Lynn Cahoon's Blog, page 18

Goodreads giveaway – Murder on Wheels

Didn’t win If the Shoe Kills last month?

Kensington has a copy of Murder on Wheels up for one lucky reader. Check out the giveaway here.

Releasing February 2nd, Murder on Wheels is book 6 of the Tourist Trap series. Are you all caught up and ready? 

The food truck craze has reached the charming coastal town of South Cove, California, but before Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books, and More—can sample the eats, she has to shift gears and put the brakes on a killer . . .

Now that Kacey Austin has got her new gluten-free dessert truck up and running, there’s no curbing her enthusiasm—not even when someone vandalizes the vehicle and steals her recipes. But when Kacey turns up dead on the beach and Jill’s best friend Sadie becomes the prime suspect, Jill needs to step on it to serve the real killer some just desserts.

Why I am delighted with technology

My website has snow today. Gently falling snowflakes against my blue background.

I know, I know. I set it up to do this for the month of December. And I’ll probably be tired of the snow before to long. It’s not a rabbit out of a hat or a woman sawed in half.

But today, it feels magical. And it makes me smile.

What made you smile today?

Bits and pieces and Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake

I’m off the day job for a few days, so while I’m resting, I’m also working my writer gig full time. 

Currently I’m working on the second book of the Castle View series, Roadside Attraction. I’m enjoying writing this contemporary romance set in Northern Idaho. The first book (Wild Hearts)is being released this weekend. Up now on Kindle and other fine digital stores soon. 

I’m addicted to gooey butter cake as of a couple weeks ago. I made a pumpkin one for work – Loved. And for Thanksgiving, I changed it up to a chocolate and peanut butter version. WONDERFUL.

Chocolate/Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake

Crust- Mix the following and spread into a greased 9×13 cake pan

1 devils food cake mix
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 egg

Topping – Cream together –

1 pkg softened cream cheese
1 cup peanut butter

Add and mix

3 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp vanilla
8 chopped up Reese’s Peanut Butter cups

Finally – mix in

16 oz of powdered sugar

When it’s all mixed, pour on top of the crust, put pan in a 350 degree, preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. 

Cool and refrigerate for best serving. (Although eating it warm is pretty darn good too…)

I’m slowing down for the winter season, looking forward to finishing my reading goal (14 more books by end of year-EEK.) Time to put up the Christmas tree so I can watch the lights.

If the Shoe Kills is on a Goodreads giveaway until November 30th and starting December 1st, Lyrical Underground/Kensington is offering an early copy of Murder on Wheels to a lucky winner on Goodreads.

That’s the news. What’s going on in your life?

 

Lynn Cahoon’s favorite books transcend genres

I love books. I have since the day I found how I could escape a less than perfect home life as a child in a second, losing myself in the story.

So today, I’m doing a Lynn’s favorite five books. Ask me the same question tomorrow, you’ll probably get a different answer, but this is my answer today. Or maybe this should be called the early top five.

A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle

This book hit all the right spots for a fatherless child with an active imagination.

The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R Tolkien

The band nerd group I belonged to made this required reading for the late night discussions in high school.

The Stand – Stephen King

What would I do if I survived the end of the world? Where would I find my contacts?

Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell

My first romance. I know it was about the civil war, but the one scene that sticks even years later is the staircase scene. This started my love for bad boys.

Hummm, for the last one (for today – lol) I’m stumped between Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

The Lightening Thief – Rick Riordan

If you haven’t read the demi-god series, this is a must read. Just tell the bookseller you’re buying them for your nephew. And don’t rely on the movie version, too many plot lines left out that are essential to the ultimate battle to save the world.

 

So what are your top five reads?  I’m thinking any of these classics would be an excellent gift this Christmas to a young reader.

If the Shoe Kills – a perfect read for your holiday season.

I have a new Goodreads giveaway for November –

If the Shoe Kills



by Lynn Cahoon

Giveaway ends November 30, 2015.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Goodreads Giveaway

It’ s my birthday month, and the gifts are for you…

Mission to Murder is on a Goodreads Giveaway now. Click here to sign up.

Who needs an excuse?

Here’s my recipe for Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake.

Best served with tons of whipped cream.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the following –

2 pkgs cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Then mix in

3 eggs

Beating after each addition

When smooth, set aside 1 cup of the mixture.

Add

1 cup pumpkin
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Pour mixture into a

graham cracker crust (pre-made)

Pour four drops of the white mix you set aside then run a knife through the piles to gently marble the mixture into the pumpkin.

Bake for 55 minutes.

Chill.

Enjoy. 

Killer Run Blog Tour

Hi peeps!

Killer Run releases tomorrow (squee!) and I’m doing some blog visits to celebrate. 

First up, Dru’s Musing has Jill talking about the new book.

Whodunit’s facebook page has a sharathon giveaway the 18-19 only.

And on Wednesday, I’ll be over at Word Wranglers.

Starting tomorrow, I’ll also be participating in A Great Escapes Killer Run blog tour. See the home page for all the tour stops.

If your in the St Louis area, I’ll be at the St. Charles library, Spenser Road Branch on Monday August 24th at 7 to 8:30 pm for a program and signing.

Stop by in person or virtually, I’d love to see you!

3 wishes time.

How would you answer this question? A genie grants you three wishes: what are they and why?

First wish – I have the ways and means to write full time. I’m somewhat leery of getting things for free – ever read The Monkey’s Paw? But as long as this is a good genie, I’ll ask for enough money to be able to stay home and play with my imaginary friends all day. And access to good health insurance, just in case. (I know, that might be more than one wish, but this is a good genie, right?)

Second wish – A metabolism that lets me eat what I want and never gain weight. Okay, not like Stephen King’s Thinner, but at least be able to enjoy some ice cream or a Hershey’s with Almonds, without dreading stepping on the scale later.

Idaho Potato Pie – yum

Third wish – To be draped in jewels… Wait, no, that’s not my wish, I think Dressed to Kill’s Sherry King is taking over the post. I must have paused too long thinking. A career I enjoy, good food (that doesn’t make me fat), those two are taken care of. I know, friends and family around to make me laugh and realized the joy of giving and receiving love.

Your turn – What are your three wishes?

Coming up for air

Yep, I finished and sent off my first Cat Latimer mystery to my editor.  If you didn’t know it, books are like boomerangs, they come back.  First developmental edits, then copy edits, then page proofs, a book is handled a lot after the author writes those two magic words, THE END. Which is a good thing as typo’s and incorrect word usages can slip by an author’s tired eyes with the first few edits.

So now I’m handling some of the business side of the job including sending out giveaways and writing more blogs. Killer Run releases on August 18th and I’m so not ready for it. :) The book’s more than ready, I on the other hand, have a few promo activities to tidy up before I can mark that off my to do list. 

I’ll be doing my first library signing on August 24th here in St. Louis. I’ll put the place and time on the news page. If you’re in town, I’d love to see you.

The Kensington signing at RWA

I had a fabulous time in NYC for the #RWA15. The literary signing was fun and I got to meet a lot of people I only know on line. Cozy mysteries were kind of hot in the group this year. I talked to a lot of authors who are ‘thinking’ about coming over to the dark side. Or at least the part of the dark side where we have cookies. 

Oh, and I’m doing a giveaway for newsletter subscribers. If you’re on the newsletter, you’re entered into the giveaway. If you’re not, well, click on the image below to sign up for my newsletter and get there. :)  

See you all in a few weeks.

Lynn