Kate Collins's Blog, page 286

Announcing: Pies & Prejudice!

So you all know that I love to bake! I love it! Naturally, I wanted to write a series about a woman who loves animals, food, and has a magic touch when it comes to pies. And I mean the magic part literally. At long last, I've seen the cover of the first book, which is due out in July. The little Jack Russell is Charleston Chew (Chewy for short) and that's the interior of Ella Mae LeFaye's pie shop, The Charmed Pie Shoppe.
What do you think?

Christmas CD Wishlist

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed

My Christmas CDs are out of storage! I'm sorting through them, picking out my favorites. I guess I'm old fashioned, haven't moved to MP3 downloads. A few of the ones I like the most are:

Alan Jackson – Let It Be Christmas
Ally McBeal – Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas
Diane Krall – Christmas Songs
Josh Groban – Noel

I have lots more than that – Celtic, Jazz, the Chipmunks….

This year I'm going to add one new CD to the mix, but I'm torn between several. Here's my wishlist:

Michael Buble – Christmas  - #1 in the Amazon store - he sings Cry Me A River, but can he top Robert Downey, Jr's anguished rendition on the Ally CD?

M. Ward - A Very She & Him Christmas - the cover calls to me (you can buy individual downloads for 99 cents each).

Carole King – A Holiday Carole - I loved Tapestry!
 
What a tough decision. I might have to add all three.
I have so many questions for you:
What are your favorites?Have you listened to the three on my wish list and can you recommend?Do you do MP3 downloads and if so, what do you think?[image error]

Dru's Cozy Report: November Reading List

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

Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab is the first book in the new "Mind For Murder" mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, November 2011

When Liz Cooper's friend Robin Bloom finds an unusual tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz writes it off as a prank. Robin refuses to ignore the omen—her late husband drew the same card, the three of swords, in a reading the night before he was killed in a car accident. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone very dangerous is upping the ante. Liz turns to her brother's ex-college roommate, occult expert Nick Garfield. As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the deck, she can't ignore their attraction to each other. Then a woman is found murdered and Robin becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her friend, Liz joins forces with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer.

What a great debut! Tarot cards, spells, mystical illusions are what non-believer Liz faces when her best friend is accused of murder. Working with an occult expert, Liz determination to clear her friend exposes her to an unknown entity. This well-crafted mystery was a fun read that snagged my attention from the first sentence to the delightful end. The page-turning and could not put down book kept me engaged in the mystery as it unraveled to reveal the killer. The burgeoning friendship and banter between Liz and Nick was entertaining and I can't wait to see how their relationship progresses. The supporting casts are lovable and the snippets of movie dialogues woven into the story were enjoyable. The cards have been played for a long and terrific future for this charming and appealing entry into the cozy mystery genre.

Visit Rochelle at www.rochellestaab.com

FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book

Desperate Housedogs by Sparkle Abbey is the first book in the new "Pampered Pets" mystery series. Publisher: BelleBooks, November 2011

When Caro Lamont, former psychologist turned pet therapist makes a house call to help Kevin Blackstone with his two misbehaving German Shepherd dogs, she expects frantic dogs, she expects a frantic dog owner, she even expects frantic neighbors. What she doesn't expect is that two hours later the police will find Kevin dead, his dogs impounded; and that as the last person to see Kevin alive (well, except for the killer) she is suddenly a person of interest, at least according to Homicide Detective Judd Malone.

What a good read to a debut series. Caro begins an investigation when at first she is a suspect in a client's murder but later someone dear to her becomes the prime suspect and she'll have to find a killer before their dog days are over. This was a joy to read. The tone was light and the mystery of who and why kept me turning the pages. Set in sunny California among the pampered set, Caro has to delve into her client's past to find a killer who will stop at nothing to keep a secret buried. I liked how evenly this story flowed between Caro searching for clues and getting to know Caro and her friends. With amusing banter and comedic antics, this is a wonderful beginning and I hope this enjoyable series continues.

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors, Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter and you can visit them at www.sparkleabbey.com

Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade is the first book in the new "Pret' Near Perfect" mystery series. Publisher: Midnight Ink, November 2011

In bucolic small-town Vermont, Stella Thornton Buckley feels out of her element—and not just because she's fresh from Manhattan. Mere hours after moving to maple syrup country, she and her husband, Nick, find a dead man, Allen Weston, in their well. The police investigation forces the couple out of their lovely farmhouse and—since the motels are packed with leafpeepers—into a less than luxurious deer camp. Instead of mourning the loss of electricity and running water, Stella and Nick drive their Smart Car all over the Vermont hamlet to question the quirky locals about Weston, a shrewd businessman who rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way. Stella and Nick may never shed their flatlander reputation, but they just might be able to make a few friends and help Sheriff Mills solve a murder.

