Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Merry Christmas!

I've had a couple of unexpected, but totally welcome surprises this Christmas season. The first, most surprising, was finding myself onstage at Riverside Performing Arts' *Jazz Hands* Nutcracker, dancing a ballet after only six lessons. The picture is of me as a Snow Raven at dress rehearsal. (Feet doing a passe, hands in fifth)Sorry for the poor image quality, it is a still from a video made on the hot pink Sanyo camera my 6 year old picked out at Walmart. I like how slimming the black costume is against the black curtain.

I wasn't born graceful, so it was a testimony to the patience and talent of "Teacher Jenn" that I didn't fall on my face as I attempted a pirouette. You can read up on this fall's ballet adventures on my personal blog, starting with this post: Ballet.

Dancing on stage was a combination of my biggest fear and my childhood dream come true, and it was definitely unexpected!

Entirely unrelated to dancing, I found myself at a local bookstore the other day, shopping for mid-century literature that chronicled the changing world of the modern woman. (For a gift.) While digging around on the vintage rack, I ran across a little hardcovered book with a pretty dust jacket called The Peacock Feather.

I flipped it opened to find it was by Portland author, Anne Tedlock Brooks. I wanted to know a little more about the author, who signed the book in 1957, so I googled her. If it hadn't been for a website dedicated to matching grave locations and obituaries, her name would have been lost, though she authored over 40 books during her career!

That's all well and good, I imagine you saying, but what was the surprise?

First, about the book. The Peacock Feather is about a spunky Portland girl who has to tackle the mystery surrounding a beautiful Victorian Mansion in Portland, destined for destruction. If you are familiar with the first two Mitzy Neuhaus Mysteries, Foreclosed, and Eminent Domain, you'd know I had to read this book! (I'm to chapter five now.) I love a solid genre mystery, and can't wait to find out the rest of this story.

But the second surprise was about the author herself.

Anne Tedlock Brooks grew up in Kansas, like my husband, but spent her adult life in Portland. And when her end came, in 1980, after a long, full 75 years, she was buried in the cemetery that my husband worked at for 8 years. It know it's a cemetery, but it was also a little bit like home, since we were a part of it for so long. And the idea that she is resting there was very sweet to me.

I've surprised myself this Christmas, by being braver (or more foolish!) than I thought I could be, and I've been surprised by the happy coincidence of finding it really is a small world.

Have you been surprised this season? Are you planning a surprise for someone else? I'd love to hear about it!

In the meantime, to celebrate Christmas, I've put the Mitzy Neuhaus Mystery series on sale for just 99 cents each!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Brownies--Yes Ma'am!--By Linda Kozar

Thought I'd share one of my absolute favorite Christmas recipes! I found this recipe last year on the Food Network and decided to try it. And let me tell you, as one who successfully whipped it up in the kitchen and helped devour it (along with my family) afterwards, this recipe rocks! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Brownies on the Food Network

Linda Kozar is the co-author of Babes With A Beatitude—Devotions For Smart, Savvy Women of Faith (Hardcover/Ebook, Howard/Simon & Schuster 2009) and author of Misfortune Cookies (Print, Barbour Publishing 2008), Misfortune Cookies, A Tisket, A Casket, and Dead As A Doornail, (“When The Fat Ladies Sing Series,” eBooks, Spyglass Lane Mysteries, 2012). Her latest novel Strands of Fate released October 2012 (Hardcover/Ebook, Creative Woman Mysteries). She received the ACFW Mentor of the Year Award in 2007, founded and served as president of Writers On The Storm, The Woodlands, Texas ACFW chapter for three years. In 2003, she co-founded, co-directed and later served as Southwest Texas Director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband Michael, married 24 years, have two lovely daughters, Katie and Lauren and a Rat Terrier princess named Patches.

Represented by: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such Literary Agency

Member of: CAN (Christian Authors Network), RWA (Romance Writers of American), WHRWA (West Houston Romance Writers of America), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), Writers On The Storm, The Woodlands, Texas Chapter of ACFW, Toastmasters (Area 56) The Woodlands, Texas, The Woodlands Church, The Woodlands, TX.

