Jackie
King spent many years in the corporate world and now writes full time. Her
apartment in Tulsa, Oklahoma looks out onto Riverside Parkway, and just beyond
the treetops she can see the Arkansas River. Her latest hobby is watching the
changes in foliage and the nesting of Eagles. Learn more about Jackie and her
books at her website and the Murderous Musings blog.
One of the great joys
of writing is recycling a happy memory from my own life in a scene I create.
Like most authors, I use personal experience to spin my fictional stories. For example,
I drew from my own blissful memories of cookie baking to portray Grace Cassidy’s
pleasure when she baked cookies for her guests in a B&B.
I suppose that I’d
better add (tongue in cheek) that all of my murders so far have been vicarious.
I have enjoyed murdering my ex-husband several times on paper. And for anyone, male or
female, who has been dumped unceremoniously by a long-time spouse (31 years for
me), I must say that this is a most therapeutic exercise.
The Bed and Breakfast
mystery series I write has the word “corpse” in the title of each book. In Book
one, Grace starts out as a somewhat spoiled, very naïve woman from a wealthy
background. When everything she depends on in her life is gone, necessity
forces her to evolve into a stronger, more resourceful woman. She finds she
never really knew her authentic self before, and sets out on a journey to
explore her own strengths and weaknesses. She develops her skills with each
book while dealing with murder and mayhem.
In The Inconvenient Corpse Grace finds a
dead body in her B&B room. Stranded with no money, she turns to inn-sitting
(temporary help for owners needing a break) to support herself. In the midst of
a murder investigation, she rediscovers the satisfaction of baking cookies. (See
her newest recipe below.)
With one solved murder under her belt Grace continues
changing from the lady-like people-pleaser she has always been into someone she
likes better. In The Corpse Who Walked in
the Door her son is accused of attempted murder and rape; and Trouble, her
cat, finds a dead body in the bathtub. As if that isn’t enough, her ex-husband
Charlie returns and wants to reconcile.
Grace’s newest
adventure takes her back to her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In The Corspe and the Geezer Brigade Grace
struggles through a quagmire of murder stemming from a 50-year-old agreement
between her father and his buddies. She learns more than she ever wanted to
know about her parents’ past and faces danger once again.
When dead bodies show
up in Grace Cassidy’s life, she bakes cookies to relieve the stress. Like me,
Grace’s specialty is chocolate chip-pecan cookies. However she also enjoys discovering
new recipes. Below is her newest recipe, cranberry-macadamia nut cookies, the
newest sensation at the B&B. She will bake a huge batch to serve on
Thanksgiving.
Grace’s Cranberry-Nut Cookies
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. orange extract
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. pkg. white chocolate chips
1/2 cup macadamia nuts chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. orange extract
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. pkg. white chocolate chips
1/2 cup macadamia nuts chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
Mix butter, white sugar,
and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and orange extract. Add in
flour, baking soda, salt, white chocolate chips, nuts and dried cranberries.
Beat until mixed.
Bake at 325 degrees for 13-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Grace and I wish
everyone in cyberland a very happy Thanksgiving!
The Corpse and the Geezer Brigade
In the heady atmosphere of
testosterone and too much booze, ten new fathers make a solemn pact that
benefits those who live longest. As the day of reckoning approaches, the
survivors are being murdered one by one. Grace Cassidy’s son is on the list.
Can she solve the mystery in time to save his life?
Thanks, Lois for letting me talk about my favorite subject, writing. It's a pleasure to share Grace Cassidy's new recipe for Cranberry Nut Cookies!
ReplyDeleteYummy recipe, Jackie. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Angela!
ReplyDeleteI recently read the first in your series and enjoyed it very much. Happy writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kris. There are two more books in this series, if you're interested. Best wishes,
ReplyDeleteJackie