Kate Collins's Blog, page 45
January 13, 2019
January 12, 2019
The Spotlight is on Lorraine's cozies
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett One Author--Three Names
Ugh. It's winter. And when it's winter, I really don't want to read stories set in cold weather. Go figure.
Maybe you feel the same way. If so, and you haven't caught up on all my books/shorts, maybe you'd like to read a few that are set in summer.
First up: The Lotus Bay Mysteries.So far, I have two short stories and two novels written. Oops--one of them is set in winter: Christmas at Swans Nest. And, oops, it's set during a blizard. So a good place to start is at the beginning: Panty Raid, which is actually a prequel to the novels and is set before Tori heads to Lotus Bay. With Baited Breath takes place in summer, and A Reel Catch takes place in the spring.
The Victoria Square MysteriesThe first book, A Crafty Killing, takes place in October. Cool, but NOT WINTER. (Whew!) The Walled Flower takes place in spring. One Hot Murder takes place during a heat wave in July. Dead, Bath and Beyond returns to the fall, and Yule Be Dead (the latest) comes in (brrrrrrr December). The next book in the series is already written and I'm in the process of polishing it before I submit it to my publisher. (It's called Murder Ink and it's set in summer.)
Did you know I've written a companion series to The Victoria Square Mysteries? It's called Life Oon Victoria Square. These are short stories that feature the merchants on the Square and all take place in the fall between Dead, Bath and Beyond and Yule Be Dead.The first one features Ray Davenport and his gift shop called Wood U and is called Carving Out a Path. A Basket Full of Bargains features Gilda Ringwald-Stratton and her basket gift shop. The Broken Teacup features Katie, the protagonist from the mystery series and the mini mystery concerns a broken teacup that receives in the mail. It's Tutu Much features the Square's dance studio. The Reluctant Bride chronicles the opening of Sassy Sally's Bed & Breakfast on Victoria Square. (I'm currently writing the 6th entry in the series.) Don't miss Life On Victoria Square!
The Tales From Blythe Cove Manor are short reads set on Martha's Vineyard. There's something just a little magical at this iconic B&B. A Dream Weekend introduces you to Blythe Calvert and her guests--a couple on the brink of divorce. It's set in summer. A Final Gift finds Blythe hosting a girls weekend and a grieving daughter. It's set in the spring. Winter arrives and so does An Unexpected Visitor. The latest installment is Grape Expectations--a summer story that features the great wines of Martha's Vineyard...except...there aren't any. I like to juggle projects and I'm currently writing the next installment which will be available in April or May. Don't miss Tales From Blythe Cove Manor. Want to learn more about Blythe Cove Manor and Martha's Vineyard? Download Blythe Cove Seasons. (Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books)The above are my cozier reads under my Lorraine Bartlett name. I also write the cozy Booktown Mystery series as Lorna Barrett. I write the hard-boiled suspence Jeff Resnick Mysteries novels under my L.L. Bartlett name. And if you like adventure fantasy with a feminist bent, try the Tales of Telenia, featuring ex-astronaut Amanda Shelton. Who knows--you might just like it!
Want to sample some of these books? Download A Cozy Mystery Sampler. It's a free ebook.Kindle US | Kindle UK | Kindle Worldwide | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books
January 11, 2019
Banish the paper towel?
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
More than a decade ago, I was reading a copy of Martha Stewart magazine and took note of an article on ways to go green. In it, one of the suggestions was to use "kitchen rags" instead of paper towel. Not long afterward, I went to K-Mart and sure enough, there were kitchen rags. Basically, they were washcloths. I bought a set of eight for a few bucks and used them a few times. Then they got relegated to the rag bag and I didn't think of them much until I needed to dust furniture or clean up a spill.
Recently, I decided to revisit Martha's advice.
As it happens, we had maybe fifty or sixty washcloths stuffed into a drawer of our cottage. They've been there for ... a long, long, time. Now why does anyone need that many washcloths? They probably came from yard sales. They were in there so long, they were musty. I took them home and washed them in a little bleach and then rolled them up and put them under the sink.
