A Tea Party Review of Murder & Moonflowers by Leslie Leigh

It's lovely to have you join me for tea today. Please help yourself to some refreshments while I pour out. 

   I've been busy writing the last chapters of my new book "Murder at the Empress Hotel" and can't wait to finish the story.   In the meantime a few books have crossed my path. I wanted to share about one I enjoyed reading called "Murder & Moonflowers" by Leslie Leigh because I liked the way the heroine Melissa Michaels serves tea to her customers. Of course!

   The author has a good grasp on herbal medicine and this shines forth as the mystery unfolds. The plot centers around the death of a rather ill customer with no apparent cause of death - until Melissa hooks up with a handsome private detective from out of town. Their escapades into ferreting out the facts keep the read interesting and suspenseful at the same time. 

   I hope you'll download a free copy soon. Thanks Leslie Leigh for a great mystery! Click the link to get yours now. Have you read any good mysteries lately? I'd love to hear about them.

Free on Amazon Kindle

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

In A Perfect World

In Texas, many of us are sitting around looking out our windows watching for rain. In a perfect world, it would rain when the forecasters predict.

Not so.

In the world of Jillian Bradley, wardrobes and makeup are perfect and there is always time for tea. In a perfect world our clothes and makeup would match perfectly everyday like hers.

Not so.

At times I feel a little blah because I'm not Jillian. But it is not a perfect world.

Instead, I must remember that as a human there are still meals to cook, laundry to do, and houses to clean. And, lucky for me, a husband to spend time with.

Perhaps these are some of the reasons to enjoy afternoon tea. 

The ritual provides:

#A welcome break in an ordinary day

#A chance to use pretty dishes longing to escape from cupboards

#A reason to enjoy a tasty snack

#An opportunity to share with a friend or loved one

#As close to a perfect world as it gets.

If you enjoy afternoon tea or reading about it try the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series. To get started, Book 1 "Murder in Half Moon Bay" is my free gift to you as an ebook.

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.

#Kindle http://ow.ly/3oCxMY 

#Nook http://ow.ly/3xFOGj 

#Kobo http://ow.ly/3xIO1a 

#SW http://ow.ly/3xG30B   

Amazon International Links: http://authl.it/b3 

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

Wedding Bells and Chocolate Cream Pies

This past Saturday our daughter Holly got married. Our last child married Hudson her beloved in a sweet ceremony led by my niece's awesome husband Nate - the only ordained minister I know who changes into his tuxedo T-shirt for the dancing! 

For those of you who've happily experienced passing the baton of parenting over to the new spouse, you'll understand my husband and my feelings of joy and relief! Hudson will take good care of her.

I posted in October of 2012, "God has been so gracious to provide wonderful mates for three of our four children. We trust Him to provide for our youngest daughter Holly as well." And in 2015 He did!

The wedding had a few breaks from tradition - one being the guests were served chocolate cream pie instead of wedding cake. It was our daughter's wish so her father and I made 16 pies, transported them 35 minutes away, and served them to 110.

I've included my recipe at the end of this post in case any of you are feeling domestic. 

Amazon Kindle Nook SW and Kobo

Amazon Kindle Nook SW and Kobo

At the end of Book 7
"The Ruby of Siam"
Jillian Bradley gets married in London at an upscale hotel across the street from Buckingham Palace. 

But unlike our daughter's picture perfect wedding you'll read in Book 8 "THE LONG TRIP HOME" about a tragedy that occurs at the reception. It all ends happily, though - thanks to the vehicle of fiction.

There's still time to enter the $200 Amazon Gift-card Giveaway contest. Thanks to all of you who've followed our sites and liked our pages. Click here for your chance to win: 
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Cheers!

