Kate Collins's Blog, page 49
November 20, 2018
On the road again...
Well, it’s Turkey time again and getting together with family and friends and giving thanks for all that we have. This is the good side of the holiday, the bad side is the traffic.Lordy, the traffic!! Christmas isn’t so bad as it’s spread out. Some people travel the weekend before, Christmas Eve, the day of or weekend after and so on but Thanksgiving is that day period. That means everyone hits the roads today if they are heading out of town.
And as if all the traffic isn’t enough we seem to have a huge amount of construction going on around here and I bet you do too. They got to get it in before the bad weather hits. There are orange barrels and flashing lights and lanes blending at snail paces that really slow things even more.While we’re on the subject, don’t you hate those drivers who take the closed lane, knowing it’s closed and they squeeze in waaaaaaay up ahead in line. I think we should be allowed to shoot them with paintballs or something. UGH!!I have my daughter coming in from NYC. I am over the moon excited but I know the airport will be a holy mess and traffic on the expressway will be a nightmare. Still I’m over the moon happy to see her again.
So what about you? Are you traveling? Having someone you love and miss coming in? Having someone you’d rather not see coming in ‘cause you couldn’t think of a we to say NO?No matter what, have a great day and Happy Thanksgiving!I am so thankful for all of you.Hugs, Duffy
Happy Thanksgiving
by Maggie SeftonI hope Everyone in our Cozy Chicks Blog family has a wonderful and yummy food-filled Thanksgiving this Thursday. I'm here in Northern Virginia with my family. Yesterday I spent time with my granddaughter AnaSofia and daughter Melissa at one of my favorite coffee shops in Vienna, Virginia, one of our older Northern Virginia suburbs outside Washington, D.C. Also got to briefly visit with my oldest daughter Christine as she hurried from job to family errands.
Today, my daughter Maria is picking me up and we'll drive over to her home in Washington, D.C. so I can celebrate Thanksgiving with her family and the wonderful grandchildren I've acquired since her marriage to husband John. We were going to drive down to the River house just a block away from the Potomac and surrounded by woods and deer peeking out, but demands from both Maria and John's offices intervened. Such is the story for many of our Cozy Chicks families, I'm sure. So, I will leave you with some photos of the kids roasting marshmallows in the River house fireplace and maybe a squirrel photo or two. Love Brazen Squirrel. :)
Below is a large family photo taken a few years ago when we were able to gather all the troops for my birthday.
November 14, 2018
Cake Fit For A Wedding
by Karen Rose Smith
CUT TO THE CHAISE, my latest Caprice De Luca Home Staging mystery will be released on November 27. In addition to Caprice playing the role of sleuth, she will also be playing the role of BRIDE! Caprice's Italian family loves food which is central to many of the events leading up to the big day, from the bridal shower to the rehearsal dinner. Caprice's sister Nikki liked a tasty cake that Caprice whipped up for a luncheon for her sisters and best friend so much that she declared she would make it for Caprice's and Grant's rehearsal dinner. The recipe for this confection is included in the recipes at the end of the book.
So this week, I'd like to give my readers a sneak preview of the recipe for Caprice's (and Nikki's) White Cake with Mascarpone and Strawberry Topping.
White Cake
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 egg whites
1 whole egg
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan.
Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, then vanilla and sour cream. Add milk, salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour. Beat well and pour into pan.
Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clear.
When cool, top the cake with Mascarpone and whipped cream topping.
Mascarpone and Whipped Cream Topping
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Mascarpone
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 cup sliced strawberries
In a chilled bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until thick. Add Mascarpone and whip with the cream until smooth. Add almond flavoring, then add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. Spread this mixture over the cake. Spread sliced strawberries on top.
