New Cookbook Brings Old Memories

Buy on Amazon.com
Kindle eBook

In 2001 after I'd written a few chapters of  "Murder in Half Moon Bay," I attended a literary conference with a guest speaker by the name of Camille Minichino (AKA Margaret Grace) who was writing the Periodic Table mysteries at the time. Camille graciously signed one of her books for me, wishing good success with my writing. I was in awe! Today,  13 years later, we appear in a cookbook together called "Cozy Food." What could be more special?  
      

Another author, Sandra Balzo, has contributed a recipe to the new cookbook as well. Years ago when I asked a question on a forum, this lady also encouraged me with a few words. I'll be forever grateful. 

The third author I want to mention is our very own Traci Tyne Hilton. Traci, like the rest of our CMM authors is a sweetheart and a wonderful writer. I'm anxious to read what she added. 

In case you're wondering, I wrote recipes for Raisin Scones and Mock Devonshire Cream epitomizing "Queen of Afternoon Tea."  Check out the back cover for a complete list of cozy mystery authors and see if your favorites are included. You may want to purchase a copy to discover more cozy authors. Links are included with each recipe.

                                                       
I hope you enjoy the collaboration by author Nancy Lynn Jarvis, another friend of mine. Until next time, I'll see you in my books.

 Cheers!

~Nancy Jill 

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood story-teller to being listed on Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she has always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunnits. In 2010, Nancy Jill published her first mystery, Murder in Half Moon Bay, introducing her well-loved protagonist, Jillian Bradley, and whimsical Yorkie, “Teddy.” She’s written seven books so far in The Jillian Bradley Mystery Series and is working on her eighth.

When she isn’t plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, she travels between Texas and California finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand or having afternoon tea with friends.

Member of Leander Writers’ Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW CenTex Chapter), and Central Texas Authors

To learn more about Nancy Jill visit these sites.

Twitter @mystriterdva

http://www.nancy-jill.blogspot.com

Pinterest

FREE: A Cup of Cozy--Short Mysteries from the Authors of Cozy Mystery Magazine

A Cup of Cozy is available for free on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377046

And the Winner is. . .

We took the comments you left and results from the poll and the winner is. . . 

The one change you will see is a suggestion made in comments by someone who asked that the background be toned down behind the title and subtitle. I figured out how to do that using Pixelator for Mac and, boom! Here ya go!

Thanks for participating in this selection process. It was great fun! We'll announce the release of the ebook soon. . . Very soon. . .

Help Us Choose a Book Cover (Poll)------>

The holiday season is almost here, and what better way to celebrate cold days and even colder nights than by curling up with a hot drink and a good story? Yeah, we think so too! 

Some of the authors here at Cozy Mystery Magazine have decided to put together a compilation of short stories that we'll be giving away for free. Yes, FREE! But we need your help. Tell us, dear readers, which cover art appeals most to your eye, then cast your vote in the Poll (upper right corner of sidebar). Wanna leave a comment instead? Great, we'll add those votes to the final tally too! 

Happy voting!

Poll closes Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 11:59 PM.

Cover #1

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Cover #3

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Who Are Your Friends?

Author Nancy Jill Thames

Leisure time used to consist of spending hours with some very special friends of mine, unfortunately, the past few years I've been so busy publishing books of my own that I've had very little time to do what I love - reading stories about some wonderful characters created by renown cozy mystery authors. You may have heard of them, or perhaps the characters they created. They are people I adore and love, even though most have passed away or lived (fictitiously of course) in an entirely different era. My goal as an author is to share the characters I've created with you as they live and solve mysteries together. One day, I hope to see actual photos of actors reenacting Jillian Bradley, Teddy (a special dog, perhaps), Cecilia Montoya (Jillian's personal assistant), Walter Montoya (Jillian's detective friend), Chief Viscuglia, Daisy Larsen, and a host of others taking part in the Jillian Bradley Mysteries. Now, until then, see if you can match the authors with their characters - one author has created more than one. 

