Easter ... the best time to read a Christmas story!

If timing is everything, why am I publishing a Christmas story just in time for Easter?  You got me.  But if you like a little sweet romance in your life, you might like my latest short story. (Written while I was on vacation in January...when the holidays were still fresh on my mind.)

Here's the blurb: 

Christmas used to be a joyous time for Judi Straub, but that was before her parents passed away and her siblings became too busy to socialize with their old maid sister. Holidays spent with friends were a nightmare. Then one late December Judi won an all-expense-paid trip to Puerto Rico where Harry Powell swept her off her feet.  But her fantasy of happily-ever-after was quickly derailed.  Would Judi always have a Blue Christmas?

It's only 99¢ and available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords.  (Soon to show up on Sony and iTunes.)

I hope you'll give Judi's story a try.

Thank you!

Coming to an iPod near you ...

Dead In Red, the second book in the Jeff Resnick Mystery series, is on its way to becoming an audiobook.  It's currently awaiting final approval before distribution, which should be within the next 10-14 days.  Don't worry, I'll be shouting from the roofs when it's available, so you'll know for sure when it's finally available.

In the meantime, there's a newish cover.  Those of you who read the original hardcover edition will notice that ... hey, it has the same elements.  Yup.  The red shoe is back in all its glory.  (However, I have no plans to bring this version to the trade paperback edition. Audio editions often have different covers than the print versions.)

Meanwhile, those of you who've read the book will remember that Jeff surprised Maggie with a Silver Stallion.  What's a silver stallion?  It's one of the best gin cocktails you can drink on a hot summer's day. (Yeah, I do realize we're still in the depths of winter -- but spring is on the way!)

How do you make a Silver Stallion?
1 1/2 ounces of gin
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
ice
Club Soda

Fill a tall glass (or a big wine glass) with ice.  Pour in the gin; add the ice cream; top the glass with club soda.  Give it a stir and sip.

Ahhhh...heaven in a glass.

When Jeff's behind the bar, you can bet it's 5 o'clock somewhere!

New Book Tuesday! Try these out!

Well, what do you know--it's the first Tuesday of the month, and that means a whole new crop of cozy mysteries from my publisher, Berkley Prime Crime.

Up first, is from my good friend Ellery Adams, the 2nd book in her Charmed Pie Shop Mysteries, PEACH PIES AND ALIBIS.

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 . . .

Amazon      Barnes & Noble      
Kindle         Nook          
          
And from Victoria  Abbott (the writing team of Mary Jane Maffini and her daughter Victoria), THE CHRISTIE CURSE.  If you love Mary Jane's Charlotte Adams organizing mysteries, you'll love this one, too.

In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared—making headlines across the world—only to show up eleven days later at a spa under an assumed name. During those eleven days, did she have time to write a play?

Jordan Kelly needs a new job and a new place to live. She’s back in Harrison Falls, New York, living with her not so law-abiding uncles, in debt thanks to a credit card–stealing ex and pending grad school loans.

Enter the perfect job, a research position that includes room and board, which will allow her to spend her days hunting down rare mysteries for an avid book collector. There’s just one problem: her employer, Vera Van Alst—the most hated citizen of Harrison Falls.

Jordan’s first assignment is to track down a rumored Agatha Christie play. It seems easy enough, but Jordan soon finds out that her predecessor was killed while looking for it, and there is still someone out there willing to murder to keep the play out of Vera’s hands. Jordan’s new job is good…but is it worth her life?
 
Amazon      Barnes & Noble     
Kindle         Nook    
                
 They're wonderful books and I know you'll enjoy them!
.

Let's toast to the winner!

First things first:  The winner of the Katie Bonner/Victoria Square teacup contest is:  Cherie Estok.

Winners of the Goody Bags are: Lorie Mink, Jessie Dimovski, Carla Rotmans, Candace Vachon, Madlyn Hilton, Pat Stacey, and Susan DeGraaf.

I'll be mailing them out tomorrow.

Did you missing my blog February 18th?  In it, I talked about the little figurines mentioned in Sentenced to Death, the Dolly Dolittles.  Even though no one asked, I've decided that I'd like to do more of that kind of blog post.  Why?  After 8 years of blogging, I've pretty much exhausted things about myself.  But I can wax poetically for years to come when it comes to my characters.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to try to set up a schedule for regular posts on the Victoria Square, Booktown, and Jeff Resnick mysteries.  Today, the Jeff Resnick Mysteries are on deck, and mostly because I've started a new Facebook page to celebrate the series.  Come on over and LIKE Jeff.

Jeff works as a bartender in a little hole-in-the-wall sports bar called THE WHOLE NINE YARDS on Main Street in Synder, NY.  It's mostly a beer joint, but occasionally someone comes in and orders a cocktail.  If I wandered in, I'd likely order a gin martini.  (I'm old fashioned.  That's a martini in my book--nothing with sickly-sweet flavored liqueurs.  Ick!)

At The Whole Nine Yards, you're going to get the traditional 2-to-1 version:

1 1/2 ounces of gin (well, unless you specify*)
1/2 ounce dry vermouth**

Stir (or shake) the vermouth and gin over ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a martini glass.  Serve with a twist of lemon peel or (preferably) 2 queen olives skewered by a toothpick.

Voila!  You've got a traditional martini.  (Yum!)

What drink would you order?





*I like Gordon's Gin, but the English version--not the kind we get here in the states.  Too bad about that actually.

**Noel Coward was reported to have said that the ideal martini should be made by "filling a glass with gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy."  (Source:  Wikipedia) Added side note: earlier this year I got to see Coward's home and gravesite.
.