Kate Collins's Blog, page 8
May 13, 2020
Pets...our BFF. Maybe!
Bring you pet to workday had suddenly taken on a whole new meaning. With this virus thing it’s more like pets take us to there work. We are on their turf!At least that’s the way Spooky and Dr. Watson see it. I’m taking up entirely too much of their space. My fave chair is actually their fave chair and they let me know. I leave it and they take it along with an evil eye of what do you thin you’re doing.
And there’s nap time...which is day time to a cat. Vacuuming is not welcome in the middle of the day. More of the evil eye. And the feeding schedule is off, way off. If I work late and don’t get up till late I so hear about it. Lots of meowing and not the good kind.
But I have to admit it’s nice to have Watson and Spooky around these working days even if I am on their territory. I’m sure they don’t see it that way but hey, I pay the bills so they have to cut me some slack for sure.
May 11, 2020
SCANDALS, SECRETS AND MURDER
by Maggie Sefton
For those of you Cozy Chicks Blog readers who did not know that I also write Historical Mysteries in addition to the Kelly Flynn Mysteries, I've copied below a description of the first in that group---SCANDALS, SECRETS AND MURDER. It's set in 1890 Washington D.C. I hope some of you will take a look. :)
SCANDALS, SECRETS AND MURDER: The Widow and the Rogue Mysteriesby Maggie Sefton
The 1890s---A time of Robber Barons and Reformers, Suffragettes and Swindlers. Wall Street millionaires made fortunes overnight only to lose them the next day. They all came to Washington, D.C. Some to plead their causes, others to bribe the politicians who held power. America was changing and re-inventing itself in time for a new century, and Washington was the center of it all.
Powerful and corrupt U.S. Senator Horace Chester is stabbed to death in a Murder Bay brothel, wrapped in the arms of his evening’s entertainment. His assailant escapes into the crush of unwashed bodies filling the streets of 1890 Washington’s notorious red light district---a dense warren of taverns, gambling dens, and bordellos just a few short blocks from the President’s house. There, the wicked and the wretched alike find myriad vices to tempt their darkest desires. Anything is for sale in Murder Bay---including murder.
Hero/Sleuth: Devlin Burke, English investor, aristocratic family, amateur scientist and sometime sleuth. He’s in Washington to oversee his family’s investments and rescue his wayward nephew Freddie who’s gone bankrupt in Sen. Chester’s risky investment scheme. In a fit of rage, Freddie attacked Chester in a crowded Capitol Hill hallway only days before the senator’s gruesome murder. Freddie has no alibi for that night and is now the police inspector’s prime suspect.
Heroine/Sleuth: Amanda Duncan, wealthy young Washington widow, has spent years trying to ignore the clairvoyant visions that flash unbidden before her eyes, but she can no longer. If only her husband had believed her vision of the fiery train crash, he and her young daughter would still be alive. Since she couldn’t save her own loved ones, Amanda turns her back on Washington society and deliberately treads where no respectable lady would dare---into the grimy and violent world of Washington’s tenement alley slums. Perhaps her visions can help others. This latest vision, however, was most troubling. She saw a man stabbed to death by a shadowy assailant and a young girl screaming.
Not surprisingly, the police scoff at Amanda’s visions. But Devlin does not. Her account of the murder causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. He had been present in London two years earlier when the famous psychic Robert James Lees led Scotland Yard to the very door of the Ripper--only to be ignored.
Devlin and Amanda form a prickly partnership to find Senator Chester’s murderer, which takes them from the Capital’s posh salons into the crime-infested streets of Murder Bay. Devlin’s sleuthing instincts and Amanda’s psychic detection lead them ever closer to the truth. But the closer they approach, the more desperate the killer becomes---and the more dangerous.
For those of you Cozy Chicks Blog readers who did not know that I also write Historical Mysteries in addition to the Kelly Flynn Mysteries, I've copied below a description of the first in that group---SCANDALS, SECRETS AND MURDER. It's set in 1890 Washington D.C. I hope some of you will take a look. :)
SCANDALS, SECRETS AND MURDER: The Widow and the Rogue Mysteriesby Maggie SeftonThe 1890s---A time of Robber Barons and Reformers, Suffragettes and Swindlers. Wall Street millionaires made fortunes overnight only to lose them the next day. They all came to Washington, D.C. Some to plead their causes, others to bribe the politicians who held power. America was changing and re-inventing itself in time for a new century, and Washington was the center of it all.
