Tea Party Tuesday - My Favorite Shortbread Recipe

Welcome to our tea - let me pour you a nice hot cup and we'll have a nice chat. Today, I've made shortbread from a recipe I've had for ages. A dear friend by the name of Sherry Niemi gave it to me years ago when we used to meet for a weekly craft time and luncheon. There were four of us, perhaps the first garden club of sorts. 

The garden club began as an old fashioned sewing circle reminiscent of the one my husband's grandmother belonged to. Ladies would get together, sew, chat, and have lunch. Oh, what a fun time they had. I thought my friends and I could do the same, and so we did.

After I moved from Sacramento to the Bay Area of California, I continued the tradition with new friends. Whenever I bake the shortbread, though, I fondly remember our first group.

Let me refill your cup, and do have another cookie.

I don't know about you, but whenever I visit my grandchildren I love to bake. When my husband came with me on this last trip and saw all the baking I did, he asked why I didn't bake at home. I merely stated the obvious - we don't need the extra calories! Then I felt sorry for him so that's why I baked the shortbread today. The recipe is simple - I hope you'll try it sometime.

Scottish Shortbread
Yield: 1 doz. pressed cookies or 2 doz. rolled cookies
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts ( I used salted mixed nuts for variety.)

Mix sugar and flour together, add butter and cut in with fingers or mixer.                     

   Add nuts.

 Mix well.

Press into cookie mold (or roll out on floured board and use a cookie cutter). 

 Place on ungreased cookie sheet (I like to use parchment paper), and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

 When you read the Jillian Bradley mysteries, I hope you'll experience the fun our garden clubs had every time we met. What about you? Do you get together with a group of friends on a regular basis?

Thanks for joining me today.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

Tea Party Tuesday - Grand Dogs and Baked Goods

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! Let me pour you a nice cup of tea and we’ll chat awhile. Milk? Sugar? 





I’m serving one of my favorites today - blackberry sage from the Republic of Tea.

Have a sandwich. They’re walnut cream cheese on raisin bread. I learned to love walnuts living in California, but pecans are tasty, too.

This weekend my husband and I are grand dog sitting in California, which is delightful. The Bay Area weather right now is gorgeous! 

Anytime we can combine a visit with helping out we do so. He takes Chloe and Bailey for long walks and spends time playing with them while I bake goodies for the family.  So far I’ve made an oatmeal cake, a fresh strawberry pie, oatmeal raisin cookies and a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough to bake later.

The truth is I understand why working moms don’t bake like we used to. The cleanup alone is massive! Who has time? So when I visit it’s fun for me, and this way my husband and I don’t wind up eating all the goodies! 

May I refill your cup?

Please have a lemon and cranberry scone. There’s lemon curd inside. Aren’t they delicious?

Lemon and Cranberry Scones

Good news! Book 8 “The Long Trip Home” is ready for the proof reader and then off to the presses. This means I upload the file to Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, and Smashwords who then make it available to readers all over the world. I can’t wait to launch! 

Jillian and Teddy’s next adventure “The Killington Murders” will launch in October. The story is set during a fall color tour in Killington, Vermont. 

Caramel Turtle Cheesecake

Now for dessert. I thought this caramel turtle cheesecake would be good.

Thank you for joining me. I pray you all stay safe until we meet again.

~Nancy Jill

Tea Party Tuesday - Top Ten Reasons to Drink Afternoon Tea

Shall we have tea? Do join me this week as we glimpse how tea is served at one of the finest hotels in London - the Lanesborough.

Afternoon Tea at the Lanesborough Hotel

In my books, Jillian Bradley often enjoys this lovely ritual, whether staying at a fine resort such as the Ritz-Carlton in "Murder in Half Moon Bay" or at a lovely London hotel such as the one above in "The Ruby of Siam." 

In my upcoming book "The Long Trip Home," you'll read about afternoon tea being served in the bed and breakfast where Jillian mysteriously finds herself after her wedding. I hope you'll enjoy the story.

Here are ten reasons why I love afternoon tea. If you think of another, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Top Ten Reasons to Drink Afternoon Tea

1. Everyone needs an indoor picnic once in a while.

2. There is a need to use lovely dishes on occasion.

3. Tea gives comfort and doesn't demand anything.

4. One only has to think about adding milk or sugar, nothing else.

5. Conversation is typically pleasant.

6. Teatime gives one something to look forward to during the day.

7. Delicious snacks are traditionally consumed.

8. Tea is beneficial to health.

9. One doesn't need to eat much at dinner.

10. Tea can be enjoyed year-round, any day of the week, hot or cold.

Cheers! Thanks for joining me today. I enjoyed our tea together. Hope to see you next week for 

Tea Party Tuesday.