Cut To The Chaise on Amazon
Cut to the Chaise on Barnes and Noble
CUT TO THE CHAISE, my latest Caprice De Luca Home Staging mystery will be released on November 27. In addition to Caprice playing the role of sleuth, she will also be playing the role of BRIDE! Caprice's Italian family loves food which is central to many of the events leading up to the big day, from the bridal shower to the rehearsal dinner. Caprice's sister Nikki liked a tasty cake that Caprice whipped up for a luncheon for her sisters and best friend so much that she declared she would make it for Caprice's and Grant's rehearsal dinner. The recipe for this confection is included in the recipes at the end of the book.
So this week, I'd like to give my readers a sneak preview of the recipe for Caprice's (and Nikki's) White Cake with Mascarpone and Strawberry Topping.
White Cake
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 egg whites
1 whole egg
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan.
Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, then vanilla and sour cream. Add milk, salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour. Beat well and pour into pan.
Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clear.
When cool, top the cake with Mascarpone and whipped cream topping.
Mascarpone and Whipped Cream Topping
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Mascarpone
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 cup sliced strawberries
In a chilled bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until thick. Add Mascarpone and whip with the cream until smooth. Add almond flavoring, then add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. Spread this mixture over the cake. Spread sliced strawberries on top.
Cut To The Chaise on Amazon
Cut to the Chaise on Barnes and Noble
Books of a different kind
With the recent passing of the amazing the oh-so-talented Stan Lee it make us think of comic books and his...yes, his...terrific characters. There’s Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Catwoman, Kate Bishop with all who started out in comic books then graduated onto the big screen and wove themselves into the very fabric of American life.
Who hasn’t wanted to be one of these characters at one time or another or had our kids dress up as one of these characters for Halloween? And I imagine all of us have seen a move or picked up a comic book with one of these characters in it.
I have to say that so many of the movies, especially the latest ones, with these characters are really done well. The writing is really good, the graphics are mind-blowing, the story lines have plots that work and there are dark moments where the good guys don’t always win. I think this is important to young people to see that you have to fight hard for what you want in life and there are setbacks. And that friendships, helping those in need, and loyalty matter.
So my question to you today is, Did you ever read comic books? Have a fave superhero? Have a fave movie with these characters?
November 12, 2018
DYEING UP LOOSE ENDS
by Maggie SeftonI have to admit----I'm really fond of the title of the latest Kelly Flynn mystery which came out in July of this year. DYEING UP LOOSE ENDS. I had absolutely nothing to do with choosing the title. The editorial staff for the publisher, Berkley Prime Crime of Penguin Publishing Group chose this title. So, kudos to the clever staff.
When the Kelly Flynn Mysteries first came out in June 2005 and for several years after that, I "came up" with the titles for each Kelly Flynn release after consulting readers and all the many wonderfully helpful knitters around the Lambspun of Colorado knitting table. Thank you, thank you, Everyone!
For those of you who haven't had a chance to look in on Kelly and all her friends, take a look and see what they are up to. It's never boring, I can promise you that.
AN EASY WAY TO HELP FERAL CATS THIS WINTER
by Mary Kennedy
I was so inspired by Karen Rose Smith's blog on how she helps ferals, that I decided to tackle the subject myself. Karen provided this terrific photo, I'd never thought of using bales of straw to make this arrangement, but it's very practical and I know outdoor cats would appreciate it.
Here's what my experience has been. (Be sure to click on the link above to Karen's blog, because she's been more successful than I've been and she has some really practical tips.)
I bought two igloos and for some reason, no one used them!! The occasional raccoon wandered in, took one sniff and walked away. No idea what the problem was. They were pricey and I won't make that mistake again. I'm going to donate them to a local shelter and perhaps they can give them to someone who manages a feral colony.
The next thing I tried was a homemade outdoor home out of a big storage tub, lined with insulation and blankets. I realized later that the blankets weren't a great idea, they got wet, and straw would have been a better choice. Also, I don't think the circular hole we made for an entrance was big enough. Maybe the cats are claustrophobic, but no one used it! My local shelter, Faithful Friends, devotes a whole day to making these and loads of volunteers show up. Here's a photo below that gives you an idea how to proceed. All you do is cut a circular hole and line the tub with squares of styrofoam and then put the lid back on. It costs about $20.00 for the supplies. You add straw to the bottom.
