces together that lead to the apprehension of a killer, one that was hidden in plain sight. Apple and her Aunt Tressa are wonderful characters surrounded by a great secondary cast. The dialogue was witty and fresh and the atmosphere warm and friendly. I’m so thrilled for this series and I look forward to more exciting times in Hazelton, New Hampshire.

Visit Linda at lindasreilly.com

FTC Full Disclosure – Received book as a gift
That Old Flame of Mine by J. J. Cook is the first book in the new "Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade" mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, April 2013

After knocking the lights out of her boyfriend when she catches him cheating on her, Chicago fire fighter Stella Griffin hops on her Harley and heads for Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, where she ends up becoming the small town’s fire chief. When her dear friend Tory Lambert dies after her gingerbread-style house is set ablaze, Stella suspects arson and foul play.

As Stella investigates, she gets help from a most unlikely source—the ghost of Eric Gamlyn, Sweet Pepper’s old fire chief. And if that isn’t enough to rattle her, attractive police officer John Trump seems to have taken an interest in her. But Stella’s got to stay focused if she hopes to smoke out a killer before her own life is extinguished.

This is a great start to what I hope is a long-running series featuring fearless and intrepid heroine, Stella Griffin. Someone doesn’t want Stella and her team to pursue their arson investigation and it will take Stella and an unlikely ally to smother a burning flame. The author did a great job in keeping the story lively in this page-turning whodunit that flowed easily from one chapter to the next leading us to a hot finale. I enjoyed watching Stella follow the little nuggets of clues while discovering a long lost secret. This is an enjoyable read with a terrific cast of characters led by Stella, set in the comfortable atmosphere of a small town setting. This is a firecracker of a story and I look forward to more exciting adventures with Stella, her fire brigade volunteers and the people of Sweet Pepper, Tennessee.

J.J. Cook is the pseudonym of Joyce and Jim Lavene and you can visit their website at http://www.joyceandjimlavene.com/ or jjcook.net

FTC Full Disclosure - The publisher sent me a copy of this book, in hopes I would review it.
Board Stiff by Kendel Lynn is the first book in the new "Elliott Lisbon" humorous mystery series. Publisher: Henery Press, April 2013

As director of the Ballantyne Foundation on Sea Pine Island, South Carolina, Elliott Lisbon scratches her detective itch by performing discreet inquiries for Foundation donors. Usually nothing more serious than retrieving a pilfered Pomeranian. Until Jane Hatting, Ballantyne board chair, is accused of murder. The Ballantyne's reputation tanks, Jane's headed to a jail cell, and Elliott's sexy ex is the new lieutenant in town.

Armed with moxie and her Mini Coop, Elliott uncovers a trail of blackmail schemes, gambling debts, illicit affairs, and investment scams. But the deeper she digs to clear Jane's name, the guiltier Jane looks. The closer she gets to the truth, the more treacherous her investigation becomes: a brutal attack on her own suspect and the murder of a witness. With victims piling up faster than shells at a clambake, Elliott realizes she's next on the killer's list.

This is an engaging read that grabbed my attention from the start with Elliott’s desire to prove Jane’s innocence and to best the lead detective by being one step ahead and it’s those encounters that made for a fun read as Elli’s discreet inquiries landed her in one mishaps after another in the pursuit of a killer.

The author did a good job in delivering a well-written whodunit that was entertainingly pleasing. There were plenty of suspects that kept me guessing throughout most of this lighthearted drama and I loved how everything came together when I knew exactly who the killer was. Elliott is a wonderful character and I like the possibilities of more escapades with handling discreet inquiries for her employer. The added bonus of sexy Nick is a plus and I would love to see that relationship blossom. With witty banter, a likable cast of characters and a visually appealing setting, this is a great start to what I hope is a long running series. Note: Board Stiff is a humorous mystery with a sprinkle of spicy language.

Visit Kendel at kendellynn.com

FTC Full Disclosure - I received a copy of this book from NetGalley with a request for a review
And check out these other April releases

Subtitles and Insight

by Leann

I have to admit, I am not a huge movie buff. I'd rather read or listen to a book. But because I didn't cancel that "free" movies for 3 months that came with my satellite TV package, I now have a lot more movies available to me than I ever thought possible.

