Kate Collins's Blog, page 258

Nesting

By Heather
Do you nest? Meaning, do you go through phases of organizing, cleaning and renovating?
I do. These phases almost always happen after I’ve turned in a book or right before one is due. Apparently, at those times my brain wants some other creative avenue.
In May, I finished the fourth Lucy Valentine novel and immediately cleaned and organized my office (that cleanliness didn’t last long), and then renovated son #2’s bedroom, completely redoing it top to bottom (happily, that still looks great).
During the last couple of months, I’ve been working on the first book in my Love Potion Shop mysteries –which won’t be out until late ’13 – and now that it’s almost due, I’m starting to get that nesting itch again.
This time, I’m eyeing the kids’ bathroom. It needs a complete overhaul. And even though I should be focused on finishing my book, I’m scouring online sites for vanities and tiles and bathroom fixtures—and loving every second of it.
Will the bathroom get done anytime soon? Probably not. But for now, it’s a nice distraction.
Any renovations in your future?

Quiche aux Champignons, s'il vous plait

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

Many of you are probably aware that Wednesday (August 15th) would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday.  The old girl lasted 92 years (all but two days), and what a remarkable life she lived.  I  became interested in her work after the movie Julie and Julia, which inspired me to read Julie Powell's Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, and Julia Child's My Life In France.

I also bought a couple of her cookbooks at yard sales:  Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Julia Child and More Company (where you can find a picture of a monk fish--the ugliest fish I've ever seen, and it's HUGE).

Last weekend I decided it might be fun to try one of Julia's recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make it on Julia's birthday.  I must admit, I'd been rather intimidated by the cooking in the movie, which seemed to focus on really difficult recipes, but as I flipped through my copy, I came across a number of recipes that seemed doable for this "servantless American woman."

After discussing it with Mr. L (after all, he was going to have to eat half of it), we settled on Quiche aux Champignons (or mushroom quiche).  Now, I'm a quiche lover, but I'd never made one from scratch.  And, I did cheat and used a ready made crust.  (Hey, I'm a working writer!)

First up, I had to partially bake the crust, so here it is ready to go into the oven.  So far so good!



Then, while Mr. L chopped the shallots, I whisked the eggs and cream.



Oh dear!  I broke the cardinal rule of mushrooms.  Remember in the movie Julie quotes Julia, "Don't crowd the mushrooms!"  Oh well, they came out fine anyway.



Ready for the oven.  Oh dear--I spilled a bit.



Out of the oven and ready to eat.



Oops -- a not-so-elegant presentation



But what it lacked in beauty, it more than made up in taste.  I've eaten quiche many, many times in restaurants, and this surpassed them all.

What Julia Child recipe have you tried or would like to try?

P.S.  Happy Birthday, Julia.  Bon Appetit!

Moving out, Moving in...

by Julie

On July 29th, Leann posted this farewell to her home in Texas and talked about major transitions.

A little less than two weeks later, our family faced our own major transition when our middle daughter packed up and moved to... you guessed it... Texas!

We've known about this move for months. She's studying for her Master's Degree in Orientation and Mobility for the Visually Impaired and Illinois doesn't have the internship opportunities she needs. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired does.

And so, as Leann makes her home in South Carolina, our Sara will make her new home in Austin. We're lucky that her boyfriend, Luke, is with her. It's so nice to know that she's not going it alone - and he's a honey. They have their little tuxedo cat, Kitka, who made the two-day drive with them (yikes!). Because they have two cars, Luke drove the moving van with his car hitched to the back and Sara drove her car -- with the cat.

We didn't envy the long drive, the truck full of boxes that needed to be unloaded without any outside help, or the "where's the nearest grocery store?" issues. Oh, to be 23 again and to feel as though there's nothing you can't do. Hmm... maybe I do envy that, a little.

They've been keeping in touch really well and so far, so good. But I miss them already. This is going to be tough for me. We'll go visit them in the coming months, but for now I'm sure they're happy to be starting their adventure.

How about you? Any adventures you care to share?

Dru's Cozy Report:August 2012 Reading List

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


Allergic to Death by Peg Cochran is the first book in the new “Gourmet De-Lite” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, August 2012

Business is looking up for Gigi's Gourmet De-Lite, thanks to her newest client, restaurant reviewer Martha Bernhardt. Martha has the clout to put Gigi's personal meal plans on everyone's lips. But instead of dropping a few pounds, Martha drops dead from a severe peanut allergy...right after eating one of Gigi's signature dishes. When the distractingly debonair Detective Mertz identifies traces of peanut oil in Martha's last meal, Gigi suddenly finds her diet catering business on the chopping block. Now she'll have to track down who tampered with her recipe before her own goose is cooked.

