Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
SEE IF YOU CAN GUESS...
“Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it. All the hard work I do,
all the travel, all the difficult clients I have to deal with. I don’t know. Used
to think I was doing it for Birdie and Victoria, but after they were successful
on their own, it didn’t feel like they really needed me.”
“Did you ever talk to Birdie about how you felt?”
“No. She never had the time, and we hardly talked anymore. You
might say we went in different directions. But I honestly loved them. Really
loved them! And now, it’s too late.” He buried his face in
his hand.
“I’m so
sorry, Lee. I know it hurts. But my sister and brother-in-law will also feel that
hurt if their son is convicted of murder. He didn’t kill your wife or Victoria,
bet my life on it.”
B. From the Clutches of Evil
C. The Mark of Eden
To vote, please leave a comment. The first winner's name will appear in tomorrow's post!
Monday, July 23, 2012
"Queen of Afternoon Tea" Celebrity Author Interview
"QUEEN OF AFTERNOON TEA" |
CELEBRITY AUTHOR DEBORAH MALONE |
DEBORAH MALONE is my guest today on "Queen of Afternoon Tea" - Deborah is from Georgia and one "peach" of a friend. Thanks for joining us today.
Blessings,
~Nancy Jill
Friday, July 20, 2012
A FREE GIFT FOR YOU!
I've been having so much fun downloading books on my Kindle, iPhone and iPad recently. So many great books out there online! Just learned that once you download a book you can read it on all three - very convenient.
To celebrate the launch of my new book in the Jillian Bradley Mystery
series "PACIFIC BEACH" I'm offering book 4 as a promotion this weekend. You may download the Kindle version of "The Mark of Eden" free (a $3.99 value)! Hope you enjoy the read. And thanks again for those of you who have given me readerships and reviews! They're very much appreciated.
The promotion runs through Sunday, July 22nd. And please feel free to share this post. Thanks. ~Nancy Jill
The Mark of Eden
Jillian returns to Half Moon Bay where two
elderly men are found dead in their recliners. And now, another man is missing—the
distraught father of Jillian's personal assistant. The investigation draws
Jillian and Teddy into a strange clinical world, where she almost becomes a
victim herself before she identifies who is responsible for a bizarre series of
deaths. A classic whodunit!
Here is the link: "THE MARK OF EDEN" Free book!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
BEING A GRANDMA
Craft Time |
At the Wi Wheel |
Swim Time |
But instead of parenting (the first kid is the hardest) a grandma knows to lead by example. I sit at their small table on a tiny stool and eat, softly enforcing table manners, praising them when they don't spill crumbs on the floor by eating over their plates.
We do laundry together, making a game of it. Grandmas teach what tissues are for and offer choices to teach independence. So much fun!
We punctuate the days with fun things to do as you see in these photos. And the best thing about being a grandma? It's almost like being a child again, seeing the world through their eyes. Sigh...I love being a grandma. ~Nancy Jill
Baking Cookies Together |
Friday, July 13, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
SUPRISED!
One of the loveliest things I can think of is being completely surprised by my husband with a gift that is absolutely perfect! For my birthday this year, he brings home a box and suggests that it's software to help me in my writing. Great...how romantic and feminine - right? Like giving me an iron for Christmas!
I toss off the gift wrap and can't believe my eyes! An iPad! Wow - it's what I wanted for Christmas. But that sweet wonderful husband of mine didn't want me to have to wait. Blogging and emailing on your iPhone is like being Gulliver in the land of Lilliput typing on the small screen. Well, I'm just blown away and so grateful for having such a thoughtful husband. Makes me almost sorry I made him the dog in my Jillian Bradley Mystery series. He is cute, though. What a nice birthday I'm having. Until next time - Blessings my friends.
~Nancy Jill
I toss off the gift wrap and can't believe my eyes! An iPad! Wow - it's what I wanted for Christmas. But that sweet wonderful husband of mine didn't want me to have to wait. Blogging and emailing on your iPhone is like being Gulliver in the land of Lilliput typing on the small screen. Well, I'm just blown away and so grateful for having such a thoughtful husband. Makes me almost sorry I made him the dog in my Jillian Bradley Mystery series. He is cute, though. What a nice birthday I'm having. Until next time - Blessings my friends.
~Nancy Jill
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
DOES A BODY GOOD
SOLITUDE |
~Nancy Jill
Monday, July 9, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
SO PROUD OF MY MOM!
I challenged her, no, strongly encouraged her to get an iPhone and an iPad so she would have a life. Don't get me wrong - she attends Sunday School and church, plays bridge once a week, volunteers at the homeless shelter once a month etc., but it's still not enough when she has so much time on her hands now that she's living alone. Quite honestly, I never thought she'd take the plunge. But she did!