But it was the Sundance channel, not HBO, that drew me in Saturday night-- a
foreign film with subtitles. I'd seen several subtitled movies in the past--but long, long ago. What I tuned in to was, of course, a crime drama. What surprised me was how much I could understand without really having to read the text. It gave
me a new respect for actors--for their voice inflections as well as their facial expressions.

What also surprised me was that I was glad it wasn't dubbed--like those spaghetti westerns or all the various King Kong and monster movies


made in Japan that I used to watch when I was much, much younger. I never realized before that terrible dubbing was probably the reason I never enjoyed foreign films as much as I appreciated the one yesterday.

I was enlightened by my change of heart. The older I get, the more I fear I will grow stubborn and set in my ways. But it was refreshing to know, I am not there yet. I can still change and learn. I hope that lasts forever. What about you? Have you been enlightened lately? Forced to give up preconceived notions--even those concerning yourself?

Guest Blogger Kaye Barley Sends You on A Scavenger Hunt

By Guest Blogger Kaye Barley


First of all, my thanks to the Cozy Chicks for having me.  I appreciate it.

I'm learning that labels have a great deal about where and how a person and/or a book is accepted, so I'm spending a lot of time trying to learn about them.

Let's start with "Cozy Chicks," for example.

"Cozy" - - - Defined by Mirriam-Webster Dictionary.com as follows:

Noun


1: a padded covering especially for a teapot to keep the contents hot2: a light detective story that usually features a well-educated protagonist and little explicit violenceand, as anAdjective 
1 - a : enjoying or affording warmth and ease,
b : marked by or providing contentment or comfort
There are additional definitions, of course, but we're just going to stick with these for now.

Which brings us to "chicks."  We all know what chicks are.  Intelligent women who rock.  Or, baby chickens, so we won't even mess with Mirriam-Webster.

So.  Today I'm joining a group of intelligent women who write light (a subjective term, at best) detective stories providing contentment or comfort, OR a group of baby chickens who might be sitting around a teapot dressed in a sweater providing warmth and ease (phrased however you prefer).

Whatever.

I'm always happy to be here, and I'm especially happy to be here this time as a writer.  A "self-published" writer (note:  a label, a true label, but a label which can bring a mighty frown to many a face, along with an assumption that it's probably dreck and not worth their time).

My novel WHIMSEY: A NOVEL, isn't a mystery, so we can't really call it a cozy even though the brilliant Lesa Holstine did compare it to Ellery Adams' work.  (squeeeee! I love her!).  And, because the Island of Whimsey does possess a bit of magic, Ellery's Charmed Pie Shoppe would fit in with the rest of Whimsey quite nicely.  Speaking of magic - Heather writes "magic."  Wonderful magic!

Actually, looking at the rest of the Cozy Chicks (did I mention that I really enjoy the
work of all these women?) I see some more things I find particularly interesting.  Cozies are known for their cats.  Leann writes a wonderful series featuring cats.  Whimsey has a cat named Pywacket.  Whimsey also has a corgi who likes to read The Wall Street Journal, a beekeeper, artists and artisans, a flower shop, a bakery, good food, vintage clothing and a group of people who love the beauty and simplicity of life in a small town (with the occasional snake in the grass).  If WHIMSEY: A NOVEL were a mystery, I guess it would be a cozy.  Since it's not a mystery, I don't know what it is.  But since it's also been compared to work by Sarah Addison Allen's (squeeeee! I I love her!), it could be called "magical realism" except there are some definitions which declare "magical realism" as dark, which WHIMSEY is not.
Sigh.

So.

Never mind.

Enough about labels.

Instead I'm going to send you on a bit of a scavenger hunt.  An easy version.

You could win a $20 gift card from The Cozy Chicks, or you could win a copy of WHIMSEY from me. That's two winners, folks!

Just go to my webpage and you'll find the first chapter of WHIMSEY.  (You'll also find a lot of other very cool stuff, so I hope you'll take a few minutes to browse around).  In the first chapter you'll be able to find the answer to three questions.  Leave your answers in the comments, and we'll draw two names.  Ellery Adams will draw the name winning the gift card, and I'll draw the name winning a copy of WHIMSEY.

Easy peasy!  Here's the webpage address - http://www.kayewilkinsonbarley.com/

Here's your three questions:

1.  Where was the protagonist, Emma, living at the beginning of the novel?

2.  What does Emma do for a living?

3.  Who does Emma receive an email from?

Thanks everyone, and if you have comments about all the labels categorizing books, I'd love to hear them.  Am I the only person who thinks the labeling has, perhaps, gone too far?

