TIME FOR A TEA PARTY!

I say ladies and gentlemen, let's pause and have a cup of tea. Let me pour you a lovely cup of Earl Gray. Milk? (I pour your tea.) Sugar? (I take three lumps, thank you!) Please help yourself to some finger sandwiches, a scone or two with some strawberry jam and Devonshire cream. And try one of the delectable lemon tarts. Aren't they amazing?
By the way, I hope you read C.L. Ragsdale's first chapter of "Chasing Lady Midnight" in yesterday's post. I certainly enjoyed it and look forward to Thursdays now when I can read the next installment. Her Roboot Series is hilarious and "Chasing Lady Midnight" promises more of the same.

For dessert, we have slices of Godiva Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  Simply divine! Now, let's sit back and enjoy our tea in this cozy wintry weather. Thanks for joining us here on Cozy Mystery Magazine. Have a lovely three-day weekend, dear friends. Cheers!

See you in my books!

~Nancy Jill Thames

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.

Chasing Lady Midnight - Chapter 1

 By C.L. Ragsdale

As promised (or threatened take your pick) here is Chapter 1 of my superhero story called Chasing Lady Midnight. Hope you like it.

Chapter 1 - Some Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them – Whether They Like It Or Not

Look, I understand the whole concept of sibling rivalry, but when your superpowered baby sister wants to clean your clock I call that a bit extreme.

Not that she knows it’s me she’s trying to blast to kingdom come, and who can blame her? I am wearing a mask and my hair and eyes are the wrong color. Also her older sister (she always stresses the “older” part) is not supposed to have superpowers. It’s a long story, which I would be happy to relate in detail, except just at the moment I’m too busy running, trying not to get blasted again and figure out what to do next.

My sister (superhero handle Protostar) is flying, which is not the advantage you would think in a busy city street during morning rush hour. Now I can’t fly, but if I could get a minute to think I could use the shadows to make an escape. But that’s not as easy as it sounds….again long story I do not have time to go into right now.

I’ll get back to it, if I live that long.

At first I was a bit shocked that Protostar (man that’s a dumb name) sucker punched me the way she did starting this whole chase. It is just not the type of behavior you would expect from the heir apparent to the title of America’s Sweetheart of Superheroes.

Isn’t there some super rule discouraging attacking from behind when the attackee hasn’t done anything wrong? Especially seeing how she’s a member of The Protection Platoon, one of many the junior divisions of the supposedly squeaky clean Mighty Superhero Security Squad.

The names just keep getting worse so get used to it.

Makes you wonder what they’re teaching her in that fancy superhero school she attends. But why am I asking silly questions? I do know, and I can tell you it’s not all Truth, Justice and The American Way.

But back to the chase.

I’m sure my sister and her teammates have a plan for the new unknown costumed supergirl on the block which I think I’ve figured out. I’m just not sure if it that will do me any good.

I’ve noticed that Protostar is now aiming her shots wide, thus missing civilians, who are all sensibly running for cover, and minimizing property damage. It also keeps me going forward, driving me somewhere, I think, not so in the public eye. Although how they think they’re going to lose the media who are hot on our tails is a mystery. Where do those guys come from anyway? You’d think they had superpowers.

That is a scary thought.

Anyway, I figure once Protostar and her crew get me where they want me there is an ambush in my immediate future to neutralize and take me into custody on some pretext or another. None of which sounds particularly appealing and I hope to avoid it.

To accomplish that I’m going to have to stop and fight which means coming up with my own plan, on the spot, against at least three superheroes, one of them my own sister, not hurt anybody and make a clean getaway.

No problem.

I guess you’re wondering if  I’m not a supervillain, which I’m not, how did I get on the wrong side of all these superheroes?

Well this is what happens when you don’t join the union.

What's Your Favorite Mystery Show?



I've just finished watching a marathon of Monk shows. I can't help but laugh my head off when I watch these no matter how many times I've seen them. When I first started watching them I was afraid I would catch Monk's sickness. Of course I haven't. LOL



Another of my favorites is Psych. Wouldn't you love to meet the writers/actors of this show. I imagine it would be so much fun working with the actors on a show. A new season is about to start - can't wait.





Another favorite is of course, Murder She Wrote. I think of my protaganist Trixie Montgomery as a Jessica Fletcher. Unfortunately, everywhere Jessica went a dead body turned up. LOL The same seems to happen to Trixie.

Matlock is another favorite. I have a little story/confession to tell about Matlock. The Hallmark Channel had started running reruns of Matlock and I was hooked. Well it was college football time and I wanted to get some football channels so I upgraded on my tv programming so I could watch the games. I went to watch Matlock that night and lo and behold I got extra channels, but they took Hallmark off with the upgrade. Now I ask you - how is that an upgrade if they take away channels?

I promptly called my provider and told them to take off the upgrade and give me back my Hallmark channel so I could watch Matlock. I was practically in tears. They felt sorry for me and return to the orginal programming. All is well, but that was a scare! 

Now enough about who I like. How about you. Do you have any favorite mystery/comedy shows that you enjoy watching?  If so what is it that you like best? 

