Upside Down Post

Upside Down Post:







Yurn your frown upside down into a smile as this post is for those who do not enjoy the family gatherings at Christmas. You know who you are and why but today I thought it would be fun to have a little fun.






This is a "Would you rather" reply when someone asks what you would rather do get through the holidays than spend it with family?






1. I'd rather drop a house on my sister.


2. Have a root canal


3. Eat fruitcake even the store bought kind.


4. Have my neighbor tell me about her colon in great detail


5. Dust


6. Watch my cat chase and kill a mouse


7. Hear the neighbor's dogs barking all night long.


8. Shovel snow


9. Open my prezzies and discover everyone sent me clothes two sizes too small. What is family for but to get the sizes wrong even after they call and ask.


10. I'd rather read a good murder mystery set at Christmas this would make it a killer holiday for me.


Okay you all come up with your own funny list and I can't wait to see what you have. Oh one last one from me....


I'd rather run out of coffee than spend Christmas with......you fill in the blank.


Hugs,


Pamela who is now smiling!

terri's stitched gift to Mare

Review - Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris

KNITTING BONES



By MONICA FERRIS


Cozy Hobby Mystery Series


ISBN:978-0-425-22301-7


Paperbak Mystery


Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime






The stitchers of the Embroiderers Guild have raised over twenty thousand dollars for the American Heart Assocation. However when the representive who picks up the check goes missing along with the check at their annual convention and since he's the husband of the local chapter's president all eyes turn to her for answers and eyebrows are raised.


Truth be told Allie Germaine knows nothing about what happened to the or to the whereabouts of her husband Bob, she does think that Betsy might be able to help solve the mystery.


Betsy has her own set of problems, she is confined to her apartment because she broke her leg and she is on pain killers that cause her to lack the focus she would need to help Allie, Godwin, however is not about to let the matter drop. At least not as long ashe has two good legs and the will to ask questions about Bob and What about Bob because Goddy swears that Bob is gay and Allie may not know this fact about her husband but Goddy does know it to be a fact.


Little do any of them know that a man named Tony across town has a broken leg and he also wants to know what happened to the big fat check that Bob was supposed to have on him?


The clock is ticking and if all of this isn't enough Betsy has agreed to break the law. Which is nothing to crow about but the crow in question can't seem to keep his beak shut!


I praise KNITTING BONES as a top notch page turner with enough surprises to keep any mystery reader baffled.


I will rate this book 10 out of 10 or an At.


Pamela


12/10

Pamela's Coffee Piece Finish

So Many Moments

So Many Moments:







I don't make New Year resolutions but I do make plans and sometimes goals. This year I decided to do several SAL with the ladies from our Creative Cross Stitch Group. I have a lot of cross stitch plans and I think this will be a fun cross stitch year.


I don't remember all of the SAL's I signed up for but here are a few and any of you would like to join us we are a yahoo group and it's easy to find us.






1. Cat SAL


2. Halloween SAL


3. Coffee (for food and drink SAL)


4. Christmas SAL


Now my memory gets dicy after that but I can add that we have a travel sal, fairies sal, spring possibly summer sal and several more that I can't think of but look forward to and not everyone signs up for the same sal so we will have a lot of variety and fun.


I finished a coffee project this past weekend and that will be my last finish for 2010. Currently I am cross stitching on Mickey Mouse for my grandson and this piece will carry me through until Jan 2nd when I'll decide what sal I'll take part in first.


Next up is to set up everything to keep track of my 2011 reading and how many books will be read in 2011........instead of resolution to which I am very bad about keeping I find I can set a goal or makes plans and I do much much better at keeping these promises to myself.


As far as writing well it's not a hobby but a career choice and choose to write at least one book this year and see if I can send it out and find a publisher for the book. Of course it's a cozy mystery and my gola is to have something to report to you on the book in December of 2011. This involves a lot of dedication, a little luck and for me to stay focused.


Merry Holidays,


Hugs,


Pamela

Mystery Gifts

It always amazes me what some people will give another person for a gift. Or for that matter what people regift to eachother. I mean honestly do you really think that giving an Elvis Nutcracker is in the best of taste? Anyway I have been thinking about this because I love unique gifts and I love mystery gifts but I hate those surprise gifts that are tacky. I watched The Talk -Talk show today and they were discussing the regifting part of gifts and they agree as do I that there are rules and it's an art. So this also led to thinking about gifts for authors and more importantly "Mystery Authors" as for myself I love coffee cups and mugs and I think a mystery mug would suit me.



However not all authors and mystery authors are coffee drinkers, whiskey drinkers etc..so today I ask you that if you were going to create a Christmas Gift for a mystery author what would you create or send to them?


I think I would order a pen with a quote on it or maybe I would send book covers by a few famous mystery authors that were framed for hanging. Anyway I could go on and on but I asked you the question so give us some of your ideas for mystery authors?


Also YES....I am going to ask this question...


"What is the most horrible gift or regift somebody ever gave you?"


Merry Murder


Pamela

Guest Blogger - Dorothy Howell

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING




With the holiday season upon us, most of us are thinking about gifts. Gifts for our children, family, and friends, and gifts of charitable donations for those less fortunate.

Time is a precious commodity at this time of the year – and in very short supply. We often find ourselves rushing from the mall, to the grocery store, to the hair dresser, to a school play, a religious service, a band concert or choir performance. And don’t forget the shopping. We absolutely have to find the perfect gift for everyone on our list.

But how about a gift for yourself? One that will last forever – and one you certainly deserve.

The gift of time. Time to write.

It’s easy to get distracted during the holiday season with so many things on our plates. Often we think that everything else is more important than our writing. It’s the one thing we can shuffle to the back burner. Then, if we do carve out some time to write, often we feel guilty for doing it.