One of my friends swears by a "self-warming heated pad" that she uses for some outdoor ferals and for a couple of her indoor cats who have arthritis. I have to confess, I'd never heard of these, but they're inexpensive (some are under ten dollars) and it's an interesting idea. If anyone has experience with these I hope you'll share them with me. I'm always looking for new ways to help the kitties.
If you don't want to struggle with plastic storage tubs and styro oam insulation, you can buy a nice house for about $60.00. They come in heated and unheated versions.
I've had such awful luck with the igloos that I wonder if any outdoor critters would use the cute little house pictured above. Actually, I don't have any feral cats anymore, They've been taken in, neutered, vetted and become "Kennedy cats." But I do worry about the raccoons, rabbits, possums, etc who wander over from the state park, so I'll probably try to do something this winter.
Hope you stay warm and cozy this winter! And let's all do what we can for our outdoor friends.
Mary Kennedy
I was so inspired by Karen Rose Smith's blog on how she helps ferals, that I decided to tackle the subject myself. Karen provided this terrific photo, I'd never thought of using bales of straw to make this arrangement, but it's very practical and I know outdoor cats would appreciate it.
Here's what my experience has been. (Be sure to click on the link above to Karen's blog, because she's been more successful than I've been and she has some really practical tips.)
I bought two igloos and for some reason, no one used them!! The occasional raccoon wandered in, took one sniff and walked away. No idea what the problem was. They were pricey and I won't make that mistake again. I'm going to donate them to a local shelter and perhaps they can give them to someone who manages a feral colony.
The next thing I tried was a homemade outdoor home out of a big storage tub, lined with insulation and blankets. I realized later that the blankets weren't a great idea, they got wet, and straw would have been a better choice. Also, I don't think the circular hole we made for an entrance was big enough. Maybe the cats are claustrophobic, but no one used it! My local shelter, Faithful Friends, devotes a whole day to making these and loads of volunteers show up. Here's a photo below that gives you an idea how to proceed. All you do is cut a circular hole and line the tub with squares of styrofoam and then put the lid back on. It costs about $20.00 for the supplies. You add straw to the bottom.
One of my friends swears by a "self-warming heated pad" that she uses for some outdoor ferals and for a couple of her indoor cats who have arthritis. I have to confess, I'd never heard of these, but they're inexpensive (some are under ten dollars) and it's an interesting idea. If anyone has experience with these I hope you'll share them with me. I'm always looking for new ways to help the kitties.
If you don't want to struggle with plastic storage tubs and styro oam insulation, you can buy a nice house for about $60.00. They come in heated and unheated versions.
I've had such awful luck with the igloos that I wonder if any outdoor critters would use the cute little house pictured above. Actually, I don't have any feral cats anymore, They've been taken in, neutered, vetted and become "Kennedy cats." But I do worry about the raccoons, rabbits, possums, etc who wander over from the state park, so I'll probably try to do something this winter.
Hope you stay warm and cozy this winter! And let's all do what we can for our outdoor friends.
Mary Kennedy
November 11, 2018
COZY CHICKS SPOTLIGHT: The holidays are closer than you think
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
When my co-writer, Gayle Leeson, and I were deciding what we'd write about for Victoria Square #5, we made a conscious decision to set the book during the holidays.
I've written several short stories that take place during Christmastime, but never a whole novel. (You can check out all my holiday stories on my website. Just click this link.)
When I signed the contract, my publisher decided they didn't want to buy the rights to certain countries, which means that I could publish it in those countries on my own. (So I own the rights to the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.) That's why there are two different covers. (P.S. I like my cover better. How about you?)
http://www.lorrainebartlett.com/yule-be-dead/
Gayle and I make a great team and we're already in the home-stretch of writing Victoria Square #6 (Murder Ink).Yule Be Dead will be available on November 27th. Here's the description:
It's the holiday season, but not everyone is jolly--especially not Vonne Barnett. Her dead body has been found near Victoria Square. Katie Bonner, the manager of Artisan’s Alley, happens to be at the tea shop Vonne's mother, Francine, owns when the news is delivered.
