Kate Collins's Blog, page 279
January 23, 2012
What's Coming Next Month from Two Chicks!
Two more Cozy Chicks will have books released in February! Jennifer Stanley writing as Lucy Arlington (in collaboration with Sylvia May) and Lorraine Bartlett (aka Lorna Barrett and LL Bartlett). These are talented writers and I know you won't be disappointed if you invest in these wonderful cozies. They are available for pre-order, well--EVERYWHERE!!
Oh, and we'd LOVE to hear what you think about these
covers. Do they make you want to visit these characters?
January 22, 2012
In Loving Memory
It's with much sadness I share my sister's sudden passing last week. I will be off-line most of this week, but I will be back next Monday. Hold those you love extra close.
If roses grow in heavenLord, please pick a bunch for me. Place them in my sister's arms and tell her they're from me.
Tell her that I love her and miss her, and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for awhile.
Because remembering her is easy, I do it every day, but there's an ache within my heart that will never go away.
-Author Unknown
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January 21, 2012
When Prescriptions Attack!
by Leann
After three weeks of every miserable respiratory symptom you can think of, I am finally getting better. Both my husband and I were down with this bug--yet "bug" seems too small a word. We were both pretty darn sick, so ill my husband missed a week of work. Since I have asthma, I developed bronchitis almost immediately and the doctor threw everything in the book at the illness. I had an antibiotic shot, a cortisone shot, antibiotic pills and prednisone. After a few days I could breathe without needing my inhaler every fifteen minutes.
But I knew the aftermath was c
oming. I always get depressed after I have a course of prednisone and boy did it hit me Saturday. But I have found a new side effect: stupidity. Since I was crying for no reason and feeling very sorry for myself, I decided to make a batch of cookies. The smell coming from the oven always seems to cheer me up. So, what did I do? I grabbed the hot cookie sheet without a pot holder!! Okay, add burned and blistered fingers to the list of maladies. The joy of cooking became the agony of baking. Add to that, more crying over nothing. At least I tried to cheer myself up!I decided this day was a wash. Before I did anything else in the imbecile department, I chose to sit down (with my delicious cookies) and watch college basketball. It won't upset me and I can't injure myself, right?
How about you? Are there any medicines you absolutely must have or anything you must do--and yet you know there will be unpleasant consequences down the road?[image error]
January 20, 2012
Can you say VACATION?
Around about January, people start dreaming of a warm vacation. I'm usually not one of them. For the most part, I'm pretty happy living here in Western New York.
Of course, my favorite place to vacation is England. Since I no longer fly, that makes the UK as a destination rater a difficult place to go.
So I'm stuck in the Northern Hemisphere. Where would I like to go? (And preferably in warm weather -- because while I fear crashing in a plane, I also fear crashing in a car -- and have done so in winter. NEVER AGAIN!)
How about Mackinack Island in Michigan? Ever since I saw the film Somewhere in Time, I've wanted to go to the Grand Hotel. Sadly, one-night's stay is far above my budget, but a girl can dream, can't she?
Biltmore, in Ashville, NC. Nuff said.
Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Okay, truth be told, I've already been there, but I remember the museum far better than I do Greenfield Village. I must've missed the Cottswold Cottage, but then we may have only spent a morning there, and you need far more than that.
What are you vacation plans for this summer?
January 19, 2012
The First-Ever Cozy Chick Pet of the Month!
Welcome to Kaye Barley - bibliophile, animal lover, and blog hostess to many a mystery writer. You can read more about her (and her dog Harley) at Meanderings and Musings. Today, she'll tell us how she met Harley, her beloved Corgi. The Chicks will send a donation to the ASPCA in Harley's name. Post a comment and we'll add your pet's name to our donation! Donald and I went to the Humane Society in Atlanta the day we came home from our honeymoon to get a kitty. This was to help us during our grieving process for our beloved black kitty Pyewacket whom we had recently lost. We came home with two kitties. Litter mates as different as night and day, but totally devoted to one another. George was with us for 15 years, Martha for 18.
When we lost these sweeties, we didn't think we could ever bring ourselves to go through the heartache of losing another pet. But, it turned out harder than we imagined to come home to a house without a loving furbaby waiting for us after working all day. As soon as we met Harley, our hearts were his. This is a picture of him the day we brought him home from a Corgi breeder who had been recommended. Who could resist this adorable furball with big ears?!
My love for animals extends somewhat into my reading.
When I first discovered Ellery's Books by the Bay series, I was immediately hooked. One of the most
appealing aspects of this series is the bond between Olivia Limoges and her companion, Captain Haviland, a standard poodle of above-average intelligence. This relationship is so realistically written, and so poignant without being forced or over-done that it always manages to touch my soul.My thanks to the Cozy Chicks for inviting me by - I think you all just rock andI'm tickled to be here!
A New Feature! The Cozy Chick Pet-of-the-Month
Animals play such a huge role in most of our lives that we decided to highlight a special pet once a month (or every other month, depending on our schedule).A guest will tell us how they met their pet and share the title of the last book they read that featured an animal character.
