February 29, 2012

Farewell, Davy Jones!


What a shock to hear that one of my favorites, Davy Jones of The Monkees died today of a heart attack at 66. (Hard enough to think of so many of these guys at that age!)

So glad I got to see them last June, 2011 before they cancelled their reunion tour! (Photo: (c) C. Verstraete 2011)





February 22, 2012

In Miniature Style II Finalist Voting


The finalists are up for Best New Product at Miniatures.About.com. Love to get your votes! The online poll is open until March 1.






See details for In Miniature Style II Available in print and various ebook formats (PDF, Nook, Smashwords/Kindle, iPad, etc.).

February 21, 2012

IN MINIATURE STYLE II Finalist at About.com Readers' Choice Awards!


In Miniature Style II (available in print and ebook) was chosen as a finalist for the About.com Readers' Choice Awards for Best Miniature Product!

The next round of voting begins on Feb. 22 to March 21. Stay tuned for details!

February 16, 2012

2011 Agatha Awards


The 2011 Agatha Awards honoring "traditional mysteries" typified by the works of author Agatha Christie and others are given to books and ebooks published in the US. The winner from among the 2011 entries will be awarded at the annual Malice Domestic convention, April 27-29 at the Hyatt, Bethesda, MD.

Agatha Award Nominees 2011

Best Novel:
The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews (Minotaur)
The Diva Haunts the House by Krista Davis (Berkley)
Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet (Minotaur)
Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron (Grand Central Publishing)
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (Minotaur)

Best First Novel:
Dire Threads by Janet Bolin (Berkley)
Choke by Kaye George (Mainly Murder Press)
Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry (Crown)
Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab (Berkley)
Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend (Berkley)

Best Nonfiction:
Books, Crooks and Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedure by Leslie Budewitz (Linden)
Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making: More Stories and Secrets from Her Notebooks by John Curran (Harper)
On Conan Doyle: Or, The Whole Art of Storytelling by Michael Dirda (Princeton University Press)
Wilkie Collins, Vera Caspary and the Evolution of the Casebook Novel by A. B. Emrys (McFarland)
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris (Ace)

Best Short Story:
"Disarming" by Dana Cameron, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - June 2011
"Dead Eye Gravy" by Krista Davis, Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology (Wildside Press)
"Palace by the Lake" by Daryl Wood Gerber, Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology (Wildside Press)
"Truth and Consequences" by Barb Goffman, Mystery Times Ten (Buddhapuss Ink)
"The Itinerary" by Roberta Isleib, MWA Presents the Rich and the Dead (Grand Central Publishing)

Best Children's/Young Adult:
Shelter by Harlan Coben (Putnam)
The Black Heart Crypt by Chris Grabenstein (Random House)
Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby (Scholastic Press)
The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey (EgmontUSA)
The Code Busters Club, Case #1: The Secret of the Skeleton Key by Penny Warner (EgmontUSA)

Best Historical Novel:
Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (Berkley)
Murder Your Darlings by J.J. Murphy (Signet)
Mercury's Rise by Ann Parker (Poisoned Pen Press)
Troubled Bones by Jeri Westerson (Minotaur)
A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (Harper)

February 13, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day and Valentine's Blog Hop!




Happy Valentine's Day!


Today, I'm sharing two passions - miniatures and writing. Here is a small scene containing some items made by my friend, Kitty. I made the larger cakes and small red Valentine box (yes there are cards inside!)


To celebrate as part of the Valentine Day Blog Hop, comment to be entered to win a copy of my light horror ebook, THE KILLER VALENTINE BALL.










Jess reluctantly goes out on a blind date... a date that ends up being a night she'll never forget...
Light horror with a touch of humor!

February 04, 2012

Valentine's Day Miniatures



A few of the minis my friend Kitty made and sent to me for Valentine's Day. She's so great at making all this dainty stuff!

January 30, 2012

Miniatures Monday: Mini plants for the dollhouse


Ok, I'm hooked! Heard about this simple project in the Feb. Miniature Collector Magazine's Kid's Corner - making plants in faux cans!



I didn't follow directions but tried out my own method, and I have to say, these are addicting! I glued a piece of black Crayola Model Magic on top, then added glue and covered it with some brown railroad ballast, pieces of lichen and fine green grass material. The plants are flower punches and the "helicopter" shape leaves are from a SDK Miniatures flower kit. I also shrunk down some labels for half scale size.

I used the old-fashioned can labels from Jennifer's Printables site and I'm next making some with vintage labels I found and reduced. I'll share those when I finish that batch and take photos. I can see these lined up on a dollhouse room windowsill!

January 27, 2012

Welcome Morgan Mandel, author of Forever Young, Blessing or Curse

Today I welcome author Morgan Mandel, whose latest is FOREVER YOUNG, BLESSING OR CURSE.


Talk about life inspiring art, be sure to read about Morgan's scary experience, and how she used it in her work. And thankfully, it didn't scare this dog lover off pets forever. Pictured is her favorite dog, Rascal.

** Be sure to COMMENT for a chance to win an ebook copy of FOREVER YOUNG.**



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Fresh beginnings turn tragic when Dorrie Donato’s husband, Larry, is killed in a hit and run accident a few months after starting a new job at the Life is for Living Institute. Discouraged and desperate after suffering countless setbacks, Dorie accepts an offer by Larry’s boss, the famous Angel Man, to be the first to test an experimental pill designed to spin its user back to a desired age and hold there, yet still retain all previous memories. The pill seems too good to be true. Maybe it is.