Now when reach for a paper towel I stop and think ... would a dishcloth work in this situation? About half the time, it will. So while I'm still using paper towels, I'm going through a roll every other week instead of every week. That's less paper going to the landfill. Although ... if the paper towels aren't soiled (like if I use them to dry off a washed apple), I'll let it dry and put it in with the recycling.
Does it take time to roll them up? Yes. Why do I do it? Because I can fit iin a lot more rolled up than I can folded. And I'm usually listening to an audiobook when I do it. I love audiobooks. I listen to them when I drive (usually it's a story I've heard before because ... I don't go very far in the winter) or any time I have a task to do that's going to take a awhile.
P.S. If you want to know about audio editions of my books, check out the follow links for Lorraine Bartlett, LLBartlett, and Lorna Barrett.
More than a decade ago, I was reading a copy of Martha Stewart magazine and took note of an article on ways to go green. In it, one of the suggestions was to use "kitchen rags" instead of paper towel. Not long afterward, I went to K-Mart and sure enough, there were kitchen rags. Basically, they were washcloths. I bought a set of eight for a few bucks and used them a few times. Then they got relegated to the rag bag and I didn't think of them much until I needed to dust furniture or clean up a spill.Recently, I decided to revisit Martha's advice.
As it happens, we had maybe fifty or sixty washcloths stuffed into a drawer of our cottage. They've been there for ... a long, long, time. Now why does anyone need that many washcloths? They probably came from yard sales. They were in there so long, they were musty. I took them home and washed them in a little bleach and then rolled them up and put them under the sink.
Now when reach for a paper towel I stop and think ... would a dishcloth work in this situation? About half the time, it will. So while I'm still using paper towels, I'm going through a roll every other week instead of every week. That's less paper going to the landfill. Although ... if the paper towels aren't soiled (like if I use them to dry off a washed apple), I'll let it dry and put it in with the recycling.Does it take time to roll them up? Yes. Why do I do it? Because I can fit iin a lot more rolled up than I can folded. And I'm usually listening to an audiobook when I do it. I love audiobooks. I listen to them when I drive (usually it's a story I've heard before because ... I don't go very far in the winter) or any time I have a task to do that's going to take a awhile.
P.S. If you want to know about audio editions of my books, check out the follow links for Lorraine Bartlett, LLBartlett, and Lorna Barrett.
January 9, 2019
Soup A Winter Staple
by Karen Rose Smith
Nothing warms a chilled body on a cold winter's day more than a piping bowl of hearty soup. Although it is expedient to use fresh garden vegetables from a summer garden, a good pot of soup just seems to complement the cooler fall and winter weather.
I did create a tasty zucchini soup which my hubby and I enjoyed last summer. The lightness of the broth and the freshness of the straight-from-the-garden ingredients made a perfect menu item along with cold summer salads and a refreshing glass of iced tea. We also enjoyed cauliflower cheese soup for our summer lunches.
The soups I prepare for colder weather meals are much heartier, utilizing meat as the main ingredient. Sometimes when I'm feeling adventurous, I use one of my basic recipes, adding different ingredients, substituting vegetables or perhaps using pasta instead of rice or barley. Some of my favorites are minestrone, beef barley, beef and wild rice and chicken noodle.
I created a recipe for leek and potato soup that I included in my first Daisy's Tea Garden book, MURDER WITH LEMON TEA CAKES. The recipe is below:
Daisy's Leek and Potato Soup
3 tablespoons high heat sunflower oil
1 cup onion
3 leeks, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove of garlic
3 tablespoons flour
1 quart chicken broth (I use Swanson 100% Chicken Broth/99% fat free)
2 1/2 to 3 cups peeled potatoes in small chunks
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
Trim top and bottom of leeks. Cut lengthwise and soak in water 10 minutes.