HAPPY READING!

  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.   



"Les Mis" - Are You Kidding Me?

By Nancy Jill Thames

On a whim, my husband and I decided to go to In & Out Burger for dinner on New Year's Eve and then see "Les Miserables," the hit movie of the season. The burgers and fries (animal style of course) were great, and so was the movie actually. I knew the story and was prepared for the pathos. After the magnificent ending of French patriots singing one of the hit songs, we just sat there unable to move. 

Like the Dementors in Harry Potter who suck the happiness out of their victims, that's what the film can do since it is focused on the misery of the times. Granted the story focuses on redemption, but only for a few moments. The rest of the time we behold injustice, pain, suffering, degradation of the human condition (think Anne Hathaway cutting off all her hair and selling a tooth to support her child, and selling her body as well, not to mention Miss Hathaway losing 80 pounds for the role), and men emerging from the sewer covered in black sewage. Okay, we saw the film and raved like everyone else, truly thinking what a wonderful story it was. 

Our granddaughter (who looks much like Cosette as an adult) was curious about all the hype - her best friend had seen the movie and raved about it just like us. Then our granddaughter went to see it with said friend.

"Grandma!" Our granddaughter exclaimed after returning home. "Oh, my gosh - I can't believe how horrible the movie was!" I listened as she explained the bare truth.

"Everything in it was so gross!" Well, she did have a point.

"Those men covered in ... (I'll leave this to your imagination), and Anne Hathaway bald? Everyone was filthy and miserable - why do people think it was a good movie?" she asked.

I had to stop and think. "It was a story of redemption, my love. And that was the way it really was in those times." Had I convinced her? 

"Well," she said with a smile, "I do kind of look like Cosette. People in the theater were staring at me!" This pleased her at least. 

Maybe because she's 14 and into beauty products, "Les Mis" was not the best movie for her to go see. I get it. But she did have a point. The movie was hard to watch unless one was mature enough to understand the redemption theme. Now, what does "Les Mis" have to do with cozy mysteries?

Nothing - absolutely nothing! In fact, I see this movie as everything a cozy mystery IS NOT! So if you're over the misery and pathos of this fine movie (and it was a fine movie), it's time to return to the wonderful world of fun adventures we cozy mystery authors write. Please visit our Cozy Book Store for some wonderful choices. And if you see any good movies, please alert us!

NANCY JILL THAMES

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

How Writers Have Fun - We Write!

Writers. We write for work, we write for fun. Weird huh?
This is to announce that I'm going to be posting a little novelette I've Titled "Chasing Lady Midnight" on my personal blog, Short Mysteries and Tall Tales, starting next week. I'm splitting it up into chapters and will post once a week.
It's a superhero story. Hey! It's a tall tale. It counts! It even has a mystery in it.
I am still working on The Reboot Files #5, The Great Scarecrow Invasion, but remember this is just for fun.
So why a superhero story? Well back in the day I was a major comic book geek. That’s right, I was absolutely obsessed with them for a few years. Then I got older, they got out of my price range, they started crossing story lines into so many different titles you didn't know what was going on, (did I mention they got expensive?) and the story lines got way too dark and disturbing for my taste.
Also I moved, didn't want to move them, so I gave it up for mysteries which I could check out at the library before the ereader was even out. This was a long time ago.
Anyway, at the time, like any comic book lover, I made up my own super characters and stories. Warning! I cannot draw worth beans so do not expect any illustrations unless I can talk somebody else into it.
Anyway, I decided to dust off one of these stories, do a bit of editing and post it on my blog. Why not? So is it any good? Well I think so, but I wrote it so I don't count.
So what's it about? Well it's all takes place in an America where superheroes and villains are part of the culture, of course, and where this one family of superheroes resides. All except that is for the first born daughter who didn't inherit any superpowers. This is kind of embarrassing all the way around. Especially as her younger superpowered sister could whip her behind very easily, if there wasn’t a super rule against it of course.
Then one day, out of the blue, this loan normal person in a family of extraordinary people suddenly has superpowers. And she didn't even get bitten by a radioactive anything!
So that should make everyone happy right?
Well there's just one problem, she can't tell anybody about it except an ex-supervillain she goes to church with.
Why? Well that's the story.
Chapter 1- Some Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them, Whether They Like It Or Not
The blog address is www.shortmysteriesandtalltales.blogspot.com

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

Waiting with Bated Breath

photo by Fabio Garcia from sxc.hu

What do you call a ship that is quivering on the bottom of the sea?

A Nervous Wreck!

What do you call an author waiting for The Big Announcement?

Same thing!

According to Write Integrity Press's website, they will be announcing winners of the Books of Hope contest at the end of next week. The end of this week is my birthday, and you know, I had kind of hoped (ha ha!) that they might make the announcement by then, but the week after is good too.

I should back up, shouldn't I?

