BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--NEBRASKA WINTERS AND YOGA WITH MYSTERY AND CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR KELLY BRAKENHOFF

Mystery and children’s book author Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. She writes the Cassandra Sato Mysteries, featuring a sign language interpreter and is also the author of children’s picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog, which have quickly become popular with children, parents, and educators for promoting inclusive conversations about children with differences. Learn more about Kelly and her books at her website.

Happy New Year!

 

Here in Nebraska we had a large snowstorm after Christmas, complete with icy, windy conditions. My husband finally got to break in the shiny, new snowblower ignored in our garage since the unseasonably warm winter of 2019. I watched him gleefully clearing the driveway while I sat inside sipping hot cocoa and admiring the glistening tree branches. 

 

The beautiful snowfall reminded me of the beginning chapters of Dead of Winter Break, the latest Cassandra Sato mystery. In the first two books of the series, Cassandra’s predicament as a fish out of water helped readers relate to her difficulties moving from Hawai’i to her new home in Nebraska. 

 

I’ve moved many times, and I’ve noticed that it helps to bring your old routine with you when adjusting to a new home. For Cassandra, one non-negotiable aspect of her daily schedule is waking early and doing a simple stretching and yoga session. It starts her day in a focused mindset and strengthens her body for her challenging job as a college administrator.

 

Cassandra Sato isn’t much like me in real life, although she has some of my snarky humor and experiences. Before Covid, I was an avid yoga enthusiast. I’m not especially bendy or well-balanced, but I love the core strength and meditative aspects. 

 

With all the stress in her life during her first semester at Morton College, Cassandra needed her yoga practice now more than ever. Even if your life isn’t as complicated as hers, you might enjoy trying a yoga session to help you hit your new year’s fitness goals. 

 

My preference is attending in-person yoga classes at my local health club where I can follow along to the instructor’s soothing voice and upbeat music playlist. Now that everyone is mostly working out at home, I follow an old Rodney Yee DVD. He also has a complete library of YouTube videos at different skill levels. Nearly all of them feature him on the beach with ocean waves in the background that make me feel like I’m in tropical Hawai’i instead of arctic Nebraska.

 

Another resource you might try is a website called Do Yoga With Me. You can choose your level, beginner to advanced or choose which part of your body you want to focus on. How much time do you have? There are 600 workouts from 10 minutes to more than an hour available with twenty-seven different instructors. My favorite teachers are David Procyshyn, Fiji McAlphine, and Tracey Noseworthy. Amazingly, this wonderful site is FREE to use. Another great thing about yoga is that you don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment to begin. You can use a belt, towel, and pillow for props in some of the videos.  

 

Like I mentioned, the challenges confronting Cassandra in Dead of Winter Break disrupted her plans for a quiet, restful winter break between semesters. She looked forward to organizing her closet like a Pinterest post, updating her kitchen by stripping the fifty-year-old floral wallpaper, and adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls. 

 

Readers of the first two books knows that life at Morton College hasn’t gone according to Cassandra’s plans all semester. The holiday break is no exception.

 

Winter in the Midwest isn’t for wimps, and Cassandra quickly learns what it feels like to shovel snow off her driveway. She has a new dog, Murphy—her first pet ever—and housebreaking him is not going well. Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it a burglary gone wrong. All of these changes push Cassandra to her limits. 

 

By the end of the holidays, Cassandra has to decide the depths of her commitment to her long-term career goals and balancing those with a healthier home life. Can an orphaned dog worm his way into her heart? 

 

If you, like Cassandra, find yourself looking for rest and relaxation this year, I hope you’ll check out my yoga recommendations. Then treat yourself to a cup of hot cocoa and pick up a good mystery like Dead of Winter Break.

 

Here’s wishing you a safe, happy 2021! 

 

Disclaimer: If you’ve never done yoga or are under the care of a physician, you should check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

 

Dead of Winter Break 

A Cassandra Sato Mystery, Book 3

 

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder . . .

And Cassandra is knee deep in . . .

 

Suspects.

Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep . . .

 

Snow.

Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.

 

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW--KELLY BRAKENHOFF

Today we sit down for a chat with cozy mystery author Kelly Brakenhoff who writes the Cassandra Sato Academic Mysteries. Kelly is also the author of a children’s picture book series illustrated by her sister. She says you should see her answer below about her childhood because the universe has an awesome sense of humor. Learn more about Kelly and her books at her website. 

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

I don't remember not loving to read, and then writing followed soon afterwards. In elementary school, my younger sister and I made homemade comic books featuring dogs and cats. I wrote the words, and she did the illustrations. Think Garfield meets Snoopy. They were pretty bad. 