In a 4 1/2-quart pot, heat sunflower oil and saute onion, leeks and celery for about 3 minutes. After the mixture starts to sizzle, add garlic. Add flour and stir well. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil again, then simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Add milk and simmer 5 more minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Nothing warms a chilled body on a cold winter's day more than a piping bowl of hearty soup. Although it is expedient to use fresh garden vegetables from a summer garden, a good pot of soup just seems to complement the cooler fall and winter weather.
I did create a tasty zucchini soup which my hubby and I enjoyed last summer. The lightness of the broth and the freshness of the straight-from-the-garden ingredients made a perfect menu item along with cold summer salads and a refreshing glass of iced tea. We also enjoyed cauliflower cheese soup for our summer lunches.
The soups I prepare for colder weather meals are much heartier, utilizing meat as the main ingredient. Sometimes when I'm feeling adventurous, I use one of my basic recipes, adding different ingredients, substituting vegetables or perhaps using pasta instead of rice or barley. Some of my favorites are minestrone, beef barley, beef and wild rice and chicken noodle.
I created a recipe for leek and potato soup that I included in my first Daisy's Tea Garden book, MURDER WITH LEMON TEA CAKES. The recipe is below:
Daisy's Leek and Potato Soup
3 tablespoons high heat sunflower oil
1 cup onion
3 leeks, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove of garlic
3 tablespoons flour
1 quart chicken broth (I use Swanson 100% Chicken Broth/99% fat free)
2 1/2 to 3 cups peeled potatoes in small chunks
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
Trim top and bottom of leeks. Cut lengthwise and soak in water 10 minutes.In a 4 1/2-quart pot, heat sunflower oil and saute onion, leeks and celery for about 3 minutes. After the mixture starts to sizzle, add garlic. Add flour and stir well. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil again, then simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Add milk and simmer 5 more minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
January 8, 2019
A Love Affair...with books
Reading is a love affair. Okay, it’s a lot of other things too like being able to follow the layout of putting toys together, getting the news, ordering at a restaurant, knowing where to catch your flight but the love part of reading comes with a book. You read a book for your own personal enjoyment. It’s a relationship. It’s all about you and the book and nothing else matter. Have you ever finished a book and felt sad it was over? That’s what happens when you love a book so much that it draws you deep inside you’re no longer sitting in your chair eating junk food. You’re suddenly in Africa, fighting a war, in the mountains, at the seaside or the bakery with friends.
What was the first time you felt this way? Can you remember the book where you were one with the characters and doing what they were doing? Did you feel cold in the snow, hot in the south in August? Did you get hungry reading the dinner party scene or suddenly crave a cup of tea because the characters where having a tea party?My love affair with books started with Nancy Drew. I grew up in the Mad Menera when the world belonged to guys and girls didn’t have sports teams, and only went to college to be nurses or teachers. Law firms didn’t hire women, women weren’t stock brokers or engineers or doctors. They were the nurses.When I read Nancy Drew my guy world blew apart. Nancy did everything. She drove a sports car, went to college, was smart and clever and humble and she was the one who got the job done. She pulled out her flashlight and went into old houses, dark caves, scary woods no matter what the danger. I loved that she sleuthed not just for mystery sake but to help others in trouble and didn’t go whining to some guy to save me. After reading Nancy Drew I was braver and wanted adventure and it carried though my whole life. I asked more questions, went to college when my parents didn’t want me to and I actually did work in the stock market when it was pretty much a guy thing.
Nancy Drew was not only a terrific read for an eight-year old but she gave me a path for life. So what about you? What was the very first book that drew you in where you were part of the setting, the danger, the romance? Where you actually became one of the characters?When I read Murder on the Orient ExpressI truly felt as if I were on the train. When I read Gone With the WindI thought Damn those Yankees and I live in Ohio and am indeed a Yankee. I could feel the heat when Atlanta burned and felt hungry when Scarlett felt hungry.
