Jennifer J. Chow's Blog, page 10

Foodie Friday: Mochi Donuts

Well, I’ve blogged about these treats (filled with cream) before. If you don’t like a cakey interior, you might want to grab a mochi doughnut. It has more of a chewy texture to enjoy.

Mochi donuts (with strawberry and cookies & cream flavors)Other pluses?Won’t miss a bite (without the crumbly, cake nature, you’ll be able to gobble up the whole thing)Offers unique flavors (distinct glazes like pandan, guava, and green tea pair well with the mochi flour)Easy to share (fresh ones often come rounded in break-apart balls, which you can give to a friend)

Bonus:

Want to know where you can score fresh mochi donuts in the Los Angeles area?

My recommended go-to spots are:

King’s Hawaiian (or its sister site, The Local Place)

Modo Hawaii

Detective Starter Pack Sweepstakes

Ever dream of becoming a detective? This is the giveaway for you then! Not only do you get a murder mystery game, but you have the chance to win four upcoming Berkley mysteries.

Who’s participating?

Jennifer Hawkins, Olivia Blacke, me, and Jenn McKinlay (see our respective books above)

Want to learn a fun fact about each of our novels?

Check out today’s post on Chicks on the Case!

Interested in entering? (From now until 9/25)

Detective Starter Pack Sweepstakes Link (https://bit.ly/3yxG247)

Wonderful Wednesday: Cozy Escape Awards

I have some exciting news! Mimi Lee Gets A Clue has been nominated for a Cozy Escape Award in the Own Voices category.

Background behind the award:

The Cozy Escape Book Club is hosting their first ever Cozy Escape Awards on 9/15 for National Cozy Mystery Day on their Patreon Page. 

There are 20 different Cozy Mystery categories with 5 great cozy mysteries nominated for each category.

How you can participate for free:

Vote for your favorite book in each category on Patreon. Instructional video here: https://youtu.be/-B7ya3uAAuA

Celebration time:

Want a fun, free and virtual way to celebrate National Cozy Mystery Day? Join the party on 9/15: https://lisasiefert.com/events/cozy-escape-awards/.

Publishers Weekly Review

Wednesday Roundup

Hi there!

I’m doing something new on certain Wednesdays. I’ve decided to once in a while post some bookish news roundups. I realize that not everybody checks my media page, so I figure I’ll go ahead and list some fun articles and mentions about my books.

Here are two recent posts:

Sister love in books: http://nwasianweekly.com/2021/08/for-the-love-of-sisters/

High-tech mystery reads (I’m quoted in this article!): https://bookriot.com/high-tech-mysteries/

Chinese Rice Puffs

Chinese rice puffs (a.k.a. sachima): rectangular pastry cakes with almost braided layers

I remember eating these as a kid. They’ve also been called Chinese Rice Krispies, but the consistency is totally different. It’s not chewy or gooey and has a soft, pillowy texture (especially on the inside). The exterior is golden or golden brown (and can be fried). Some cooks will add surprises to the mix: sesame seeds, raisins, or dried coconut.

The pastry squares aren’t too sweet. Fun fact: There isn’t even any rice in them! They’re made from flour.

Patience

I’m on the Chicks on a Case blog talking about patience. That’s the writer’s life in a nutshell! https://chicksonthecase.com/2021/08/13/the-patient-writer/

Wordless Wednesday: Midnight Hour

Author Speed Dating

I went to the More Than Malice convention a few weeks ago and participated in something called “Author Speed Dating.” It’s a timed event, where you get one minute to pitch your book to attendees. Honestly, it may have been as nerve-wracking as actual speed dating!

I’ve pitched before (see my previous post). That was only to literary agents one at time, though, not simultaneously to a whole slew of people. I think there were over a hundred, close to two hundred folks, listening to the speed dating event. Yikes!

I came away from the event with more expertise on doing virtual pitching. Here are a few thoughts:

Time yourself:
Do a trial run multiple times, making sure the timing is consistent. Getting cut off in the middle of a speech is no fun.

Check the tech stuff early on:
I had to make sure the website had access to my camera and mic by clicking on the lock next to the URL and giving the appropriate permissions before I got called up on stage.

Props:
The more creative authors had props at the ready, whether they were large sunglasses or an even larger knife. Writers even printed out their names and author websites on paper. If I had to do it all over, I’d prepare more visual aids instead of just using my book.

For my spiel, I went with short and snappy. I provided a brief synopsis and a couple of praise blurbs. I’m not sure how many people checked out my website or books in the end, but I was happy to have the chance to share about my work.

Do you have any advice for short speeches/pitches?

Getting to Know Mimi Lee

Just a quick hello to say Mimi Lee from the Sassy Cat Mysteries is being interviewed by Betty Bolte today. Check out the post: https://bettybolte.net/2021/07/23/getting-to-know-jennifer-j-chow-author-cozymystery-characters-ya-fiction-books/