Write Integrity Press is a small-press Christian publisher. They've got a couple of award winners on their list, including Jennifer Fromke's A Familiar Shore. The Books of Hope Contest sought submissions for three-book series with the running theme of hope. First prize is a cash reward and a three book contract. There are a handful of contracts at stake though, and my eye is on one of those. I wouldn't mind winning first prize of course, but the ispy writers field is pretty talented, so I know competition is stiff. If I have the privileged of being offered a contract I will be thrilled.

In the mean time, to take my mind off of my excited nerves, I am working on a little romantic piece for the other contest mentioned on the blog I linked to. I know. I'm kind of a contest junky.

Speaking of being a contest junky, the same book also made the semi-finals for The Phoenix Rattler Contest, winners to be announced soon.

I'll announce everything, as soon as I know at TraciHilton.com

Until then!

Traci Tyne Hilton

Traci Tyne Hilton is a mom, Sunday School teacher, novelist, and award winning playwright from Portland, Oregon.

Traci earned a degree in History from Portland State University and lives in the rainiest part of the Pacific Northwest with her husband the mandolin playing funeral director from Kansas, their two daughters, and their dog, Dr. Watson.

Traci's photo by Jessie Kirk Photography

The Mitzy Neuhaus Mysteries are just $2.99 for your Kindle!

 

Making the Most of It! By Linda Kozar

Right now, I'm resting comfortably in an overstuffed chair, a box of tissues, a glass of orange juice and my faithful dog next to me. Yes, I have a cold. But, ever the optimist, I have to say I'm glad it's not the flu! And it's not all bad. I'm using my time in a wise way. I'm editing and writing--a winwin situation for a writer!

I dusted off an old story of mine, a short one I wrote while recovering from pneumonia years ago--one I thought you might enjoy as many of us have found ourselves in similar situations this time of the year. It's in my book of devotions, Babes With A Beatitude--Devotions For Smart, Savvy Women of Faith 
Amazon Books  Barnes and Noble Booksellers Hope you like it!

(from Wikipedia)

Medicine For the Soul

“. . .And by His stripes we are healed”—Isaiah 53:5.

“Pneumonia!” I wheezed. “No way!” The doctor prescribed antibiotics, breathing treatments, an inhaler and pills, pills, pills! I listened dutifully, occasionally nodding my head at all the medical “mumbo-jumbo,” until he said something about “complete bed rest.”

“What was that about complete—”

“Complete bed rest,” he smiled as if he’d heard this argument once or twice before.

“You mean I’ll have to stay in bed?” I asked dumbfounded.

“That’s right, you either rest at home or I send you off to the hospital. The choice is yours.”

Back at home I crawled onto the bed gingerly. This isn’t so bad. I glanced over to my nightstand. Orange juice. Check. Tissue box. Check. Vicks Vaporub. Check. Medication. Check. Pre-rest check completed. I reached for the heating pad and turned it on high, then slowly slid back into two fluffy pillows.

Then I noticed something hanging from the ceiling, a small grey chain. I squinted in the filtered light of drawn curtains. A chain of dust? A dust stalactite was hanging from the ceiling, billowing gently in the soft breeze of the ceiling fan. Well, isn’t that nice! When I’m better, that will be the first thing I clean. That’s for sure.

The phone rang—a friend calling to check up on me. We talked a bit and she said a brief prayer for me until another call clicked in. “Gotta go anyway,” she said cheerfully. “Get well!” If only she knew about the grey stalactite on my ceiling. The intruding call turned out to be some other cheerful someone selling timeshares. Right.

Maybe a long sip from the very tall glass of orange juice on my bedside table would help. I glanced at the clock. Urggghhh. Time for my breathing treatment. I emptied an ampoule into the inhaler contraption and switched on the “Nebulizer.” Foggy mist immediately discharged from both sides. I took a deep breath, well, as deep as I could in a wheezing sort of way. My heart thumped faster, a side effect of the medication. I hate this, Lord! I felt shaky. Breathing treatment. Check.

WHO WAS I KIDDING? My heart was heavy. I had exhausted every possible distraction and found that ignoring the gentle, loving ministrations of the Holy Spirit was impossible! I was angry with God about something I'd prayed about, but hadn't received an answer to. And there was the matter of pneumonia on top of that. . .

“Okay Lord!” I threw off the covers and cried out, “I’m sick! I need You to heal me! It’s not fair! Why did You allow me to get sick?” I wheezed in between gaping sobs. “I-I trusted You!”

But His still, small voice directed me to the nightstand. There, amongst the tissues and medicines was my poor little bible, dusty from lack of use. Tears flooded my eyes. His love unfolded in my heart like a rose and I crumbled. The wall of disappointments, hurts and blaming God I had built in my heart over the past few months fell apart. Trusting God means giving up control. Trusting God is waiting on Him for help or deliverance from my circumstances.  Trusting God means not blaming Him when things don’t turn out the way I want or expect them to.

The tears flowed. So did the prayers and later, quiet contemplation of His Word. I was filled with His peace.

_______

It took being flat on my back to understand that I really needed to be flat on my face before the Lord. I realized that on this earth we may never know the answers to all the “Why’s,” but knowing the “Who,” and trusting Him is infinitely more important.

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.