Kate Collins's Blog, page 262

Did You Hear the One About the Pregnant Horse?

by Kate Collins


Seriously.  Because this story made the national news. My local newspaper reported it on the sixth of July, and it was so compelling, I decided to share it with you.
On the night of July Fourth, a pregnant mare was so spooked by the fireworks and gunshots (gunshots? really?) that she broke out of her stable and took off. Unfortunately, as she crossed a railroad track, one of her hooves became lodged beneath a tie and she was unable to free it.
Sometime later, a woman driving across the tracks saw the poor horse lying on her side and thought she was dead. Then the animal raised her head and looked at the woman. Instantly, this kind person pulled over and found a number to call on the crossing gate to alert the train’s command center.  It wasn’t known whether they could stop the train in time, however. The police were contacted and arrived a short time later.
By that time, a group of people had gathered around the horse, and someone knew who the owners were and called them.  Then this larger group of people got together and were able to pull the horse free before she got another hoof stuck, or a train approached. 
Being a writer, I could very well imagine the cheers that went up when the horse was finally freed, and I even imagined that poor animal’s distress lessening. I cried.  Reading on, I learned that this same horse had been rescued by her new owners just one month earlier from a slaughter house.  Her life had been spared twice. I cried harder.
The very next day, the mare delivered her filly, and now we’re waiting to hear if the filly will be okay, because the mare was under such stress that it affected her baby’s health. Please say a prayer.
The national news picked this story up because of its human interest appeal, just as it is now reporting on the baby beluga whale  up in Alaska that got separated from its mom and is now in jeopardy.  Experts from all over the country are flying in to try to save the baby.
If you haven’t seen the movie, BIG MIRACLE, I urge you to rent it. It’s about how this country came together in 1988 to save 3 stranded whales in Alaska. And that’s the point of this blog. I find it utterly amazing and somehow redeeming to see people of all sorts pull together to save an animal’s life. I’ll bet every one of those people who gathered to help that pregnant mare went home changed in some small way.
Do those kinds of stories capture your heart or attention? What is it in our nature that makes it so? 

Did I Fall Off the Stupid Truck?

by Leann

Many of you who follow our blog know we have our house for sale. You can imagine how excited we were to get more than one offer right away. We chose what we thought was the best deal. We signed an earnest money contract. We started packing with a fury. We made plans on how we would accomplish our impending move.

There were red flags, there was fine print. I didn't ask the right questions. Not once but twice the prospective buyers had me drop what I was doing so they could "look again." On one of the occasions, I was in the middle of grocery shopping and though I wasn't finished, I checked out, rushed home, hurriedly gathered my pets and crammed them into the car so my presence would not be felt. (Don't want people to actually think we LIVE in our house, after all.) Then, four days later, after we believed everything was settled, I got another call. The buyer wanted another look.

That's when I got that sick feeling in my stomach that all was not as I thought it was. But though I had just come from the chiropractor because dragging litter boxes and a big cat into my car numerous times--oh, and dealing with a very strong little hyper dog--had taken a toll on my body, I did as I was told. Cat, dog, crate, litter box all went into my car and off I went to wait out this latest "has to be right now" visit. The call that the "contract has been terminated by the buyer" came shortly after. They found something better.

Great. I didn't understand the little "option" clause that basically said for $100 we would be required to take our house off the market while the buyers who put their names on a contract were free to keep shopping. In other words, we got jerked around. The contract meant everything to us and nothing to them.

This has been a problem for me all my life. I believe people will do the right thing, will act with integrity and will consider how their actions affect others. These people used the law to their advantage. They got what they wanted. I hope they bought a wonderful house. What they won't have, nor do they deserve, is an awesome house that has withstood storms and hurricanes, has been filled with laughter and joy and a loving family for more than twenty years.

This is a good karma house. For those people, karma might end up being a bitch. And, for the happy ending, we got a better offer 2 days later from people who fell in love with this good karma house immediately. Everything happens for a reason. :-)

How about you? Did you have a major disappointment that in the end turned out to be the best thing that could have happened? I'd love to hear.

Mixing Genres - Does It Work or Do Readers Want More of the Same?

