Kate Collins's Blog, page 36
May 11, 2019
I Hate Windows 10
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
My computer had been ailing for almost a year. It was coughing up blood and I held my hands over my eyes so I didn't have to witness it's slow-and-steady decline. I would turn it on and the monitor would be black. I would pull the plug, wait a few hours, plug it back in, and it would regain conscientiousness--sometimes for a few months, but two weeks ago, it finally expired.
Luckily, I have a laptop. (In fact, the one I'm typing this on.) It, too, has had problems. Every time Microsoft does a major update, it would lose conscientiousness. I would have to take the battery out and restart (once as many as 11 times over the course of two hours) to try to bring it back to life. It updated a little over a week ago and suddenly everything I seemed to know about it was different. All new sounds--it even took my wallpaper with it. And I got an email from Microsoft saying as of January 2020--they wouldn't be updating it. I should have celebrated. Instead, I pulled out my "new" laptop. And did I mention the tiny screen?
Three (or was it four) years ago, I asked my friend Steven to suggest a new laptop. He's an IT guy and he suggested I get an ASUS laptop. Unbeknownst to me, it came loaded with Windows 8. OMG -- it didn't even have a Start Menu and I had no idea how to do ANYTHING on it. I put it back in the box and it sat under my easy chair gathering dust ... until Monday. Caveat: At some point during those years, I had our computer guy upgrade it to Windows 10 because Microsoft was only going to make that upgrade Free until a certain date. And there it sat, quietly gathering dust.
Monday, I took it out and decided I needed to learn Windows 10. This ASUS fooled me. The Start Menu looked very much like Windows 7. YAY. I successfully loaded some software, but didn't really test it. But on this sort of triumph, I went out and bought a desktop computer.
With help from one of my readers (waving to John P), I bought a computer that had lots of speed and loads of gigabytes of storage, I bought the computer. Welcome back big monitor!!! Only I didn't realize that Dropbox would suddenly dump over 40,000 files onto my (supposedly big) hard drive. Oy -- that took over FOUR HOURS to straighten out (and two online chats with Dropbox).
While that was happening, I tried loading my camera's software, took a few pictures of my cats, and tried to upload them--with NO results. I was online for another two hours trying to figure out how to solve that problem. Apparently some people have had some success, but 90% of Canon owners weren't able to upload their pictures, either. Finally, in desperation, I called the camera shop where I got my camera. (Yes, I bought it in a bricks-and-mortar store.) The helpful "Canon Lady" told me, "just take out the photo card and copy paste those pictures." It's a workaround, but I loved my Canon software that took the pictures, loaded them directly to Dropbox, and labeled the folders by date. That isn't going to happen anymore.
Next up, trying to load my label maker software. The computer opened it with open arms. It's even Windows 10 compatible -- EXCEPT IT NO LONGER WORKS. (Another two-hour time sink looking for options.)
And that's why I'm typing this blog post on my Windows 7 laptop. I KNOW it works. In fact, I've decided to take a few days off from Windows 10 ... unless, of course, this computer starts coughing up blood, too.
Did I mention how much I LOATHE Windows 10?
What was your experience (supposedly) upgrading to Windows 10?
My computer had been ailing for almost a year. It was coughing up blood and I held my hands over my eyes so I didn't have to witness it's slow-and-steady decline. I would turn it on and the monitor would be black. I would pull the plug, wait a few hours, plug it back in, and it would regain conscientiousness--sometimes for a few months, but two weeks ago, it finally expired.Luckily, I have a laptop. (In fact, the one I'm typing this on.) It, too, has had problems. Every time Microsoft does a major update, it would lose conscientiousness. I would have to take the battery out and restart (once as many as 11 times over the course of two hours) to try to bring it back to life. It updated a little over a week ago and suddenly everything I seemed to know about it was different. All new sounds--it even took my wallpaper with it. And I got an email from Microsoft saying as of January 2020--they wouldn't be updating it. I should have celebrated. Instead, I pulled out my "new" laptop. And did I mention the tiny screen?