You should see how happy she is being able to talk to her kiddos on Face Time, see photos on Facebook on such a nifty size screen and being able to do everything she used to do on her computer, where ever she chooses. And wait until she can read my books on a lighted screen in bed. She's going to love it! Transformation from a boring existence to joining the world online. Amazing. Can't wait for Christmas when I get one. Have an incredible day, my friends.
~Nancy Jill
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
When I was in high school, our choir went to the all state music festival one spring and sang a song that has always lived in my heart. Lyrics are by Don Raye and the music is by Al Jacobs. The words go like this:
THIS IS MY COUNTRY, LAND OF MY BIRTH
THIS IS MY COUNTRY, GRANDEST ON EARTH
I PLEDGE THEE MY ALLEGIANCE
AMERICA THE BOLD
FOR THIS IS MY COUNTRY
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD.
I WILL NEVER TAKE MY FREEDOM FOR GRANTED. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
REFRESHMENTS
Do join me for a cold glass of sweet tea and some refreshments. It's so hot in many parts of the country today - my heart goes out to those with no electricity. I thought it would be nice to pause and share a break together. I hope you enjoy some of our famous Texas sweet tea. Cheers!
~Nancy Jill Thames
"Queen of Afternoon Tea"
Monday, July 2, 2012
BUILDING CHILDREN'S CHARACTER
COME MEET CELEBRITY AUTHOR SANDRA McLEOD HUMPHREY
THIS WEEK ON "QUEEN OF AFTERNOON TEA"
CELEBRITY AUTHOR INTERVIEW
THIS WEEK ON "QUEEN OF AFTERNOON TEA"
NANCY JILL THAMES |
SANDRA McLEOD HUMPHREY |
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Join me on Cozy Mystery Magazine today!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
MAD DOGS CAFE ALL THE WAY!
Enjoy a lovely cappuccino with your breakfast! |
Homemade crumpets with strawberry jam, honey, | or lemon curd - to die for! |
Meet Brenda - Owner and Creator of Mad Dogs Cafe. Brenda bakes everything from scratch! |
Monday, June 25, 2012
"QUEEN OF AFTERNOON TEA" CELEBRITY AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH AMBER PATRICK
Saturday, June 23, 2012
CALL ME CRAZY!
Sigh! I love being in airports. I love seeing all the people, all the workers, all the different luggage. I love watching the ticket agents, the pilots and crew members getting ready for their next flight. The airport environment is so stimulating to me. There is life here! And if all this was not enough fun, there are interesting people to sit next to on the plane. I'm still friends with many of them on Facebook, staying in touch. Call me crazy, but I believe you can meet some of the nicest people on earth at an airport. Today I'll be in Laguardia, Midway, and San Diego. Sigh...I really hate for it to end. (Yes, I'm probably crazy!)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
10 REASONS TO BE JUMPING FOR JOY!
1. I'm a Believer!
2. I'm happily married.
3. I have plenty to eat.
4. I have a place to sleep every night.
5. I am in great health.
6. I have wonderful children.
7. I have wonderful grandchildren.
8. I have a rewarding writing career.
9. I have too many friends to count.
10. I have no time to complain.
2. I'm happily married.
3. I have plenty to eat.
4. I have a place to sleep every night.
5. I am in great health.
6. I have wonderful children.
7. I have wonderful grandchildren.
8. I have a rewarding writing career.
9. I have too many friends to count.
10. I have no time to complain.
Can you count 10 reasons to be jumping for joy?
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
RELAXING IS A GOOD THING!
Every so often one just needs to kick back and relax! That's exactly what I did today. No alarm going off at 5 am, no schedule...just doing things as they came. It feels good to let down after getting my latest book details edited and published. I think we'll even go out to dinner so I won't have to cook or clean up the kitchen. Who's with me? Rosie's Pho, here we come! (I love their Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Yum!) Have a great evening, ya'll. (You know I'm from Texas, right?)
NICE REVIEW BY SCARLETT RAINS
Something’s fishy at the Ritz…and it doesn’t sit well on a cracker!
My Review
By Scarlett Rains
Murder in Half Moon
Bay, (Jillian
Bradley Mysteries, No. 1) is an entertaining, fast-paced, read. Nancy
Jill Thames’s clever protagonist, Jillian Bradley, doesn’t miss a beat. She, and her garden club friends, arrives at
the West Coast Garden Club Society’s Annual Conference in Half Moon Bay expecting
to relax, spend the weekend gleaning gardening tips, whiling away pleasant
hours surveying plant specimens, and sampling great food. Jillian quickly realizes there is something
fishy going on at the Ritz…and she’s not talking about fertilizer! The soil at
the Ritz-Carton doesn’t need enrichment.