Visit my website! www.lindakozar.com

I'm on Pinterest too!

Friday, December 7, 2012

NEW BOOK RELEASE!

"WAITING FOR SANTA" By Nancy Jill Thames is now available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook. Here's the scoop...

Paperback $8.99
Kindle $3.99

NOOK BOOK $3.99

I think you'll enjoy meeting the characters in the story -

JILLIAN BRADLEY - Amateur sleuth, beloved aunt, and a widow at present, Jillian is growing tired of writing her gardening column for three syndications. She is also tired of her widow status.

TEDDY - Jillian's Yorkie companion - an intelligent little dog who uses his instincts to sniff out clues when his mistress is on a case. He isn't happy that the pug "Napoleon" is coming for Christmas.

DETECTIVE WALTER MONTOYA - A young friend of Jillian's who is about to become a father for the first time. He and Jillian work together to find the killer, or is there more than one?

ERNIE STOKES - The victim found at the San Delta Power Plant who was to have played Santa for Jillian on Christmas Eve. Why was he so hated by everyone?

HAL NOLAN - Station operator for San Delta Power Plant who adores Teddy. Easy going and friendly, perhaps, but is he hiding something?

MARY TATE - A real looker and a bit of an actress - was her past life a motive for murder?

IVY WEINTRAUB - Worked her way up in the business end at San Delta Power but wanted more. Would she kill to get what she wanted?

NATHAN GOULD - An lonely accountant for the power company who saw a chance to better himself financially, but do the police think it was a motive for murder?

JASON OSBORN - Haunted by a mistake from his past, did the engineer kill to rid himself of the one man who knew?

OWEN HARPER - Successful manager of the power plant and devoted husband and father, what really happened when the power went off?

PRENTICE DUVAL - A successful art dealer who takes more than a passing fancy at Jillian this Christmas. Is he getting serious?

DR. VINCENT FONTAINE - Jillian's love interest from the past who turns up unexpectedly this Christmas to see her one more time. Will he get a second chance?

Just in time for Christmas for all you cozy mystery lovers!

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.

Nancy Jill is busy working on book 7 "The Ruby of Siam" a mystery taking place in London, England.

To learn more about the author and check out her books, please visit her blog at
Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames.

CONTACT INFORMATION
jillthames@gmail.com

To view and purchase her books on this site, please visit the Cozy Book Store.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

WHAT DO YA' THINK?

Remember the three recipes I had for pork tenderlion and I ask the readers which one they liked? Well, I promised to provide pictures of my culinary flair. I don't cook much, but I must admit this turned out nicely. And it was very,very easy. I'll post the recipe again for those of you who might want to use it for Christmas. I think I'll go with ham for Christmas:) Here are the promised pictures!

Straight from the oven

Fixed on a serving dish

Place a 1 lb. to 1 1/2 lb. tenderloin in a roasting pan. Cover with a tight lid or aluminum foil. Place the pan in a 400 F oven and let cook for 30 minutes. While the roast is cooking, slice two cooking apples (such as Granny Smiths) into 1/4-inch slices. Add 2 tbsp. of fresh or frozen cranberries. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Spoon this mixture over the fruit, coating the fruit thoroughly with the sugar and spice. Remove the tenderloin from the oven after 30 minutes and spoon the fruit mixture on and around the roast. Return the roast to the oven and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the roast is golden brown and reaches a 160 F internal temperature.

Author Bio: Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.

Monday, December 3, 2012

White Elephant Party Fun!

For the past two years, I host a special Christmas party at my home for a writer's group I belong to (Writers On The Storm).
The party is a twist on an old favorite--a White Elephant Party.

But I host a White Elephant Book Exchange party.

Now that's a twist!

The book titles are wonderfully awful!

The anticipation in the air is astounding. People sit on the edge of their seats waiting for the next book to be revealed. And of course we all try to out-do one another.

Thought I'd share some of the pictures with you today.

Merry Christmas!, my friends!!!