In the meanwhile, Go Jillian and Teddy!

 

~Nancy Jill  

Sharing is caring - please share on the sites below. Thank you! 

Tea Party Tuesday

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday, dear readers. Let me pour you a nice cup of hot tea.

Milk? Sugars? 

Today I'm serving Lemon Lift. I find it refreshing and appropriate for Spring!

 

The photo above is from Hotel Granduca in Houston. The article I found on their site was about the History of Afternoon Tea and Tea Etiquette 101. I was familiar with the facts but differed on one point. 

When I visited England, I was told milk was added first, then the tea and sugar. The tradition was based on trying to prevent the cup from cracking. The milk acted as a buffer for the hot tea.

What are your thoughts?

Please have a sandwich. I don't care for smoked salmon but the cucumber one looks good. What are your favorites?

Last week I took a rest from writing the first draft of "The Long Trip Home" but will now start the rewrite, adding more description and detail.

This past weekend, my husband and I made a visit to San Antonio to see our daughter and plan the next Jillian Bradley Mystery. Holly helped choose names for the characters, which was a great help.

Let's try the scones. I love to spread them with lemon curd and clotted cream, but strawberry jam or orange marmalade are lovely, too.

 

May I refill your cup?

The pastries look delicious!

I hope you had a good week. Thanks for joining me today - it was a pleasure to have you.

See you next week!

~Nancy Jill

Tea Party Tuesday

Welcome to afternoon Tea Party Tuesday, dear readers. Please let me pour you a nice hot cup of tea (or coffee if you prefer).

Milk?

Sugars?

The photo is from Travel PR's site celebrating 10,000 Twitter followers. I love the yellow china, don't you?

Jasmine tea is one of my favorites, but I also love Lemon Lift, Lady Grey, and English Breakfast. My all time favorite, however, is a combo of Darjeeling and Earl Grey. It reminds me of the tea served in England when my husband and I visited as part of a trip celebrating our 15th anniversary.

What kind of tea do you like to drink?

Yes, please have another sandwich.

If wore a hat today it would be something like this from Mary Ann Koch Courture Creations. Is it still a tradition a lady doesn't wear Spring hats or white until Easter Sunday?

I think it's time for a scone.

Please help yourself.

Are you brave enough like me to wear hats? Where do you wear them? I always wear a sunhat, even if I'm only going to WalMart. 

And men, if you're like my husband, you may wear a hat so you won't have to comb your hair!

Let me refill your tea.

To me, the ritual of afternoon tea is a lovely way to share a visit with friends. I'm so glad you that you joined me today. If you'd like more afternoon tea experiences, you may enjoy The Jillian Bradley Mystery Series. The first book is my gift to you as an ebook.

Please let me know if you liked Tea Party Tuesday. I'd like to make it a weekly event. Thank you.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

The Story Behind Teddy

As some of you may have already guessed, many authors use their imagination to come up with characters for their stories like I did with Jillian's companion, Teddy. Here's how it happened.

Since living in the Bay Area of California has always been one of the most expensive places to buy a house, we rented for the first twelve years of our daughter's life. Like most children, Holly wanted a dog in the worst way and begged us to get her one. We promised when we bought a house we'd buy her a puppy.

The very week we moved into our new home, Holly began her search online for the perfect puppy, and soon found one - a female Maltese in Florida. After two flights, Chloe arrived in Oakland where we picked her up in Cargo at the airport. She pranced out of her crate and into our hearts.

But there was a problem - Chloe's food did not arrive with her. She wouldn't eat any dog food we bought, began to lose weigh and grew lethargic. The vet suggested Pedialite to keep our precious puppy hydrated and wished us luck.

That night our luck changed when my husband brought home Taco Bell for dinner. Our son, Michael, offered Chloe a bit of cheese from his Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and Chloe ate it. Then he offered her bits of lettuce, meat, and tortilla, and she liked that too and began to perk up. From that day forward, we fed Chloe a diet of ground meat, veggies, fruit and grains which she eats to this day.

When I created the character of Teddy, I modeled his diet after Chloe's. The tricks and commands Jillian teaches her little companion are the ones I taught Chloe.

