Category: Uncategorized

This month Sherrinda Ketchersid’s newest book released, and I’m so excited to share the news with you. Sherrinda Ketchersid is a lover of stories with happily-ever-after endings. Whether set in the past or present, romance is what she writes and where her dreams reside. She resides in Dallas, Texas with her preacher husband and scruffy dog, Phineas.

Welcome, Sherrinda!

Thanks so much for having me on the blog today! I thought I’d share a little history behind my new book, Hers to Love. The story is set in the early 1200’s in the Scottish Highlands. I was so excited to dig into research, but quickly learned that there is little written history in early medieval Scotland. I soon realized that there weren’t even many castles that had been built in the time period of my story.

While King David of Scotland began inviting Normans into Scotland in the middle 1100’s, these landowners build wooden “castles”, motte and bailey style (wooden structures with a moat). And only the very wealthy could build these. Large Scottish clans began to build castles, but it wasn’t until the late 1300’s that they began to really populate the landscape.

Alas, I so wanted to write a story with a castle. It seems so much more romantic, right? But I stayed true to history and put my hero, Adam MacIntosh, laird of a small clan, into a remodeled blackhouse. What’s a blackhouse, you ask? It is a long structure that is divided in two halves. The family lived and cooked in one half, while the livestock stayed in the other half. Yuck, right? I decided to have Adam remodel the house and get the livestock out BEFORE the story begins. I made it more of a manor house, with a large hall for eating and entertaining, more bedrooms, and a kitchen. Much more civilized, to be sure.

Another historical aspect I used in my story was the rule about divorce. I found out that the church during that time period (at least in England) did not allow divorce except for a few reasons. None of the reasons included unfaithfulness. Adam’s wife, Elspeth, betrays Adam and runs away, so when Fiona happens upon the scene, he is still married. I quickly take care of this issue in the story…this is a Christian story after all, but I can’t tell you what I did, or else it will give the plot away. Needless to say, the church’s rules in medieval times worked to my advantage to create tension and conflict.

Conflict and tension always make for a better story. I’m sure Jackie will agree—you definitely need good tension in cozy mysteries!

Thanks again for hosting me!

Sherrinda, thanks so much stopping by and sharing.

Back Cover Copy:

Fiona McGowan, a beautiful Scottish widow without hope for a family of her own, travels to St. Mary’s Convent to become a nun. In route she is kidnapped by handsome Highlander Adam MacIntosh in a case of mistaken identity. Adam, laird of the MacIntosh clan, is attempting to free his brother held captive by the rival Fergus clan. The failure of his plan leaves him reeling with betrayal, death, and a wee babe in sore need of a healer.

Though forced to delay her vows, Fiona’s anger and distrust thaws as rising tensions within Adam’s clan threaten to ignite an uprising. She chooses to aid her noble but beleaguered captor in his quest to restore peace among his Highland clan. But as the two learn to trust each other, the question remains: Can they move beyond the hurts of their past, or will the past be their undoing?

Sherrinda enjoys connecting with readers. Here’s where you can reach her.

You can find with Sherrinda via her website at www.sherrinda.com. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter HERE and receive the prequel novelette to her medieval series. 

I recently introduced you to Devon Delaney. Today I’d like to share a little about her newest book.

I gave it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Devon Delaney weaves a wonderful mystery linking a fire in the past with a current day murder.

Sherry Oliveri is back home for a long Thanksgiving weekend to help her dad at his carpet store for Black Friday. It’ doesn’t take long for the first dead body to appear. The characters are realistic and fun. There are twists and turns and you wonder how this amateur sleuth will pull it all together.

I don’t want to give too much away, but this is a delightful cozy, and there are recipes included.

I met Chris Munson through Abandoned Texas Facebook Group. His photography captured my imagination. Chris graciously agreed to let me share his photographs and reflections with you. His pictures are from Pilot Point, Texas.

Chris said in his post.. “I once helped to keep perishables in the community fresh”. “I once provided fuel to the vehicles that passed this way”. “I once held the funds of the citizens here”. “I once promoted a product”. “I once served as a watering hole….”And so each of these structures and signs remain, not as monuments, nor as historical markers, but as reminders yet, as testaments to a different time and place….Where they served needs no longer essential, nor sought, nor practical, as those who had need for them have also passed….and all are at rest. Pilot Point Texas, 9/11/21

Thanks so much Chris for sharing your thoughts and photographs with us today. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Today I’m delighted to welcome Devon Delaney. I’m confident you’ll enjoy getting to know her.

Thank you so much for having me! I’d love to answer some questions so that my readers and potential readers may get to know me a bit better. First, let me tell you a bit about my new release.

The latest book in my cooking competition mystery series, Double Chocolate Cookie Murder, deals with the consequences of a character’s past actions. Think of the countless brushes you’ve had with people throughout your life and how the interactions may have affected the path of your life. Throw in the possibility that moment in time will come back to haunt you and you have a snippet of the book’s premise. A cook-off is, of course, central to the mystery. There are milestone family decisions to be made and a murder to be investigated. Come with a full belly when you read the book, only because you will leave hungry if you don’t. Lots of food, fun, and hometown family spirit shape the foundation of my writing and make the task of putting words to paper a joy. My goal is to entertain.

Do you have a pet? 

I had a Jack Russell terrier for sixteen years and that’s the breed I chose to feature as my main character’s pet. The active, possessive breed isn’t for everyone, and I pride myself for having let Frosty train me to be a great companion rather than the other way around. Our partnership was one a feel blessed to have had. Now I have an equally wonderful Standard Poodle. How lucky can a girl get?

How long have you loved to cook/bake? 