Are there many other important things we could—and should – do with our time? Of course. But remember that you’re important too. Doing something you enjoy – in the case of every writer I know, it’s writing – will fulfill you, and put you in a better frame of mind to keep giving to those who need and depend on you.

Writing stimulates your brain, gets your imagination going. The story you’re creating takes you out of your everyday life to a magical place. Your characters can be your best friends, sometimes, or at least people you enjoy spending a few hours with everyday.

How much time can you give to yourself and your writing? That depends on your circumstances. If you have young children or a demanding job, maybe not so much time for yourself. If your children are grown and things are winding down in your life, more time is available to you.

The important thing is that you claim this time for yourself – and use it without feeling guilty. You need it. You deserve it. You’ll be a better person for it. You’ll also be a good example to others by showing them that it’s okay to make time for themselves too.

What better gift is there?



Happy Reading!

Dorothy Howell

www.DorothyHowellNovels.com

Fan Dorothy Howell Novels at www.facebook.com

Guest Blogger - Alice Duncan

Lots of magic in November, which began really nicely when I won a cover-art contest. Mind you, I’m not an artist, but a cover artist named Debi DeSantis ran a contest, the winner of which would get a custom-made cover for a book of his or her choice. And I won! Heck, I never win anything, hardly. So I decided to have Debi design a cover for an old historical romance novel of mine titled PHOEBE’S VALENTINE. Phoebe made a brief appearance as a print-on-demand book in 2003, but I decided she deserved another chance on Kindle, so winning the cover nudged me into getting the book on Kindle and Smashwords. You can see it (and even order it if you’re feeling kindly disposed) here: http://www.amazon.com/Phoebes-Valentine-ebook/dp/B004AM5OW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1291252311&sr=1-1




Shoot. That’s a long link. Still and all, Phoebe’s one of my favorite romance novels (of those I’ve written, I mean), and the cover is cool. If I could afford a Kindle, I’d buy a copy myself.



The cover art for my May novel, FALLEN ANGELS, a Mercy Allcutt mystery, also appeared in my in-box in November. If you’d like to see it, check out my web page: http://aliceduncan.net/

It’s way cool.



Then I got a partial refund from a lawyer. How often does THAT happen? It wasn’t a bunch of money, but it sure came in handy.



And then a Canadian friend and fellow author, Norah Wilson, offered to retype my older books—those I couldn’t get transferred to a readable medium—so that I can put them on Kindle and Smashwords! She started with COWBOY FOR HIRE, book #1 in the “Dream Maker” series. These books are set in Southern California in the early days of the motion-picture industry. Norah is a saint. COWBOY FOR HIRE is also available on Kindle, and I’m slowly but surely getting the other three books in the series ready to be Kindle-ized, too.



Since I was kind of on a Kindle roll, I decided to put HUNGRY SPIRITS, book #4 in my “Spirits” series, up on Kindle and Smashwords, too, so it’s now available for your any old e-book reader you might have on hand. Sheesh.



Regarding the minor down side of this magical month, physical therapy for my back (the therapist looks like Prince William. Did I already mention that?) is helping my back, but now both of my hamstring muscles hurt like crazy, and I’m afraid I’ve just traded one crippling pain for two others. Sigh.



And then I had a birthday. The less said about that, the better. But, honest to God, I wouldn’t mind getting old if it didn’t hurt so blasted much. Which brings me to my ergonomic kneeling chair. Perhaps the less said about it, the better, too. My lumbar spine is a total wreck, and I was so hoping the chair would help . . . but I can’t pull it close enough to see the computer! Sheesh. It’s always something.



Unfortunately, December started out with ghastly mayhem when my dog Louie got hit by a car. He suffered massive brain trauma and died overnight. I’m heartbroken. He was a Houdini dog, and was able to escape from anything. I tried and tried and TRIED to make my backyard Louie-proof, but he was smarter than I am and kept finding a way out. I’ll continue to rescue dachshunds (can’t seem to help myself), but every now and then one will come along that absolutely captures my heart, and Louie was one of those. He’s probably my second-favorite hound dog of all time. And now he’s gone, and I can’t seem to stop crying. Nuts. If you’d like to see pics of Louie, he’s on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1074293388&ref=sgm

Terri is joining the Book Chick City Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011

I am hoping it will inspire me to ATTACK all those great books I have sitting in my TBR pile!

http://www.bookchickcity.com/2010/11/sign-up-horror-urban-fantasy-reading.html

Terri

Pamela's November reads

1. MURDERER'S PREFER BLONDES by AMANDA MATETSKY


This series is set in the 1950's and Paige Turner works for DARING DETECTIVE AGENCY and Paige is secretly a writer. It's the 1950's and a man's world but Paige has her ways around this problem.

I LOVE Paige and the other characters, this series definitely made my Christmas Wishlist. (At).......



2. POISIONED TARTS by GA MacKevett this book is great as is the series and since I really enjoy culinary mysteries I hope that we will see a new book by this author soon. (A)



3. A KILLER PLOT by Ellery Adams not sure that this one might not have been last month but either way I want to brag this new first book in the series up. I love books where to protag is a writer and this one does more than rise to the occassion it lifts the bar on how good no make that GREAT mysteries are penned. Ellery I have your books on my wishlist especially the second book in the series. (A)



4. ASKING FOR MURDER by Roberta Isleib Got say to this book did not disappoint me in the least and it's another series that I have to keep updated with plus I loved the plot in this book! Roberta your books go on my keeper shelf just as soon as I make it to a bookstore to buy them. (At)

I read more than the four books but I took some back to the library and will update you with what I thought of them next month.



Happy Holidays & Merry Murder

Pamela