Escape With A Writer

  As I sit and stare at the remains of Christmas, I can't help but wonder what 2015 will hold in store. This past year has been very busy! I've had three books released - The Mystery Lady (March), The Bakery Lady (Sept) and Death of a Jaded Samurai (November). I've done a few author events, taken on a second part-time job, and been overwhelmed with many things in both my personal and professional life that have made me seriously consider major life changes.  Yet, here I sit. Over the next year: I have a deadline looming for Murder of a Fallen Fighter (Book 2 in my Yin-Yang Series). I need to finish The Painted Lady (Book 4 in my Wild Blue Mysteries Series). I want to grade for my Brown Belt in karate. I want to integrate both Yoga and Meditation into my life to help keep my sanity. Eventually becoming a Yoga Teacher one day. I'd love to keep in touch and spend more time with my friends and family (even though they're 2,000 miles away!) Going to Las Vega

Our Merry Christmas Blog Fest! Welcome back! 'Tis the season for fun, food and visiting with friends. Today's topic is about hope, love, forgiveness, Christmas, or a special gift. I've chosen to use an excerpt from one of my new books The Bakery Lady . Christina Davidson is struggling with keeping the Christmas spirit after losing her mother and feels the sting of not being able to fill her mother's shoes.  I do hope you enjoy not only my excerpt, but the recipe for Gingerbread Cookies that I've included! ...an excerpt from The Bakery Lady (Books We Love Ltd.)      Christina squeezed a solid line of icing down the edge of the wall. Her focus never wavered. She set the wall on the foil-wrapped cardboard and held it in place with one hand while she added the second wall. One by one, she assembled all four walls and held them in place with bowls. Only then did her gaze stray to the ornate tree in the corner.      Her mom had loved Christmas Eve. The

You know those cookie exchanges that are so popular during the holiday season? The ones where you bake  dozens of the same kind of cookies to take to a party where you give them away by the dozen to other participants in exchange for a dozen of theirs? Well, it turns out you can't really do one of those on the internet, but you can host a Virtual Cookie Exchange, and that's exactly what I'm a part of this month. A Cooke Blog Hop courtesy of my lovely friend and author at Gemma Halliday Publishing,  Ellie Ashe ! This is my Peppermint Cookie recipe...my Gingerbread Recipe will appear on my blog Dec 20 so be sure to come back for that one as well! Peppermint Christmas Cookies Sift together in bowl and reserve:          2 3/4 cups flour          1 tsp baking powder          1/2 tsp salt Put:  3/4 cup soft margarine in large bowl Add:  1 cup sugar          2 eggs          1 tsp peppermint (or any other flavor extract) Beat with mixer or wooden s

NOW AVAILABLE Dec 1 2014 until January 31, 2015     19 holiday short stories by 19 New York Times, USA Today and  award  winning authors! Enjoy these tales of mystery, romance, and laughter amid the backdrop of pine trees, gingerbread men, and Santas galore! The perfect short bites for cozying up by the fire with a cup of  cocoa...or waiting in line at gift wrapping! Stories include: Rosolio Red (Franki Amato Mysteries) by Traci Andrighetti Chasing Tinsel (Miranda Vaughn Mysteries ) by Ellie Ashe Death of a Christmas Witch (A Crewel to be Kind Mini Mystery) by Diane Bator Queenie Baby: Pass the Eggnog (Queenie Baby Mysteries) by Christina A. Burke The Holiday Inside Job by Mary Jo Burke Hard to Catch a Christmas Thief (Hard Targets) by Wendy Byrne A Christmas Ghost & Zero Regrets (Dead by the Numbers Mysteries) by Jennifer Fischetto Christmas Canapés & Sabotage (Culinary Competition Mysteries) by Janel Gradowski Christmas in Hig