To be honest, I’m not the greatest baker. I do bake a mean cookie. And a great muffin. I don’t love to bake as much as I love to eat baked goods. I have a free-wheeling style in the kitchen and having to measure every single ingredient in order to keep the chemistry perfect stifles my creativity. On the other hand, I have competed in the Pillsbury Bake-off three times. The difference being, at their bake-off the cooks begin with a boxed mix or a prepackaged dinner starter, a good jumping off point. Your creativity and imagination take you to the finish line where you collect a prize or not. That’s the style of cooking I love.

Main courses and side dishes are my forte. I’ve been sous-cheffing since I was about six or seven. My dad had a few recipes he prepared over and over, like Ceasar salad and chicken stir-fry. He was methodical about the prep and instructions, so I felt very comfortable knowing my role, whether it be crack an egg or chop the chicken. Looking back, I built my confidence in the kitchen under his tutelage and spread my wings after I was married and had a captive taste-tester. 

Do you follow a recipe?

I prefer not to, but I admit I do occasionally follow a recipe if I’m looking to learn a new technique or a new piece of kitchen equipment, such as my daughter’s Insta-Pot. That’s more of a rarity. Playing a game of “Chopped – Home Edition” each night at five o’clock is more my style. Whatever ingredients my family hasn’t scarfed down over the last twenty-four hours is my springboard to parts unknown on our dinner menu. My goal is to make the dish my own and put the “Devon twist” on the recipe, for better or worse. Making mistakes teaches me as much as finding success, when it comes to creating contest entries. Many a time I take a tried and true recipe of mine and, rather than follow the steps exactly, I substitute new ingredients to test out a new flavor combination.

What’s your favorite meal to prepare? 

My favorite dish to prepare is my Grilled Ranch Steak Bruschetta in the summer when the tomatoes are fresh and I’ve purchased a fresh baked country bread. The recipe won me a contest sponsored by Cooking Light magazine:

Ranch Steak Bruschetta Salad (Devon Delaney)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons ranch dressing

1½ tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground coffee

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (1 inch thick)

Cooking spray

¼ cup chopped shallots

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

6 cups loosely packed arugula

12 (1-ounce) slices French bread, toasted

Preparation:

Combine dressing and horseradish in a small bowl; cover and chill.

Combine black pepper, coffee, cumin, and chile powder. Rub both sides of steaks with pepper mixture; let stand 10 minutes. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium heat. Coat steaks with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan; let stand 7 minutes.

Combine shallots, basil, bell peppers, juice, and tomatoes in a small bowl; toss well.

Arrange 1 cup arugula on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 2 toast slices. Cut steaks diagonally across grain into thin slices. Divide steak evenly among toast slices; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons tomato mixture. Drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon dressing mixture. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

Do you have a dish that’s won multiple contests? 

I have used a particular theme a few times but you can’t use the same recipe. Once the recipe is submitted to the contest, whether it wins or loses, the recipe then becomes the sponsors property. Ingenious marketing plan, right? The sponsoring company receives many new recipes for their products from the entrants and it’s a win-win for them. Technically, a recipe can have three major changes from the original to be called a new recipe and that’s not hard to do. So, I have taken a theme, such as a surf and turf burger and made a few significant changes in order to freshen it up.

Have you ever created something you thought would be delicious and it completely flopped? 

Simple answer: more than I can count.

Do you prefer the beach or mountains?

Mountains. I’m a hiker and a skier. I did grow up in Long Island, NY so I spent plenty of time at the beach. Too much, my dermatologist would say.

Cats or dogs?

No one else in my family likes cats but I love them. I love dogs. I am an animal nut, actually. We joke about moving to a farm to have lots of animals, but I might be too lazy.

Paperback or ebook? 

I have never read an ebook in my life. Can you believe that?

Haha, that’s amazing, Devon.

Sweet or salty?

Popcorn, chips and soy sauce. Can’t get enough! I get a lot of exercise, so my body loves salt. I don’t hate a great piece of chocolate cake, though!

Devon, thanks so much for spending a little time with us today.

Friends, Double Chocolate Cookie Murder is available now. You can learn more about Devon and her fascinating live at her website. http://www.devonpdelaney.com/

• 

• 

August 30 is National Beach Day. It’s about more than having fun though. We also need to focus on safety and preserving our beaches.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBeachDay

A few safety tips include”

1. Only swim in designated areas.
2. Never swim alone.
3. Whether you’re in the ocean, a lake or a river, watch the currents.
4. Don’t swim longer than you’re capable.
5. Learn CPR

Learn how to survive a riptide. Don’t swim against the current. Relax. Swim parrallel to the shore until you leave the riptide.

You can also organize a group to clean a section of your favorite beach. If you don’t have time for that, you can pick some trash up on your own.

I hope you are able to enjoy your favorite beach soon.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We recently had family visit, and after one really hot day, the kids asked if we could have ice cream for supper day. We did, and it was fabulous!

Today is National Banana Split Day. Just in case you don’t know what this is, you take a peeled banana and slice it in half, lengthwise and place it in a bowl. Between the slices, you add three scoops of ice cream. Traditionally we’ve used vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Next each scoop of ice cream gets a sauce. Chocolate, pineapple, and strawberry are the sauces traditionally added. To finish off this delicacy, add whipped cream and a cherry.

It’d be fun to hear your variations on the banana split. Or do you have a favorite place to go for this treat?

Today is another hot South Carolina August Day. August is probably why someone created Banana Split Day. I encourage you to have fun today and treat yourself to a banana split. Tag me on social media if you do.

Whatever holiday you celebrate this month, I hope you enjoy it.

Next week, I’m going to have a most SPECIAL guest. I hope you can stop by then.

Meanwhile, enjoy the holidays!

• 

• 

• 

•