To Drink or not to Drink?

To Drink Or Not To Drink:

 

What is your favorite soft drink? Do you drink as much of it as you used to? If not what has replaced your favorite drink? Do you think the taste of soft drinks has changed over the years from the original verison?

 

I am a pepsi lover and with being a diabetic this is probably a bad deal. I do not drink diet drinks but I do drink water and tea (both ice and cold) I also have a rootbeer then and now. I do think the taste of soft drinks have changed over the years.

 

Are you addicted to soft drinks? I might be although I have to think I am more addicted to that morning cuppa flavored coffee. I would like to be a grown up and say that I am not addicted to anything but that would be a lie. LOLOL however I have learned that all things in moderation is a good thing.

 

Diabetes teaches us portion control. I like this idea a lot and while I no longer binge or snack to excess I do need to binge a little on excercise. Do you excercise on a regular basisi? I am back into a walking routine.

 

Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment and boy am I a little nervous because I haven't been to the doctor in six months. I know I have put on weight and have been a slug this winter. Our nasty winter hasn't done me any favors but also bad habits and lack of sleep isn't helping either. I figure a change of meds or change up of how much I take is in order. My doctor moved a year ago and then while in Blue Springs I went to a new doctor. Then tomorrow I will see the doctor my husband goes to and while I have met her and know she is a size 2 it will be interesting to hear what she thinks of my health.

 

So to bring today's topic home I suspect I will have to cut out pepsi....LOL

Hugs,

Pam

A Mystery Series for Women's History Month

March is of course, Women's History Month.  A Time to celebrate amazing women throughout the ages and how they changed the world we live in.  In Seneca Falls, NY soon after the end of the Civil War, amazing women decided the time to change women's lives and their rights had come and a movement was born.  This little town has become an important place in women's history.I encourage everyone to read and learn about this powerful movement:

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/womenssuffrage/a/senecafalls.htm

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/SenecaFalls.html

http://npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm

Read their Declaration of Sentiments and look at it through today's eyes:

http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/DeclarationofSentiments.html


One of my favorite mystery series is the Seneca Falls Series by Miriam Grace Monfredo

From Berkley Prime Crime:

Miriam Grace Monfredo

Miriam Grace Monfredo is a former librarian and a historian. Living in the small town of Seneca Falls on the eve of the Civil War, independent librarian-sleuth, Glynis Tyron is an advocate for women and slave rights. But in the midst of her fight for justice she can’t seem to stop enmeshing herself in murder.

Books:
Children of Cain, August 2003
Brothers of Cain, September 2002
Sisters of Cain, August 2001
Must the Maiden Die, August 2000
The Stalking-horse, January 1999
Through a Gold Eagle, July 1997
Blackwater Spirits, June 1996
North Star Conspiracy, May 1995
Seneca Falls Inheritance, October 1994

Unfortunately the books are out of print, but used copies are availabel on amazon.  And of course, you can always check with your local library.

http://www.amazon.com/Miriam-Grace-Monfredo/e/B000AP5GT0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1364390701&sr=8-1

The major players of the movement and the convention are integrals to the stories and IMHO it weaves history and mystery together for wonderful tales.

Terri

Review: Peach Pies and Alibis by Elley Adams

Peach Pies and Alibis by Ellery Adams is the second book in the “Charmed Pie Shoppe” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, March 2013

 

Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia—which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined to continue when Ella Mae meets an engaged couple who hire her to handle the dessert buffet at their wedding.

 

But Ella Mae has a lot on her plate. She is also searching for the origin of her magical powers—and hoping to determine if the spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Hugh Dylan is authentic or just her new abilities gone awry.

 

Then Ella Mae discovers a high-standing member of the community dead, and a wedding guest becomes seriously ill at the event she’s catering. Now she’ll have to use all her sleuthing skills and culinary talents to prove her pies don’t contain a killer ingredient . . .

 

I can’t even describe how this book captured my attention from the beginning to an ending that left us with possibilities. What a great book that I could not put down until the last page was turned. The mystery kept me guessing but it was the relationship between Ella Mae and her relatives in this character-driven whodunit that made me feel like I was right there as they sought out a killer with an unexpected result. This is an great read and I look forward to the next book in this fabulously terrific series.