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

This question makes me laugh and choke up at the same time. Forty years, if you count from those homemade comic book days in elementary school. Thirty years, if you count how long ago I graduated from college with my freshly embossed English degree in hand, ready to conquer the literary world. Twenty-six years, from when my first son was born, and I embraced my part-time career as an American Sign Language Interpreter and full-time motherhood. In between naps and trips to the children’s museum, I wrote newsletters, articles, and anything for whatever club or group asked me. Five years, since my first NaNoWriMo November after the kids had grown up and I finally had a break from PTO bake sales and bleacher butt from watching thousands of youth baseball games. I loved the challenge of writing 50K words in 30 days and seeing if I could really do what I’d always dreamed. Fourteen months, since I made the choice to stop querying traditionally and learn about indie publishing. 

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

Both of my series are indie published. I established my own imprint and hired experts for cover design and editing. My next dream is to use my publishing company to publish Deaf or Hard of Hearing authors who might not get opportunities from traditional publishers. Readers are interested in knowing what it’s like to live in the world as a person who hears differently or not at all, and who communicates through signed language instead of spoken languages. 

Where do you write?

Usually in my home office as far from the cookie jar as possible, but sometimes at the kitchen table for a change of scenery. I’m an extrovert so if I’m feeling lonely, I go to a local coffee shop to write, drink tea, and people watch.

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

Before Dead Week, I could take music or leave it. And strictly instrumental movie or piano scores. This storyline included very feisty characters and dramatic moments. It was the first project I’ve written where I made a Spotify playlist filled with Girl Power songs and anthems that pushed me to take the characters further. The Dead Week playlist is public if you want to check it out! 

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

Years ago, I met one of my best friends while my husband and I lived in Hawai’i. I’ve often wished she lived closer to me in Nebraska so we could hang out together in person. Of course, who in their right mind trades the sunny skies and sandy beaches of paradise for miles and miles of cornfields? Right, no one. 

When I began writing my novel in November of 2014, it was my chance to finally bring my wishes to life. So, I invented Cassandra Sato (who is only a little like my real-life friend) and moved her to fictional Carson, Nebraska, to see how she’d handle the face-freezing winters and ethnically homogenous people. 

Most days you’ll find me in a college classroom interpreting for deaf students attending their undergraduate classes. Many of the funny situations and dialogue are things I’ve seen or overheard on campus. One thing readers mentioned after my first book, Death by Dissertation, was how much they enjoyed learning about what life is like for deaf college students on campus. I thought Dead Week was a perfect opportunity to help people understand the world from their viewpoint a little more.  

For Dead Week, my Stuff I Want in this Book list included researching more about adoption, text-based emergency management systems, and Vietnam War protests. I threw in my day-job expertise as an ASL Interpreter and years of interacting with the Deaf Community to make people more aware of the important issue of equal access to public information in ASL and other languages. 

After mashing all of those elements together, I came up with a creative way to murder someone while checking off everything on my list. Easy peasy, right? 

Describe your process for naming your character?

Before writing one word, I asked my friend’s permission to “borrow” her career field and the moving to Nebraska premise for my books. Then I asked her if she could have any other name in the world besides her real name, what would it be? And she said Cassandra. Since the character is from a Japanese American family who migrated to Hawai’i, Sato seemed like a perfect last name.

Real settings or fictional towns?

Carson, Nebraska is a fictional town, but is surrounded by real town names. I used real locally famous names for the college and buildings. 

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

Professor Bergstrom, Cassandra’s mentor, is a philosophy professor who teaches a wildly popular Philosophy of Batman course and rattles off wise quotes to Cassandra during various situations. She tries to guess who belongs to the famous quote and she’s often wrong.

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

Part of being fluent in American Sign Language is that the grammar and stress of your sentences are shown through facial expressions. My family and friends tease me that my eyebrows and face are very expressive. I’m a lousy poker player.

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

Any of the Erma Bombeck books, like If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits? She nailed the ups and downs of motherhood in all its emotional messiness. Although I could never be as funny as she was. She’s my idol.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

It’s not like my life has been all perfectly rosy, but do-overs are something I consciously avoid dwelling on. Every step on my path made me who I am today, and I don’t know if going back would be better.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Online stores that charge for shipping.

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. A nice pillow. A hat. (My skin burns pretty easily.)

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

Envelope stuffer for an advertiser mailing business before email became available. I am not cut out for repetitive jobs.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

Aaack! That’s like asking which child is my favorite. Let’s say the Harry Potter series, because every time I read them, I notice something else.

Ocean or mountains?

Ocean!

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

Mid-sized city

What’s on the horizon for you?

Currently I’m working on the next Cassandra Sato book, Dead of Winter Break, coming summer of 2020. Also, I’m finalizing the text for the next Duke the Deaf Dog book, Farts Make Noise, so I can hand it off to my sister for illustrations. 

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

Like I mentioned before, I’m an extrovert. And I’m shameless about wanting to talk to readers. I’d love it if you followed me on Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon or wherever you like to hang out and talk about books. Because I love talking about books and not only mine. 

Dead Week

A Cassandra Sato Acdemic Mystery, Book 2

Will Dead Week kill Cassandra’s career?