These posts will benefit needy animals too, because the Chicks will make a donation to the ASPCA in the pet-of-the-month's name.
We hope you enjoy these posts and get to add to your TBR list at the same time!
January 18, 2012
An Intro to Handguns (From a Gal Who Knows Nothing about Handguns)
Ellery AdamsWith my sixteenth published mystery novel, Buried in a Book (written under the penname Lucy Arlington) coming out this February, I've killed lots and lots of people in print. They've been strangled, poisoned, electrocuted, stabbed, hung, drugged, pushed down stairs, drowned, etc.
What I've avoided thus far is death by gunshot. Why? Because I don't know much about guns. True, I don't know what it's like to be choked to death either, but I can find an answer to most medical questions at our local hospital (my husband works there and most of the doctors are used to seeing me, notebook in hand, grilling a pathologist or cardiologist in order to get my facts straight).
Guns are trickier. They have calibers and specific ranges and particular bullets and grips and firing patterns. And I have no idea what they really feel like to hold or sound like when they're being fired. Knowing Hollywood action films and TV cop shows, what I've seen on the big screen isn't very accurate. One can research guns like any other subject, but I like to do firsthand research, so I called the closest shooting range and made an appointment for a private lesson. (Not for the Bullets and Beer event, however!)
My first impression was of the noise. Guns are loud, folks. The gunshots you hear on TV are muted. And a big gun, like a rifle, machine gun, or shotgun, is really loud. Even wearing headphones, I was surprised by how loud the guns I shot were.
Because the character in my upcoming pie shop series (written under the name Ellery Adams and due out in July) is going to start toting around a concealed weapon, I wanted to find the perfect handgun for her. Therefore, I fired several handguns to see which felt the most comfortable and I ended up picking the Colt .45 (the gun with the wood on its handle).
Turns out, I'm a decent shot. I killed that paper mugger but good (only missed him twice) but I was so horrible at loading the magazines for the Smith and Wesson M&P 9 and the Colt .45 that I would have been dead a thousand times over if speed was a requirement in a gunfight. The Smith and Wesson Model 60 was a revolver and easy to load, but I tended to jerk the trigger a bit when I fired and therefore shot my mugger in the gut instead of in the face or in the heart.
And speaking of hearts, mine was hammering throughout the whole lesson. The noise, the power of the bullet exploding from the gun, the shells flying through the air, the smoke rising to the rafters, the smell of gunpowder—it was all strange and new and both terrifying and exciting.
My instructor was amazing. He taught me loads about gun safety, maintenance, various weapons' ranges, and shooting posture. He even gave me a run-down on different ammunition and which guns most women prefer. The guy was a font of gun wisdom.
Am I am expert now? Not by a long shot. (ha, ha) But am I going to know exactly how my heroine feels when she handles that Colt .45? You bet.
Have you ever fired a gun? Ever wanted to?
January 17, 2012
Love That Mac and Cheese
Snow is falling and tonight the fire will be crackling. Now all I need to complete the picture is a big bowl of mac and cheese. Boxed or homemade, I love it all. But I'm a purist. Don't you dare add cauliflower or shrimp or peas or…well…Maine lobster might work…or bacon. No really, I like my pasta and cheese without any foreign objects.Give it to me with Velvetta or Brie, Cheddar or Parmigiano, or add three or four kinds. Give it to me with Cheese Whiz or Gouda or Ricotta. I love them all.
Creamy golden on the inside, crisp and crunchy on the top. Yum.
And some day down the road, when they finally come and take me away to the old folks home, I better get my mac and cheese, or else. Just saying.
And how do you like yours?
January 16, 2012
Losing A Good Friend
by Maggie SeftonLast Thursday I had a shock. A jolt I wasn't expecting. A mystery novelist friend called me from Southern California and told me my dear friend and colleague, Diana James, had died suddenly. I was so shocked I had trouble finding words. "What happened? Was it a car accident?" were my first thoughts. No, it was not. It was a pulmonary embolism. It happened so suddenly that Diana's husband, mystery author Darrell James, had no warning. Ambulances came at the first call, but Diana passed quickly after arriving at the hospital.
It was a trag
ic, out-of-nowhere, no warning occurrence that snuffed out a smart, vivacious, bright, hard-working, sweet, kind, and lovely woman. . .and a dear, dear friend. I still can't believe her light is gone from our world. Diana and I were planning to chat via phone that Thursday afternoon. How I wish we had been able to talk before. Diana and Darrell had been busy promoting Darrell's first mystery, NAZARETH CHILD, which came out just this last September. www.darrelljames.com
Those of us who were fortunate enough to know Diana will miss her and the light she brought with her. We miss you already, Diana.
Attention: Call or email your friends today. Don't wait. There are no guarantees they will be around tomorrow. Take care, everyone.
He Made A Difference
Today is a holiday to celebrate a man who made a difference because he had a dream.
What's your dream?[image error]