Three (or was it four) years ago, I asked my friend Steven to suggest a new laptop. He's an IT guy and he suggested I get an ASUS laptop. Unbeknownst to me, it came loaded with Windows 8. OMG -- it didn't even have a Start Menu and I had no idea how to do ANYTHING on it. I put it back in the box and it sat under my easy chair gathering dust ... until Monday. Caveat: At some point during those years, I had our computer guy upgrade it to Windows 10 because Microsoft was only going to make that upgrade Free until a certain date. And there it sat, quietly gathering dust.
Monday, I took it out and decided I needed to learn Windows 10. This ASUS fooled me. The Start Menu looked very much like Windows 7. YAY. I successfully loaded some software, but didn't really test it. But on this sort of triumph, I went out and bought a desktop computer.With help from one of my readers (waving to John P), I bought a computer that had lots of speed and loads of gigabytes of storage, I bought the computer. Welcome back big monitor!!! Only I didn't realize that Dropbox would suddenly dump over 40,000 files onto my (supposedly big) hard drive. Oy -- that took over FOUR HOURS to straighten out (and two online chats with Dropbox).
While that was happening, I tried loading my camera's software, took a few pictures of my cats, and tried to upload them--with NO results. I was online for another two hours trying to figure out how to solve that problem. Apparently some people have had some success, but 90% of Canon owners weren't able to upload their pictures, either. Finally, in desperation, I called the camera shop where I got my camera. (Yes, I bought it in a bricks-and-mortar store.) The helpful "Canon Lady" told me, "just take out the photo card and copy paste those pictures." It's a workaround, but I loved my Canon software that took the pictures, loaded them directly to Dropbox, and labeled the folders by date. That isn't going to happen anymore.
Next up, trying to load my label maker software. The computer opened it with open arms. It's even Windows 10 compatible -- EXCEPT IT NO LONGER WORKS. (Another two-hour time sink looking for options.)
And that's why I'm typing this blog post on my Windows 7 laptop. I KNOW it works. In fact, I've decided to take a few days off from Windows 10 ... unless, of course, this computer starts coughing up blood, too.Did I mention how much I LOATHE Windows 10?
What was your experience (supposedly) upgrading to Windows 10?
May 8, 2019
Afternoon Fright!
by Karen Rose Smith
I was thrilled to be invited to participate in a panel discussion hosted by Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Store, a unique local bookstore that deals only with mystery books. The store is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Deb Beamer, the owner, features a year-round series of programs to the delight of her faithful mystery-reader clientele. The events feature both local and nationally recognized mystery writers. The format varies with each event from the panel discussion I participated in, to a mystery movie, to a culinary event featuring recipes from mystery books.
The first Afternoon Fright! panel was moderated by mystery writer Matty Dalrymple who expertly asked questions of me and my fellow panelist, Sherry Knowlton. I represented the cozy faction of mystery writing while Sherry shared her experience as a writer of suspense mysteries. Interestingly, even though our genres were slightly different, we shared many of the same writing and research techniques.
After the formal panel, the audience was invited to participate by commenting on the information Sherry and I had shared and by asking additional questions. It is always so interesting and helpful to get readers perception on how a mystery should end, if it should be part of a continuing series or even if there should be more than one murder to solve.
The panel event was followed with refreshments and a book signing of all three authors' books. It was fun talking with avid mystery readers who have read and enjoyed our books.
Although there was one reader we apparently bored to death!
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
I was thrilled to be invited to participate in a panel discussion hosted by Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Store, a unique local bookstore that deals only with mystery books. The store is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Deb Beamer, the owner, features a year-round series of programs to the delight of her faithful mystery-reader clientele. The events feature both local and nationally recognized mystery writers. The format varies with each event from the panel discussion I participated in, to a mystery movie, to a culinary event featuring recipes from mystery books. 
The first Afternoon Fright! panel was moderated by mystery writer Matty Dalrymple who expertly asked questions of me and my fellow panelist, Sherry Knowlton. I represented the cozy faction of mystery writing while Sherry shared her experience as a writer of suspense mysteries. Interestingly, even though our genres were slightly different, we shared many of the same writing and research techniques.After the formal panel, the audience was invited to participate by commenting on the information Sherry and I had shared and by asking additional questions. It is always so interesting and helpful to get readers perception on how a mystery should end, if it should be part of a continuing series or even if there should be more than one murder to solve.