When readers ask why I don't use a Maltese for his character, I tell them that Chloe was simply too heavy for the tote -- too much good food, I guess. Fortunately, my neighbor had a handsome little Yorkie the entire neighborhood loves. When it came time to make my author photo, I borrowed Romeo (and his owner to care for him) for the shoot.

He was such a good boy! The little fella posed for so many shots, at one point he fell asleep in my arms. My friend rewarded him for his good behavior with a peanut butter flavored chew toy which he got stuck in his fur.  

And so the antics of Teddy began. You can start following Jillian and Teddy's adventures by reading Book 1 Murder in Half Moon Bay - my free ebook gift to you. 

Amazon,  Kobo, Nook, and Smashwords

Have a wonderful week, dear readers.

~Nancy Jill

Justice - Jillian Bradley Takes it Personally

When asked, "What are your books about?" I often say, "In six words or less - Gardening columnist and Yorkie solve homicides."

True. But intrinsically speaking in all of the books Jillian Bradley seeks justice.





 
Justice for her conference associate and those Jillian finds murdered in connection in Book 1 "Murder in Half Moon Bay."

Justice for her colleague suspected of murder and for the victim's mother in Book 2 "The Ghost Orchid Murder."


Justice for an amnesia victim caught in a crime web in Book 3 "From the Clutches of Evil."

Justice for victims suffering from grief in Book 4 "The Mark of Eden."

Justice for Jillian's nephew arrested for the murders 
of a mother and daughter and justice for them in Book 5 "Pacific Beach."

Justice for several victims killed around Christmas Eve in Book 6 "Waiting for Santa."

And justice for a swindled victim, the death of her husband, and the murder of a London police officer in Book 7 "The Ruby of Siam."

 







To get started in the series Book 1 "Murder in Half Moon Bay" is free on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords. Books 2-7 are only $3.99. Not a bad price for reading stories about justice. Please visit the Books page to order.

I hope you'll give the books a try and cheer Jillian and Teddy on as they seek justice along their journeys.

Have an awesome week, dear readers!

~Nancy Jill

People are Asking - What is the order of your books?

Yes, the number of books in the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series is piling up! I think it's time to post them in order so you won't miss anything that happens with the characters during Jillian's adventures.
Thank you for joining us - Go Jillian and Teddy!

Book 1

"Murder in Half Moon Bay"

Book 2

"The Ghost Orchid Murder"

Book 3

"From the Clutches of Evil"

Book 4

"The Mark of Eden"

Book 5

"Pacific Beach"

Book 6

"Waiting for Santa"

Book 7

"The Ruby of Siam"

Book 8 (Coming 2014)

"The Long Trip Home"

We Have a Winner!

Thank you all for your comments on last week's post! How interesting to learn how you're coping with the severe winter weather this season. Even pets are affected dealing with the freezing elements.

The winner of this week's drawing is, Toni King. Congratulations!

The winner receives a book of her choice in paperback or e-book. I hope you'll enjoy the read, Toni.

I'd love to connect with all of you on Facebook - I know many of you have already liked my page and I've had fun getting to know you. It would be an honor if you would hop over and click the like button. You'll find tea being served on occasion and I'll keep you abreast of the writing of my latest book "The Long Trip Home." (Boy, it's hard to kill someone and not get caught!)

Here's the link: Nancy Jill Thames, Author

Thanks for stopping by and joining the site with Google friend connect or e-mail. We'll talk soon.

See you in my books!

~Nancy Jill

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow! By Nancy Jill Thames

Yesterday the average temperature across the nation was 12 degrees. Even California was having a cold spell at 64 degrees. People were wearing socks! What I find interesting about this snow wave is what happened to the global warming theories that the earth was going to heat up, dry out, and blow away?

So much for theorists.

People all across the nation are home bound, struggling to stay unburied from all the snow, and trying to keep warm. In Texas it isn't the snow keeping us in, it's the cedar fever - a merciless wave of yellow cedar pollen exploding in the air during the months of December, January, February and March. I only go outside for one event a month - The Leander Writers' Guild meeting. I pay the price the next day but it's worth it.

Cedar Pollen Wafting on the Air

How do cooped-up people cope? (Try saying that fast three times!) I picture frazzled moms trying to keep school kids entertained all day.  Dads who can't go into work must either be frustrated trying to work with the kids at home, or, as my hubby would, might be happy watching TV.

