Notes from Deb

Notes from Deb

By | On May 27,22 | 0 Comment

How was your week? I felt like mine flew by because there was so much going on. Between work, work and work (I’m this-close to my deadline, so the focus has been on writing for months), and life (my mom has a doctor’s appointment this week and there’s always drama leading up to it), and the beautiful stretch of weather we had this week (after an unpleasant preview of summer this past weekend), I felt like there weren’t enough hours in each day. But I made sure to carve out time to write this post. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve blogged and I’ve missed it. Over the past two years, it felt like every time I committed to being more present here on DS.com, something sidetracked me and my beloved blog fell to the wayside. I’d love to change this pattern. Yeah, I know…it’s up to me. And I’m giving it another try. So, I thought today I’d kick off with a look at this past week. It was a good one considering all the challenges.

I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve been up to this week and share a few links.

But, first let’s start with a writing update. On May 1st, I turned in SLEUTHING IN STILETTOS, a Resale Boutique Mystery series, to my publisher. Good news, it was accepted! I’m waiting on the cover. Can’t wait to see it. The book is available for pre-order at your favorite retailer and will be released on 12/6/22.

I’m participating in a virtual mystery conference this week, Maple Leaf Mystery Conference. Unfortuntealy I missed the sessions from the first two days but I caught last night’s two sessions. Luckily, there will be replays.

My favorite workout this week was this shoulder one from Caroline Girvan over on You Tube. It was short but it was definitely worked my shoulders.

Check out this colorful, book filled home of author and co-bookstore owner, Emma Straub. So much fun!

On June 21st, I’ll be joining with a group of authors for the Spring Into Summer Book Hop on Facebook. The grand prize will be a collection of first in series books form the participating authors plus prizes from each author you visit during the hop. For more details, visit the events page and then mark your calendar.

I wasn’t the only one who had a busy week. Connie had her grooming appointment and then a play date with her bestie Maura. I snapped this photo after leaving the grooming appointment.

With the week almost behind me (just a few hours to the end of my workday), I’m thinking about the weekend. It’s a three-day one. For me, the most important thing to do is to be thankful to the men and women of our military for keeping us safe. Then, I think my weekend will consist of a lot of weeding (I’m so far behind) and grilling. What are your plans?

 

Debra

 

 

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Resale Boutique Mysteries, Sunday Snippet

Sunday Snippet 2/13

She froze as her eyes focused on the figure clad in a faux leopard coat blocking the doorway of the cottage. Same height, same frame.


HOW TO FRAME A FASHIONISTA

 

☑️ Fashionista turned consignment shop owner.
☑️ An old nemesis returns.
☑️ The rise and fall of an online fitness guru
☑️ Furry feline

“The author does a first rate job creating a seemingly simple plot then layering in a lot of subterfuge for readers to dig through to get to the bottom of the perpetrator’s agenda.” ~Goodreads 5-star review

***Blurb***

Applying her Manhattan fashion sense to the sensibilities of a Long Island clientele, Kelly Quinn is setting new trends with second-hand name brand apparel—and finding killers with a deadly sense of style . . .

The fortunes of Kelly’s Lucky Cove Resale Boutique are sinking fast—literally, as the weathered roof of her grandmother’s old consignment shop springs a new leak with every rain. She hopes her latest client, overnight fitness and social media sensation Tawny Nicole, has enough valued and wanted items she can sell fast enough to keep her roof from crumbling down.

When Kelly arrives at Tawny’s home to appraise her attire, she’s stunned to find Serena Dawson, “the Dragonista of Seventh Avenue,” there. The last time she saw her ex-boss was when Serena humiliatingly and publicly fired her from her New York City job. Now Tawny is married to Serena’s ex-husband and is caught in the crossfire of some unfinished divorce settlements.

But when Kelly returns to Tawny’s the following day, she discovers her dead body—and Serena standing over it. Her former employer may be nasty and unrepentant, but she’s no killer—prompting Kelly to pick up the threads to try and find the real culprit . . .

Resale Boutique Mysteries, Sunday Snippet

Sunday Snippet 1/30

“If the man standing in front of her was Mark Lambert, then little old Mrs. Mueller had hired McHottie Lawyer to represent her.”

MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS

☑️ First-in-series
☑️ Fashionista turned consignment shop owner.
☑️ A psychic with a vision of murder
☑️ Furry feline

“Fantastic storytelling, wonderfully written characters, and a first-class mystery with a reveal that left me totally surprised, there wasn’t a thing I didn’t enjoy about this book.” ~ Lisa Ks Book Reviews

***Blurb***

She’s opened a stylish new consignment shop—and the clothes are to die for . . .

Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her Long Island town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .

After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.

Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .

Resale Boutique Mysteries, Sunday Snippet

Sunday Snippet 1/16

Just before she turned to leave something caught her eye and the hair on the back of her neck prickled.

MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS

☑️ First-in-series
☑️ Fashionista turned consignment shop owner.
☑️ A psychic with a vision of murder
☑️ Furry feline

“I enjoyed everything about the story. It was well-written, and the author threw in twists and turns that kept me guessing.” ~ Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

**Blurb***

She’s opened a stylish new consignment shop—and the clothes are to die for . . .

Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her Long Island town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .

After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.

Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .

Cookbook of the Month, Kitchen Snapshots, Writer In The Kitchen

Cookbook of the Month – Homemade with Love

By | On January 11,22 | 0 Comment

Welcome to a new feature here on my blog, Cookbook of the Month. I’ve been wanting to add this for over a year because I love, love, love cookbooks but you know…life happens combines with publishing deadlines collides with book promo and things get pushed to the side. Well, for 2022 I’m committed to changing that. Yes, I still have deadlines, yes life is still throwing things my way (seriously, it’s like a dodge ball game on steroids), and yes I’ll have book promo to do but I really want to do something that I enjoy and love. Okay, that list is a little long because so many things got pushed to the side last year and they year before. So, as not to overwhelm me, I’m taking on new commitments slowly and I’m starting with Cookbook of the Month.

I’ll be sharing with you one cookbook each month along with my thoughts on it and some photos of the food I cooked from it. Now, some of the cookbooks will be from my library and may not be easily available for purchase, while others will be brand new. Psst…one just arrived yesterday! Can’t wait to dive into it. I hope that these monthly posts will entertain you and inspire you to try something new in the kitchen. But mostly, I hope these posts will give you and me a few minutes each month to sit and chat about food.

To begin Cookbook of the Month, I’m sharing with you today one of my favorite cookbooks.

I discovered the blog, In Jennie’s Kitchen, when I was starting my own food blogging journey. I truly enjoyed her blog and then when her cookbook was published, I immediately ordered it. Jennifer Perillo has given us a very special book filled with recipes that will make you want to stay in your kitchen for days and stories that will tug at your heartstrings and then have you smiling from ear to ear.

By Jennifer Perillo
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Running Press (March 26, 2013)

Ms. Perillo writes in the introduction for her French Onion Cheese Buns (BTW, yum!), “People often ask how I create new recipes. I wake up thinking about food and it stays on my mind all day long as I pass shops and farmer’s markets. New ideas always seem to be infiltrating my subconscious.” I hope new ideas keep popping into her head because her recipes are delicious.

This cookbook is everything I hoped it would be. The writing style is friendly, warm and clear, making the book a straight forward and easy read. The photography on matte paper is beautiful and inspiring. The recipes are a great combination of basic to more complex dishes and the ingredients are easily found in my local grocery store. Ms. Perillo managed to combine attainable recipes with inspirational recipes so the home cook is always successful and challenged.

There is a warmth to this book that I haven’t experienced with any other cookbook. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been reading her blog for years and I’d come to admire Ms. Perillo’s strength and talent as a cook. Through her blog she had shared a personal tragedy and journaled her life with such grace and perseverance without losing focus of her passion for food and cooking. In her book she shares glimpses into her life and the stories behind the recipes. In the intro for Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie Ms. Perillo shares how the recipe came to together, how special it was and it will leave you teary-eyed and realizing just how important food and the simple act of cooking is to all of us.

Her stories will have you smiling, laughing and maybe reaching for the tissue but I’m certain that by the time you close this cookbook you will have a very long list of recipes to try. A nice feature of the book is how the recipes are coded for easy reference.

Enough with the words, lets get to the food.

Roasted tomatoes. This recipe spoke to me. Warning – these roasted tomatoes are highly addictive and they barely lasted while I cooked the pasta I served them with. If you manage somehow not to eat all of the tomatoes, you can toss them with pasta and grate some fresh Parmesan cheese. Simple, quick and perfect for a weeknight meal.

Looking for a recipe to wow your guests? Onion rolls is a recipe to try then.

Lets take a look at the making of this recipe.

Cook the onions.

Prepare the dough and add onions.

Roll, slice and form in pan to bake. It doesn’t look like much, but trust me. They taste delicious.

Hot out of the oven. Heavenly.

I wish I had more photos to share with you but we ate before I could snap pictures. Sorry. My bad. I promise to do better next month. I hoped you enjoyed this look into Homemade With Love by Jennifer Perillo.

Happy Cooking!

Debra

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