The panel event was followed with refreshments and a book signing of all three authors' books. It was fun talking with avid mystery readers who have read and enjoyed our books.
Although there was one reader we apparently bored to death!
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
May 7, 2019
How do you know it’s spring in Savannah
Hi, Everyone.Duffy Brown here.
Savannah is like another character in the Consignment Shop Mysteriesand spring the very best time of all to visit. It starts around the first part of March when it’s still a little cool then builds to downright hot in May. The tulips and daffodils appear first, followed by the pink, white, purple and blue azaleas as big as a bus then come the white magnolias the size of a dinner plate. The whole city looks like a Van Gogh painting and smells better than the perfume counter at Macy’s.But that’s not the only way you can tell its spring in Savannah. Here are a few other observations that are just a little unique:-The first day of deer season is a holiday.
-You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.-You hear, “Hey, y’all, watch this!” as daddy starts the mower and you pray those won’t be his last words.-You know if it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites. Summer’s a comin’-You help grandma with puttin’ in her tomato and okra garden.-You start planning your vacation around the state festivals named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.-You send out invites for the family reunions.-You make room in the freezer for the other white meat called catfish.-You know to keep an eye out for the 10,000 known types of spiders in the South, plus some no one has ever seen before.-You know there are 5,000 types of snakes on Earth and 4,998 live real close by-You take granddaddy’s shotgun out for a run.
-You think turn signals will give away your next move to the big sale to get a new sundress.-You work in your garden till it’s too dark to seeThis is how you can tell it’s spring in Savannah but what about where you live? How can you tell it’s spring in your neck of the woods? Happy Spring…Hugs, Duffy Brown
Savannah is like another character in the Consignment Shop Mysteriesand spring the very best time of all to visit. It starts around the first part of March when it’s still a little cool then builds to downright hot in May. The tulips and daffodils appear first, followed by the pink, white, purple and blue azaleas as big as a bus then come the white magnolias the size of a dinner plate. The whole city looks like a Van Gogh painting and smells better than the perfume counter at Macy’s.But that’s not the only way you can tell its spring in Savannah. Here are a few other observations that are just a little unique:-The first day of deer season is a holiday.
-You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.-You hear, “Hey, y’all, watch this!” as daddy starts the mower and you pray those won’t be his last words.-You know if it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites. Summer’s a comin’-You help grandma with puttin’ in her tomato and okra garden.-You start planning your vacation around the state festivals named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.-You send out invites for the family reunions.-You make room in the freezer for the other white meat called catfish.-You know to keep an eye out for the 10,000 known types of spiders in the South, plus some no one has ever seen before.-You know there are 5,000 types of snakes on Earth and 4,998 live real close by-You take granddaddy’s shotgun out for a run.
-You think turn signals will give away your next move to the big sale to get a new sundress.-You work in your garden till it’s too dark to seeThis is how you can tell it’s spring in Savannah but what about where you live? How can you tell it’s spring in your neck of the woods? Happy Spring…Hugs, Duffy BrownMay 6, 2019
A Cuppa Memories
by Maggie Sefton
Lorraine's recent post stirred some memories awake. We'll start with the tea/coffee memories. My father was born in Ireland and grew up in England, so he was definitely a tea drinker. Strong, black English tea. I can still remember my father stirring the loose tea leaves as they swirled when he poured the boiling hot water from the tea kettle into the glass pot. My father always made the tea strong---black and strong. I won't repeat what he called "weak" tea, but it involves a kitty cat. Yes, my father was a very naughty Irishman. :)
Apparently I had my very first taste of hot tea when I was just a babe in arms---six or seven months old. My mother told me I was crying a lot with teething pain----and I remember how much my children cried with teething. She said that my father went to the kitchen, brewed up a weaker pot of hot tea, put some in a baby bottle and a lot of milk and sugar, tested the temperature on his wrist, and offered me the bottle. She said I drank it all down in gulps then blissfully fell asleep and slept for hours. And I've been blissfully drinking hot tea ever since.