By Ellery Adams

There's something a little daunting about writing a novel that crosses genre lines.

If you think about how a bookstore or library is organized, the categories are very defined: Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Fiction & Literature, etc.

Before I began writing Pies and Prejudice, the first book in my all-new charmed pie shoppe series, I thought about why I like to prepare food so much and I decided that it's the blending of unique ingredients that makes the experience so rich and rewarding.

I was terrified to combine a culinary mystery with fantasy elements and a sprinkling of romance because I'd never done it before. And what if it didn't do a good job right and it came out of the book-making factory looking and feeling like two-day-old fish? I was scared, but I really wanted to stretch my wings as a writer so I gave it a shot.

I know many of you read beyond the mystery genre. But I was wondering if you've read a book recently that combined more than one genre and really impressed you?

Free for thee

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

After a lot of messing about, my first published novel, Murder On The Mind,  is FREE for download on Kindle, iTunes, Kobo, and Smashwords.  (Don't feel bad those of you with Nooks or Sony E Readers, you can download the appropriate file for your reader by going to Smashwords!)

It took a LOT of finagling to get the book free, including asking friends (and even a few strangers on Facebook) to get Amazon to lower the price.  So, if you've got a reader -- feel free to download.  (Sorry, those of you in Europe, but readers with Kindles in the U.K. -- go for it!)  Tell your friends to download the story.  I dare you!

Wait, you're probably saying, by allowing THOUSANDS of people to download the story, aren't you losing a LOT OF MONEY?

It's a gamble.  I'm betting that 90% of those people who download the story will never buy the rest of the books in the series, but if 10% of them buy the books, they might tell their friends, who might tell their friends, and FINALLY the books will finally find an audience. 

This blog attracts cozy readers, and we're forever grateful for that.  But some of us cut our teeth in other (sub)genres.  Did you know that Kate Collins and Maggie Sefton both started out as historical romance authors? Heather Webber wrote romances, too. Besides the Queen Bee mysteries, Deb Baker has two other series under her belt.  Before she wrote the Cats in Trouble mysteries, Leann Sweeney wrote the Yellow Rose Mysteries.  Ellery Adam has always written cozies -- but under two other names (J.B. Stanley and Jennifer Stanley).  Julie Hyzy's first series was the Alex St. James Mysteries (and she also writes darker mysteries under the name N.C. Hyzy--NC for "not cozy").

So if you're game to try our other writing, it's all out there waiting for you.  But first -- give Jeff a chance.  Why not?  The story is up there for free!
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P.S.  In case you hadn't heard, the 6th entry in the Booktown Mystery series is now available.  You can find it here.

A Fun Test...

by Julie Hyzy

Don't worry, I haven't lost my marbles. Not yet, at least. I know it's Thursday. Read on...

I make no secret of the fact that I'm a synesthete. That is, I have the condition known as synesthesia. It's not a bad thing - in fact, I'm quite happy about it. In my growing-up family, I was the only one who had this (not that we knew there was a name for it back then) but I'm delighted to say that our youngest daughter has the condition too.

In case you're unaware, synesthetes have an unusual brain connection that associates unrelated concepts with color. There are other synesthetes who have connections with smells, tastes, etc, but my daughter and I are grapheme synesthetes and color is our thing. You can read more about it on this Wikipedia page, but I have to admit, looking at the graphic they have posted there is positively painful. When letters and numbers are the "wrong" colors (to my mind), it drives me bonkers. I actually had to cover the graphic with my hand while I copied the URL.

Let me give you a for instance: To me, Monday is red. As is the letter J, which makes my name red, mostly. The number 1 is white and 6 is red, so for me 16 turns up as pink. But it isn't always that clear cut. I see Wednesday as yellow, but my daughter disagrees. We've had some fun arguments about which numbers and which colors correlate. And we only discovered that this condition had a name about four years ago.

Anyway.... as you may also know, our eldest daughter is an artist. She recently shared a link with me to a test that measures the participant's color acuity. It only takes a few minutes, and the results won't to do much to either enhance or trouble your life, but it's fun.