Vonne left a trail of men behind her so the suspects are many--but the clues are few. A broken teacup* leads Katie to one of the suspects, but before she can investigate, she’s attacked. Katie may be closing in on a killer, but time is ticking because the killer is definitely closing in on her.
Pre-Order now!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | Chapters/Indigo | Book Depository
Kindle US | Kindle UK | Kindle AU | Kindle Worldwide | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books
* The Broken Teacup is a short story in my companion series, Life on Victoria Square.
November 8, 2018
I'm making a list
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
I admit it, I like the holidays. And this year I'm actually planning my decorations. Not crazy time some of those YouTubers, but using what I've got and adding a few new things. (Mostly floral.)
But I'm also making lists.
In the "old days" when I used to be part of a big family, I would be making lists of what to buy people. Nowadays? Hardly at all. I buy for my husband and my brother. That's it. My husband loves everything I get him. My brother ... hit and miss.
But what do my lists consist of?
Well, I make lists of the graphics I want to make for the holidays. Like this one (which I lifted from a Christmas catalog).
Okay, it's not totally cold out yet (40s) but it's going to be 30s next week.
I'm making long lists of foods I want to make, but probably won't. (Calories. Bah! Humbug.)
And then there's my list of possible decorations I can scatter around the house. I think I'm going to lean vintage. I mean, I have over 200 Made In Japan Christmas figurines and more than 100 vintage Shiny Bright ornaments, which look incredibly cute in bowls.
What kinds of lists do you make for the holidays?
I admit it, I like the holidays. And this year I'm actually planning my decorations. Not crazy time some of those YouTubers, but using what I've got and adding a few new things. (Mostly floral.)
But I'm also making lists.
In the "old days" when I used to be part of a big family, I would be making lists of what to buy people. Nowadays? Hardly at all. I buy for my husband and my brother. That's it. My husband loves everything I get him. My brother ... hit and miss.
But what do my lists consist of?
Well, I make lists of the graphics I want to make for the holidays. Like this one (which I lifted from a Christmas catalog).
Okay, it's not totally cold out yet (40s) but it's going to be 30s next week.
I'm making long lists of foods I want to make, but probably won't. (Calories. Bah! Humbug.)
And then there's my list of possible decorations I can scatter around the house. I think I'm going to lean vintage. I mean, I have over 200 Made In Japan Christmas figurines and more than 100 vintage Shiny Bright ornaments, which look incredibly cute in bowls.What kinds of lists do you make for the holidays?
November 7, 2018
The Dream Continues--A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
by Karen Rose Smith
The other evening, my husband and I were searching for a good movie to watch on the UP tv family network. Surprisingly, we found on the cable guide that the movie that was made into a 2017 movie based on one of my books was again on the network's schedule of holiday movies for the Christmas season. Needless to say, I was super excited. Having my Harlequin romance HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA made into a movie by Brain Power was a dream come true. The dream continues this year as we were able to watch my story on screen once again. The DVD is also still on sale on Amazon and at WalMart.
When a book is made into a movie, it doesn't necessarily follow the story exactly as it was written. My hero and heroine have the same qualities that they did in the book--compassion, integrity and the ability to fall in love.
Jeannette, who is a single mom, has a little girl instead of a little boy. (I think girls play better on TV!) Zane is still a country singer. Several scenes are similar to those in the book. However, this wasn't a holiday book and now it is. I love that because Christmas stories have that extra sparkle.
Of course, I googled the actors and actresses and found they had many credits. Greyson Holt is a Canadian actor, known for his role as Ray Prager Jr. in the TV series Durham County, as Emerson Hauser in the Fox series Alcatraz, and as Clayton Danvers in Space series Bitten.
Bea Santos is Jeannette, a single mom who acted in Murdoch Mysteries (2008) and Coconut Hero (2015) as well as Stockholm (2018).
