Catching Up!

NO books went to press this week

Galleys that went out this week

GUIDING SPIRIT: A Ghostly Love Story, by Robert Kanehl

   Love does not end with death or at the gravesite. It lingers in this world, as powerful after death as before. Ashley Dunlap and David Paine discover this first hand, as a benevolent spirit guides their lives toward its desires. Will the two follow this spirit’s pathway or rebel against its power to follow their own free will?

 Work began or continued on the following:

THE MURDER OF SECRETARY JUDD CANE: Adventures on Capitol Hill Series, Vol. 2 

by Celine Rose Mariotti.

    If you liked The Kidnapping of Senator Andy Thompson, you’ll be excited to read The Murder of Secretary Judd Cane. This time Murder stalks the House of Representatives as Congressman Michael Rhodes is accused of
murdering Secretary Cane.

WENDELL & TYLER: ON THE ROAD! Open Road Series, Vol. 2, by James R. Kincaid.

    Two fairly naive new adults, Wendell & Tyler, continue their cross-country journey  in the  luxury Motor Home they plan to deliver in Carolina -- if they can get it there.  This time they visit Rosswell, take a side-trip to Mexico, where they meet  a young lady occupied in an old profession, and then off for a side-trip into  the Mountains of Colorado... Come on, join them, it'll be fun!

THE SINS OF THE FATHERS, by A.A. MANN.  A Dora the D.R.E. Mystery, Vol. 1

   As a Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in the border town of San Pequeno, Texas,  Dora meets many interesting and unusual people.  This time 

she meets Death.

IRIS FATE: Iris Series, Vol. 2 by Daniel Carr

   The second in the popular Sci-Fi series.

BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 1

   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category! 

MINISTER'S ESCAPADES, Vol. 2 by Celine Rose Mariotti

  
   Rev. Castle is back in another cozy mystery.  

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis. 
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, by Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis

Jack's News!

  by your bookstore cat, 
and gossip columnist!

Author Ann Foley who is also the Secretary of the Writer's Bloc, sent us the following news:

Something you may want to be part of is the 3rd Friday Open Mike Night for poets in Feb.,  on Friday the 19th. in the SWAK office downtown above Season's Best.  It is from 5-8, and is a nice cozy warm place where you can read your poetry. Hope you can join us.

Anyone writing or interested in children's books might want to check out: www.ChesapeakeChildrensBookFestival.com/

 

Ray Morand, author of the 5 book series The Red Knight Chronicles, has begun the first of a new series that may (Shhh! This is a secret.) have characters who could be descendants of some of the Red Knight Chronicles characters. Mmmm. What Have They all Been Up to?

Author Barbara Grengs is planning a big launch party and signing for her sixth and final young adult Toby Martin Mystery series book. Next on her plate? Possibly book for adults instead of teens.

As for the evil snow predicted? It didn't amount to much.  Roger got the Emergency Kit together, but scoffed the whole time, arguing that our big snows almost always come up from the south, not from the west. 

St Paul's Church on High St.  c. 1660. (Rebuilt after fire in mid 19th Century). Photo by Cambridge Police Dept.

And sure enough he was right! As soon as the snow got this side of the Appalachians, it spun off North over Washington and headed for New York.  We did get about 8 inches on this side of Chesapeake Bay -- a little deeper than me and the baby sister care to play in --nothing belly-deep for US!

High Street Cambridge, looking north toward Long Wharf. Also a Police photo.

Well it looks like Roger has his guitar out. It's time for me to go help him sing!

Please don't forget to let me know 

what you are all up to, so I'll have  

Gossip for my column next week! 

Just send arline@mail.com a message with 

 "News for Jack" 

in the subject line, and

I'll make sure it shows up right here.

A Great Series and recipe

A Good book from a Great series

by Anna Dynowski

Life is great for Kasia Jacubek. She’s smart. She’s sassy. And she’s the sole owner of her restaurant. Well, sort of. She does have a silent partner. But the faceless man appears uninterested in taking a hands-on approach to their shared inheritance, content with accepting his share of the profits she mails to the lawyer.