Our eldest achieved a pretty remarkable score of 7. The lower the score, the better and I think the highest (worst) score is 1520. I took the test and managed a zero. Woo-hoo, perfect hue acuity. My youngest then took it and also got a zero. I wonder if our synesthesia makes us extra aware of color, too? I'm betting that has a lot to do with our perfect scores.

If you're interested, here's a link to the test.

COLOR ACUITY TEST

It only takes a few minutes. If you take it, post your score. It'll be fun to share!

And, because we Cozy Chicks love to celebrate new books for all of release week, let me send a shout out to my blog-sisters Ellery Adams and Lorraine Bartlett who - I know - are happy to have these great new titles to share with readers. If you haven't already, please consider picking up their new books. The first week of activity makes all the difference when publishers need to decide on contracts and print runs and publicity ... well, a lot of things! If you enjoy these authors (and who wouldn't?) let's show them some Cozy Love~



MURDER ON THE HALF SHELF

PIES AND PREJUDICE

Happy 4th From The Cozy Chicks

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

American Potato Salad 

5 lb. red potatoes, boiled, cooled, cut into small pieces (with or without skins)
5 green onions, chopped
¾ cup chives, chopped
1 cup+ real mayo
Salt and pepper to taste
6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, chopped

Combine potatoes, onions, chives, mayo, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Fold in eggs. Refrigerate for several hours until chilled.

Enjoy Your Day and Stay Safe!

Updates + New Release Day

by Maggie Sefton


Hi, everyone.  I wanted to give you a  quick update on the Colorado wildfires.  Thanks to all those brave firefighters who put their lives at risk to save people's homes and our mountains, the High Park wildfire northwest of Fort Collins is now 95+% contained.  It's been cold and out completely on the eastern edges of the fire zone, closest to Fort Collins, for a week now.  Last week, all of the people who had been evacuated were allowed back into their neighborhoods and back to their homes---or what was left of them.  258 homes were burned.  That's out of 87,000 acres.  So, you can see what a fantastic job the firefighters did in protecting lives and property.  Only one person died in the High Park fire.  An older woman in the Rist Canyon area (called Bellevue Canyon in the Kelly Flynn Mysteries).  They think she didn't pay attention to the phone alerts.

On the other hand, the horrible wildfire burning near Colorado Springs is still only 30% contained.  Over 350 homes have been lost as well as two lives---a husband and wife.  And this wildfire is right on the edge of Colorado Springs, the second largest city in Colorado!  Frightening.  We all have friends and/or relatives or loved ones in that area.  Just as so many people had friends/relatives/loved ones in the High Park wildfire area.  These wildfires affect us all.  This late spring and summer heat wave has been brutal.  We've had upper 90s and into 100s since June began.  And these last two weeks, half of the entire U.S. has been sweltering with those same temps.  And they have humidity!!  Yikes!  I remember how dreadful that was.  Share with us what's happening where you are.  Are you sweltering?  Or comfortably warm and relaxed?  Tell us.

Meanwhile----don't forget to check out two of our Cozy Chicks' latest releases.  Ellery Adams has the first in her new series, the Charmed Pie Shoppe series, released today, July 3rd:  PIES AND PREJUDICE.  Check it out.  www.amazon.com/Pies-Prejudice-Charmed...

And Lorraine Bartlett, who has the Booktown Mystery series as Lorna Barrett, has her 5th book out, MURDER ON THE HALF SHELF, and it's in hardcover for the first time.     www.amazon.com/Murder-Half-Shelf-Book...   


So, please take a look at both and support our Cozy Chicks!