Author Carolyn Keene

Tuppence and Tommy Beresford

Hercule Poirot

Author Dorothy Sayers

Jessica Fletcher

Author Agatha Christie

Nancy Drew

Author Donald Bain

Miss Jane Marple

Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Whimsey

Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames began publishing Christian fiction in 2010. The author of six books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award winning blogger and is listed numerous times on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List, this in addition to winning first place for her Chocolate Cream Pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren in two states, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers Guild and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales.

Our Special Guest: Author Susette Williams

by Nancy Jill Thames

Susette Williams

Susette Williams loves writing various genres; anything from romance, mystery, and suspense to name a few. She usually can't resist the urge to let her ornery sense of humor shine through in one of her characters and has always believed that laughter helps you deal with the obstacles life puts in your way.

It is her desire to write fast paced books that readers will devour and be hungry to read more. Her books are sure to entertain and delight readers.

Susette married her hero in 1983, and together they have six wonderful children, all with intriguing and different personalities, like the characters she creates in her novels.

 COZY MYSTERY MAGAZINE wishes you good luck with your new mystery series, Susette!!

Maid for Murder: DEADLY BUSINESS

Bailey inherits her grandfather’s business, Maid For You, but cleaning up dead body parts wasn’t part of the job description. Bailey hopes to wipe out crime with the help of Nate, her computer hacker assistant, despite protests of their involvement in the case from Detective Max Wellington.

When Bailey catches the culprits arranging to dispose of another body, she's out to help the two of them dig their own grave and if she’s lucky, Detective Max Wellington will keep them from arranging her funeral.

Check out Susette's  books and read her excellent reviews on the following links:

Website: www.SusetteWilliams.com

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Susette-Williams/182094681851446?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusetteWilliams

Author Page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Susette-Williams/e/B008RSAZW0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Maid-Murder-Deadly-Business-ebook/dp/B00A1U6WI8/ref=la_B008RSAZW0_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1352312135&sr=1-6

Nancy Jill Thames

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of the Jillian Bradley Mysteries - stories often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. She has won awards for her blogs, a pie contest for her Chocolate Chip Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times. Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit the Cozy Book Store and her blogs: 

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames

"Queen of Afternoon Tea" Celebrity Author Interviews

            

BOOK REVIEW TIME! C.L.RAGSDALE

by Nancy Jill Thames

Available on Amazon.com

What a fun read for only $.99! C.L. Ragsdale is a wonderful story teller pulling you in immediately with the lore of Lake Morona's resident ghost. The tension is well developed between Irene and Troy, infused with witty dialogue. I also liked the story itself and the way it unfolded - giving clues to the mystery here and there to keep my interest through the whole book. When it ended, it left me wanting more adventures of the Reboot Team. I immediately ordered book 1 on my Kindle. Cute series! 

C. L. RAGSDALE

Mystery writer C.L. Ragsdale is the author of The Reboot Files a Christian Mystery Series. A California native, she loves to "surf" the web to research plot details for her fun, quirky stories with just a bit of whopper in them. She has a degree in Theatre Arts which greatly influenced her writing style. Working in various fields as a secretary has allowed her to both master her writing skills and acquire valuable technical knowledge which she uses liberally in her plots. She loves to embroider and knit and is a big fan of the old Scooby Doo cartoons.

Current E-Books

THE REBOOT FILES:  The Mystery of Hurtleberry House, The Island of Living Trees, The Harbinger of Retribution, and The Wrong Ghost.

www.shortmysteriesandtalltales.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CL-Ragsdale219184744858421

A FREE GIFT FOR YOU!

NANCY JILL THAMES, AUTHOR

If you don't have Book 2 yet, please be my guest to receive a free copy

(a $2.99-$11.99 Value) this weekend! A story of murder, love and devotion.