In the small town of Woodstone, someone is using delicious gourmet food as a murder weapon and Gigi has no other course but to find a murderer to protect her burgeoning business and reputation.

I like it. The key characters are all likable, from Gigi whose dogged pursuit of justice helped to apprehend a killer. There’s her best friend Sienna who plays the role of sidekick and lends a welcome ear when needed. Adorable Reg who gives Gigi unconditional love and then there’s Detective Mertz. The author did a good job in keeping me in suspense in this nicely prepared mystery that entertained me from beginning to its rewarding conclusion. This is an irresistibly and appetizingly delightful debut in the cozy genre that I hope is here to stay. Visit Peg at www.pegcochran.com
Full Disclosure - The publisher sent me a copy of this book
A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer is the first book in the new "Soup Lover's" mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, August 2012

When Lucky Jamieson inherits her parents' soup shop, By the Spoonful, she realizes it's time to take stock of her life. Should she sell her parents' house or move in herself? Does she really want to run a restaurant business? And what about her grandfather Jack, who seems to be showing signs of Alzheimer's? But her life decisions are moved to the back burner after an icy blonde tourist is found frozen to death behind the soup shop. And Lucky is bowled over when her soup chef, Sage DuBois, is led out of the kitchen by the police. As suspicion and speculations snowball, Lucky decides that the only way to save her employee and her business is to find out herself who iced the tourist--and landed her chef in the soup.

Coming back to Snowflake and keeping her parent’s business operational was top of mind until a dead boy is found in the back alley. When her chef is arrested, believing in his innocence and trying to keep her business afloat, Lucky seeks clues to find the real killer.

I like this book. The writing was comfortable as was the tone of this endearing drama. The mystery was good and every time I thought I knew the identity of the killer, the author changed directions and caught me by surprise when the killer was revealed as I didn’t see it coming. Lucky is a great character who is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast which includes her grandfather Jack, a friendly doctor and patrons who dine at her soup shop. This is a terrific read and I hope we get to see more of Lucky and her friends for a long time in this charmingly enjoyable debut with a bonus of delectable recipes. Visit Connie at www.conniearchermysteries.com
Full Disclosure - The publisher sent me a copy of this book
Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney is the first book in the new "Cate Kinkaid Files" mystery series. Publisher: Revell, August 2012

Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job. All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into an hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?

All Cate had to do was locate a missing person and her first case for her PI uncle would be complete. Who knew a knock on the door would find a dead body and the beginning of a journey that involved meeting a carefree woman, book club members and people set out to do some harm.

This was a good read and I liked how the action took its course as we watched Cate travel down the slippery slope of being a private investigator as she never gave up searching for answers and the truth even when her life was threatened. This light-hearted whodunit was evenly-paced as the author did a good job in keeping me in suspense, especially with the situations that Cate found herself in as the case came to a close. Cate is a likable protagonist surrounded by a good supporting cast in this pleasantly appealing series. This debut mystery series is a great start to what I hope is a long stay. Visit Lorena at www.lorenamccourtney.com
And check out these other August releases

Fort Collins, Colorado----Vacation Time!

by Maggie Sefton

Hi, everyone----it occurred to me that all of the blog posts from last June and half of July were filled with stories of wildfires, flames, firefighters and people fleeing their mountain homes.  I posted striking photos of flames leaping about the mountainside.  Scary, yes.  And, we're all thankful here in Northern Colorado and elsewhere in Colorado that our wildfires were completely contained and put out in July.  Our yearly July Monsoon rainstorms helped tremendously.

So, now----I'm posting to let all of you know that ONLY A SMALL PORTION of our mountains were affected by the wildfires.  When I drive along the north-side road closest to the foothills and stare out at them, I don't see any fire-damaged mountainside until way north of town.  And then, only here and there, a few hillsides bear the blackened scars.

And Fort Collins itself was UNTOUCHED.  No fires got anywhere close.  We are bordered along most of our western flank in the foothills by the long, long Horsetooth reservoir.  No wildfire can jump across that   :)

Why am I posting about this?  Because our local newspaper pointed out that once word of the wildfires broke in the national press, people all over the country cancelled their Colorado travel plans---hotels, campgrounds, rafting trips, mountain biking tours.  That makes all of us in Northern Colorado really sad.  We had NO fire damage anywhere around Fort Collins, and nothing is slowing or interfering with any visitors enjoyment of our gorgeous scenery and our lovely and lively city.  Our Old Town is filled with distinctive cafes with great food and music,  unique shops, and live music outside in Old Town Plaza every week, in various small parks and seating areas dotted throughout, and every weekend there's a fun-filled festival going on.