Powerful and corrupt U.S. Senator Horace Chester is stabbed to death in a Murder Bay brothel, wrapped in the arms of his evening’s entertainment. His assailant escapes into the crush of unwashed bodies filling the streets of 1890 Washington’s notorious red light district---a dense warren of taverns, gambling dens, and bordellos just a few short blocks from the President’s house. There, the wicked and the wretched alike find myriad vices to tempt their darkest desires. Anything is for sale in Murder Bay---including murder.
Hero/Sleuth: Devlin Burke, English investor, aristocratic family, amateur scientist and sometime sleuth. He’s in Washington to oversee his family’s investments and rescue his wayward nephew Freddie who’s gone bankrupt in Sen. Chester’s risky investment scheme. In a fit of rage, Freddie attacked Chester in a crowded Capitol Hill hallway only days before the senator’s gruesome murder. Freddie has no alibi for that night and is now the police inspector’s prime suspect.
Heroine/Sleuth: Amanda Duncan, wealthy young Washington widow, has spent years trying to ignore the clairvoyant visions that flash unbidden before her eyes, but she can no longer. If only her husband had believed her vision of the fiery train crash, he and her young daughter would still be alive. Since she couldn’t save her own loved ones, Amanda turns her back on Washington society and deliberately treads where no respectable lady would dare---into the grimy and violent world of Washington’s tenement alley slums. Perhaps her visions can help others. This latest vision, however, was most troubling. She saw a man stabbed to death by a shadowy assailant and a young girl screaming.
Not surprisingly, the police scoff at Amanda’s visions. But Devlin does not. Her account of the murder causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. He had been present in London two years earlier when the famous psychic Robert James Lees led Scotland Yard to the very door of the Ripper--only to be ignored.
Devlin and Amanda form a prickly partnership to find Senator Chester’s murderer, which takes them from the Capital’s posh salons into the crime-infested streets of Murder Bay. Devlin’s sleuthing instincts and Amanda’s psychic detection lead them ever closer to the truth. But the closer they approach, the more desperate the killer becomes---and the more dangerous.
May 10, 2020
MAILBAG: WHEN YOUR OWN BOOK BORES YOU!
By Mary Kennedy
Here's an interesting question from a reader, one I've never heard before. (And no, I'm pretty sure my reader isn't a cat, but I really like this picture.)
Mary, I'm halfway through my first novel and I can hardly make myself work on it anymore because it suddenly seems very dull. Shall I scrap it and start over or continue to plod through it? Feeling frustrated in Boise.
Dear Frustrated: I wish I had more information. Is this a project you've been working on for months (or maybe years?) and you've been tackling it sporadically? Sometimes the excitement fades when a book is left "unattended" for long periods at a time. One of my friends put aside her book for several months after having twins and when she returned to it, she said, "You know, I hate to say it, but it's lost its new car smell."
New car smell . I love that description. We're so excited and brimming over with creativity when we first start a project, but creativity (like love) is ephemeral and can disappear if ignored and neglected for long periods of time.
But let's assume that you've been working on it fairly consistently and we'll look at some other possibilities.
*Maybe you had doubts about this project to begin with. Maybe you "liked it but didn't love it," as an editor said once to me. (And yes, it was about one of my books, but no worries, my agent sold it to someone else.)
*Maybe you've hit the dreaded, "sagging middle," that point when the book runs out of steam. You didn't mention where you are in the book, so I don't know if that's the case.
*What if there just isn't enough plot to sustain the reader's interest? This is a real possibility, especially with first books. This probably should have been addressed in the synopsis, but you need to tackle it right now before going any further
Here's what you need to do: Pile on the obstacles for your protagonist! There has to be some major obstacle keeping him from his goal, but add plenty of smaller roadblocks along the way. Think of Romeo and Juliet. If their parents got along Shakespeare wouldn't have gotten a play out of it. Make a list of things that could possibly go wrong...and then double it!