Wanted: TV Advice for a Puzzled Shopper

by Kate Collins

 Dateline USA: Writer needs advice as to where to shop for TVs, which TV to shop for, and when to buy. Please send replies to me, here, now. Please?
I’m in the market, or will be soon, for a new TV for my bedroom. I was thinking of getting something in the 32-37” range and thought picking one out would be a simple decision. That was until I started reading up on it. Consumer Reports has always been my go-to source, so I read their March 2012 article on TVs.  Now I’m more confused than ever. Here’s why.
First, do I buy LCD or plasma? Lots of choices if I want LCD, but viewing the picture from one side could be a problem. Plasma sets don’t have that problem. They also don’t come in small sizes very often. So basically, I’m limited to LCD. Right?
Second, is the ratings. The top TV brands for 32” sets was different than the top brands for 37” sets.  Why is that? If LG makes the best 37”, wouldn’t it just seem that they’d also rate as well in all sizes? Ha. Not so.  Thus, in order to get one of the highest ranked sets, or alternatively, not one that’s rated low, I’ll have to take my magazine with me.
Third is where to buy.  CS’s article in the June 2012 issue on the best places to buy electronics listed local appliance stores first, hhgregg second, and I don’t remember after that. My brain was on overload. Maybe Amazon. But what if there’s a problem with the set? What does Amazon do?
Fourth, there are way more brands, many that I’ve never even heard of, being sold than are listed in the ratings guide. Colby? Where did that come from?
Fifth, should I wait for holiday sales or just watch the fliers that come with the newspaper? Is there a better time to buy?
So here I sit, waiting for your helpful advice. Anyone buy a TV lately? Work in an appliance store? Have any recommendations? I would greatly appreciate the help. 

Burgers with a twist

by Lucy Arlington
To continue what I began last month, I am featuring another recipe from The Cozy Chicks Kitchen. This month, I share with you a recipe by Ellery Adams, whose new book Pies and Prejudice, will be released on Tuesday.
Like many women at my phase of life (ahem), my weight and fitness level are not where they should be. So I have decided that this summer is my season for becoming healthier. I’ve begun exercising every day, eating fewer sweets and treats, and include more fish and plant based foods in my meals. I still eat meat, just a lot less, and have found that I quite like many vegetarian dishes. My husband, however, is not entirely on board with that plan. He loves his beef!
The other day I made these Black Bean Burgers out of the Cozy Chicks Cookbook. I served them just like a “real” burger, on a bun (multi-grain, of course) topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions. My husband eyed his warily, but when he took a bite, his face lit up and he said in a surprised voice, “These are really good. I don’t even miss the beef!” I topped mine with melted cheese and guacamole. Yummy!
And here’s a tip: Although the recipe says to fry the burgers in oil, they work just as well if you bake them in the oven. Then you cut out much of the fat.
Have you tried any vegetarian recipes that surprised you with their deliciousness?
Black Bean Burgers (by Ellery Adams)
1 15-ounces can black beans, drained1 small onion, chopped1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper¼ cup breadcrumbs1 egg, beaten½ cup shredded cheddar cheese2 cloves fresh garlic, minced¼ teaspoon pepper¼ cup vegetable oil
In a large bowl, mash the black beans. Mix in the onion, jalapeño pepper, crushed breadcrumbs, beaten egg, cheese, and pepper. Divide into 4 equal parts. Shape into patties. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the patties until golden, about 6-8 minutes per side. Top with cheese slices and/or a splash of taco sauce.
Yield:  4 servings

The Summer of Ice Cream

By Ellery Adams

June is National Dairy Month and while I love milk and cheese, they don't hold a candle to the almighty ice cream.

A few fun ice cream facts: The Roman Emperor, Nero, enjoyed ice with bits of crushed fruit. This was the ancient world's form of ice cream.

In times of economic angst, ice cream sales increase. During the Great Depression, the outbreak of WWII, and our recent recession, people have reached for ice cream for  comfort.

I don't eat much ice cream (frozen yogurt, frozen custard, sherbet, gelato, or Popsicles) during the rest of the year, but during the summer I want it nearly every day!

As a country, Americans prefer vanilla over any other flavor. Really? That's so...vanilla!

I've noticed I've gone through ice cream phases in my life. When I was little, my favorite flavor was Pralines 'n Cream by Baskin & Robbins. In my 20s, I was obsessed with Starbuck's Java Chip ice cream.

And now? I can't stop swinging by our local Sweet Frog franchise. I always pick the Original Tart and load fresh berries on top. (Unless I'm feeling naughty and then I'll pick candy and chocolate sauce and skip the fruit)

What's your favorite frozen treat?





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