The first time I read The Christmas CarolI think I actually saw the ghosts. When I read Jurassic ParkI was so afraid I had to remind myself to breathe and no there were no dinosaurs outside in the back yard. Are there books that have affected you this way and what was the very first one? Is there a book like Nancy Drew that changed your life like Nancy did mine? I hope so. This is the romance of books, when they become part of us, part of who we are and we love it.January 7, 2019
TAKING IT EASY. . . REALLY EASY
by Maggie SeftonWell, the Holiday Season is over, and I have to be honest---that's fine with me. As I previously shared with Cozy Chicks Readers and Friends, I traveled Back East where the majority of my Family is located to spend a wonderful and totally enjoyable Holiday Season. I LOVE the holidays. Even when they're super hectic like they were this year.
Now, I'm back in Colorado and taking it really easy. And, I mean, really easy. Like slowing down. A lot. Of course, every day brings various duties and chores and necessary errands to be accomplished, but after those are all done and taken care of, I head back home, stretch out on my family room sofa with a nice cuppa and read. Like I said, Totally Relaxing. And I cannot tell you how much I'm enjoying Totally Relaxing. :) At some point in January, I'll go into my office and poke around in my files and find notes and a To Be Done list. But, not today or tomorrow. Right now, that family room sofa and the cup of tea are calling louder.
But, I do not want to neglect Kelly Flynn and all her Friends, so I will remind everyone that the 16th Kelly Flynn Mystery was released last July in hardcover---DYEING UP LOOSE ENDS. This coming July of 2019 will see the paperback edition released. If you haven't checked out Kelly and the Gang, why not take a look. Winter is a great time to discover new books and stories. Roaring fireplaces and all that.
Right now, however, we're having one of those really mild Januarys. So, no roaring fireplaces. Fifty-plus degree days and sunny. That happens here in Northern Colorado frequently. But----Winter is just beginning, folks. Let's see what happens.
January 6, 2019
MY FAVORITE QUOTES
By Mary Kennedy
Do you keep a file of your favorite quotes? I actually have a lot of plaques, pillows, wall hangings, etc., with my favorite quotes. I know them by heart, but I like to have little reminders around the house.
Some are funny.
Martha Stewart doesn't live here and neither does Bob Vila. You would understand this one if you saw my kitchen!!
Cats are like potato chips. You can't have just one. I think I've taken this one to extremes!
Some are inspirational and talk about dealing with adversity, making the most of the day and reminding yourself that "this too shall pass."
Never let them see you sweat. Another fave. When times are tough, I try to keep cool. I don't always succeed of course, but at least I try.
Ileigitimus non carborundum. Sounds classier in Latin but this was one of my father's favorite quotes and I love it. Translation: Never let the bas----ds get you down. Good advice, always!
And of course, some of my favorite quotes revolve around books and cats.
How about you? Do you have quotes that inspire you, quotes that bring a smile to your face?
Mary Kennedy
Do you keep a file of your favorite quotes? I actually have a lot of plaques, pillows, wall hangings, etc., with my favorite quotes. I know them by heart, but I like to have little reminders around the house.
Some are funny.
Martha Stewart doesn't live here and neither does Bob Vila. You would understand this one if you saw my kitchen!!
Cats are like potato chips. You can't have just one. I think I've taken this one to extremes!
Some are inspirational and talk about dealing with adversity, making the most of the day and reminding yourself that "this too shall pass."
Never let them see you sweat. Another fave. When times are tough, I try to keep cool. I don't always succeed of course, but at least I try.
Ileigitimus non carborundum. Sounds classier in Latin but this was one of my father's favorite quotes and I love it. Translation: Never let the bas----ds get you down. Good advice, always!
And of course, some of my favorite quotes revolve around books and cats.
How about you? Do you have quotes that inspire you, quotes that bring a smile to your face?
Mary Kennedy
January 4, 2019
Why can't I ever find my glasses?
