View from the Birdhouse

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: Jaunty Bird in Straw Hat Valentine

Almost wordless! This vintage Valentine looks like Spring to me. "Just chirping in to say 'I'm the bird for u!'"

Bird Valentines at Birdhouse Books: click here.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Deadly Dog Show by Jerold Last

The Deadly Dog Show(Roger and Suzanne South American Mystery Series Book 6)
Cozy Mystery
Self Published
Print Length: 252 pages
Publisher: Amazon (July 19, 2013)

Synopsis

The sixth book in the popular Roger and Suzanne mystery series finds Roger and Bruce hired to go undercover impersonating the owner and handler of a Champion German Shorthaired Pointer named Juliet to investigate certain irregularities that might be occurring at dog shows in California. To complicate this case the bodies of dead judges start popping up and Suzanne picks up a mysterious stalker sending her most unwelcome gifts. Throw in drug cartels and corrupt cops and it sounds like a typical job for our detective couple.

The Deadly Dog Show can be read as a stand-alone novel.

About This Author

The author is a Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of California’s Medical School at Davis, near Sacramento in Northern California. Jerry writes mystery stories that follow the cozy conventions of no graphic sex and no cussing but feature tougher protagonists and darker worlds than most cozies. Jerry knows the real world of dog shows from his own experience and that of his wife, Elaine, who breeds and shows prize-winning German Shorthair Pointer dogs. The cover photo is the author’s own dog Jolie (Grand Champion V. D. Nacht’s Classic Beaujolais, SH). Elaine provided technical advice for The Deadly Dog Show and editing for all of his books.

Author Links

Blog: http://www.rogerandsuzannemysteries.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RogerAndSuzanneMysteries
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jerold-A.-Last/e/B0028EKOIY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1
Twitter: @JeroldLast
Purchase Link
Amazon

Giveaway:
The author is giving away an e-copy of his story, "The Dog With No Name."
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, April 20, 2015

Music Monday - "Badge" by Cream (1969)

I tend to like my retro music pretty or uptempo - pop, soul, dance, singer/songwriters - but occasionally I really love a great classic rock song. "Badge" by Cream is one of those songs. This song was written in 1969 by Eric Clapton and George Harrison. It has a bit of a Beatles sound that really appeals to me. I heard this over the weekend and it has been stuck in my head ever since ... so I'm sharing it here with you. Do you remember this one? I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Estate Sale Treasures

I went out treasure hunting today. There weren't a lot of sales out there in quantity, but there were two wonderful estate sales.

I found this adorable vintage wooden Christmas ornament featuring a Dachshund and another little dog. It's so cute that I included front and back pictures for you. This little cutie will probably stay out in my study year-round. It's rare for me to find "keeper" items at sales ... but this ornament is mine. :-)

I also found this lovely Sound of Music Keepsake book. This is my favorite movie - I couldn't resist! This is my other "keeper" find from the day.

I found a box of vintage Christmas stocking holders that are about to get listed. I am guessing these are 1970's vintage. They are really cute!

And - I found many, many unused vintage Christmas cards, 1940's - 1970's. Most have envelopes. They are pretty fabulous! I filled a 12" high box with all the unused cards. These will be listed individually in my store. I have Marjorie Cooper cards, Holly Hobbie, cards that fold out into Mid-Century paper ornaments, and more. This picture is just from the top of the box - treasures inside!

Did you treasure hunt this weekend? I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: To Catch A Falling Star by Anna Belfrage

Publication Date: March 1, 2015
SilverWood Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Book Eight, The Graham Saga
Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip

To Catch a Falling Star is the eighth book in Anna Belfrage’s series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham.

Some gifts are double-edged swords …

For Matthew Graham, being given the gift of his former Scottish manor is a dream come true. For his wife, Alex, this gift will force her to undertake a perilous sea journey, leaving most of their extensive family in the Colony of Maryland. Alex is torn apart by this, but staying behind while her husband travels to Scotland is no option. Scotland in 1688 is a divided country, torn between the papist Stuart king and the foreign but Protestant William of Orange. In the Lowlands, popular opinion is with Dutch William, and Matthew’s reluctance to openly support him does not endear him to his former friends and neighbours.

While Matthew struggles to come to terms with the fact that Scotland of 1688 bears little resemblance to his lovingly conserved memories, Alex is forced to confront unresolved issues from her past, including her overly curious brother-in-law, Luke Graham. And then there’s the further complication of the dashing, flamboyant Viscount Dundee, a man who knocks Alex completely off her feet.

All the turmoil that accompanies their return to Scotland pales into insignificance when a letter arrives, detailing the calamities threatening their youngest daughter in Maryland – at the hand of that most obnoxious minister, Richard Campbell. Matthew and Alex have no choice but to hasten back, no matter the heartache this causes.

Will they make it back in time? And what will Richard Campbell do?

Buy To Catch a Falling Star

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Graham Saga Titles

Book One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star

About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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GIVEAWAY

Prize: Print copy of the book To Catch A Falling Star.

Rules
– Must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open internationally.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
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