When I was a teenager, I decided to try drinking my hot tea without any cream. My father was horrified and teased me by saying I was becoming a Russian. :D In those days I was very shy, so my "tea revolt" was the extent of my teenage rebellion.
As for coffee----I simply did not like the taste. It tasted bitter to me. My mother drank coffee rather than tea, so I always remember the smell of brewing coffee in the house and enjoyed it. I never understood how something that smelled so good could taste so bitter. After many years, I had to learn how to drink strong coffee when I needed to stay awake late at night and write fiction after all my family went to bed. Three nights a week I deliberately made a pot of strong Espresso coffee in one of the little coffee pots which make 3 demi tasse cups of espresso. And I would drink all three demi tasse cups which guaranteed 3 to 4 hours of "awake time." Actually, I enjoyed the taste of the strong espresso with sugar. For some reason espresso coffee had a better flavor to my taste buds than the much weaker American coffee (nowadays---coffee shop coffee). Thankfully, many coffee shops make much better coffee than what was available many years ago.
[image error]
As for wine and beer----I confess to loving several vintages of fine wines, mostly semi-dry whites like my beloved Vouvray from the Loire Valley of France. One day, readers will get a chance to read about Vouvray whenever my Musketeer swashbuckler novel becomes an Indie-pubbed novel. :) And, as for beer----I never drank it. American beer always tasted bitter to me. But I did like the very dark Stout beers like Guinness. Then, the wonderful Craft Brewing of Beer came on the scene. And in my lovely city of Fort Collins, Colorado, the very best Amber Ale appeared. Fat Tire Ale from New Belgium Brewing. If you enjoy beer or ale you should definitely give the craft beers a try. There are so many on the American scene now.
Lorraine's recent post stirred some memories awake. We'll start with the tea/coffee memories. My father was born in Ireland and grew up in England, so he was definitely a tea drinker. Strong, black English tea. I can still remember my father stirring the loose tea leaves as they swirled when he poured the boiling hot water from the tea kettle into the glass pot. My father always made the tea strong---black and strong. I won't repeat what he called "weak" tea, but it involves a kitty cat. Yes, my father was a very naughty Irishman. :)Apparently I had my very first taste of hot tea when I was just a babe in arms---six or seven months old. My mother told me I was crying a lot with teething pain----and I remember how much my children cried with teething. She said that my father went to the kitchen, brewed up a weaker pot of hot tea, put some in a baby bottle and a lot of milk and sugar, tested the temperature on his wrist, and offered me the bottle. She said I drank it all down in gulps then blissfully fell asleep and slept for hours. And I've been blissfully drinking hot tea ever since.
When I was a teenager, I decided to try drinking my hot tea without any cream. My father was horrified and teased me by saying I was becoming a Russian. :D In those days I was very shy, so my "tea revolt" was the extent of my teenage rebellion.
As for coffee----I simply did not like the taste. It tasted bitter to me. My mother drank coffee rather than tea, so I always remember the smell of brewing coffee in the house and enjoyed it. I never understood how something that smelled so good could taste so bitter. After many years, I had to learn how to drink strong coffee when I needed to stay awake late at night and write fiction after all my family went to bed. Three nights a week I deliberately made a pot of strong Espresso coffee in one of the little coffee pots which make 3 demi tasse cups of espresso. And I would drink all three demi tasse cups which guaranteed 3 to 4 hours of "awake time." Actually, I enjoyed the taste of the strong espresso with sugar. For some reason espresso coffee had a better flavor to my taste buds than the much weaker American coffee (nowadays---coffee shop coffee). Thankfully, many coffee shops make much better coffee than what was available many years ago.
[image error]
As for wine and beer----I confess to loving several vintages of fine wines, mostly semi-dry whites like my beloved Vouvray from the Loire Valley of France. One day, readers will get a chance to read about Vouvray whenever my Musketeer swashbuckler novel becomes an Indie-pubbed novel. :) And, as for beer----I never drank it. American beer always tasted bitter to me. But I did like the very dark Stout beers like Guinness. Then, the wonderful Craft Brewing of Beer came on the scene. And in my lovely city of Fort Collins, Colorado, the very best Amber Ale appeared. Fat Tire Ale from New Belgium Brewing. If you enjoy beer or ale you should definitely give the craft beers a try. There are so many on the American scene now.