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
When I was younger, I was near-sighted. I wore glasses to drive, when I went to the movies, yada-yada-yada. Then...my eyes did a switcheroo. Now, I no longer need glasses to drive, go to the movies, yada-yada-yada. Now, I need them to read.
When I wore glasses to drive, etc. I had ONE pair and somehow, I never lost them. I could never eat with them on, but I wore them quite a bit of the time, and somehow when I'd put them down, I would always find them.
Those days are gone.
Now, I have at least ten pairs of "cheaters" and they're scattered all around the house. The funny thing is ... I often have to hunt for a pair. I have scattered little relish dishes around the house so that I can keep a pair of glasses in them and they are supposed to live in that room. (Kitchen, dining room, living room, etc.) Unfortunately, I have a habit of putting them on and wearing them to my next destination. Therefore, I often have six or seven pairs sitting on my desk when I'm in the living room trying to read the daily paper (or a book or magazine). Get up, hunt, find, sit down. I do a lot of that.
Mr. L suggested I get chain to attach to a pair of glasses.
Ha! No way. Only OLD LADIES and librarians wear glasses on chains around their necks.
Not so, Mr. L reminded me. Magnum P.I. (the ORIGINAL Magnum that is) often wore his sunglasses on a cord.
Hmmm.
Nope. Wasn't gonna do it.
After my mother passed away, I came across a chain and a cord for hanging glasses amongst her things. I took them home and let them sit...for three years.
One day this past fall, I was so frustrated from my glasses hunt that I searched out those hangers.
*Sigh* I guess I'm now old, because I end up wearing one or the other of those glasses most days. That doesn't mean I don't take them off and misplace them, because I do--and a couple of times a day. (I guess I really just don't like wearing glasses.)
Does this happen to you? Do you have a solution? If so, please share!
When I was younger, I was near-sighted. I wore glasses to drive, when I went to the movies, yada-yada-yada. Then...my eyes did a switcheroo. Now, I no longer need glasses to drive, go to the movies, yada-yada-yada. Now, I need them to read.
When I wore glasses to drive, etc. I had ONE pair and somehow, I never lost them. I could never eat with them on, but I wore them quite a bit of the time, and somehow when I'd put them down, I would always find them.
Those days are gone.
Now, I have at least ten pairs of "cheaters" and they're scattered all around the house. The funny thing is ... I often have to hunt for a pair. I have scattered little relish dishes around the house so that I can keep a pair of glasses in them and they are supposed to live in that room. (Kitchen, dining room, living room, etc.) Unfortunately, I have a habit of putting them on and wearing them to my next destination. Therefore, I often have six or seven pairs sitting on my desk when I'm in the living room trying to read the daily paper (or a book or magazine). Get up, hunt, find, sit down. I do a lot of that.Mr. L suggested I get chain to attach to a pair of glasses.
Ha! No way. Only OLD LADIES and librarians wear glasses on chains around their necks.Not so, Mr. L reminded me. Magnum P.I. (the ORIGINAL Magnum that is) often wore his sunglasses on a cord.
Hmmm.
Nope. Wasn't gonna do it.
After my mother passed away, I came across a chain and a cord for hanging glasses amongst her things. I took them home and let them sit...for three years.
One day this past fall, I was so frustrated from my glasses hunt that I searched out those hangers.
*Sigh* I guess I'm now old, because I end up wearing one or the other of those glasses most days. That doesn't mean I don't take them off and misplace them, because I do--and a couple of times a day. (I guess I really just don't like wearing glasses.)
Does this happen to you? Do you have a solution? If so, please share!
January 2, 2019
Antipasto to the Rescue!
by Karen Rose Smith
Happy New Year!
I'm still catching my breath from all of the holiday festivities from the last two weeks. This year my Italian background and childhood memories were front and center as I prepared my holiday meals. I baked a bar cookie that I remembered a German neighbor of my parents had made and shared with us every year. I found my mother's handwritten recipe for sausage bread and baked several loaves. And I remembered the antipasto platters that my parents and grandparents had included as the first course of their holiday meals. So I made a list and sent my husband off the market to gather the ingredients for my take on antipasto platters.