A cupcake a day (hour ... minute ...)

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

Like many people, I spend wayyyy too much time on Pinterest. When you're a writer, you don't get out much, or at least I don't get out much (especially in the winter). Pinterest is a visual feast every time you log on. If I'm feeling down, I simply log on and get a treat for the eyes.  And it's a good thing it's a virtual treat, because more than anything, I seem to be following people who post pictures of cupcakes.

OMG -- who knew there was such cupcake artistry out there.  Cakes, sure -- but cupcakes?  Some of these delicate little cakes must take HOURS to decorate.

When I was a kid, the only time I ever got a cupcake was if it was someone's birthday at school.  Many times someone's mom would appear after lunch with a great big white bakery box and you knew what was in store.  But they were never decorated.  Just yellow or chocolate cupcakes with some frosting tossed on. Tasted great, and nobody thought about decorating further.  (Okay, MAYBE you MIGHT get one with sprinkles.)

I once took a cake decorating class, and despite the certificate I earned at the end of the course, there was no way on earth I was ever going to have any kind of cake decorating talent.  Roses?  Fugettaboutit. They all looked like pink blobs.  (And, in fact, I gave Brenda my lack of decorating talent in Bound By Suggestion.)

When I'm feeling down, I think about driving over to the bakery and buying myself a cupcake. I'd never make a batch, because then I'd have to eat them all--and Mr. Scale would not like that.

Lately my mind has been focused far too much on cupcakes.  It's been a very busy week, I've worked hard, and I think I deserve a treat.

Off to the bakery I go.

Have you got any cake decorating talent, and if so, how long did you have to practice to make a realistic rose?

Paris

by Julie


As promised, I'm sharing a few photos from Paris today.

Here's the thing: There is *no way* I would have ever expected to have gotten to Paris by this point in my life, let alone twice. My husband and I visited Europe about three years ago to celebrate a milestone anniversary, but we'd saved up for that trip for years.

This time, we went because our daughter, Biz, was out there to study. Her entire program is covered by her tuition and she's a smart cookie, so she has some significant scholarship money that makes her experience possible. I knew she would have a week off between Florence and London and that the study abroad program didn't cover that week. My panicked-Mom-ness kicked in at that point. We couldn't have her wandering around Europe all by herself, alone! Granted, we realized that she probably would have made some friends by then, but I also knew how much we'd miss her. And that's why we made plans to visit.

We definitely cut back (no weeklong guided tours, like last time), and thanks to our fabulous travel agent who spends our money like it's her own, we got a few really fabulous deals. I'm so glad we went. Despite the cold and the rain, we all had a really wonderful time. Lots of laughs and great memories.

In France we encountered pickpockets. The first time was a real eye-opener. We had just boarded the #4 Metro line. Very crowded. We couldn't get much past the first pole near the door. While the doors were still open to allow other boarders, a man got off, turned around and pointed squarely at a young girl standing at the pole between me and my husband. She couldn't have been more than 14. He shouted at her in angry French, speaking so quickly that the only word we could make out was "Pickpocket!"which he repeated several times, never shifting his glare.

The girl stood perfectly still, acting (it seemed) as though she had no interest, no concern with this guy at all. Gotta say, her eyes were strange. Dead, almost. She didn't move, didn't flinch. She just stood there, taking it.

When the train moved again, we all held tight to our valuables and kept a close eye on this girl. At one point she put her hand on our daughter's back. Biz whipped around to face her and the girl's hands shot straight up, as if to say "I didn't do it."

Later, at Montmartre, we were accosted by "students" asking us to sign a petition. We declined and kept walking. One of the young woman hustled after our daughter (she must look like an easy target) and grabbed her by the arm, her other hand reaching for Biz's pocket. Our daughter is a very polite person, as a rule. Always nice, always takes the high road. This time, she shoved the "student's" hand away and shouted, "Don't touch me!"

The girl got the message and she sulked away, muttering what were probably curses under her breath.

I don't want you to get the wrong impression though. Almost everyone we encountered in France was nice to us. I'd heard before our last trip that French people don't care for Americans. That was absolutely not our experience, this time or last. Everyone was friendly, happy to help us, and smiling. We never felt anything but welcomed. The fact that we "met" pickpockets was just the luck of the draw. We were warned in every city about thieves and we did our best to be careful.