What I do is write, listen to classical music, and stay in touch with the outside world via social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thank The Lord for the internet!

What about you? How is it where you are? How do you cope with little ones, husbands, and your sanity? This inquiring writer wants to know.

Please leave a comment, JOIN MY SITE with Google Friend Connect (if you haven't already), and I'll do a drawing. One of you will win one of my books (your choice) in paperback or ebook.  I would appreciate a way to reach you if you win. Good luck! The winner will be announced in my next post on January 14, 2014.

Here's hoping you all stay warm and safe where ever you live.

~Nancy Jill

The One Thing for 2014

By Nancy Jill Thames                                    

Curly from "City Slickers"

Did you ever watch the movie "City Slickers" with Billie Crystal? As they deliver a calf together, Curly tells the city slicker to remember the one thing. No one is sure what Curly was referring to, but that's what I liked about it -- we're free to interpret the meaning.

Looking ahead to 2014 the one thing I want to happen is to better connect with my readers. Being an author can be isolating -- we're alone most of the time with our imaginations rolling out in print. I admire authors like Tonya Kappes who single-handedly publishes books while being an excellent therapist, wife, and mother to three strapping boys. Whew! She even has a new clothing line based on one of her protagonists! Amazing. If you like humorous cozy mysteries with a touch of paranormal you may want to check out her books.

Writing books is one thing -- learning about readership is another. I sincerely hope this year we'll get better acquainted so please join me on this site and leave comments. It's the one thing I'm focusing on in 2014.

Happy New Year! I'll see you in my books.

~Nancy Jill

Ten Great Gift Ideas for Mystery Lovers!

 By Nancy Jill Thames 

For those of you who like to do their holiday shopping online as I do, here are some great  gift ideas for readers on your list. All books are G-Rated and contain no profanity - just good stories! Books are written in a series but can be stand-alone.

FOR ADDED FUN, TEDDY (JILLIAN'S SIDEKICK AND SLEUTH-DOG) APPEARS IN EVERY BOOK ALONG WITH A NEW FRIEND OF HIS OWN

1. If you want to give your reader an ocean side stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel with all the amenities (plus a little gossip), give them a copy of
"Murder in Half Moon Bay." $9.99

2. For readers who enjoy gorgeous sunsets  or insight into endangered species, a mystery set at Sanctuary Spa Camelback Mountain might make a good gift. Give them a copy of

 "The Ghost Orchid Murder." $10.79

3. To experience a bit of early California history in the Bay Area along with a heart-warming story, give them the Christmas adventure of 

"From the Clutches of Evil." $7.99

 

4. Does your reader like whale-watching, Waikiki Beach, or perhaps a cruise to Catalina Island? Then they  might  enjoy 

"The Mark of Eden." $8.99

5. For a visit to San Diego complete with Jillian's family reunion at a five-star oceanfront hotel you might want to give a copy of 
"Pacific Beach." $8.09

 6. For Christmas lovers and those on your list who enjoy a bit of romance "Waiting for Santa" might be just the thing. $8.09

7. A London adventure awaits in "The Ruby of Siam" and ends with Jillian's wedding. What happens afterward will have to wait until 2014 when the final book "The Long Trip Home" launches. $8.09

 















 


8. Besides "Murder in Half Moon Bay" as a free e-book gift, another suggestion is "A Cup of Cozy," a free e-book gift on Amazon and Smashwords to you from the authors of Cozy Mystery Magazine.




 







9. If you can't decide which book to buy for those on your list consider giving them the entire series. (Around $60) They'll love reading about the adventures of Jillian and her sidekick, Teddy, as they help solve homicides which fall across their path. Amazon.com






10. For yourself, when you purchase  paperback copies for those on your list, use the Kindle MatchBook program (new on Amazon) to purchase the e-book versions of the Jillian Bradley mysteries for half-price.  (Only $1.99 each.) Amazon.com


There you have it! Ten holiday gift ideas for everyone who enjoys a good whodunnit, cozy mystery, or animal mystery. Happy shopping, dear readers!

  See you in my books!

 ~Nancy Jill 

Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames has published Christian fiction since 2010. The author of seven books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award winning blogger and listed numerous times on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List. In addition, she won first place in her church's 4th of July celebration for her chocolate cream pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers' Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW),  CenTex Chapter-ACFW, and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales. She resides with her husband in Leander, Texas.

CONTACT INFORMATION jillthames@gmail.com