Tea Party Tuesday ~ Celebrating Our Veterans

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! Let me pour you a nice cup of tea and we'll begin our chat. Milk? Sugars?

Today is a great opportunity to thank those men and women in uniform for their service to our country and in our communities.
Thank you to those in the military, police, and firefighters, We appreciate your protection and watch care over us - day and night.

Cranberry Apricot Cheesecake Bread

My father was a command pilot of B-52's in the Air Force. How well I remember him being on alert for days on end, staying by the red phone in case our country was attacked.

Please have some cake - I especially love the cheesecake part.

My brother Hank flew RF 4 fighter jets in the Air Force, while my brother Tom served as a country sheriff until his retirement. Our son Mark served in the Air Force as well. Our niece Mi Chelle also serves as a police officer. Our family thanks you all!

Speaking of recipes, our new anthology "A Cup of Cozy 2" has all sorts of delicious recipes from our Holiday Menu selections. Included are my recipes for Beef  Bourguignon and Chocolate Cinnamon Torte featured in my New Years Ever Buffet menu.

In the anthology, I've written a debut story called "Lawrence Buys a Gift." Here's an excerpt from a recent review:

"Lawrence Buys a Gift" 5 stars. The title for my review is "Tea Anyone?". A couple has an amateur detective in for tea and the husband recounts his part in the solving of a murder. The housekeeper, Louise, is run ragged bringing in the goodies for the tea and keeping an eye on the menagerie of pets!

Available on Amazon Kindle only $2.99

Hope you enjoy the new book.
Have a wonderful week - Cheers!

~Nancy Jill 

Tea Party Tuesday ~ Voting Day

Welcome! On this lovely fall day we have the privilege to exercise our rights as Americans to vote for the candidates and issues important to our communities and nation. I hope you'll find a moment to cast your ballot.

May I pour you a nice cup of tea? Please help yourself to some delectable (and calorie free) tea fare. I'll take the eclair - and just think - you can take one too since it's virtual.

When I was standing in line to vote this morning, one woman turned to a gentleman in line behind her and told him she didn't care if she was late to work. It was important she voted!

Do you like the tea? It's decaffeinated Green tea. It's supposed to be healthy so I'm trying to get used to it. Not too bad, really.

It was so much fun to do my first event on Facebook last weekend. I celebrated three publishing events called Triple X with over 120 participants who won books and Go Jillian and Teddy! mugs as thank you prizes. So much fun!

Amazon Kindle Only $2.99!

Don't be shy - please have more tea and help me eat these lovely snacks. (I almost typed snakes!)

Last week we talked about the first event - the launch of Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake." I always wanted to go on a fall color tour so I wrote a mystery about "leaf peepers."

The second event was the launch of "A Cup of Cozy 2," second edition of  Cozy Mystery Magazine's anthology featuring our authors. In it you'll find six new short holiday stories including one from my new series called "Lawrence Buys a Gift." Lawrence is the amateur sleuth husband of one of Jillian's new friends. The book also includes fabulous holiday menus and recipes that you'll want to check out. I hope you enjoy it.

The third really happy event I'm celebrating is the new cover designs for my series. They're almost ready. Here is a close replica of what they'll look like (with a few changes, of course).

I hope you have a wonderful week. If you're looking for some "Murder She Wrote" kind of books, you may want to give mine a try.

Thanks for sharing our time together.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

Cover Sneak Peek at Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake"

Simply had to share - Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake" is Coming Soon!!!!! Very Soon!!!

Coming 2014!

  When Jillian and her garden club friends decide to take a fall color tour in New England, they have no idea the resort they choose as home base will soon be a setting for murder. And more than one. 

  Who killed the hotel's head chef in his own kitchen and why? His cuisine was excellent but his personality left a bad taste. Together with Jillian's Yorkie companion Teddy, and the help her garden club, Jillian works with Lake Placid's top gun Police Chief Mark Taylor in uncovering the killer.

Please stay tuned, reader friends.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill 

Tea Party Tuesday ~ A TV Series On the Horizon?

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! Let me pour you a nice cup of tea. Milk? Sugars? My heroine and I take three sugars. I know, it's excessive, but it does taste good! 

Excessive is a word I now refer to when describing the voices in my head. They're constantly suggesting new characters and plots. All I can do to quiet them is create a title and register the ISBN numbers. Yesterday, the voices told me to write Book 11 "Murder at the Met," a story about the murder of a virtuoso in New York City.