BUY:
- Nook - Smashwords - See all book links

Amazon:


What inspired you to write about this topic?
Age was my inspiration. I’m not getting any younger, but would like to know what it would be like to look and feel young again. In my imagination, I can do that. Reverting back is the germ of the story, but there’s much more to it than the Fountain of Youth concept.

What is unique about your characters?
Well, two of them that interact a lot with each other have totally different looks. One, who for now shall remain nameless, is short, stocky, has thick glasses and a deformed face. His counterpart, whom I’ve dubbed the Angel Man, is a hunk, with an angelic appearance and long blond hair.

How much of you is in the characters?
I’ve adapted one of my own life experiences for this book. One day when I was in the library parking lot, I stopped to say hello to a Golden Retriever seated in a station wagon with the window partially open. The dog lunged at me and bit my face, almost taking off part of my lip. I rode in an ambulance to the emergency room, received plastic surgery, and fortunately survived the experience without looking the worst for it. The character in my book doesn’t fare as well.

Here is the fictional version of that experience:

On that September day years ago, he’d gotten no warning of the tragedy awaiting him when he’d stepped from his favorite haunt, the local library.

Back then, a short, normal looking college freshman, owning somewhat weak eyesight from constant reading, he still looked decent enough to get some tail whenever he felt like it. With above average intelligence and grand ideas, he’d dreamt of the road to riches stretching ahead.

All that disintegrated when, instead of heading toward his Camaro, he’d taken a deadly detour to admire a golden retriever perched in the flatbed of a truck.

Before he could open his mouth to say hello to the dog, the placid looking animal went vicious, lunging at him, targeting his nose, mouth and cheeks, mauling his face.

The physical pain and numbness were nothing compared to the mental anguish he’d endured since. He’d consulted doctors, but to no avail. Perhaps if he’d been wealthy, the outcome would have been different. Then again, maybe not. It would have taken a miracle to repair the extensive damage, no matter how skilled the plastic surgeons.

Each successive surgery worsened his features, until he couldn’t look in the mirror without vomiting. No wonder people turned from the sight of the short, squat Frankenstein-ish creature who looked as if he’d stepped out of a monster movie. He didn’t blame them.


What was the most intriguing part of the book, and why did you write it?
The concept of the existence of a Forever Young pill to turn back the aging clock intrigued me enough to expand on it. If one could be perfected, it would certainly be a boon to mankind.

What’s your favorite line?
If she shoved him into the ocotillo cactus in back of him, would he flinch when his flesh hit the thorns?

It struck me as funny, picturing Dorrie shoving the Angel Man backward into the cactus. The line was actually inspired by my trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, where I saw many ocotillo cacti, which are not native to Illinois.

If you met your characters in real life what would you do?
I’d be curious enough to ask my main character, Dorrie, who takes the Forever Young pill so she can remain 24, if she’s getting tired of being the same age for so long. Some of the other characters I’d run away from as fast as I could!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Morgan Mandel is a former freelancer for the Daily Herald newspaper, prior president of Chicago-North RWA, prior Library Liaison for Midwest MWA, and belongs to Sisters in Crime and EPIC.

She enjoys writing thrillers, mysteries, romances and also enjoys combining them. Her latest paranormal romantic thriller, FOREVER YOUNG: BLESSING OR CURSE, Book One of the Always Young Series, is available on Kindle and Smashwords. Other novels the romantic suspense, KILLER CAREER, the mystery, TWO WRONGS, and the romantic comedy, GIRL OF MY DREAMS.

Morgan is now working on Book Two of the Always Young Series called Blessing or Curse: A FOREVER YOUNG ANTHOLOGY, where readers learn what happens to others who have taken the Forever Young pill. One more book will follow bringing back the original heroine to close out the series.

January 25, 2012

Dare I say it? CUTE Dollhouse Video!

A bit of mystery and some fun storytelling as you search the dollhouse rooms in this video from the Great American Dollhouse Museum in Kentucky. CUTE! (Btw, they also had IN MINIATURE STYLE II in stock, so ask about it!) CUTE!

**** Be sure to go to the Link HERE and vote LIKE! so they get more views.*****



January 23, 2012

Miniatures Monday: The finished Glass House


Finally finished the glass house I got a while back at the flea market. I'll eventually add more plants as I get them done, but I like how it's turned out. (Early furniture pix)



I made most of the flowers. The gorgeous blue hydrangeas are by Jody Raines.


A Tip: I like having a wall in any room to have pictures and shelves, so I made the back wall from foam core covered with scrapbook paper. Since the top opening is small (the center top glass section), I had to split the wall in two pieces to get it inside. The top shelf, attached with wax so I can take the wall out, helps hold the pieces together.

Below, the pink hydrangeas (and single yellow one on the shelf) are easy how to's from my book, IN MINIATURE STYLE II. (** And please click THIS LINK to VOTE for the book in the About.com 2012 New Miniature Product Category. Voting ends Feb. 15.**)



I really like the red pansies and the table. (I did a trade for the flowers and wish I can remember who sent me the pansies and the irises. Let me know if you did.)

Don't you love the mini books and mags? (Including my book!) You can get book and mini mag printies on my website miniatures page. My friend, Kitty, made the cupcake and cookies.



I LOVE how the furniture came out. It used to have black print and then yellow print cushions on the chair. Color can make such a difference! I used antique lace trim on the pillows and on the bottom edges of the furniture.




I added the bear for fun.
Thanks for visiting! (And don't forget to vote above!)