Everything is going great, until…he shows up unexpectedly to take over the culinary reins. Why does he look familiar? And why does her heart take a leap of joy?

Take heed! Guard your heart!

Sharpening his matchmaking claws, Cupid Cat has his own ideas on the matter of the heart: he intends to make sure the restaurant’s silent partner isn’t so silent with her.

Kasia's  Biscotti Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups dried cherries
• 1/2 cup amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur), plus more if needed
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon  sea salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs (3 whole, 1 lightly beaten)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds, chopped
• 3 (approx.) tablespoons Red and Green sugar sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat cherries and liqueur in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have softened, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. If liquid equals less than 2 tablespoons, add enough liqueur to make 2 tablespoons.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cream together butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved cherry liquid and the vanilla. When liquid mixture is fully integrated, gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in cherries and almonds.
3. On a lightly floured surface, halve dough. Shape each half into a 12 by 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch log. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper.Brush logs with beaten egg; sprinkle with red and green colored sugar sprinkles.
4. Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks to cool, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to300 degrees.
5. Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces. Transfer pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room 

A Good Book and a tip on continuity

 By Terry L. White

    When Nancy Hunter meets Peter Allen, sparks don't exactly fly, but there is definitely something worth exploring between them. Imagine their surprise when they discover they have loved each other for centuries, through life after life after life.

Continuity needs work - writing tip

A former student e-mails: I received a comment in a critique that the "continuity needs work." What does that mean in terms of a short story? I can't see anything I did wrong, but don't want to argue.

Answer: It's any kind or anachronism... In simpler terms, continuity is not getting the horse behind the cart. People shouldn't arrive at their destination before they leave. If someone answers the phone, it should ring first, not after it is answered. If someone lights a cigarette, they should put it out before they light another. No one should go upstairs when they already ARE upstairs. Don’t laugh, I’ve seen all of those happen, and in published work, too!

A Free January Treat

Free for January

by C.M. Albrecht

How many people does it take to write a best seller? How many of them will live to brag about it? In this dark novel of intrigue and deception the line between good guys and bad guys is blurred. Very blurred.

Beer and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 
  

• 
  
• 
  
  
  11 Cuo dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained
  1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• • 6 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Print 

• Prep
  25 m
• Cook
  1 h
• Ready In
  1 h 25 m

1. Place a large pot over medium-high heat; cook the bacon in the pot until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the onion and garlic; continue to cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the celery and carrot; cook another 2 minutes.
2. Pour the beef stock and beer into the pot; bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, syrup, nutmeg, caraway seed, and celery salt; cover and cook for 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

Still got Snow. Curl up with a good book.

by Roberta Goodman

Set against the backdrop of a historic snowstorm, Snow Escape is the story of one woman’s innocent foray into the world of online dating turned deadly.

Allegra Maxwell is a 30-year old, single school teacher looking for love. Having chosen to use the Internet to meet the opposite sex, she encounters an articulate, prospective beau on the night the biggest blizzard in history is blanketing the Big Apple. Their pleasant conversation soon turns sinister when she discovers that "Charles" has been stalking her for weeks...

Ingredients

• 5 fresh bratwurst sausages
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 ounces spinach, coarsely chopped, or more to taste

Directions

Print 

• Prep
  20 m
• Cook
  1 h
• Ready In
  1 h 20 m

1. Braise the Bratwurst in a frying pan, about 5 minutes per side. Cool. Slice each bratwurst into 1/4-inch pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion, carrots, and celery in hot oil until onions are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir garlic into onion mixture and cook until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute.
3. Stir chicken broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, sliced bratwurst, basil, parsley, thyme, and cayenne pepper into onion mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Mix potatoes into bratwurst mixture, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are almost cooked through, 15 minutes.
5. Stir beans and spinach into pot; simmer until heated through and potatoes are done, 5 to 10 minutes.