What I need is a screenwriter!

Do you know of any? Please comment if you do. I think Jillian and Teddy's adventures would be fun to watch!

Please have some refreshments. And let me reheat your tea.

Of course I do have help from my husband and son who whisper plots in our everyday conversation. They're incorrigible! Especially my son, Michael, who will even go so far as to give me a pendant with a key on it for my birthday with a card that says, "Here is a key Jillian finds. What does it unlock?"

I love them. But little do they realize that if and when a screenwriter comes knocking, I'm pointing him or her in the direction of my voices. 

Cheers! 

~Nancy Jill

Tea Party Tuesday ~ Tea at the Empress Hotel

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday, everyone! This photo on Pinterest made me stop in my tracks -- isn't it wonderful?

Let me pour you a nice cup of tea. Milk? Sugars?

When I went to the photo site, I found it was taken by a lovely Russian travel agent who lives in Victoria, Canada -- setting for Book 10 "Murder at the Empress Hotel" coming 2015, so I simply had to post.

From the shiny silverware to the garnishes, I believe I've chosen well. My early family (we had two sets of children thirteen years apart) and both sets of grandparents made the trip to Vancouver Island from Sacramento, California, up the Pacific Coast. We took the ferry across to reach the island, and that afternoon we enjoyed famed afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel. It was a wonderful experience.

I read they serve on average 500 teas everyday. Amazing!

The hotel is so renown that recently a man bought it without even seeing it, on reputation alone. It will certainly be fun to use as a setting. 

Let's try the finger sandwiches - they look delicious! And I think I'll take a scone, too. Please help yourself.

I pray as fall ushers in, we all stay healthy and safe. 

Cheers! 

~Nancy Jill

The photo is from the setting in 

Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake." 

Watch for it soon!

(Don't you love the shoe bomb?)

Tea Party Tuesday ~ In the Mood for PUMPKIN

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! I'm so happy you stopped by today. These colorful polka dot cups caught my eye on Pinterest, as well as the link for the yummy crock pot recipe - feel free to click!

We'll enjoy a virtual cup now, but I want to try the recipe soon.

The weather has been delightful here in the Bay Area where I'm spending time with my family. Yet, I noted a huge hail storm reported not far away in Napa where an earthquake hit recently. Never a dull moment where the weather's concerned.

Oh, of course. I'd be happy to pour you a refill.

One of my all time favorites, no matter what kind of weather we're having, is Einstein Bagels - the apple spice one. They may even be featuring their pumpkin spice bagel now. I'll have to check. Found it! It's their pumpkin walnut crunch bagel. Sooo yummy, people.

Currently, I'm working on Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake" where Jillian and two of her garden club friends, Ann and Nicole, are taking a fall trip as leaf peepers in upstate New York. There's a freshly baked apple pie in there somewhere, I do believe.

The manuscript is with the beta reader team now. I can't wait to launch!

Have a wonderful week, dear readers. Enjoy the pumpkin spice latte and please let me know how it turns out.

Cheers!     

~Nancy Jill        

Tea Party Tuesday - Fall ~ A Perfect Time for Tea

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday - I'm so glad you've joined me. Let me pour you a nice cup of tea.

Milk? Sugars? Do have some snacks.

Now that the kiddies are back in school, many of us can sit back and relax. Days are shorter, nights are longer, and things seem cozier in general.

To me, fall and winter are never long enough. Sitting by a crackling fire sipping tea, well, it doesn't get any better for a lot of us.

Especially if you're a reader!

This fall two new books are coming on the market that I think you'll enjoy.

"A CUP OF COZY 2" is the latest anthology from the authors of Cozy Mystery Magazine. You'll not only find cozy holiday stories showcasing our styles, but also holiday menus and recipes from each author.

Book 9 "Murder at Mirror Lake" is also due to launch. Jillian and her garden club friends take a fall trip to upstate New York only to find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation of an executive chef. A fun whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the end.