REDISCOVERING LOST BOOKS
By Mary Kennedy
Doing a massive clean out/organization and came across some wonderful books I thought I'd lost.Some were classics I've had forever, like Anne of Green Gables and some were current books I'd bought and them misplaced. (Yes, I'm no organizational genius and frequently buy things, stash them away and forget they're even there!)
Finding books is always a treat. Some books were part of a series and I came across the one book I'd missed. Aha! Reading the "lost" book made the other books a richer experience.
Some books I'd been holding onto for sentimental reasons like The Cat That Walked by Himself. My father bought me this when I was a child. Always loved it, still do!
Interestingly, sometimes I found two or three copies of the same book. I'd enjoyed a book so much, I'd bought copies for friends, and neglected to send them. (my bad!)
Some were books I meant to read but seemed too daunting at the time. It's hard to get engrossed in Advanced French Grammar,for example, even though I'd planned to spend 15 minutes a day on it. And my bargain table "Beginning Spanish" which came complete with book and CD.
How about you? Do you ever discover "lost" books when you're tidying up?
Happy reading everyone, Mary Kennedy
Doing a massive clean out/organization and came across some wonderful books I thought I'd lost.Some were classics I've had forever, like Anne of Green Gables and some were current books I'd bought and them misplaced. (Yes, I'm no organizational genius and frequently buy things, stash them away and forget they're even there!)
Finding books is always a treat. Some books were part of a series and I came across the one book I'd missed. Aha! Reading the "lost" book made the other books a richer experience.
Some books I'd been holding onto for sentimental reasons like The Cat That Walked by Himself. My father bought me this when I was a child. Always loved it, still do!
Interestingly, sometimes I found two or three copies of the same book. I'd enjoyed a book so much, I'd bought copies for friends, and neglected to send them. (my bad!)
Some were books I meant to read but seemed too daunting at the time. It's hard to get engrossed in Advanced French Grammar,for example, even though I'd planned to spend 15 minutes a day on it. And my bargain table "Beginning Spanish" which came complete with book and CD.How about you? Do you ever discover "lost" books when you're tidying up?
Happy reading everyone, Mary Kennedy
May 3, 2019
An Acquired Taste
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
I'm currently researching craft breweries for a book I'm working on. It's fascinating. Not just the production of the beer, which is a lot more complicated than I thought, but all the things that go with it. The tasting room and/or restaurant--and even what's stocked in the (usually small) gift shop. (Seems like T-shirts are a big seller!)
It all sounds great. There's just one thing. I don't like beer. My father never drank it, so it was never in our house. Of course, my brothers (who were much more sociable than me and went out with friends at night ... while I was reading) acquired a taste for beer ... but not me.
There are other things I never acquired a taste for. Wine is one of them. (Tastes like shoe polish remover to me.) There's such a mystique about wine. Think about it: wine,women, and song. The whole bacchanalia in the Disney film Fantasia. People are always drinking wine and have been doing it for thousands of years. (The go-to drink in ancient Rome. Heck, even Jesus turned water to wine.) I found red wine gives me a headache, and if I'm drinking white wine, I like sweeter varieties. But I'll take whiskey or gin over grape-based wine any day.
I never acquired a taste for coffee, either, although I did try. When I was in college, I figured when I got out of school and went to work in an office, I'd have to drink the stuff. I mean, who had a tea kettle handy? (As someone who worked in offices for more than 25 years, I can tell you: NOBODY.)
So, for three weeks, I drank nothing but coffee. Of course, the swill the school served was dreadful. To this day, I still can't stand the taste of coffee (although I do like the smell of it brewing, especially of freshly ground coffee). I make a pot of coffee for Mr. L every morning. I make myself a pot of tea.
Of course, there are some things I have acquired a taste for: Olives. (Kalamata are my favorite.) Asparagus. Lima beans. Then again, I'm really not into fruit. They pick it too early (so it's usually not ripe) and by the time it ripens, it's ready on the outside and rotten on the inside.
So, what's your acquired taste?