Greg Vaughan who plays Billy, Zane's brother, was born in Texas. He has acted in Malibu Shores and Beverly Hills 90210. He has played Dan Gordon as Charmed, as well as Diego on The Young and the Restless, the role of Lucky Spencer on General Hospital and guest roles on Will and Grace.
Michelle Morgan, who plays Zane's agent in the movie, is a favorite actress of mine best known from the Heartland series.
Deanna Carter is a country singer. She plays Jolene, a good friend to Zane and Jeannette. Her voice brings Christmas magic to the movie.
The movie was shot in beautiful Alberta Canada where the weather even cooperated and snowed at the proper time!
Below is a 2018 schedule of when A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS will appear once again on the network as well as the trailer for the movie.
Trailer for A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS DVD at WalMart
A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS DVD on Amazon
The other evening, my husband and I were searching for a good movie to watch on the UP tv family network. Surprisingly, we found on the cable guide that the movie that was made into a 2017 movie based on one of my books was again on the network's schedule of holiday movies for the Christmas season. Needless to say, I was super excited. Having my Harlequin romance HIS COUNTRY CINDERELLA made into a movie by Brain Power was a dream come true. The dream continues this year as we were able to watch my story on screen once again. The DVD is also still on sale on Amazon and at WalMart.
When a book is made into a movie, it doesn't necessarily follow the story exactly as it was written. My hero and heroine have the same qualities that they did in the book--compassion, integrity and the ability to fall in love.
Jeannette, who is a single mom, has a little girl instead of a little boy. (I think girls play better on TV!) Zane is still a country singer. Several scenes are similar to those in the book. However, this wasn't a holiday book and now it is. I love that because Christmas stories have that extra sparkle.
Of course, I googled the actors and actresses and found they had many credits. Greyson Holt is a Canadian actor, known for his role as Ray Prager Jr. in the TV series Durham County, as Emerson Hauser in the Fox series Alcatraz, and as Clayton Danvers in Space series Bitten.
Bea Santos is Jeannette, a single mom who acted in Murdoch Mysteries (2008) and Coconut Hero (2015) as well as Stockholm (2018).
Greg Vaughan who plays Billy, Zane's brother, was born in Texas. He has acted in Malibu Shores and Beverly Hills 90210. He has played Dan Gordon as Charmed, as well as Diego on The Young and the Restless, the role of Lucky Spencer on General Hospital and guest roles on Will and Grace.
Michelle Morgan, who plays Zane's agent in the movie, is a favorite actress of mine best known from the Heartland series.
Deanna Carter is a country singer. She plays Jolene, a good friend to Zane and Jeannette. Her voice brings Christmas magic to the movie.
The movie was shot in beautiful Alberta Canada where the weather even cooperated and snowed at the proper time!
Below is a 2018 schedule of when A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS will appear once again on the network as well as the trailer for the movie.
Trailer for A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS DVD at WalMart
A VERY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS DVD on Amazon
November 6, 2018
Indy or traditional...does it matter?
Hi, Duffy Brown here with my first indy published book through Amazon. And I have to say I just love being an indy author! I think I’m a total control freak so this indy stuff really works well for me.I can set the price, raise and lower it to run specials. Do giveaways, promotions, have my own cover and do my own reader letters. I can sell my ereads for 2.99!!! I just love that and it’s a fair price. I often feel the traditional publishers who charge 7.99, 9.99 etc for a download book are gouging the readers. It sure doesn’t cost that much to put a book online for that!Back in the day when I wrote romance I had some really rotten covers and the publisher didn’t really give a flying fig that I liked them or not. Now I don’t have to put up with that! I get to pick and choose my cover.And I now feel like I have more of a personal contact with the readers. Since all the promo is up to me I can interact with the readers more. That is just perfect as for me the best part of writing is the readers! And cozy mystery readers are the very best! I’ve met some of the best people though my books. They have shared their stories and get to listen to mine and there is a definite bond.So my question to you is, does it matter to you if a book is indy or NY published?