Lots of great reading coming up! I can't wait.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

Tea Party Tuesday * A Toast To Betas

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! I would like to raise a toast to my wonderful 
Beta Reader Team: 
Barbara Babcock
Tom Biggs (my wonderful brother)
Deborah Fox Belissio
Roxanne Day
Sid Frost
Brenda Burke Johnson
Donna Montgomery (who's been with me from the very first book!)
Gale O'Brien
Michelle Tucker Reed
Maxine Rohde
Shanan Shepherd
Ted Thames (my sweet husband) and
Karen Timmermann

These eagle eye readers will take the rough draft of Book 9 "Murder At Mirror Lake"

and make notes of suggested changes to enhance the work. Their input is invaluable to an indie author such as myself. As a thank you, I'll be sending them a signed copy when the book is hot off the press. Betas such as these often write the first reviews, helping to successfully launch a book.

So a huge thank you, Betas, as we begin this undertaking. Your input is most appreciated.

                     Cheers!

                    ~Nancy Jill

 

Tea Party Tuesday * Rosita, the Red Hibiscus

"Rosita-September 2014"

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! I'm so glad you've joined me today. Let me pour you a nice cup of tea and we'll chat a while. Milk? Sugars?

Rosita is my husband's red hibiscus. He's raised her from a tiny plant one foot high. Since we live in Texas, where it's hot, hot, and hotter, I only allowed him one plant to care for.

Seriously, one is all he really has time for. But then he talked me into letting him buy a small Easter cactus family that he named "La Familia."

At least "La Familia" is low-maintenance.


Not Rosita.

Oh, no. Not her. You see, if left outside, Rosita would freeze her little roots off with the first cold front in November. The solution?

We must move her inside like we did last year. Only now, Rosita is twice the size she was last year and will occupy most of our morning room.

Still, she's therapy for my husband, so letting her live another year is the least I can do.

He compliments her.

He checks her soil to make sure it's moist.

He prunes her faded blossoms and tells her how much he looks forward to her next rush of blossoms.

Sigh...if only he'd do the same for me.

Then again, I really can't blame him.

The difference between Rosita and me is only this -- she's silent.

Never says a word.

Never talks back, criticizes, or complains.

What's not to love?

I get it. Perhaps I should take a lesson from Rosita and keep silent once in a while.

Or, I could forget to bring her inside....

Do you winter over plants inside where you live? I'd love to hear about them. Thanks for joining me today. I had fun.

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill 

Look for my new book "Murder at Mirror Lake" coming in November 2014.

When Jillian and her garden club friends decide to take a fall color tour in New England, they have no idea the resort they choose as home base will soon be a setting for murder. And more than one.

Who killed the hotel's head chef in his own kitchen and why? His cuisine was excellent but his personality left a bad taste. Together with Jillian's Yorkie companion Teddy, and the help her garden club, Jillian works with Lake Placid's top gun Police Chief Mark Taylor in uncovering the killer.

Tea Party Tuesday * Fall Color Tour

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! May I pour you a nice cup of tea? Milk? Sugars?

Since I just finished writing about a luscious strawberry cream cake in Chapter One of "Murder at Mirror Lake,"  I thought we'd enjoy a virtual slice.

 

My husband and I took a road trip last week to Santa Fe, New Mexico to attend my cousin's 50th wedding anniversary. It was also nice to be able to stop in Lubbock, Texas for a visit with my husband's cousin and his family whom we hadn't seen for 46 years! Dogs and kids abounded, much to our delight.

In this ninth book in the series, Jillian and her friends take a fall color trip in upstate New York and Vermont. Plans for the visit unfold during Jillian's Garden Club monthly meeting. Of course, Teddy gets to attend the meeting and looks forward to the morsels Jillian may toss his way.

It's such fun to write these mysteries. People with dogs seem to relate to the way Jillian interacts with Teddy in much the same way I interact with dogs and children, treating them with interest and respect.

May I refill your cup? What do you think of the cake? I do believe it's one of my favorites, along with German chocolate, Texas picnic cake, and Carrot cake. Ah, any excuse to enjoy dessert!

I hope you'll read the Jillian Bradley mysteries. They're full of intrigue, beautiful settings, and afternoon tea! What could be better? Thanks for joining us today.

All Jillian Bradley wants is to spend a quiet weekend by the ocean and enjoy her afternoon tea. But a startling discovery draws Jillian and her garden club friends into solving a mystery that threatens her life and changes her future.

'Murder in Half Moon Bay,' Book 1 in The Jillian Bradley Mystery Series, introduces Jillian's little companion 'Teddy,' a Yorkie who falls prey to danger but rises to become a sleuth dog in the next book.

      FREE on  Amazon   Kobo  Nook and Smashwords!
Amazon International Links: http://authl.it/b3

 

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill