Kate Collins's Blog, page 340

An App For Homeless Animals And a Contest for You

Finally, amid all the Facebook games, quizzes, and profile badges is an app that actually enables real cups of food to be served to homeless animals waiting for adoption.

I first discovered the Save A Cat application and began fostering kitties in local shelters a few months ago. Here's how it works: You log on each day, pet your animal, scratch their ears, and send them to friends to co-foster. Before you know it, your virtual attention has earned the real animal a real cup of food.

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Location, Location

Last weekend we (okay, really it was my alter ego, Hannah Reed, and her friends) had a lively discussion on Facebook about settings in cozy mysteries. We all agreed that the most important element regarding location is the feeling we get about the place. It should come to life, become a unique character in the story. That's what we want.

Small towns won almost all the votes over big cities. We wanted water - sea, lake, or river. East coast ruled over west (not sure why. Maybe more facebook fri...

On the Road. . .uh, In the Air, Again

Wow. . .June is almost over, and it's been a whirlwind. SKEIN OF THE CRIME came out June 1st, and I've been on the move ever since. I've barely had time to slow down to catch my breath. I've made sure to update everyone on what I've been doing and where I've been going on my weekly Cozy Chicks blog post and my daily updates on Facebook. Have to admit, it's been really, really convenient to keep readers and bloggers updated on what's been happening with the Facebook addition.
Once again...

Meatloaf – a Metaphor for Life

I ordered meatloaf at a restaurant the other night, not that ordering meatloaf is such a startling event, but as I ate it, I reflected on my personal meatloaf odyssey and how it paralleled my own journey into adulthood.

Isn't it amazing how a few glasses of a good Cabernet opens one's mind to such revelations?

SPOILER: Meatloaf recipe included.

As a child, I disliked meatloaf. My mother, bless her heart, had zero imagination when it came to cooking. Meatloaf was ground beef, a can of cream of to...

Favorite Author, Not So Favorite Book

by Leann

We all have our favorite authors. You know, the writers whose books you buy the minute they come out--hardback, paperback, doesn't matter. I have a few of those and I am not naming names. That's because I'm not a reviewer, I'm a reader. We've all been disappointed by our favorites at times, but then we keep coming back.

One of mine has a new release and I am seeing something in the last three books that I don't like. The writing is still excellent, don't get me wrong, but writing and s...

Cozy Chick Central

By Lorna

Did you know that the Cozy Chicks send out bookmarks to our readers?  Well, we do.  There's a little announcement up on the right, and we also have a "page" devoted on the blog to tell readers about it.  (All you have to do is send an email to cozychicks@gmail.com with your full name and address and we'll pop them in the mail to you.  But please, if you've already requested them (some people have requested them up to three times) give someone else a chance. Thanks.)

I'm the keep...

Picky Eater?

By Heather

Does every family have a picky eater? Mine does. A couple of them. Including, well, me.

There are things I'm just plain stubborn about trying—not sure why, I just am. Things like okra, eggplant, liver, ugli fruit, lamb (no, no, definitely no, ugh, and that face!).

And I'm really picky about flavors. I like it or I don't. There's very little wiggle room. I'm definitely not a fan when a company decides to tinker with a recipe. For years we used Fleischmann's margarine, then one week it...

My Inner Redneck

Yep, I've got one. I like cowboy boots, plaid shirts, riding lawn mowers, wearing jeans everywhere, country music, and BBQ of all kinds.
But here's where it really shows. For years, I've fantasized about owning a very specific vehicle. When people discuss their dream cars, you'll often hear names like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mustang, Mini, etc.
Not me. While I was on a walk yesterday, my dream car passed by. Being that it's a 1967 Bronco -topless of course - this has never...

Friendships and Recipes Go Hand in Hand

Once a week, early in the morning, I meet a group of women at a local family-owned coffee shop. Sometimes there are only three or four of us. Sometimes, when everyone can make it, we might have eight or nine. We share family stories, health concerns, tips and tricks.

But it never takes long for talk to turn to food - a new restaurant, a discovered recipe, what's for dinner.

Tomorrow when we get together, I'm going to tell them about my dinner club coming up on Saturday.
The menu is...

Artistry In the Land of Lincoln

That's right. I'm here in Illinois, staying with old friends and promoting the new release in the Kelly Flynn Knitting Mysteries, SKEIN OF THE CRIME. I spent Friday evening and all day Saturday in the middle of Illinois farm country at Toulon, Illinois, for their all day author and fiber event. They had knitters, spinners, weavers, and fiber workers scattered all over town giving demonstrations of their artistry and sharing their mutual love of fiber. That was after a great big breakfast ...