"THE GHOST ORCHID MURDER" 

by Nancy Jill Thames

It's been eight years since gardening columnist Jillian Bradley helped solve a string of murders in Half Moon Bay. But when a friend and colleague in Scottsdale, Arizona finds a young technical assistant dead on the floor of his private office, Jillian doesn't hesitate to answer his plea for help in the investigation. After all, a $2 million research grant depends on it.

    Together with Detective Jack Noble and Jillian's clue sniffing dog, Teddy, the three set out to track the killer who leaves a porcelain orchid over the wound as the only clue. Even though it means personal sacrifice for Jillian, she is determined to uncover the truth. A faith-based novel.

Available on Amazon.com  SEPTEMBER 15-17, 2012

You Are Not Alone! by Nancy Jill Thames

Flying home from Scottsdale last night I was reading an article in some publication (either The Wall Street Journal or the Southwest magazine in the pouch in front of me) that stated 28% of all adults (in America?) live alone these days. That's something like 3.3 million people it said! I wrote a post on my author blog recently about solitude doing a body good and this article backed up that message. To a point.

NANCY JILL THAMES

     Now if you're a workaholic like me, you may think your work keeps you company, right? Truth is we were created to interact with others. The article said even though solitude is something we all need at times, loneliness is a precursor to suicide. That's a bummer. Doesn't have to be that way. People still need friends and that's why we're here - to bring you stories of mystery, adventure, a little humor here and there and most of all characters who are yes, figments of our imagination, but those figures often embody ourselves. So what you get is community with people just like you. And we're real friends! Debbie Malone, Sandra Moore, Cindy Ragsdale, Traci Hilton, Linda Kozar and myself.
      If you're reading this post, you're probably a reader already. But as some of you have commented, you're new to the cozy genre. Well, this is where cozies are different. Our stories are usually based on everyday people solving mysteries - people who could be your next door neighbor - people who want to be in your lives. My old friends are Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot and Jessica Fletcher, but I'm making new friends reading new authors all the time.
     So if you live alone (or know someone who does), remember our books are here to give you friendship and fellowship. Who are some of your favorite characters? What kinds of settings do they live in? Do you think of them as friends or acquaintances?

And don't forget the Giveaway Extravaganza going on right now!  

 

A Fast & Fabulous Salmon Recipe Featured Today 
in the Cozy Kitchen

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of "Jillian Bradley Mysteries," a series often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills. She has won awards for her blogs, a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit: 
http://www.nancy-jill.blogspot.com

A FREE GIFT FOR YOU!

A free gift for you this weekend ($3.99 value)! Murders, mysteries and new character on the scene - meet Daisy Larsen - a bustling plant lady who gets embroiled with Jillian, Teddy and the rest of the gang in 

 "THE MARK OF EDEN."

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of "Jillian Bradley Mysteries," a series often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.”

She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild.

Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

She has won awards for her blogs, a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit our COZY BOOK STORE or at the following links: 

http://www.nancy-jill.blogspot.com ,

http://www.nancyjillthames.wordpress.com

http://www.authornancyjillthames.webs.com

A COZY WORLD

So what do you think living in a 'cozy world' means? Is there such a place? My youngest daughter, who is just graduating from college, told me I live in a protected world. She thinks I'm lucky. Yes, there are different worlds out there, but the one I choose to live in reads like the books I write and enjoy reading the most - cozies!
     To keep tea warm, a cozy is placed over the pot. Much in the same way, a cozy story covers the reader in warm prose. Agatha Christie (my favorite author) often used getaway weekends to country estates as settings for her murder mysteries. She vicariously put me on a terrace having tea, or going for a walk in the garden or traveling along the coast, staying in hotels by the sea. As an only child, left to herself much of the time, Agatha Christie created her stories to alleviate boredom. What an amazing contribution to mystery lovers she made to the world. Her cozies were never gory or profane. She set the standard for cozy authors to follow.