 

 

 

Dru

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Review: A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower

A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower is the second book in the “Appleseed Creek” mystery series. Publisher: B&H Publishing, February 2013

 

The people of Appleseed Creek in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country are under attack. Soon after the dust has settled on a buggy accident that turned out to be murder, an unknown assailant begins cutting off the long hair of Amish women and the beards of Amish men.

 

New to the area, computer specialist Chloe Humphrey may not share their customs, but she is certainly alarmed over these crimes against the Amish and worries how such events will impact her growing number of friends who are more connected to that way of life.

 

In this small community, when Chloe discovers the body of an Amish businessman who was stabbed in the back and whose beard was cut off, she knows that finding the murderer and restoring peace to Appleseed Creek is as much her responsibility as anyone else’s.

 

Whenever I read a story by Amanda Flower, I know that when I turn that last page, it will leave me with a heartwarming feeling. This is a great read that quickly became a page turner as I had to know what happens next. The mystery kept me guessing and every time I thought I knew who was behind the incidents, the author changed directions with some twists that were pleasantly surprising. With Chloe leading the way and surrounded by a great supporting cast in this wonderfully crafted drama, this is the best book thus far in this delightfully charming series.

 

 

 

Dru

Blog | Facebook

 

Spring is Here????

Last week was the Vernal Equinox - the official first day of Spring.  The day when dark and light are exactly half and half of our day.  And today, well -- lots of us have snow.  I was up on the roof earlier and a man says he would like to get ahold of that groundhog....  Really?  Poor Punxsutawney Phil!  He is already being indicted I hear...

On the group last week, the question was asked, how do you know when Spring is here?  The answers were diverse, from increasing greeness to the Yankees/Mets game.  March Madness is a clue for some.  For me, its the budding of trees and those little clover flowers starting to peak out.  In DC - it is also the Cherry Blossom festival.  Last year we were in major bloom at this time - this year, not so much... But the signs are there, we had some lovely days then some not so lovely ones.

I remember, every year around this time a former co-worker would complain about the majorly fluctuating temps and I would remind her around here we tend not to have CONSISTENTLY warm days until May.  But every year she forgot that and expected it to be better.  I found it amusing.

Spring is not, has never been and never will be a light switch that flicks from off to on.  It will always bloom gradually like the new life it heralds.  Blossoms, and baby animals...  They may grow relatively fast but still they need to sprout and grow.  And part of the excitement of spring is watching that unfurling of beauty. 

Now - I DO hate the cold and really am not too fond of snow if I have to go out and drive in it like I did this morning.  But honestly, it is not a major surprise.  I have a picture of me as a kid standing in several inches of snow and holding an Easter basket.  Winter doesnt come overnight.  The leaves turn, then fall to the ground, it gets darker earlier, crisper air....  Spring is no different.

So I challenge you - instead of complaining or getting impatient, just take a moment daily to look for those signs and watch the gradual changes around you.  Be aware, you might find a new enjoyment in life!

Terri

AND if you still want to have faith in the power of the Groundhog to herald spring - check out my college roomie's book:  http://www.amazon.com/Its-You-Griffin-Susan-Pickford/dp/0870334468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364232692&sr=8-1&keywords=susan+pickford

It's a fun story! 

Review: Brooklyn Bones by Triss Stein

Brooklyn Bones by Triss Stein is the first book in the new “Erica Donato” mystery series. Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, February 2013

 

In Brooklyn Bones, a crime of the past comes much too close to home when Erica Donato’s teen-age daughter Chris finds a skeleton behind a wall in their crumbling Park Slope home. Erica – young widow, over-age history Ph.D candidate, mother of a teen, product of blue-collar Brooklyn – is drawn into the mystery when she learns this was an unknown teen-age girl, hidden there within living memory. She and her daughter are both touched and disturbed by the mysterious tragedy in their own home.

 

Chris’s dangerous curiosity and Erica’s work at a local history museum lead her right back to her neighborhood in its edgy, pre-gentrification days, the period when the age of Aquarius was turning dark. A cranky retired reporter shares old files with her. The charming widow of a slumlord has some surprises for her. The crazy old lady who hangs around her street keeps trying to tell her something. And there are people, including some she is close to, who know the whole story and will stop at nothing to make sure it stays buried forever.