Paris was a blast. We truly enjoyed ourselves and we managed to see a few favorites from last time, and add in a couple of new experiences this trip.

One of the sites we visited was at the Catacombs of Paris. Incredible. There are six million people buried in these catacombs and the skulls are used as eerie decorations.

We weren't allowed to use flash photography in the "Empire of the Dead" but they encouraged us to take pictures and most of them turned out amazingly well.

Hope you enjoy the "tour!"

Reading For Book Club

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed

I'm in this really cool book club through our local library. Each time we meet, one of us picks the
next book with only two criteria - it has to have been made into a movie, because we watch it prior to the meeting too, and it has to start with the next letter in the alphabet.

So May is 'R' and the book/movie selection is Rob Roy.

That's right up my alley because I'm writing the first in a new series set in Scotland, and that's where Rob lived and robbed!

However, even though I was an English major and have read some pretty heavy stuff, I thought those painful days were behind me. No such luck. Rob Roy was written by Sir Walter Scott in 1817 and it's not an easy read. All 500 pages of it. Ever single page.

But as our moderator says, the whole point of a book club is to read the book no matter what, to explore stories we wouldn't otherwise pick up. And she knows her stuff.

I'll finish the book. But maybe I'll take a break and watch the movie. That looks way more interesting.

How about you? Are you in a book club? What are you reading?

Blizzard Coming!

by Maggie Sefton


I'm writing this blog post on Monday evening, right as a winter storm front is supposed to push down from Canada through Wyoming and into Colorado as far as Denver.  Storm fronts show up all the time, but this one is supposed to bring strong gusty winds up to 65+ mph along with lots of snow, nearly a foot in northern Colorado and a foot or more in Denver.   Those winds and that amount of snow are the reasons this Spring snowstorm is being billed a "blizzard.".  The Weather Channel is outdoing itself warning all of us in the storm's path to "Beware!  Blizzards is coming!"(Have you folks noticed how worked up the Weather Channel staff get at each potential weather event lately?)


My response to all of this?  Ho-hum.  Like many people in Colorado, we'll believe all those hyperbolic predictions when we see them proved true.  So many, many times we're told there's going to be a Big Weather Event! Only to see it turn out ordinary.  Thus, our yawns.  Believe me, we would LOVE to see a huge snowstorm and blizzard dumping tons of snow.  We're still drier than normal here in Colorado and we need all the moisture we can get---snow, rain, whatever.

So, I'm hoping the hyper WC staff is right.  But, our motto here is, "We'll believe it when we see it.". The last REAL blizzard we had in Northern Colorado was in March 2003, and it was a doozy.  It snowed two days straight, heavy snow which accumulated three feet in the central part of Fort Collins and Four feet in my backyard!  Really.  I had to dig a trench from the garage back door into the back yard so my dogs could go outside.  The city, the university, schools, stores, everything was shut down and closed because no one could get anywhere.  Even those of us with SUVs.  The snow finally stopped the second night and the third day, the sun came out.  And every neighborhood started helping each other out.  Shoveling driveways, using their Big Trucks to create a clear path on our neighborhood street all the way up to the larger connector street.  We all stood outside with cups of coffee, hot chocolate, whatever and chatted as we cheered the trucks in their snow-smashing efforts.  They were like little kids playing in a sandbox.  Fun to watch.

That blizzard came from an entirely different weather system. A far more threatening system whether it brings snowstorms in winter or tornadoes in spring and summer.  Long time residents call it and an "Albuquerque Low." The storm sweeps in off the Gulf or Western Pacific and blows through Arizona and New Mexico, then heads north into Colorado.  There, its counter-clockwise wind flow gets hung up against the foothills, so it stays in place and wrecks more weather havoc.

Now, 2003 was a Blizzzrd.  This one. . . We'll see.  We'll see.

My Secret Guilty Pleasure

by Kate Collins

It's a secret no more. My guilty pleasure is animal videos. Also animal photos. Basically, a video or photo of any animal doing something funny or in a funny pose. They crack me up. I even love to watch elephants painting pictures. You put an animal in it and I'll watch.

