Music Monday - "Here Comes the Sun" (The Beatles)

Happy Music Monday!  How I've missed sharing favorite songs here.  This week because it's Spring and because I love the Beatles, I'm sharing "Here Comes the Sun."  This song was written by George Harrison, and released in 1969 on Abbey Road.  How can you not feel happy when you hear these lines: 

"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right"

Book Spotlight, Author Interview, & Giveaway: Killer Getaway by Amy Korman

Killer Getaway: (Killer Wasps Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
• Publisher: Witness Impulse (March 10, 2015)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• 195 Pages
• ASIN: B00L1AAFCG

Description: Spunky crime-lite and the glitterati detail of a society column combine to shake up the Florida in KILLER GETAWAY, from former Philadelphia Magazine senior editor Amy Korman.

With a storm brewing in Bryn Mawr, PA, the Killer WASPs head south to Palm Beach, FL. And what could be better than fabulous friends, Lilly Pulitzer beachwear, frozen cocktails, and high society drama?

Kristin Clark, and her basset hound, Waffles, are ready to escape the doldrums of winter to bask in the warm Florida sun and dine at her friends’ new restaurant, Vicino. But when a rival restaurant undergoes a HGTV makeover and attempts to steal Vicinio’s spotlight and their patrons, the town is abuzz with gossip and Kristin and her friends–Bootsie, a nosy reporter, Holly, a chicken nugget heiress, and Sophie, the soon-to-be ex-wife of a mobster-have parties to attend.

Everything is going swimmingly in the glitz and glamour of Palm Beach until a bad batch of clams threatens to shut down the Vicino and their vacation for good. When it becomes clear that the clams may be more than an innocent mishap, the ladies must unravel the mystery before there are deadly consequences.

Perfect for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series!

Interview with Amy Korman
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Growing up, I was inspired by books such as the Nancy Drew series and Agatha Christie mysteries. Then when I discovered hilarious, inventive writers like Carl Hiassen and Sue Grafton, I was hooked! I also spent years as a magazine writer, and had great experiences along the way.

What was your favorite book as a child?
Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh, and the sequel The Long Secret, Harriet's fire-escape-and-dumbwaiter snooping were so awesome. The Killer Getaway character of Bootsie, who's super-nosy, would approve!

What is your writing day like? Do you have any interesting writing quirks?
I like to start early in the morning with a large coffee and try really hard
not to even look at the Today Show, because I love that show so much! My main goal is to get 90 percent of the day's work done while our Basset hound gets his beauty sleep-he naps about 20 hours a day! When he gets up and starts barking for his walk, it's time to step away from the computer.

What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating this book?
Returning to the characters from Killer WASPs was surprisingly fun, and the characters took on lives of their own. Bootsie especially is on a roll in Killer Getaway-she bribes people, impersonates a lawyer's personal assistant, and breaks into a fancy hotel suite!

Who are your favorite authors?
Agatha Christie, PG Wodehouse, Carl Hiaasen, Sophie Kinsella, and Ann B. Ross, as well as Sue Grafton!

What is your next writing project?
It's the next Killer WASPs mystery, which features Kristin and her friends back in Pennsylvania, where Bootsie's brother Chip finds himself in trouble with the Mafia, and Chef Gianni's back in town with yet another money-making and attention-grabbing scheme in mind.

About This Author

Amy Korman is a former senior editor and staff writer for Philadelphia Magazine, and author of Frommer’s Guide to Philadelphia. She has written for Town & Country, House Beautiful, Men’s Health, and Cosmopolitan. Killer Getaway is her second novel.

Author Link:
http://amykorman.com/

Purchase Link:
Amazon 

Giveaway
Win one of three print copies of Killer Getaway.

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Friday Faves: Spring and Mysteries

Happy Friday!  Happy First Day of Spring!  Welcome back to Friday Faves.

My first fave this week is SPRING.  It's the first day of Spring, and I couldn't be happier about it.

I always think of this silly poem from childhood on the first day of Spring:

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris.
I wonders where the birdies is.
They say the birds is on the wing.
Ain't that absurd?
I always thought the wing was on the bird.  (Anonymous)

My other fave this week is the Cormoran Strike mysteries by Robert Galbraith (a/k/a J.K. Rowling).  I read The Cuckoo's Calling last year for my book discussion group, and we just discussed The Silkworm last week.  I was a huge Harry Potter fan, so I assumed I would enjoy these mysteries too.  I was absolutely right about that.  They are wonderful classic detective novels.  They are set in London.  The protagonist is an Army vet named Cormoran Strike.  He is tough, kind hearted, and very smart.  He is assisted by a clever, pretty young woman named Robin who wants to become a detective as well.  The first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, involves the mysterious suicide of a supermodel.  The second book, The Silkworm, is about a troubled and difficult fiction writer who goes missing.  The Silkworm had more violent imagery than I like, but I would still recommend it based on the great characters of Cormoran and Robin, and the wonderful writing by Galbraith/Rowling.   I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series, and I would love to see these made into a series for PBS Mystery!  If you've read these books, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, below.

That's it for this week, but I wanted to wish you a happy first day of Spring!  I hope you have a great weekend. 



 

Throwback Thursday: Brach's Pick-A-Mix Candy

Do you remember Brach's Pick-A-Mix candy displays at the grocery store?  I loved these as a little girl.   Here's an ad, probably early 1970's vintage:

You got a little paper bag, like the one in the ad, and filled it with an assortment of your favorite candies.  It was weighed at the checkout.

My favorite of the Brach's candies were the Nougats.  I haven't had these in years!

I also really liked the Neapolitan candies.  They reminded me of my favorite three stripe coconut candy bars.

My Mom or Dad must have liked these Royals, because we always had some of these in the Brach's bag.

Do you remember these Brach's assorted candies?  Which ones were your favorites?

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander

Today I'm excited to share the cover of A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander, the second book in the Bakeshop Mystery series. This book releases June 30, 2015 by St. Martins Press.

Welcome to Torte--a small-town family bakeshop where the coffee is hot, the muffins are fresh, and the cakes are definitely to die for…

It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon--'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

Then, just as Jules dusts off her Bavarian Chocolate Cake recipe and cinches up her apron, the corpse of a fellow contestant is discovered--death by buttercream. What began as a fun, tasteful televised adventure has morphed into something of a true-crime detective show for Jules and everybody else on set. Who could have killed Chef Marco, and why? Can Jules sift out the killer before someone else gets burned?

Goodreads | Amazon |  B&N | Indiebound 

Don't miss out on book one, Meet Your Baker, available now!

About the Author:

Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.

Find her on Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway:

Triple chocolate brownie mix

Oregon Chai tea

Custom handmade coasters and napkins

Signed copy of Meet Your Baker

Signed Advanced Reader copy of A Batter of Life and Death 

Open to US only
Ends April 9, 2015

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.