Wordless Wednesday - Skiing Boy Vintage Christmas Card

Found at Birdhouse Books:  Christmas cards

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - The Silence of the Chihuahuas by Waverly Curtis

The Silence of the Chihuahuas
(A Barking Detective Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Kensington (October 27, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1617730641
ASIN: B00P53E06M


Synopsis

“Savvy sleuths come in small packages…” 

Pepe, aspiring P.I. Geri Sullivan’s muy clever Chihuahua, has stopped talking. But why now, with Geri’s best friend Brad missing and her ditzy sister in grave danger? Geri’s lost without Pepe’s dogged detective work, especially when a client of Brad’s expires under very murky circumstances.

Luckily, Pepe turns out to be an excelente blogger, and his nose for clues soon has the detective duo chasing down leads. But they’ll have to put a bite on crime quickly, because danger’s afoot – and it’s making tracks in their direction . . .

About The Authors –

Waverly Curtis is the joint pseudonym for mystery writing team Wavery Fitzgerald and Curtis Colbert.

Curt Colbert is the author of the Jake Rossiter and Miss Jenkins mysteries, a series of hardboiled, private detective novels set in 1940’s Seattle. The first book, Rat City, was nominated for a Shamus Award in 2001. A Seattle native, Curt is also a poet and an avid history buff. He is the editor of Seattle Noir, a collection of crime stories published in 2009. He was a judge for the Edgars in 2008 and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America. Curt and his wife, Stephanie, live in a Seattle suburb under the thrall of their cat, Esmeralda.

Waverly Fitzgerald is the author of three historical romances set in Victorian London under the name of Nancy Fitzgerald. Ever since her first novel was published in 1981, she has been teaching writing classes for adults at various venues including the UCLA Writers Program, the University of Washington Extension, and regional conferences. She currently teaches at and works for Richard Hugo House, the literary arts center in Seattle. Waverly also writes non-fiction, and has published a book called Slow Time: Recovering the Natural Rhythms of Life. She lives in an apartment in the heart of Seattle with her daughter, Shaw, and Shaw’s Chihuahua, Pepe.

Waverly and Curt met in a writing class in the late 1980s and have been working together ever since. Curt took Waverly’s novel writing class while he was writing his first novel. Waverly was his writing coach while he wrote his trio of historical mysteries set in Seattle. For about a year, they worked on twin novels in which Waverly’s protagonist, a female P.I. appeared as a sidekick in Curt’s novel about a hard-boiled Vietnam vet and vice versa. When Curt came up with the idea of a mystery featuring a talking Chihuahua named Pepe, Waverly asked if she could help and the collaboration began.

Pepe is an eight-year old Chihuahua, adopted by Waverly’s daughter Shaw, when he was a puppy. He likes stuffed toys, especially if they  squeak. He hates the rain, which is unfortunate since he lives in Seattle. Like his namesake character, he hates being dressed up and thinks he is much bigger than he is. Unlike his namesake, he has a sweet disposition and doesn’t talk much, but he does have his own Facebook page.

Curt loves to start chapters; Waverly finishes them. Curt loves to elaborate and Waverly likes to edit. Curt’s humor is broader while Waverly’s humor is more situational. Together they are an unstoppable mystery novel writing team. Visit them on Facebook on at www.thepepenovels.com. 

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Did You Know Tuesday: Claxton Fruit Cake

Fruit cake - love it or hate it?  It's one of those things that people don't seem to have neutral opinions about.  

Count me firmly in the "love it" camp.  Growing up in Georgia, fruit cake always meant Claxton fruit cake, with the familiar red and white packaging.  I still have to buy a fruit cake every year.  It wouldn't seem like Christmas without it!  (Pictured above, on a vintage postcard.)

The Claxton Bakery first opened in Claxton, Georgia in 1910.  It was owned by Italian immigrant Savino Tos who had experience as a master baker in Italy and New York.   In 1927 a young boy named Albert Parker started working at the bakery.  Eventually, when Savino Tos retired, Albert Parker purchased the business.  It is still run by Albert Parker's sons and daughter.

It was Albert Parker who started the focus on fruit cake.  In the 1950's, the fruit cakes were marketed as civic group fundraisers.  

The Claxton Fruit Cake company had a booth at the New York World's Fair of 1964 - 1965, which helped build the brand popularity.   They have also had brand floats at the Orange Bowl Jamboree Parade in Miami, Florida, and the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C.

The company is still active and busy, and can be found at their website.  Claxton, Georgia claims to be the fruit cake capitol of the world, with over four million fruit cakes sold each year.  

Are you a fruit cake fan?  Do you make your own or have a special brand?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Music Monday - "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" - Billy Joel (1977)

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" was on Billy Joel's The Stranger album (1977).  It was never a '45, but it still got airplay back in the 1970's ... and I always have to turn it up when it comes on SiriusXM.

The song has three parts:  a gentle opening about two classmates meeting for a glass of wine, a jazz section with lots of brass, and then a rock section about Brenda and Eddie.  It's a complex composition, and I think a pretty amazing song.

Do you remember this one?  What is your favorite Billy Joel song?   I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Weekend Window Shopping at Birdhouse Books - Vintage Christmas

Happy Small Business Saturday! 

Please remember your favorite local and online small businesses today  as you enjoy your holiday weekend.

I have a 25% off sale running all weekend, through midnight on Cyber Monday (November 30).  I also have many new Christmas arrivals in my store ... with more Christmas items added the next couple of weeks.  You will find all these unique gifts at Birdhouse Books on eBay. 

Children's Advent and Christmas is a rare 1966 vintage book by Vita Et Pax.
 

Wumpy's Christmas Gift is a vintage picture book for children by Nancy Nash, with illustrations by Richard Floethe (1956)

Mortimer's Christmas Manger is a picture book about a little mouse who discovers the real meaning of Christmas after he takes up residence in a manger.  It was written by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman.

Holiday Recipes Around the World for Electric Cooking and Baking is a cute 1960 vintage cookbook booklet.

The Little Drummer Boy is a DVD of the classic children's special by Rankin Bass.

This Christmas postcard features a little boy and girl discovering a tree with candles and fruit outdoors.

This Christmas postcard features a little boy and girl with a snowman who holds an umbrella.  This looks like an Ellen Clapsaddle illustration.

This especially sweet Christmas postcard features a little girl with an old fashioned teddy bear.

Santa Claus wishes a village a Merry Christmas with the help of an old fashioned megaphone on this postcard.

A sweet little girl puts shamrocks on a snowman on this charming Christmas postcard.

This Coronation Collection vintage Christmas card features a mailbox full of wrapped gifts.

A sweet mother deer and her fawn rest in the woods on a snowy day on this vintage Christmas card.

I hope you've found some treasures here, and hope you'll visit my store as well:  Birdhouse Books.   Have a wonderful weekend!