Only you can decide if this is a project worth continuing. But I think if you re-evaluate the plot and where you hope to go with it, the answer will come to you. There's no shame in scrapping a project if it doesn't "sing" to you anymore. But you don't want to end up with a pile of unfinished manuscripts, either.
Only you can decide! Good luck and write me again with more details, if you like.
Mary Kennedy
Here's an interesting question from a reader, one I've never heard before. (And no, I'm pretty sure my reader isn't a cat, but I really like this picture.)
Mary, I'm halfway through my first novel and I can hardly make myself work on it anymore because it suddenly seems very dull. Shall I scrap it and start over or continue to plod through it? Feeling frustrated in Boise.
Dear Frustrated: I wish I had more information. Is this a project you've been working on for months (or maybe years?) and you've been tackling it sporadically? Sometimes the excitement fades when a book is left "unattended" for long periods at a time. One of my friends put aside her book for several months after having twins and when she returned to it, she said, "You know, I hate to say it, but it's lost its new car smell."
New car smell . I love that description. We're so excited and brimming over with creativity when we first start a project, but creativity (like love) is ephemeral and can disappear if ignored and neglected for long periods of time.
But let's assume that you've been working on it fairly consistently and we'll look at some other possibilities.
*Maybe you had doubts about this project to begin with. Maybe you "liked it but didn't love it," as an editor said once to me. (And yes, it was about one of my books, but no worries, my agent sold it to someone else.)
*Maybe you've hit the dreaded, "sagging middle," that point when the book runs out of steam. You didn't mention where you are in the book, so I don't know if that's the case.*What if there just isn't enough plot to sustain the reader's interest? This is a real possibility, especially with first books. This probably should have been addressed in the synopsis, but you need to tackle it right now before going any further
Here's what you need to do: Pile on the obstacles for your protagonist! There has to be some major obstacle keeping him from his goal, but add plenty of smaller roadblocks along the way. Think of Romeo and Juliet. If their parents got along Shakespeare wouldn't have gotten a play out of it. Make a list of things that could possibly go wrong...and then double it!
Only you can decide if this is a project worth continuing. But I think if you re-evaluate the plot and where you hope to go with it, the answer will come to you. There's no shame in scrapping a project if it doesn't "sing" to you anymore. But you don't want to end up with a pile of unfinished manuscripts, either.
Only you can decide! Good luck and write me again with more details, if you like.
Mary Kennedy
May 8, 2020
Tempest in a Tea Room
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
YAY -- the newest entry in the Victoria Square Mysteries is out today! It's called A Murderous Misconception.
In a previous book (Yule Be Dead), Katie Bonner buys the tea shop on Victoria Square. She had a few problems setting up the business in the last book (Murder Ink). In Murderous Misconception, the business is rolling along, and Katie is having the second floor office turned into a studio apartment for herself and her cats, Mason and Della.
Having Katie live above the tea shop means that she gets to visit a lot more. And she gets to bake. Gayle Leeson (my co-writer) and I had fun choosing the recipes they'd make, and Katie and her chef/manager, Brad Andrews, baked a lot of goodies. In fact, we've included five recipes. Maybe you'd like to try one!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
1½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC, Gas Mark 4). In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla until they’re just combined. Do not over mix them. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until a thick, brownie-like batter forms. Fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening. Spread the batter in the pan then pop it into the preheated oven. Bake the bars for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Take the baked bars out of the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cut the bars and serve. Serve the cookie bars by themselves or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge for an indulgent sundae.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
We hope you'll not only want to make these wonderful bar cookies, but read the book, too. Here's more information.
Katie Bonner loses her lunch—literally—when her social media account serves up a shocking announcement. Her boyfriend Andy’s assistant manager, Erikka, is pregnant, and apparently with his child. And when Erikka turns up dead, the Sheriff turns up the heat on Katie and Andy, certain that one of them is to blame. But Erikka wasn't pregnant after all. Was Erikka's misconception the only way she could conceive of stealing Andy from Katie?
When Katie finds planted evidence, it’s her friend and former detective, Ray, who insists on concealing it. Is it his growing affection for her that causes him to act against his training and code of ethics, or could he be responsible for Erikka’s death?
Katie is afraid to find out.
Read an excerpt.
It's available in print and as an ebook.