VP of Student Affairs Cassndra Sato has a desk full of problems and it’s not even Thanksgiving break.

Cassandra’s new boss talks to her dead husband. Cassandra’s mentor thinks he’s a superhero in a senior citizen’s body. And Cassandra, recently moved from Hawai’I, can’t crack the code of what to wear during November in Nebraska.

Cassandra faces end of semester pranks, stray dogs, winter storms, and viral news stories in her fight for justice for a group of student activists. But that’s nothing compared to the wrath of a Helicopter Mom!

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#COOKING WITH CLORIS--MYSTERY AUTHOR KELLY BRAKENHOFF'S BIEROCK RECIPE

Debut mystery author Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language interpreter, scone baker, half-marathon runner, chocolate lover, Hufflepuff, wife & mom, dog petter, and Husker fan. Learn more about her and her books at her website.

When Cassandra Sato, the main character in Death by Dissertation, moves from big city Hawai'i to rural Nebraska, she expects the food to taste foreign. After all, growing up on an island, she was used to fresh seafood, sushi, and Spam— the comfort food in a can. The only fish she's likely to find in Nebraska comes from a stream or the freezer.

One of the first unusual meals she encounters is a German concoction called a Bierock. They're meat and cabbage stuffed in yeast bread hand-pies. Cassandra is surprised to discover there's a Midwest-famous restaurant chain with a devoted fan base of Bierock-loving Nebraskans called Runza. (Definitely stop there if you're ever driving I-80 through Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, or Colorado.) Cassandra's hesitant at first, but soon grows to like them, especially when she realizes one can double as a hand-warmer during chilly fall football Saturdays.

If you're not from the Midwest, likely you've never heard of Bierocks either, but I promise they are delicious. They also freeze well and make for easy picnic or potluck food. No fork required.

When my family didn’t live in Nebraska, our first stop after arriving at the airport was always the Runza restaurant drive-thru for a hometown meal of delicious, hot Runza and Frings (a genius combination of fries and onion rings).

Occasionally, we hosted a football watch party or got a craving for them when we couldn't buy the real thing. Over the years, I’ve tried many different Bierock recipes. This one incorporates whole-wheat flour and Greek yogurt to make a quick, healthy breaded crust for a traditional, Nebraska Bierock. My favorite are the Swiss Mushroom Bierocks, but you can change up the cheese if you want a different twist using American, Provolone & peppers for a Philly Bierock, or Pepperjack for a more southwest flavor.

Quick & Healthy Bierocks (homemade Nebraska Runzas)

Featuring a whole-wheat, no-yeast dough, these Swiss Mushroom Bierocks take less than an hour start to finish. They are great for football tailgate parties, potlucks, or Husker ex-pats who miss eating our beloved Runzas.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Dough

3 cups whole wheat flour

3 cups plain Greek yogurt

1-1/2 T. baking powder

1-1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

1 lb. ground beef

1 med. onion, chopped

1 bag coleslaw mix

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. seasoned salt

8 slices Swiss cheese (optional)

8 small baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a large baking sheet with foil and cooking spray or parchment paper. (Less clean-up later, you’re welcome.)

Brown the hamburger and onions in the largest frying pan you own. You might need 2 medium pans if you don’t have one large enough. If you decide to add the mushrooms, throw them in with the meat and onions.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix well. Add the yogurt and mix until all of the flour is incorporated into a batter. Knead the dough until it’s dry and elastic (this will take about 1 minute—if it’s super-sticky, you can always add some extra flour). Then, divide the dough into 8 equal size balls. Using your hands or a rolling pin, spread the dough rounds into 6”x4” rectangles. 

Once the meet is browned and the onions and mushrooms are soft, add Worcestershire, oregano, seasoned salt, and pepper to taste. Now add the whole package of cabbage to the skillet. It might not all fit at once, but stir the bottom bits to the top frequently until the whole thing is lightly stir-fried. Do not overcook the cabbage. 

Place one slice of Swiss cheese on each of the rolled dough pieces. Some people like American, Provolone, or Pepper Jack cheese instead. Spoon 2 generous spoonfuls of meat on each dough. Roll up the longer sides of the rectangle and pinch them together, then gather the short sides and pinch together. Flip the pinched seams to the bottom. The finished Bierocks should be fairly large and rectangle shaped. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. They are good plain or with ketchup.

Death By Dissertation

Ambitious Cassandra Sato traded her life in Hawai’i for a dream position at Morton College in rural Nebraska. She expected the Midwestern church casseroles, land-locked cornfields, and face-freezing winters would be her biggest challenges, but it’s her job that’s rapidly becoming a nightmare.

A deaf student is dead and the investigation reveals a complicated trail of connections between campus food service, a local farmer’s beef, and the science lab’s cancer research. Together with her few allies, Cassandra must protect the students caught up in the entanglement.

Dealing with homesickness, vandalism, and a stalker, Cassandra is trapped in a public relations disaster that could cost her job, or more. No one said college was easy.

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