Bodies are popping up over there faster than bean sprouts on steroids! Good thing Jillian is not only a gardening
expert, but a VERY good listener, a keen observer of detail…and a list-maker. Put all that together, stir in the ‘contributions’
of Teddy (Jillian’s little Yorkie –who may just be telepathic!) and you’ve got
yourself a great potting mix for a budding detective.
As
Nancy Jill Thames’s delightful story unfolds, a botanist might prove more useful
than the FBI or the local police department.
All sorts of cross-pollination seems to be going on, what with social
butterflies flitting around, landing in who knows whose room, and things taking
root where they never should have been planted!
I’m not one for spoilers, but
there are weeds that need pulling at the Ritz-Carlton and Jillian’s just the
gal for the job. She and her friends waste no time. They get to work, digging
in the dirt, to solve the mystery.
I
enjoyed Thames’s family-friendly mystery very much. This charming book earned 4/5 hearts. I would
have given it 5/5, but one of the plot points troubled me. As brilliant as Jillian clearly is, I couldn’t
see a police chief allowing her to question suspects, until later in the series
—after she establishes her stellar reputation as a sleuth. That trifle aside, Murder in Half Moon Bay is the sort of
book to enjoy on a rainy day, snuggled in a recliner with a nice cup of Jillian’s
favorite, Lady Earl Grey, tea. I
recommend it to anyone who enjoys a clever mystery that’s not soaked in blood
and gore. I look
forward to reading all of the Jillian
Bradley Mysteries.
Book Description (per Amazon)
Book Description (per Amazon)
Publication Date: April 10,
2012
When a shocking murder disrupts the West Coast Garden Club
Society's second annual conference, gardening columnist Jillian Bradley joins
with Chief Frank Viscuglia to help in the investigation. Could it be the mean
spirited conference director? Perhaps it's the wealthy widow on the make for
her next husband; or maybe the killer is the haughty business woman who shows
no regard for her brow beaten husband.
Set in beautiful Half Moon Bay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jillian moves through the exclusive hotel property, local nurseries, colorful restaurants, and private mansions searching for the truth, pausing with her friends for cups of afternoon tea along the way. She uncovers a series of mysterious events that lead to solving several murders, both past and present. With the help of her garden club friends and her Yorkshire terrier 'Teddy', Jillian discovers not only a killer, but a far greater menace that could threaten us all.
Set in beautiful Half Moon Bay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jillian moves through the exclusive hotel property, local nurseries, colorful restaurants, and private mansions searching for the truth, pausing with her friends for cups of afternoon tea along the way. She uncovers a series of mysterious events that lead to solving several murders, both past and present. With the help of her garden club friends and her Yorkshire terrier 'Teddy', Jillian discovers not only a killer, but a far greater menace that could threaten us all.
Product Details
·
Paperback: 178 pages
·
Publisher: CreateSpace (April 10,
2012)
·
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1452882088
· ISBN-13: 978-1452882086
ISBN-10: 1452882088
· ISBN-13: 978-1452882086
Monday, June 18, 2012
QUEEN OF AFTERNOON TEA CELEBRITY AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Friday, June 15, 2012
SUNNY OR DARK SIDE? YOU CHOOSE...
Sometimes I could just explode with happiness! Do you ever feel that way? Sure, it's partly temperament, but I believe it's also a choice. No matter what happens, we can decide to find the good in any situation. Try it today and see what happens. I think you'll find you'll feel happier if you do.
Blessings on your day, dear friends!
~Nancy Jill
Blessings on your day, dear friends!
~Nancy Jill
Thursday, June 14, 2012
FORMING GOOD HABITS?
Ever wonder why someone else seems to be more successful than you are? For me, the journey to success is often blocked with spending too much time doing unimportant things. Confession: I spend too much time on Facebook, but I do have 650 friends to keep up with, right? Okay, maybe I should only check posts three times a day instead of fifty. Hmm. That might give me more time to write!
Habits take at least 21 days of repeating before they become one. Today, I will begin to check Facebook this evening. Tomorrow I will only check it in the morning, at noon, and before I go to bed. What about you? Are you a Facebook junkie?
Habits take at least 21 days of repeating before they become one. Today, I will begin to check Facebook this evening. Tomorrow I will only check it in the morning, at noon, and before I go to bed. What about you? Are you a Facebook junkie?
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
LOOKING FOR SOME FUN?
Ever wonder what the word "fun" means to you? Going out on the weekends? Disneyland? A cruise? Okay, I'll admit, breaks are nice but come on, be honest. You're sitting there at dinner, or on a bench at Disneyland, or where ever, and you think, I'm bored. Well, maybe it's just us creative types who get bored. Anyway, what I've found is that when I'm doing something I love to do (writing murder mysteries, serving afternoon tea, or making dinner for my grandchildren) I'm having FUN! Because within those activities I feel I matter, and validation is what we all really need to feel good. What does "having fun" mean to you?
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