PRINT: Amazon | Barnes and Noble (Coming to more online booksellers soon!)
Ebook: Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books | Smashwords
YAY -- the newest entry in the Victoria Square Mysteries is out today! It's called A Murderous Misconception.
In a previous book (Yule Be Dead), Katie Bonner buys the tea shop on Victoria Square. She had a few problems setting up the business in the last book (Murder Ink). In Murderous Misconception, the business is rolling along, and Katie is having the second floor office turned into a studio apartment for herself and her cats, Mason and Della.Having Katie live above the tea shop means that she gets to visit a lot more. And she gets to bake. Gayle Leeson (my co-writer) and I had fun choosing the recipes they'd make, and Katie and her chef/manager, Brad Andrews, baked a lot of goodies. In fact, we've included five recipes. Maybe you'd like to try one!
Chocolate Chip Cookie BarsIngredients
1½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC, Gas Mark 4). In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla until they’re just combined. Do not over mix them. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, mix the dry ingredients into the wet until a thick, brownie-like batter forms. Fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with butter or shortening. Spread the batter in the pan then pop it into the preheated oven. Bake the bars for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Take the baked bars out of the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cut the bars and serve. Serve the cookie bars by themselves or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge for an indulgent sundae.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
We hope you'll not only want to make these wonderful bar cookies, but read the book, too. Here's more information.
Katie Bonner loses her lunch—literally—when her social media account serves up a shocking announcement. Her boyfriend Andy’s assistant manager, Erikka, is pregnant, and apparently with his child. And when Erikka turns up dead, the Sheriff turns up the heat on Katie and Andy, certain that one of them is to blame. But Erikka wasn't pregnant after all. Was Erikka's misconception the only way she could conceive of stealing Andy from Katie?When Katie finds planted evidence, it’s her friend and former detective, Ray, who insists on concealing it. Is it his growing affection for her that causes him to act against his training and code of ethics, or could he be responsible for Erikka’s death?
Katie is afraid to find out.
Read an excerpt.
It's available in print and as an ebook.
PRINT: Amazon | Barnes and Noble (Coming to more online booksellers soon!)
Ebook: Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books | Smashwords
May 6, 2020
Rest in Peace, Don Shula
by Gayle Leeson"Success is not forever and failure isn't fatal." - Don Shula
I had occasion to meet Mr. Shula once. It was a long time ago. I can't remember how long, but my children were still in car seats, so pretty long.
My husband and I had taken our children to Grandfather Mountain near Linville, North Carolina, for a day trip. We were all hot and tired, and--being on deadline--I had a notebook and paper in my lap so I could at least pretend to be working on the drive home.
Since before my husband and I were married, he'd told me all about Don Shula, Dan Marino, and the undefeated season. So I knew well how much the man loved the Miami Dolphins. Why does a man born and raised in Virginia love the Dolphins? Who knows. For the same reason he loves the Boston Red Sox, I suppose.
Stopped at a gas station, my husband bent down and poked his head through the open window. "Gayle!" His voice was a stage whisper.
I looked up from my notebook. "What?" I didn't whisper.
"Do you know who that is?" He jerked his head slightly toward the pumps across from us where an older, distinguished-looking gentleman was filling his car with gas.
I shook my head.
"It's Don Shula!"
My jaw dropped. "Well, go say hello!"
"No!"
"Why not?"
Instead of answering me, he went to pay for the gas and get us some drinks. While he was gone, Mr. Schula finished gassing up and got in his car. He was leaving! I looked for Tim, who was ambling back toward our car, but Mr. Shula was driving away!
I got out of the car and, with my notebook and pen in hand, I ran toward Mr. Shula's Cadillac calling, "Wait!"
Fortunately for me, traffic was coming, and Mr. Shula couldn't pull out. Also, he was gracious enough not to put his window up and ignore me. I might've ignored a crazy woman with a notebook and pen had I been in his position. Instead, he calmly turned toward me and said, "Yes?"
"Are you Don Shula?" I asked.
"Yes, I am."
"My husband is a huge fan. Could I get your autograph?" I looked toward Tim who was now standing by our car. I motioned him over, but he shook his head. I motioned again. Again, I got the head shake.
"Of course." Mr. Shula took the pen and notebook, signed it, and handed it back.
I thanked him profusely before he pulled out into traffic and I hurried back to the car. Giving my husband "crazy eyes," I asked, "Why didn't you come and speak to the man? He's your hero!"
And my beloved said, "I wasn't a hundred percent sure that was him."
"Well, here." I showed him the paper and read it with him. "Why'd he write HOF '97 on there? Who's HOF?"
He rolled his eyes. "Hall of Fame."
While we were driving up the road, I decided to go back to my work but couldn't find my pen. I gave an exasperated sigh. "I think Tommy Lasorda kept my pen!"
Laughing, my husband said, "Who?"
I felt around in my seat and found the pen. "Never mind," I said. "I've got it." I'm proud to report that neither Tommy Lasorda nor Don Shula kept my pen.
Dirt Digger on a roll
Hi, Duffy Brown here. Now that we are all locked in and at home it’s the perfect time to garden. Okay, gardening has always been my thing anyway but this year even more so with no place to go.
I’ve been a dirt-digger as long as I can remember. Even as a kid I just loved flowers. I think it came from my grandfather, Angelo. He was from Italy and the man could grow anything. He was all green-thumbs. He grew figs here in Cincy that were big and delih. He had an apricot tree that put out the most delish fruit imaginable. He had dahlias as big as dinner plates and roses that smelled like heaven on earth.
When my husband and I moved to our new house 45 years ago there was nothing but grass. We planted and planted and planted and we never stopped. My house now is surrounded by huge trees, 48 hostas, roses, evergreens, tall grasses, dogwoods, and on and on and on. Every year I add to it. This year I hired guys to put in some larger trees. I just can’t dig or haul like that any longer.
But now it’s annual time. Time to plant those flowers that only last one season, bloom May to October and give the garden that special splash.I have planted tons...literally...of annual flowers over the years and now have my list of faves. My never-fail list of flowers that require little work, don’t succumb to blights, and give color like no other.
My latest find is Sunpatiens. Dang, these things are magic flowers. They bloom and bloom and bloom and all I do is water them and add miracle-grow...thy is a miracle. And Sunpatiens grow in sun and shade and spread like mad.For deep shade it’s Dragon Wing Begonia. They have large clusters of flowers and big shiny leaves. Vinca is always a winner too.
I have Becky daisies and black-eyed Susans that bloom all season long and catnip and day lilies that come back year after year and make me oh so happy.
So what about you? Are you a dirt-digger? Got a fave perennial? Annual? Secret garden tip you’d like to share?Happy gardening. Hugs, Duffy.
May 4, 2020
Scary Virus
by Maggie SeftonMy "adopted" granddaughter, Emma, at the River house watching the Eagles and their nest.
Greetings, Cozy Chicks Blog readers and friends. I hope all of you are healthy and protecting yourselves from that horrible Coronavirus 19. Good Lord! To think these diseases are numbered. I'm obediently sheltering in place here in Northern Colorado. We are having great Spring weather---sunshine, warm temps which will get warmer each week of early Spring. I'm enjoying my backyard and watching the Lilac bushes gain blossoms.
Because of the virus, I've been relaxing and reading and keeping up with the daily news events, along with my sweet 17-year old Katy dog. For some reason, Katy has grown a very heavy winter coat which is now shedding in lots of fluffy black doggie hair. She's heading for the groomer tomorrow with my daughter Melissa (#2 out of four girls).
I'm sorry this post is so boring, folks. :) But this nasty virus has kept me sheltering in place and unable to do my usual busy travel routine. That's been a hard adjustment for me. I'm so used to jumping on a plane and flying off to different places, particularly Back East where the rest of my Family lives. And escaping to the River house just down from the Potomac River. I particularly miss sitting on the deck and watching the Bald Eagle duo take care of new hatchlings in their nest in the trees across from my deck.
At least I can report on a fascinating book that's just appearing now. It's called "What are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO." It's author is Mike Lindell. The Google blurb intrigued me, so I'm ordering the book. I'll update all of you what I think of it. Meanwhile, stay safe and stay healthy, Everyone.
May 3, 2020
WHEN HOLLYWOOD COMES TO YOUR HOUSE
By Mary Kennedy
Lights, camera action, and wait a minute! You mean, here in my incredibly messy house? Oh no.
Here's how it all began. I was writing teen fiction for Scholastic (35 books, back to back) and in addition, had just taken on a grueling, but exciting job as PR Director for a major travel company. So I was working 12 hours a day in PR, commuting 2 hours round trip and writing books every night and into the early morning hours. I wrote 8 books that year.
And now a nationally syndicated TV show wanted to feature me and discuss my teen books. Chez moi! Quelle horreur.
It was interesting, but I put the idea on the back burner. Many of these things (film options, network shows) show up from time to time but never come to pass. Ask any writer. A brief flurry of interest and then zilch.
But this one was different. I got "the call" on a Thursday night around 8:00 pm. The film company was going to be at my house at 8:30 the following morning.
After my initial shock, I called a friend, a fellow writer. She advised me to take a few black plastic leaf bags and do a run through the house, scoping up everything in sight. Good advice and I only had a few hours to do it. (She also suggested putting out a nice spread of beer, soda and deli food for the crew. Excellent advice.) A quick run to Wawa and the liquor store.
6:30 am. The crew arrives, two hours early! A brief panic on my part when I mistakenly think they've let my cat out. False alarm. The cat has wedged herself behind the massive wall unit in the den. I found myself wishing I could join her.
8:00 am. Scene #1. They finally set up the lighting and tell me to pretend to be serving lunch to my children at the kitchen table. The producer says to child #1, "Well, young man, let's talk about your Mom." (Child looks distinctly uncomfortable.)"What does she like about her PR job?"
Child thinks for a moment and then says helpfully, "The free trips." Producer frowns and makes a throat slitting motion to the camera guy. "We'll cut that line," he tells me. Child #2 appears, sits down, looks baffled and says, "Why are we eating lunch in the morning?"
Producer grits teeth. "We'll cut that line, too." Followed by a few token questions about why I took up writing, and why I love writing for teens.
Scene #2. A local bookstore. I'm instructed to look idly over the shelves and gasp in delight as I spot my books. Since they are all arranged face out this seems ridiculous. Producer agrees that it looks silly and suggests all the books be placed spine out and then I can look appropriately pleased. (it still looked silly to me.)
Scene #3. A local lake. I'm told to walk around the lake, looking pensive and then settle myself under a tree as if I'm coming up with plot ideas. This was a very short scene. Mud was oozing up into my sandals as I walked around the soggy lake bank and I accidentally sat in a nest of fire ants under the tree.
Home at last. The crew devours the deli spread as if they were a pack of starving hounds. They finally pack up their gear and depart.
The finished product. They ran the Beatle's song, "Paperback Writer" as I wandered around the edge of the lake. A nice touch. The show got a lot of repeat airings: I think it helped sales. I had to throw out my Gucci sandals. The cat had a nervous breakdown and was never the same. Such was my brush with fame!
By Mary Kennedy
Lights, camera action, and wait a minute! You mean, here in my incredibly messy house? Oh no.
Here's how it all began. I was writing teen fiction for Scholastic (35 books, back to back) and in addition, had just taken on a grueling, but exciting job as PR Director for a major travel company. So I was working 12 hours a day in PR, commuting 2 hours round trip and writing books every night and into the early morning hours. I wrote 8 books that year.
And now a nationally syndicated TV show wanted to feature me and discuss my teen books. Chez moi! Quelle horreur.
It was interesting, but I put the idea on the back burner. Many of these things (film options, network shows) show up from time to time but never come to pass. Ask any writer. A brief flurry of interest and then zilch.
But this one was different. I got "the call" on a Thursday night around 8:00 pm. The film company was going to be at my house at 8:30 the following morning.
After my initial shock, I called a friend, a fellow writer. She advised me to take a few black plastic leaf bags and do a run through the house, scoping up everything in sight. Good advice and I only had a few hours to do it. (She also suggested putting out a nice spread of beer, soda and deli food for the crew. Excellent advice.) A quick run to Wawa and the liquor store.
6:30 am. The crew arrives, two hours early! A brief panic on my part when I mistakenly think they've let my cat out. False alarm. The cat has wedged herself behind the massive wall unit in the den. I found myself wishing I could join her.