What a great start! Stella and Nick are excited to move into their new home until a ghastly discovery and now they are homeless. At a loss, this husband and wife team decides a little sleuthing will help free their home, but will it find a killer? This was a fun-filled, fast-paced and nicely-written who-dun-it that I did not want to put down. This was a good mystery that had me involved in following the clues, but I also enjoyed the relationship and witty repartee between Stella and Nick that kept me turning the pages. I love the eccentric and lovable secondary casts and the small-town atmosphere of this charming and delightful series and I look forward to a very long visit with the Buckleys.

Visit Amy at http://amypatriciameade.com

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Follow Your Bliss!

by Kate Collins

I almost titled this, "Paralyzed by Fear", butthat sounded too negative, and I want this to be positively uplifting.  Justso you know, I'm using the word bliss to reference what makes us happy in life,what makes us want to get up in the morning, what fulfills us as human beings.
Stalled careers are a big problem amongwriters both published and unpublished. I've met people who want to bepublished, who have the ability to write, but can't bring themselves to sendtheir work out to a publishing house for fear of rejection. I've met talentedmusicians and artists with the same problem. I've also met authors who aren't making it in the genre they're in and need to try something new, but are frozen. (That happened to me before I went into mysteries). The only thing keeping them fromachieving their bliss is fear. They are afraid to trust their talent. They'reafraid of how bad rejection will feel. They're afraid they'll be humiliated. Asksuccessful writers/artists/musicians about those fears and they will tell youthey had to let go of them or they never would have made it.
Being out in the public as much as I am, Iencounter so many people who are stuck in a cloud of fear and negativity --from stalled careers, money troubles, relationship issues, parenting problems,and on and on. But then I see others who have had the same or worse tribulationsand still found ways to find their bliss. I've heard unbelievably touchingstories of people who've come from some of the worst conditions in the world –impoverished villages in Africa, dangerous ghettos, prisons—who made theirdreams happen against all odds. Their secret was that they never stopped believingin themselves.  
Believing gives you the power toachieve. Letting fear take hold keeps you from achieving. You have to ignore fear,push it aside, and say to yourself, "I want to do this. I will do this. If Iget rejected, that doesn't mean I failed. It means I have to do better. I willlearn from this and try again." That's what I call success. After all, what isthe worst that can happen? You may discover that your talent lies elsewhere.But how will you know unless you try?  Asin a quote I read recently, failure isn't trying and not succeeding, failure isnot trying at all.
Write down your goals on a piece of paper andpost them where you can see them. Meditate or pray about them every day. If yourgut is telling you to go for it, if a little whisper in your mind is saying, "Writethat book!" or "Get that song published," or "change careers," don't ignore it. Those gut feelings,or whispers, are coming from a higher power. Listen. Let go of your fears andseek your bliss.
If you haven't found your bliss, what fears are holding you back? What would it take to make you let them go?

When Good Men Do Nothing ... Are They "Good?"

by Leann

As someone who, as school nurse for 20 years, reported suspected child abuse and neglect more times than I can count, I am saddened but not surprised by the unfolding events at Penn State University. I heard every excuse why a teacher or an aide or an administrator or a school volunteer didn't think they should report the obvious when a child came to them injured or afraid. But for the most part, when I told them they must report it and told them the reasons why, nine times out of ten these people changed their mind. See, it's just the right thing to do. Simple. Plus, in Texas, if you fail to report abuse, you will be prosecuted. You are accountable.

What's in the news now isn't about a college sport icon, it isn't about a university program where athletes are treated like heroes, it's about doing the right thing for the right reasons. But like with the Catholic church's failures, absolute power corrupts absolutely. It can create a moral vacuum. College sports are about god-like coaches and stadium churches where the faithful go to worship. What happens in a locker room shower (or behind an altar) must not interfere with this religion.

But now it has. Eight years after someone actually witnessed a child rape. As a past and frequent reporter of child abuse, having an eye witness to a child rape is almost unheard of. Yet there it was. And so it was told. And then it was put away because that child's torture wasn't important enough to disrupt the holy game. The fact that the alleged abuser committed his crime on university property speaks volumes, speaks to the culture created when good men (or women) do nothing. Apparently this alleged abuser felt certain no one would send him to jail where he belonged--and where I hope he ends up.

I was threatened more than once by parents or caregivers after I reported child abuse. I was trapped alone in my office by an abuser who was more than a little annoyed that I had reported his brand of "discipline" to child protective services. I wasn't afraid and I didn't even care if he hurt me. I have to live with me forever and if I let down one child who needed someone to protect them, I could never live myself. But then, I was just a nurse. No, I was just an honest, caring human being who knows right from wrong.

The Edmund Burke quote in its entirety needs stating here: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Evil exists. If you see it, know of it, hear about it, please do something.

If you came for a cozy blog, I know I didn't deliver that today. But I couldn't keep silent. I'm not that kind of person.

A Dangerous Time Of Year To Shop . . .

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

Yesterday I went to the grocery store and was visually assaulted with the incredible amount of stuff there is to satisfy the holiday taste buds.  Stuff you ONLY see this time of year.

Down every single aisle there was something that made me salivate like Pavlov's dog.

OMG!!!
 
The cakes.

The cookies.

The candy.  (Like Terry's chocolate oranges.)

The cheese logs.

The snowflake-shaped crackers.

The holiday Coke.  

And there were toys, and Christmas CDs, and Christmas jewelery (oops, I kinda already got suckered into two impulse buys in that aisle--a very cute pin and a necklace and earring set), stocking stuffers (like the incredibly BEAUTIFUL blank journals), and wrapping paper, and bows, and ornaments, and plants, and egg nog, and holiday chocolate-covered pretzel rods with red-and-green jimmies . . .  the list goes on and on (and on and on).

I was there with Mr. L, who hates to shop and especially hates to shop at Christmastime.

Um . . . I may have to go back on my own just to take it all in.

Do you end up buying a lot of stuff just because it's only around for a limited time?

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My latest Jeff Resnick story is now available.  It's called When The Spirit Moves You.  You can find out more about it by clicking this link!

Welcome to...

Heather Webber / Heather Blake

This past weekend I was reminded of the episode of Little House on the Prairie, where Mrs. Oleson renamed the town Olesonville.

Why was I thinking about such a random episode? Because of this:


Mr. W was driving through Michigan and came across this town. And it's spelled right! I can't even tell you how many times people spell Webber as Weber. Way too many too count.

It was such a nice discovery, and we joked all weekend about how we should move there and claim it as our own, but alas, we're staying put.

So what I want to know is:
Do you know of a town with your same name?
How often is your last name misspelled?
And don't you just love Little House on the Prairie?
And how cool is today's date? 11/11/11 Love it.

Guest Blogger Betty Hechtman on The Secrets to Writing Success

Betty's book You'd Better Knot Die was this month's selection in Ellery's Cozy Mystery Contest. Congrats to Anna Derlaga for winning a $20 ecard! And now, here's Betty!

I saw the actual copy of my sixth crochet mystery, Behind the Seams, for the first time when I went to the first Barnes & Noble yesterday, to sign stock. I had seen the physical book of the fifth in the series, You Better Knot Die, when it came out in hardcover last November, but it was the first time I was seeing the paperback edition.

Two books coming out at one time! Sometimes I feel like looking behind me to see who this all really is happening to. It couldn't be me.

This is all a dream come true. Just a few years ago, I was ready to pass on the book I'd bought that gave hints about promoting your first novel. I was ready to admit that maybe the fat lady had sung and the book thing just wasn't going to happen for me.

In college, I wrote a weekly column in the student newspaper. Later I saw my pieces in newspapers and magazines. I had mini mysteries and short romances published in Woman's World. I wrote several scripts. One was a winner in the Writers' Digest contest and one I actually got paid for.

But the real achievement is having a book with your name on it, preferably in bookstores everywhere.

I wrote my first story when I was about eleven. It involved, Lily and Violet, two fairies who lived in a loaf-shaped rural mailbox and used walnut shells to haul water. My father was a writer and after reading my story, encouraged me and offered a lot of tips. He worked on magazines, did editing, wrote seven non fiction books and paid the bills by teaching high school English. Several of his books were on Chicago artists and used copies are still available on the Internet. It is kind of cool that even though he died years and years before the Internet started, he is still part of it.

The first tip my father gave me was that there would be a lot of rejection involved, but not to take it to heart. He taught me how to submit to magazines. In those days, you sent a self addressed stamped envelope along with your submission. If it was a rejection, it came back in your envelope. If it was an acceptance, it came back in one of theirs. Not that I saw any of those for a long time. Then my father told me the real secret to writing success. Don't give up.

So, even though I thought the Fat Lady might have done her number, I still kept sending my manuscript out. Each time I mailed it, as I dropped it into the mailbox, I thought maybe this time it wouldn't come back in my envelope. And then it happened. I got a call instead of my envelope and Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti's Necklace (a ten and above mystery) became a book. A few months later I decided to mix mystery with crochet and two publishers wanted a series.

Some advice never gets old and is always true. Just don't give up.