I'm currently researching craft breweries for a book I'm working on. It's fascinating. Not just the production of the beer, which is a lot more complicated than I thought, but all the things that go with it. The tasting room and/or restaurant--and even what's stocked in the (usually small) gift shop. (Seems like T-shirts are a big seller!)It all sounds great. There's just one thing. I don't like beer. My father never drank it, so it was never in our house. Of course, my brothers (who were much more sociable than me and went out with friends at night ... while I was reading) acquired a taste for beer ... but not me.
There are other things I never acquired a taste for. Wine is one of them. (Tastes like shoe polish remover to me.) There's such a mystique about wine. Think about it: wine,women, and song. The whole bacchanalia in the Disney film Fantasia. People are always drinking wine and have been doing it for thousands of years. (The go-to drink in ancient Rome. Heck, even Jesus turned water to wine.) I found red wine gives me a headache, and if I'm drinking white wine, I like sweeter varieties. But I'll take whiskey or gin over grape-based wine any day.I never acquired a taste for coffee, either, although I did try. When I was in college, I figured when I got out of school and went to work in an office, I'd have to drink the stuff. I mean, who had a tea kettle handy? (As someone who worked in offices for more than 25 years, I can tell you: NOBODY.)
So, for three weeks, I drank nothing but coffee. Of course, the swill the school served was dreadful. To this day, I still can't stand the taste of coffee (although I do like the smell of it brewing, especially of freshly ground coffee). I make a pot of coffee for Mr. L every morning. I make myself a pot of tea.Of course, there are some things I have acquired a taste for: Olives. (Kalamata are my favorite.) Asparagus. Lima beans. Then again, I'm really not into fruit. They pick it too early (so it's usually not ripe) and by the time it ripens, it's ready on the outside and rotten on the inside.
So, what's your acquired taste?
May 1, 2019
Sundaes on a Sunday
by Karen Rose Smith
Last Sunday I was invited by the Friends of the Gettysburg Library to speak at their Sundaes on Sunday event which was held in the Refectory of the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary. The intimate gathering of about thirty guests featured a sundae dessert bar and other confections. There was also a silent auction table and a table featuring my cozy mysteries.
After the guests enjoyed their Sunday afternoon treats, I spoke about my cozy mysteries and how the events of my life evolved into writing romances and mysteries. The group was full of questions after my presentation and we enjoyed an off-the-mike conversation about the writing industry and current trends which can affect a budding author's career path. And also about cats since many of my readers know I have 5 inside rescues and two outside felines who are more feral.
After our discussion, the winners of the silent auction were announced and many of the guests left with tea, garden and book-related purchases.
My books were available for purchase and autographing. It was great fun sharing my life and career with local residents of the Gettysburg area, just a short distance from my home. The Battlefield was a favorite haunt when our son was young for walking, bike riding and thinking.
The Friends of the Library presented me with a signed print by Adams County and nationally-known artist Bobbi Becker. The Christmas scene featured the author reading to children in front of the Gettysburg Public Library.
Book signings in a local book store are enjoyable and it's great to make contact with my readers. But with the publication of my Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series, I have been able to visit tea rooms and have been invited to address and share my story in gatherings of tea and book lovers such as Sundaes on a Sunday. I love chatting about my craft, enjoying yummy pastries and freshly brewed tea while doing so.
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
Last Sunday I was invited by the Friends of the Gettysburg Library to speak at their Sundaes on Sunday event which was held in the Refectory of the Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary. The intimate gathering of about thirty guests featured a sundae dessert bar and other confections. There was also a silent auction table and a table featuring my cozy mysteries. 
After the guests enjoyed their Sunday afternoon treats, I spoke about my cozy mysteries and how the events of my life evolved into writing romances and mysteries. The group was full of questions after my presentation and we enjoyed an off-the-mike conversation about the writing industry and current trends which can affect a budding author's career path. And also about cats since many of my readers know I have 5 inside rescues and two outside felines who are more feral.After our discussion, the winners of the silent auction were announced and many of the guests left with tea, garden and book-related purchases.
My books were available for purchase and autographing. It was great fun sharing my life and career with local residents of the Gettysburg area, just a short distance from my home. The Battlefield was a favorite haunt when our son was young for walking, bike riding and thinking.