~Nancy Jill    

Nancy Jill's Chocolate Cream Pie  

For the Ganache:

1 c sugar
1/4 c flour
2 T cornstarch
1/4 t Salt
1 1/2 c whole milk
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
3 egg yolks. membranes removed
2 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 T butter
2 t vanilla

For Ganache and Topping:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

1. In a heavy 2 qt saucepan mix sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt together. Add milk and 1 cup of the whipping cream.
With a fork mix the egg yolks together and add to remaining 1/2 c of whipping cream. Mix then add to saucepan combining ingredients well.

2. Cook over high heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until melted, then add butter and vanilla.

3. Pour mixture into freezer proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressing down until no air remains and sides are sealed.
(Prevents skim from forming.)

 4. When cool, whip heaving whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold in 1 cup of mixture to ganache.

5. Pour ganache into baked pie shell mounding to center.
Cover with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles.
Chill for at least 4 hrs before serving.

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood story-teller to the Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she has always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunits. In 2010, Nancy Jill published her first mystery Murder in Half Moon Bay, introducing her well-loved protagonist Jillian Bradley, and clue-sniffing Yorkie, “Teddy.”

When she isn’t plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, Nancy Jill travels between Texas and California finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand or having afternoon tea with friends.

She is a member of Leander Writers’ Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW CenTex Chapter), and Central Texas Authors

To learn more about Nancy Jill, visit these sites.

Twitter @mystriterdva

http://www.nancyjillthames.com

Pinterest

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Going Backward?

Why do we save memorabilia?

Who actually goes back and goes through all those keepsakes hidden away in a special box or bin?

Has the thought of wanting to write your memoir crossed your mind lately? I think it's because instead of remembering, we want to be remembered.

I must confess saving thank you cards from my grandchildren, their first drawings, a report that I did in the second grade when we studied astronomy…

But memorabilia does have merit.

The last time I went through my small bin, I reread a couple of birthday cards from my grandmother with personal messages to me. The reason I find them special is because she had 16 grandchildren - which

motivates me to be a good grandma with only seven (to date).

At the end of the day I believe what's important is having the courage to face the future without dwelling too much on the past.

Because of this, my memorabilia keepsakes are shrinking - except for the handwritten notes from the grandkids that say, "I love you, Grandma." And one day, if anyone wants to know who I am or was, they can read my books!

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill

P.S. Here's a link for organizing memory boxes I found useful.

http://www.seedingsimplicity.com/creating-a-memory-box-part-ii/

Tea for One

   Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in an assisted living place? This past week, I had the opportunity of spending the day in one with my mom and her friends.

   It was a delightful experience. In spite of the aged residents, often in wheelchairs and walkers, there was such a wonderful spark of life about them as we laughed and shared during a meal together, or as we sat and listened to the news, or played a game of bingo.

   One lady in particular by the name of Jackie brought her blue and white teapot to the dinner table in the dining room. The attendant filled the pot with hot water and Jackie placed the teabag inside. 

   At 93, Jackie had suffered a stroke and needed to wear an adult size bib for meals.

   It was an inspiration to watch someone continuing to enjoy their teatime in spite of transitioning to assisted-living.

   Hopefully, we'll all continue to enjoy the niceties of life such as afternoon tea no matter where our lives may lead.

   As I left to return home I turned to Jackie and said, "I hope we'll meet again." She replied, "If I'm still here."

Cheers! ~Nancy Jill

Tea and Mystery!

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Tea Party Tuesday ~ What's an Authormorph?

The Before

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! Let me pour you a nice cup of tea. Please help yourself to some yummy treats. 

Do you like to read autobiographies? I do. To me, some celebrities' journeys are better than fiction! Some of my favorites are Jackie Kennedy, Lauren Bacall, and Coco Chanel. Do you have any? Today, I wanted to share how I morphed into an author. I'd love to hear your comments on morphing as well!

How does an ordinary housewife become a writer? It's not like one dreams of writing a book. Being an author was probably the farthest thing from my mind until things began to happen that changed my trajectory. 