My Christmas platter was more simple because we just shared our meal with another couple who have been friends for years. I included salami (three varieties), marinated artichoke hearts, seasoned olives and sliced fresh mozzarella cheese.
We celebrated New Year's Eve with a larger gathering of friends and neighbors, so my antipasto plates were filled with additional items--cherry tomatoes, peppers, pickles, provolone cheese as well as pepperoni, prosciutto and salami wrapped mozzarella sticks. I was so glad I had these platters because the lasagna main dish was not baked on schedule and I had the antipasto platters to munch on while we waited for the main course to be finished. Carrots and celery, antipasto and, of course, a good glass of wine, saved the day!
A
Happy New Year!
I'm still catching my breath from all of the holiday festivities from the last two weeks. This year my Italian background and childhood memories were front and center as I prepared my holiday meals. I baked a bar cookie that I remembered a German neighbor of my parents had made and shared with us every year. I found my mother's handwritten recipe for sausage bread and baked several loaves. And I remembered the antipasto platters that my parents and grandparents had included as the first course of their holiday meals. So I made a list and sent my husband off the market to gather the ingredients for my take on antipasto platters.My Christmas platter was more simple because we just shared our meal with another couple who have been friends for years. I included salami (three varieties), marinated artichoke hearts, seasoned olives and sliced fresh mozzarella cheese.
We celebrated New Year's Eve with a larger gathering of friends and neighbors, so my antipasto plates were filled with additional items--cherry tomatoes, peppers, pickles, provolone cheese as well as pepperoni, prosciutto and salami wrapped mozzarella sticks. I was so glad I had these platters because the lasagna main dish was not baked on schedule and I had the antipasto platters to munch on while we waited for the main course to be finished. Carrots and celery, antipasto and, of course, a good glass of wine, saved the day!
A
A little book fun
Duffy Brown here and Happy 2019!
I did an interview and part of it was this neat question that involved saying something about Tandem Demise (book 3 in the Cycle Path mysteries) that started with the letters TANDEM so I thought I’d share.
https://amzn.to/2Q4ZzSZ
Tandem Demise……
Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book
T is for …. Tourists! There are only 500 people who life on Mackinac all year long and there are over a million tourists! You never know who is going to show up. You can only get to the island by boat.
A is for … adventure on Mackinac Island. Getting to know Mackinac and the people who live there and the tourists who visit is such fun.
N is for ... Nate Sutter…the chief of police on Mackinac Island accused of murder in Tandem Demise.
D is for … Dead guy on the dock…how the book opens. The dead guy has a bottle of champagne clutched in his hands. How does this play into the mystery.
E is for … Evie Bloomfield the main character. She owns a bicycle rental shop on Mackinac Island. Evie is from Chicago, the land of malls, cars and noise. Coming to the island is a total change.
M is for ... Mackinac Island, an eight mile chunk of land where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan. There are no cars on Mackinac and the only form of transportation is big horses, a ton of bikes and a lot of tourists on foot.
Please share the opening lines of this book:
“Do you think he’s dead or just dead drunk?” I asked Fiona as the two of us stood alone on the freight dock with thick night fog swirling around us. We were staring at a guy prone on the pier with a Champagne bottle clutched in his arms. Shivering as much from the breeze off Lake Huron as our situation I grabbed Fiona’s hand as we shuffled a little closer. “He’s staring back at us and not in a Hey come have a drink with me kind of way.” “And there’s blood, a lot of it. How doses this keep happening to you?” Fiona wanted to know. “Mackinac’s a little island but guess what, you come across yet another body!” “Hold on a minute, stop right there. Forget the youpart about the bodies. Okay, the first one was mine I’ll give you that, but the last one was definitely a webody.