Also, I love posts about heroic dogs and cats who rescue people, and heroic people who rescue dogs and cats. They make me cry even as I smile. 
As a result, I spend way too much time  looking at them instead of writing. Woe to the characters in my book if someone sends me the link to a funny pet video because then I'm sunk. I will let Abby dangle in danger while I watch a video of of a kitten launching a surprise attack on a dog. I will keep Marco meandering in mid-stride while I laugh at a dog snarling at his own back foot for scratching him. Lottie and Grace don't stand a chance against cats playing Patty-cake.

What is it about them that captures our attention? They're not my pets. I've got nothing invested in them. I can't pet them or love them, yet watch them I do.

Is this something that's built into our DNA? Are we hot-wired to love seeing those little fur balls? Do you find yourself hooked on those funny cat and dog posts on Facebook, too?

Tell me I'm not alone, people!

In the meantime, here's a link for you. Just remember. I warned you. http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2012/04/top-10-funniest-cat-videos


Happy viewing!

My Little Fighter

by Leann

I truly believe everything happens for a reason. My kitten Marlowe, whom I have talked about so much on Facebook, has proven this to me once again. If you don't know Marlowe, let me summarize our journey.

I adopted him mid-January and was looking for a specific temperament because my other cat, the silver tabby Wexford, is very shy and very attached to me. He hides when people come to visit and when we picked Wexy up after leaving him at the kennel during our Christmas trip, he was completely depressed. He hadn't even groomed himself and I could tell he'd lost weight. If we were to travel at all, I knew he could use a friend. But I needed a little "alpha" to his very obvious "omega." When I found Marlowe, I felt he was exactly the right fit.

But less than a week into Marlowe's homecoming, he began to have seizures. I rushed him to the vet and the news was not good. He had a very big infection, but because he had already had his first kitten shots, antibodies would show up for anything that fit his symptoms. They couldn't tell exactly what was causing the problem and put him on antibiotics and seizure medicine. I nearly lost him 3 times in the two weeks that followed even though the seizures stopped. That darned infection proved a big enemy for a 2 pound kitten.

Fast forward to now. He is closing in on 5 pounds, is still on antibiotics and seizure medicine, has some developmental delays, but he is fighting. We are fighting. His white blood cell count, which measured an unbelievable 60,000 when first done in January is now closing in on normal. Still too high at 22,000 but whatever we are doing, it's slowly working. Love, of course, is the intangible ingredient. He is so loved.

He's helped me so much, too. Living in a rental house with all my belongings packed away for the most part and being in a strange new environment was getting to me. That and dealing with the slow pace at which my husband moves when it comes to getting things done--like starting our new house. Caring for Marlowe has been just what the doctor
ordered for me and--oh, yes--for Wexford, too. He is the best big brother ever and their personalities are a wonderful match. When we go to visit my daughter in June, I know that kennel stay will be far less traumatic.

So, what do you think? Will Marlowe give Maru a run for his money? :-)

Monkeys on a Plane

By Heather
Are you a good flier? Take to the friendly skies with a smile and kid-like joy?
Me? Not so much.
I don’t need to be medicated or anything, but I’m a nervous flier. I have a prayer playing on a loop in my head from the time the plane taxis away from the gate to the time the wheels tuck back into their hidey hole under the plane. Then it starts all over again when there’s turbulence and when it’s time to land.
You’d think I’d just take a Xanax and relax a bit, but I prefer to be lucid in preparation of an air disaster.
Last week, I had four flights (are there non-stops flights anymore???), for a total of twelve hours in planes. I was extremely lucky—no problems at all unless you count the little kid behind me kicking my seat on the first leg of my journey. (Side query—do you confront the kicker or just let it be???).
But as I boarded the flight for the last leg of my trip, I was just ready to be home. I’d been up early, drove two hours to the airport in an unfamiliar city, it was late, and whine, whine, whine...
Then something special happened.
A soldier came on board WITH HIS PET MONKEY. Not only that, but they sat right in front of me. The little monkey hopped around, checking out his surroundings, including the man’s head sitting beside the unlikely duo (see pic). The man was such a good sport about it all.
I didn’t get the story of why the soldier had a monkey because I was too busy cooing over the monkey and being a big old geek when the monkey shook my finger. He was adorable in his little diaper and onesie.
The monkey is better than any anxiety medication. And of course, now I want a monkey (not going to happen, but still). Let’s just say that if every flight I was on had a monkey then I’d be one happy flier...