The Friends of the Library presented me with a signed print by Adams County and nationally-known artist Bobbi Becker. The Christmas scene featured the author reading to children in front of the Gettysburg Public Library.
Book signings in a local book store are enjoyable and it's great to make contact with my readers. But with the publication of my Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series, I have been able to visit tea rooms and have been invited to address and share my story in gatherings of tea and book lovers such as Sundaes on a Sunday. I love chatting about my craft, enjoying yummy pastries and freshly brewed tea while doing so.
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Amazon
MURDER WITH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES on Barnes and Noble
Perfect place for a murder
Ever wonder where’s the best place to set a mystery? I think it depends on the story. New York is the place to set a book on fashion or finance, LA is the best setting for stories about the movie industry, Nashville gets the nod for stories about music, New Orleans has their vampires and Savannah is the perfect setting for a murder mystery series.get Pearls and Poison here
Savannah is a city where the spirits of the long ago departed still linger in sultry streets and moss-drenched cemeteries. Okay, even if you don’t believe in ghosts the homes, B&Bs, restaurants, bars, town squares where people met their end are still there. The city is built upon its dead.
Savannah's Historic District, the largest in the country and you cannot walk more than two feet without passing over a dead body because Savannah's dead aren’t just in the cemeteries.
Hundreds of victims of the Yellow Fever epidemics of the 19th century lie in mass graves that were never marked. In 1820 there was a huge fire that burned over four-hundred homes. Many of the homes were rebuilt and some of the old occupants are still hanging around trying to get out of that fire. Talk about local color.
The Old Pink House is one of the city’s best restaurants with shrimp and grits so delish it makes a grown man cry. But in spite of the incredible food things have not always been wonderful. James Habersham Jr. built the house in the 1700s and hung himself there because he was distraught over his wife’s death. That’s terrible for sure but what is even worse is that he hasn’t left. 
Servers say Habersham is a bit of a neat freak and likes to straighten table settings and put chairs in their proper place. And he’s not alone, his whole clan still hangs around. His kids like to lock ladies in the downstairs bathroom. Like I said, you may not believe in ghosts but I bet if you got locked in the bathroom you’d be a believer.Then there’s the 17hundred90 Inn the oldest inn in Savannah. In the 1700s Anna Powers fell in love with an English sailor while staying at the inn. They married but something went wrong and Anna jumped to her death from room 204. Couples staying in that room write down their experiences…and I’m not talking amorous experiences…in a notebook on the bedside table. If you manage to make it through the night you celebrate with a peach martini. Personally I’d be on Prozac.
Then there’sthe Kehoe House that is now a B&B. In the 1800s twins died while playing in one of the house's massive chimneys and guests who stay in rooms 201 and 203 still hear the kids playing.
I love the Marshall House. It was used as a Union Hospital during the unfortunate Northern Aggression. When they were rehabbing the place bones were found in the basement where they did the amputations. While staying there cell phone go off in the middle of the night, the keycard works then doesn’t and the clock alarm sounds withoug anyone setting it.
No one really knows for sure what’s going on in Savannah but something is afoot. I love the city and it’s the perfect backdrop for tooling around in a ’57 red Chevy convertible, walking Bruce Willis…the other Bruce Willis…in the parks, eating sandwiches at Parkers or Zunzies and having drinks at Abe’s on Lincoln.
So you see, this is why Savannah is a great city for murder mysteries. It’s has tons of history and a lot of dead people already there. Hope you get a chance to visit and check this all out for yourself.
Hugs, Duffy Brown
www.DuffyBrown.com
April 29, 2019
Cold Grey Day
by Maggie SeftonBrrrrrrrrr! I'm back in my old hometown area of Northern Virginia, a stone's throw across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Yes, the Japanese Cherry Blossom trees are in full bloom and pink petals cover the ground. But. . .it's turned very chilly. (I'm writing this post on Sunday). Too chilly for the likes of Cold Weather Foe Maggie. I don't like cold weather, especially Back East where it's Humid and you really, really, REALLY feel the cold penetrating through your lightweight jacket. Colorado's Low Humidity has spoiled me to an easy-to-manage Winter Cold. Plus all the brilliant Colorado Sunshine helps too.