8:00 am. Scene #1. They finally set up the lighting and tell me to pretend to be serving lunch to my children at the kitchen table. The producer says to child #1, "Well, young man, let's talk about your Mom." (Child looks distinctly uncomfortable.)"What does she like about her PR job?"
Child thinks for a moment and then says helpfully, "The free trips." Producer frowns and makes a throat slitting motion to the camera guy. "We'll cut that line," he tells me. Child #2 appears, sits down, looks baffled and says, "Why are we eating lunch in the morning?"
Producer grits teeth. "We'll cut that line, too." Followed by a few token questions about why I took up writing, and why I love writing for teens.
Scene #2. A local bookstore. I'm instructed to look idly over the shelves and gasp in delight as I spot my books. Since they are all arranged face out this seems ridiculous. Producer agrees that it looks silly and suggests all the books be placed spine out and then I can look appropriately pleased. (it still looked silly to me.)
Scene #3. A local lake. I'm told to walk around the lake, looking pensive and then settle myself under a tree as if I'm coming up with plot ideas. This was a very short scene. Mud was oozing up into my sandals as I walked around the soggy lake bank and I accidentally sat in a nest of fire ants under the tree.
Home at last. The crew devours the deli spread as if they were a pack of starving hounds. They finally pack up their gear and depart.
The finished product. They ran the Beatle's song, "Paperback Writer" as I wandered around the edge of the lake. A nice touch. The show got a lot of repeat airings: I think it helped sales. I had to throw out my Gucci sandals. The cat had a nervous breakdown and was never the same. Such was my brush with fame!
By Mary Kennedy
May 1, 2020
Hot for Ice!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
During "this time of crisis" (aren't you sick of that phrase?), most of us have hunkered down to stop the spread of this terrible, deadly virus. We're doing stuff you haven't done much before if not ever.
I made bread! I baked a cake. I baked banana bread. I'll probably bake bread and zucchini bread this weekend. (Yup, I froze a batch last summer--that and rhubarb.) I usually don't bake because CALORIES, but Mr. L likes something sweet for breakfast (hence, banana and zucchini bread.)
But there are other things, too. And some are pretty trivial .... like ice cubes.
We don't have an ice maker in our fridge. This was a conscious decision because they take up a lot of space in the freezer compartment. (When you stuff your freezer as full as I do, it's a LOT of space.) So we buy a couple of 7 lb bags of ice every so often and put them in the BIG freezer.
Well, we're not going to the grocery store several times a week like we used to do. And curbside service doesn't offer ice. And guess what? Last fall, I gave ALL our ice cube trays (that had been sitting around gathering dust for years) to Goodwill. *Sigh* they were such a pretty shade of blue....
So, when that last bag of ice was nearing the bottom, drastic measures had to be taken. What the heck could I use to make ice cubes with? I searched the kitchen high and low. The laundry room, too, just in case I'd missed an ice cube tray. Nope. They were all gone. But down in the basement, behind the stand mixer (I have a small kitchen, nowhere else to keep it and it doesn't get used all that much--except for that cake I baked for Mr. L's birthday last month), I found a mini-muffin tin. I must have gotten it at a yard sale. I know I'd only used it once before, when I tested mini-quiches for my third Booktown Mystery, Bookplate Special (which was nominated for an Agatha Award for best novel--find the recipe here).
It turns out, that mini-muffin-shaped ice rounds are really quite good. They don't melt as fast as traditional ice cubes (because they're bigger), so you don't need to use as many. Mr. L is a BIG fan. In fact, he's urged me to become a slave to that muffin pan with cries of "We need more ice!"
Well, it takes at least 3 hours to make the not-cubes. I usually start the first batch between 6 and 8 in the morning ... whenever I first walk into the kitchen to make the tea and coffee. First, I empty the tray. Now, they just don't pop out of the tray, they must be "encouraged." I usually wait about about 7-8 minutes for them to melt just enough so an inserted steak knife will help pop them out. Ah, but I'm always looking for a faster, better way. Since the kettle is on for tea anyway, when it gets near to boiling, it starts to steam. Ha! I hold that tray just about an inch away from the spout and then rotate the pan so that every "round" will have it's little metal backside warmed. Then they pop right out and into the waiting plastic bag and into the freezer they go. (Don't worry, I've been using this bag for a month and it shows no sign of wear and tear. I'll use it until it falls apart. Save the planet from single-use plastics!)