Martha Hyer

Years ago, a fellow juror handed me a newspaper clipping of an actress named Martha Hyer and told me I looked like her. Maybe to him I did. But the real kicker was someone telling me I looked exactly like Angela Lansbury. Now, as many may know, Angela Lansbury starred not only in Gaslight, The Manchurian Candidate, and Blue Hawaii, but she also starred in a 10-year run of Murder, She Wrote.

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote

After I believed I looked like Angela, I think I tuned in for all ten years of that series, which left quite an impression on my brain coupled with discovering a special display in the library where I took my young children every week.

A library benefactor had bequeathed the entire leather bound set of the Agatha Christie Mystery Collection, and those books called to me until I had checked out and read every one...again and again.

Over the years raising children, leading the PTA, organizing Vacation Bible School, spending time with girlfriends giving luncheons, throwing tea parties, and reading Agatha Christie, little did I realize it was all a dress rehearsal preparing me for writing the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series. 

When time came for an empty nest and an outlet for my creative urges, it was if the Lord turned on the switch and the stories began to flow. 

That was the fun part. 

The struggle came when readers would give critical reviews. I wanted to give up, but I prayed hard, asking God for direction. Ever been there? 

He directed me to writing groups and blogs where I found help. There are amazing people out there who I consider to be super heroes. When you ask God for direction, He will always show you what to do.

Four years and nine books later I finally realized I had morphed into an author. 

Worth the struggle? You bet! The only thing I could live without are the "stretch" marks. 

Seriously, it's humbling to know people all over the world read the adventures of Jillian and Teddy. Many have said they can't wait for the next one.

If you want to read a mystery where you find an inexpensive escape to luxurious hotels, a place to eat fabulous food without gaining weight, indulge in afternoon tea without all the work, and have an adorable little fur ball for a virtual companion, then you'd probably enjoy the adventures of Jillian Bradley and her Yorkie, Teddy. 

Begin with Book 1 - "Murder in Half Moon Bay" 

Available on Amazon.com for only $3.99 

Cheers!

The After

~Nancy Jill

P.S. You can also read Murder in Half Moon Bay for free on Wattpad.com.

Tea Party Tuesday ~ Birds of a Feather

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday. Please enjoy a nice cup of tea as we share a little time together.

Tea etiquette suggests talking of only positive things. So even though some of us (including myself) have faced challenges this week, things have a way of working out. That's the sage advice my mom has given me. The mere words "working out" gives hope for solutions.

I pray whatever situations you find yourself in - good or bad - you'll know that celebrating or working on the solutions with the help and support of family and friends brings us all together as frail humans.

Thank you for all your prayers and support dealing with my mom this past few weeks. Today, she's getting a pacemaker - working on a solution to her heart stopping.

Love and hugs to all you dear readers.

~Nancy Jill 

My dear mom and me.

Tea Party Tuesday ~ A New Year Begins!

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday! Today, I'm featuring morning coffee instead of afternoon tea simply because today it's where I am on my journey into the new year. 

Every so often my friend Laurel and I meet at her house for coffee and chit chat. She provides the coffee and I provide the goodie. We both then provide the chit chat! These mini raspberry coffee cakes from Walmart were perfect for us weight conscious gals.

After telling my friend about the tumultuous experience moving my mother into assisted living (never easy), she shared about her new life for the next two years house and dog sitting for her son while he and his family move to Singapore. Wonderful how things work out. Although they'll be missed, the little family won't have to worry about things back home with Laurel in charge.

And that's the way things go. My father had a saying - "There's nothing more certain than change." How true in my life and Laurel's too. What about you this year? Will you be doing the same things in 2015 as you did in 2014? I hope you will have enough to do to keep busy, but still have time for a little fun. One thing I've decided to do for sure after moving my mom - I'm going to start collecting things I love on Pinterest boards instead of buying them and trying to find a place to store them. Like this teapot to my china - it's only $1,099.00 on Replacements Limited! 

Thanks for joining me today on Tea Party Tuesday. Happy New Year!

~Nancy Jill