Last weekend was the New West Fest with national and local musicians performing Friday through Sunday, plus food vendors of every description and craft and art booths as well.  And that's just one weekend.  Fort Collins has festivals going on practically every weekend during the summertime.  And in September, we'll have one of the great bike tours, Tour de Fat, sponsored by our hometown and now nationwide brewery, New Belgium---home of Kelly Flynn's favorite Fat Tire ale.   :)  All proceeds to charity.  In fact, Fort Collins is one of the state's most active Craft Beer cities.  We have several different craft breweries in town, most located in or close by Old Town.

Yes, I know this is blatant boosterism, but I didn't want to leave people with the impression that those awful wildfires had harmed our lovely and lively city.  Plus, the absolutely gorgeous Rocky Mountain National park was also not involved with either the High Park fire or the Colorado Springs wildfires.   So, check us out the next time you have the urge to travel.  You won't regret it.  

TICK TOCK, TIME FOR BED!

by Kate Collins

Do you live by the clock? Are you the kind of person that stops what s/he’s doing at noon to eat lunch, or at 6 p.m. to have dinner? Do you have a fixed bedtime?
I’ve read that bodies crave routine and feel out of sync when the routine is thrown off. That’s certainly true for me. I like to have my breakfast at a certain time, watch Good Morning America, and read the paper. I like to climb into bed at a certain time, read for awhile, then watch reruns of “Friends” until I get sleepy. I even write during a certain time period each day.
Are you that regulated?
Days off are always enjoyable, but too many days of irregular schedules (unless I’m on vacation) make me feel unsettled. Does that happen to you?
My daughter is a property master for several theaters in Chicago. Her schedule changes daily and she loves it. She would never do in a 9-5 job, she claims, because she hates being that regimented. Some days she works until 2 a.m., then sleeps in. Other days she’s up at 6 a.m. and works until whenever she finishes her list of projects. That would drive me crazy.
What kind of person are you, a routine craver or a routine hater?

Calling the Downton Abbey Staff, Please!

by Leann

In the continuing saga of my move from Texas to South Carolina, we had to rent a house in a hurry because our house sold so fast. Rent it sight unseen. Our friends, a married couple in Carolina, who had done exactly what we are doing, took on the daunting task of finding the house for us. Slim pickings. Because of foreclosures and the economy, rental business is booming, it would seem. The husband and wife found us a place and I talked to both of them before deciding. Wife: "I don't know, Leann. It's really dirty". Husband: "Once it's cleaned, it'll work fine."

Well, there's dirty and then's there's DIRTY. The house is fifty years old. It's small. And I swear no one has ever cleaned the place thoroughly. Example: I cleaned the living room ceiling fan and light fixture a minimum of 12 times before I could tell it was white--not a funky shade of brownish yellow. The bathroom off the bedroom is tiny. It has bright pink ceramic tile and one of those fiberglass shower stalls. How long would you guess it would take to clean a tiny bathroom? If you guessed 6 hours you'd be right.

My friend and I have spent every day during the last week cleaning and scrubbing and spraying and groaning over each new discovery of the life some people lived in that house. An unhealthy, dirty life at the least, a strange life at best. Two of the very flimsy bedroom doors have dead bolts on them. I can only wonder why--but I'm not sure I want to know.

After working for hours with mops and paper towels and every kind of cleaner Walmart sells, we would come home and watch an episode of Downton Abbey. Wonderful show but oh, the "staff envy" I have experienced is painful. I want someone to dust and clean and make delicious meals why I worry about what to wear to dinner in my English castle. You might say I'm a dreamer ... but I'm not the only one. My dear friend has been dreaming, too. We will laugh about this one day, but right now we are simply complaining--but working hard to make an unlivable house livable.

What about you? Ever lived or stayed in a place that made your skin crawl? I'd love to hear about it.

Falcons, Archery, and Food (All in the Name of Research)

By Ellery Adams

Yep, I have it tough. I spent three days this week conducting research for a top-secret project (I promise to tell you more about it as soon as I can) in the beautiful Allegheny Mountains of Virginia.

Despite the clouds of gnats that followed our family everywhere, unplugging for these few precious hours proved to be incredibly inspirational.

So what was I researching?

Exactly that:  unplugging. I needed to spend some time at a place where there wasn't time for technology. With all the hiking, swimming, archery, horseback riding, cavern exploration and a daily high tea, I didn't miss Facebook, my email Inbox, or anything else on the Web.


My birthday's coming up this month and I asked to have a falconry lesson as my gift. It was fascinating!  I then learned that I'm no Robin Hood (though daughter Sophie was a crack shot) and that old hotels have dozens of interesting doors leading to dozens of interesting passageways.

Sounds like the perfect setting for a mystery, doesn't it? Well, stay tuned.

What did you do the last time you unplugged?

Throwing in the trowel

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

Yesterday we picked our first tomato of the season.  It was not a beauty.  In fact it had a bad spot where it was starting to rot, and yet inside it had green patches that hadn't yet ripened.

This has been one weird growing season. Half the apple crop in our nearby county was ruined when the warm March temps caused the trees to bloom prematurely.  Then a frost hit.  Now that it's close to harvest time, many of the trees don't have even one apple.

Bunnies ate all but two of my sugar snap pea plants.  They ate every single one of my bean plants.  Most of our tomatoes have suffered from blossom end rot from not enough water early on, and splitting at the tops from too much water later on.

I must admit, I'm tempted to never plant a single veggie again.  It's heartbreaking when, between critters and the weather, all your hard work goes for nothing.  But something inside me desperately wants to grow my own food. It feels important to be able to do this.

Next year we're planning to abolish the much longed-for veggie garden and plant flowers we know the ground hogs, bunnies, and chipmunks won't eat.  Next year (as this), I'll just go to the local farmers market where I can buy fresh green beans, corn, tomatoes, and pay a lot less than I would at the grocery store and suffer absolutely no heartbreak at all.  Sometimes you have to admit defeat.  After more than twenty years of attempting (and usually failing) to grow veggies, it's time to throw in the trowel.

Then again ... I've heard some people have wonderful luck with earth boxes on their decks or porches ....

Have you been tempted to just give up gardening?

iPad, youPad, he-she-it Pads

by Julie

Around me, people are constantly iPadding. One of our daughters recently downloaded an app and we all watched the cat try to catch virtual fish. My brother-in-law discovered a helpful app that's teaching us how to score our hands as we attempt to play bridge. Participants at the workshop I recently attended used iPads like mini-laptops -- taking notes, checking email, updating Facebook. A couple of new friends there walked me through the device's basics.

You know what? I'm SOLD!

My husband and I are planning a driving trip in the coming months and I was not looking forward to lugging my laptop around with us. My phone (not an iPhone) is decent for checking email but it's just too small to use for anything more than bare bones replies. Whenever I'm away from home -- even if it's just for a couple days -- I'm swamped with emails, FB updates, and other tasks when I return. Takes me a full day, and often longer, to get caught up so that I can write.

With the iPad's option of being tied into the 3G network, I'll be able to stay connected even when there are no Wi-fi hotspots. That means I can do my work while he's driving, which is usually downtime anyway. And guess what? It will fit in my purse!! I'm excited beyond belief.

Yeah, it sounds as though I can't get away from work even while I'm supposed to be on vacation, but the truth is, I enjoy being connected. And I really do get overwhelmed when I finally return home.

iPad here I come!!

iPad will be my new tool -- one I enthusiastically embrace. What tools -- technological and otherwise -- are you nuts about? (And if you have any iPad hints... feel free to share below)

Thanks!
Julie

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PS - Don't forget that our own Heather has a new book out this week!

A WITCH BEFORE DYING
Darcy Merriweather is Salem, Massachusetts’ newest resident Wishcrafter—a witch who can grant wishes for others. While Darcy isn’t able to grant wishes for herself, she does possess a certain knack for solving problems—including the occasional murder…
     When Darcy is hired by Elodie Keaton to clean up her missing mother’s disorderly home, the Wishcrafter is certainly up for the task. After all, the motto of her Aunt Ve’s personal concierge service As You Wish is “No Job Impossible.” But beneath the piles of old newspapers and knickknacks Darcy discovers something much more disturbing—Patrice Keaton’s body.
     Darcy’s determined to give Elodie peace of mind by investigating her mother’s disappearance and death. Patrice was last seen over a year ago after a fight with her Charmcrafter boyfriend. Was her murder a crime of passion? Or were Patrice’s troubles caused by the Anicula, a wish-granting amulet? Now Darcy has to not only find a killer, she has to find the Anicula— before the power of ultimate wish fulfillment falls into the wrong hands…