So, how are you making do during "this time of crisis?"
During "this time of crisis" (aren't you sick of that phrase?), most of us have hunkered down to stop the spread of this terrible, deadly virus. We're doing stuff you haven't done much before if not ever.
I made bread! I baked a cake. I baked banana bread. I'll probably bake bread and zucchini bread this weekend. (Yup, I froze a batch last summer--that and rhubarb.) I usually don't bake because CALORIES, but Mr. L likes something sweet for breakfast (hence, banana and zucchini bread.)But there are other things, too. And some are pretty trivial .... like ice cubes.
We don't have an ice maker in our fridge. This was a conscious decision because they take up a lot of space in the freezer compartment. (When you stuff your freezer as full as I do, it's a LOT of space.) So we buy a couple of 7 lb bags of ice every so often and put them in the BIG freezer.
Well, we're not going to the grocery store several times a week like we used to do. And curbside service doesn't offer ice. And guess what? Last fall, I gave ALL our ice cube trays (that had been sitting around gathering dust for years) to Goodwill. *Sigh* they were such a pretty shade of blue....
So, when that last bag of ice was nearing the bottom, drastic measures had to be taken. What the heck could I use to make ice cubes with? I searched the kitchen high and low. The laundry room, too, just in case I'd missed an ice cube tray. Nope. They were all gone. But down in the basement, behind the stand mixer (I have a small kitchen, nowhere else to keep it and it doesn't get used all that much--except for that cake I baked for Mr. L's birthday last month), I found a mini-muffin tin. I must have gotten it at a yard sale. I know I'd only used it once before, when I tested mini-quiches for my third Booktown Mystery, Bookplate Special (which was nominated for an Agatha Award for best novel--find the recipe here).
It turns out, that mini-muffin-shaped ice rounds are really quite good. They don't melt as fast as traditional ice cubes (because they're bigger), so you don't need to use as many. Mr. L is a BIG fan. In fact, he's urged me to become a slave to that muffin pan with cries of "We need more ice!"
Well, it takes at least 3 hours to make the not-cubes. I usually start the first batch between 6 and 8 in the morning ... whenever I first walk into the kitchen to make the tea and coffee. First, I empty the tray. Now, they just don't pop out of the tray, they must be "encouraged." I usually wait about about 7-8 minutes for them to melt just enough so an inserted steak knife will help pop them out. Ah, but I'm always looking for a faster, better way. Since the kettle is on for tea anyway, when it gets near to boiling, it starts to steam. Ha! I hold that tray just about an inch away from the spout and then rotate the pan so that every "round" will have it's little metal backside warmed. Then they pop right out and into the waiting plastic bag and into the freezer they go. (Don't worry, I've been using this bag for a month and it shows no sign of wear and tear. I'll use it until it falls apart. Save the planet from single-use plastics!)So, how are you making do during "this time of crisis?"
April 29, 2020
Instant Gratification
by Gayle LeesonAs a writer, I have to wait a while to see my finished product, whether it's an ebook, print book, or audiobook. And that can get a little frustrating. So, sometimes, I like to do something artistic that can be done in a matter of hours.
Case in point, the freehand embroidery I did on Saturday while watching television with my son. I took the design from a photo I'd seen on Pinterest and practiced drawing it several times before lightly penciling the design on the fabric. The rest was simple. Just follow the lines, add some cross-stitch, and make some fringe for her lashes. That fringe is what took the longest. I like it. I think it's a cute project that would be nice in a small black or red frame.
What do you do when you want to create something artistic right now? Do you work jigsaw puzzles? Paint or draw? Experiment with your makeup? Color? Stencil? Do needlework? Cook? Decorate cakes or cookies? I'd love to hear about your hobbies.If you're in the mood to read something right now, please check out book one in the Ghostly Fashionista series, DESIGNS ON MURDER. The ebook is on sale for 99 cents (today is the last day at this special price) to celebrate the release of the second book in the series, PERILS AND LACE, earlier this month.
If you'd like to read an excerpt, visit Ghostly Fashionista online; and if you'd like to buy, all the links will be there at your fingertips!