 

From the start of this gripping drama, I was swept into the world of Erica Donato. With a riveting story line, mixing the past with the present, this novel quickly became a page turner and I could not put this book down. The author did a good job in keeping me in suspense with a few surprises that blew me away when it was revealed. Erica is a gusty heroine, yet vulnerable and I couldn’t help but root for her as she fought for the truth. Lead by a likable cast, great dialogue and with Brooklyn as the backdrop, this is a fabulous read and I can’t wait for the next book in this exciting new series.

 

 

 

Dru

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An Interview with Linda O. Johnston

 

Pamela: Tell us about your latest book?

 

This month, my fourth Pet Rescue Mystery, OODLES OF POODLES, was introduced.  OODLES OF POODLES takes place in the film industry.  It’s sort of a story within a story, since it’s about a movie being filmed about rescued poodles, starring--you’ve got it!--rescued poodles!  My cozy mystery protagonist Lauren Vancouver, chief administrator of the wonderful HotRescues animal shelter in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, gets involved because of those adorable poodles and because the HotRescues benefactor is one of the film’s co-producers.  Lauren visits the film sets often to observe how the dogs are being treated.  One night the director, who had been endangering the poodles during the filming, is run over by a car.  Murdered.  The chief suspect is Lauren’s good friend, veterinarian and TV personality Dr. Carlie Stellan.  Of course Lauren has to find the real murderer and solve the crime to help Carlie... and the dogs.

 

Oh, and by the way, my fourth paranormal romance in the Alpha Force miniseries I write for Harlequin Nocturne, UNDERCOVER WOLF, was also published this month.  Alpha Force is a covert military unit of shapeshifters! 

 

  

Pamela: We would love to know your writing schedule?

Although I’m a lawyer by background, I’m now a full-time writer.  I generally get administrative things done in the morning, including... responding to interview questions!  Then I get down to writing for the rest of the day.

 

Pamela: What booksignings and conventions do you have planned for this year?

It’s a busy time.  I’ll be attending the California Dreaming conference for the four Southern California chapters of the Romance Writers of America, as well as the California Crime Writers Conference, Malice Domestic, the Festival of Mystery, and the Romance Writers of America National Conference, with lots of local booksignings in between.

 

 

Pamela: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Keep going!  Finish that book, join local and/or online organizations to meet others at all stages of writing, and then get your work published.  These days there are a lot of alternatives, from traditional publishing to small publishers to self-publishing, so you’re bound to figure out which is best for you--and more than one may be your way to go.

 

 

Pamela: Okay, for some fun questions..what is your favorite dessert, place to vacation and charity?

Dark chocolate and chocolate ice cream; cruises, especially to Alaska; and any legitimate pet rescue organization including the one where I volunteer: Pet Orphans of Southern California. 

 

Pamela: How do you pick the names for your characters?

They sometimes tell me.  Otherwise, I try several and look in books for people looking for baby names.  For last names, I sometimes pick up an old directory of California lawyers and choose one.  I always check the names out on the Internet to see who actually has the name I’ve chosen, and I’ll sometimes change them based on who those people actually are.

 

 

Pamela: What advice do you have about "Writer's Block"?

 Once again, just keep going.  I don’t think I’ve ever experienced it since my mind’s always at work even when my fingers aren’t, but if I start worrying I just sit down and write or edit some more.

 

Pamela: What do you find the most challenging to write? Beginning, middle or the ending?

I’ve always found the middle most challenging.  I know what will happen first, and how a story will end, but even though I have some idea how things will occur to get to that ending, doing it in scenes and chapters that work means lots of planning and revision.

 

Pamela: In closing what would you like your readers to know and think about when reading your books?

For one thing, in case it’s not clear, I love animals and have fun writing about them, whether it’s in a Pet Rescue Mystery or shapeshifters in an Alpha Force story for Harlequin Nocturne.  Also, all my stories contain romance and suspense, with the genre or subgenre dictating which aspect is most important.  Most of all--have fun reading my stories!

 

Pamela: Be sure to leave us the addy to your website and any other information you would like us to know.

My website is: www.LindaOJohnston.com

I blog weekly on KillerHobbies.blogspot.com and also blog on the 18^th of every month at www.KillerCharacters.com  Plus, you can friend me on Facebook.