I'm in Love with Castle

by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed

Look at that face. How could I not? Castle is in its fourth season and I'm hanging on every single episode. If you aren't familiar with the series, Richard Castle is a famous mystery author who shadows a female detective for plot material. He also is secretly (not so secretly to viewers) in love with Beckett (the detective). To give him more depth, he's going through those difficult teenage years with his daughter and his mother lives with them.

I started thinking of qualities in men, those most important to me. In my imagination, Castle is the perfect man, the kind most of us dream about.

What makes him lovable in my starry eyes? He's charming (with those little boy looks), funny, loyal to a fault (I'm not sure Beckett deserves his ultra-focused attention), cool, calm, honest, respectful, smart, he isn't afraid to reveal his feminine side, and he's good to his mom and daughter.

Yup, that's about it. Just love the guy. Check him out on Monday nights on ABC.
And why not try one of his books. Heat Rises is the latest in his Nikki Heat suspense thrillers. (Yes there really are books authored by Castle.)

Do you watch Castle? Do you agree with my assessment? Who's your favorite dream man?

Celebrating Accomplishments

by Maggie Sefton


As I've mentioned previously on the blog, my daughter Serena was in the lastest Astronaut Class 2009 selection. Last Friday all nine members of the team had their "graduation" at Johnson Space Center near Houston, TX. Families and friends gathered from all over to celebrate the Class of 2009's accomplishment. I was glad to see that all three of Serena's sisters were able to fly in from other parts of the country as well as their dad. We're all so proud of her.



For these past two+ years, she and her eight fellow team members have been going through rigorous and demanding training in order to graduate from Astronaut Candidates to full-fledged Astronauts. They studied space shuttle systems, operations, and everything involved with the International Space Station. In addition, all nine of the team were expected to attain intermediate fluency in Russian (as the Russian cosmonauts must do in English). They each had hours and hours of language training with native-born Russian teachers.


They also had to train extensively for EVA or Extra-Vehicular Activities. Space Walks. In order to train under similar conditions of weighlessness, they had to suit up in a bulky suit and be lowered by crane into this enormous NASA pool---50 ft deep and as long and wide as a football field. And there are ISS modules below the water similar to what they would find on the space station. Many of the family guests got to take a special NASA tour around JSC. That pool is simply stunning. I've never seen one that deep or so blue. No color is used on pool walls or water. The water is extremely pure and the lights in the ceiling above send the entire color spectrum. The water captures the blue spectrum and reflects all the other colors. Isn't that fascinating? Serena said the tasks each of them had to perform under water in order to pass the EVA tests were extremely demanding due to the difficulty in moving within those bulky suits. There are trained divers that accompany them in case there's a problem. The divers just float along beside and watch them struggle through the tasks. I've seen the videos of these sessions, and they do look grueling.


Also, all of the team members had to complete tons and tons of flight hours in the NASA T-38 jet. I posted photos of Serena and fellow teammate "Two Fish" (aka Jack Fisher) with the jet earlier this year when I got to see them at a Denver-area airport. There are three team members from the military who are already flyers so they do the "front seat" flying for the rest of the team. But---each non-flyer member is taught how to fly--from the start with smaller trainers all the way to the jet. And in every flight they take each week, they are "handed" the controls at some point and fly. They will continue that training ad infinitum along with the EVA training. Believe me, these astronaut team members will be well-prepared for whatever situations that occur in their missions.

Add to that, the team is constantly on the go on special training sessions elsewhere---studying geology in Arizona and New Mexico, climbing rock faces, doing survival training in New England in the cold weather, visiting their partners in the Canadian Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the European Space Agency. The two Canadian astronaut team members and the three Japanese team members have been present with the NASA nine from the beginning. And they have had to complete all the same training tasks. Think about it: the Japanese team members had to become fluent in Russian while learning in English! Now, that's impressive. Each team member also ha s research assignments in their own specialized areas. Since Serena is a Doctor of Internal Medicine and was a NASA Flight Surgeon for two years before being chosen as an astronaut, her areas focus on medical issues and concerns.

This is the first team that has been chosen by NASA specifically for Space Exploration. This team is being trained for longer duration space missions either on the moon or another planet like Mars. But. . .there are more engineering milestones waiting to be reached before that can happen. Meanwhile, whenever this team gets a chance to catch a "ride" it will be on the Russian Soyuz space capsule. It only seats three, so only one American would be able to ride per trip. That's how we're moving astronauts/cosmonauts and cargo to and from the ISS now and in the near future. Meanwhile. . .there are new companies making progress on the next generaion of American-made rockets and space transport systems and a newer version of a space capsule.


The future is waiting, folks. So, let's all keep dreaming!