     Like Agatha Christie, I began writing out of boredom while traveling to a conference with my husband. Fashioning the heroine after myself, I then created characters from a myriad of people I met - from a valet at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel I named Walter Montoya, Jr. in "Murder in Half Moon Bay" to a fellow passenger on a plane trip I named Helen Morningstar in "The Ghost Orchid Murder." Their permission was always obtained before using their persona of course.
     My family rolled their eyes at my becoming an author. But there were others who encouraged me enough to believe I could write. Did I know what I was doing? No. Was I determined to finish the course? Yes! My cozy world is one I've created, and after two years and five books later I can honestly say there has never been anything as fulfilling as writing the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series. Except for reading other author's works, which is also part of my cozy world...
     The cozy world is where even though there is conflict, evil characters and murder in the books, the stories themselves revolve around protagonists who are able to win. My protagonist's world isn't perfect, but Jillian Bradley lives in a lovely home, collects beautiful works of art, has a personal shopper for her clothes and has men perusing her. She is a childless widow, but don't be fooled - Jillian has a knack for solving murders along with her dear little companion, Teddy, a Yorkie with a nose for sniffing out clues.

     I hope you'll step into Jillian's cozy world and read about her adventures. As a gift this weekend, book 4 in the series, "The Mark of Eden" is available for you to download on your Kindle, iPad or iPhone. Enjoy this $3.99 book absolutely free. And when you leave a comment you'll be entered to win a bonanza of our books! So why do you enjoy reading cozies? Do you read them exclusively or like a mix of genres? 

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of "Jillian Bradley Mysteries," a series often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. She has won awards for her blogs,  a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times.

     Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit our Cozy Book Store or http://www.authornancyjillthames.webs.com

FRESH SPINACH WITH LEMON

VISIT OUR COZY KITCHEN FOR THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE!

ISN'T BRANDING FOR LIVESTOCK? and recipe for SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE

 by NANCY JILL THAMES

Doesn't matter what you're trying to sell - could be shoes, a service or a book, but you need branding if you're ever going to make it in today's world. Of course there's recognizable brands out there like Coke, AT&T, and GM but there's also you, whoever you are.   

     Took me a while to figure out my brand. Sure I'm a musician, artist and a pretty good cook (check out the recipe at the end), but I finally figured out the best brand for me was to be honest and just be who I am. So, after wrestling with trying to be witty and clever I decided my brand would be "Queen of Afternoon Tea" author of Jillian Bradley Mysteries. My protagonist is my alter ego living a life of gentility and mystery solving. She is branded as a widow and childless, Yorkie and art lover, garden columnist and garden club member. And I mustn't forget that Jillian is a lady who always serves afternoon tea or partakes of it where ever she visits. Even in "Pacific Beach" Jillian has tea and crumpets at The Mad Dogs Cafe with one of the characters in the book.

PACIFIC BEACH

      Take a look at people in your field and see how they brand themselves. Keep threshing your ideas out until you are comfortable with one that fits. Then, just become your brand.
     Now, before you decide what your brand will be it's a good idea to Google your ideas and see if the idea's been used before. Here's a good post on the subject you may want to read called The ABC's of Personal Branding. Above all understand that by branding yourself you will at last understand who you are and what you're trying to accomplish. As a Christian, I realize that's my brand too - one that I'm very grateful for and the reason for my writing. Being cooped up in a house all day doesn't afford many opportunities to share God's love. But people who read my books will get a glimpse of what being a Christian might be like...and who knows? Perhaps they'll even open their hearts to our loving Savior. Have you come up with a brand of your own? 

Thought I'd share a delicious summer recipe from Relish Magazine in the Cozy Kitchen.
Come on in and take a peek!

Grilled Shrimp with Tomato Salad

Sweet shrimp cooked on the grill perfectly complement a tomato salad with citrus vinaigrette.

 

Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

She has won awards for her blogs,  a pie contest for her Chip Chocolate Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times.


To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit: 
her Web Site.