So----I have had to revert back to winter habits and Layer Up. To those of you who live in warm/hot and humid locations, that means I am still wearing two layers inside daughter Christine's house then adding a jacket whenever I leave to run errands, visit friends, take walks. I know. . . . those are puny complaints. Some of you are probably thinking: "Suck it up, Buttercup!" I know. Puny complaints deserve scorn. I have no excuse except it's a chilly, cold and grey day today and I felt like complaining. :)
Meanwhile, I'm relaxing on a comfy sofa with sleeping dogs close by---part Rottweiler Grayson and full Rottweiler Wrigley sleeping at my feet and a cup of coffee with mega cream. My 15 year old Border Collie/Black Lab mix Katy is being lovingly cared for at the "doggie ranch." And being kept extra warm. Owner Tammie says that "Katy's room is warmer than my house." Do we love our pets, or what?
Are you having a chilly Spring?
CINCO DE MAYO fun recipe
By Mary Kennedy
A friend asked me for a fun recipe for a Cindo de Mayo celebration and I want to share this one with you. No, it's not Mexican but it does have lots of cheese so I think it qualifies.
What's the secret ingredient?
Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but this is casserole is so terrific, everyone asks me for the recipe. There wasn't even a scrap to take home, the dish was empty!
Here goes.One of the fun things about celebrations is sharing food, exchanging recipes and discovering delightful new dishes!
I want to share an absolutely fabulous broccoli casserole (thank you, Jerry!) that I enjoyed at a family gatherin. Thanksgiving. It's so good people were going back for seconds and thirds.
Broccoli Cheez-It Casserole
Ingredients:
1 can mushroom soup2 boxes chopped broccoli (or one 16 oz bag broccoli florets) cooked and drained well1 egg1 cup mayoI tablespoon chopped onions1 and 1/2 cups cups shredded cheddar cheese2 cups crushed Cheez-it crackers, divided (crush with rolling pin)1/2 stick melted butter
Directions:
Simple mix the soup, the broccoli, the egg, the mayo, the onions, the cheddar cheese and HALF of the crushed Cheez-its and place in a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining Cheez-Its. Drizzle on 1/2 stick melted butter.
Bake uncovered, 350 for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy! This is the perfect covered dish to bring to a party, or just to enjoy at home. I have never seen people so exited over broccoli and it was definitely one of the hits of the dinner. I hope you try it, I think you will love it.
Hope you try this and I bet you will enjoy it as much as I did! Have a fun holiday,everyone, mary kennedy
A friend asked me for a fun recipe for a Cindo de Mayo celebration and I want to share this one with you. No, it's not Mexican but it does have lots of cheese so I think it qualifies.
What's the secret ingredient?
Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but this is casserole is so terrific, everyone asks me for the recipe. There wasn't even a scrap to take home, the dish was empty!
Here goes.One of the fun things about celebrations is sharing food, exchanging recipes and discovering delightful new dishes!
I want to share an absolutely fabulous broccoli casserole (thank you, Jerry!) that I enjoyed at a family gatherin. Thanksgiving. It's so good people were going back for seconds and thirds.
Broccoli Cheez-It Casserole
Ingredients:
1 can mushroom soup2 boxes chopped broccoli (or one 16 oz bag broccoli florets) cooked and drained well1 egg1 cup mayoI tablespoon chopped onions1 and 1/2 cups cups shredded cheddar cheese2 cups crushed Cheez-it crackers, divided (crush with rolling pin)1/2 stick melted butter
Directions:
Simple mix the soup, the broccoli, the egg, the mayo, the onions, the cheddar cheese and HALF of the crushed Cheez-its and place in a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining Cheez-Its. Drizzle on 1/2 stick melted butter.
Bake uncovered, 350 for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy! This is the perfect covered dish to bring to a party, or just to enjoy at home. I have never seen people so exited over broccoli and it was definitely one of the hits of the dinner. I hope you try it, I think you will love it.
Hope you try this and I bet you will enjoy it as much as I did! Have a fun holiday,everyone, mary kennedy
