BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR PETER GUTTRIDGE

Our Book Club Friday guest today is author Peter Guttridge. Peter is a novelist, writing teacher, crime fiction critic, a long-standing fiction prize judge, and a chairperson/interviewer at a wide range of literature festivals and events. He has also recently resumed his role as film critic for Shots magazine and is currently an Academic Writer in Residence at Leeds Trinity University. You can read more about Peter at his website. Also, Peter will be giving away a copy of City of Dreadful Night to one lucky reader who posts a comment to the blog this week. -- AP

Writing Fiction Based on Real Events

The great comic crime novelist, Carl Hiaasen, once wrote:  “given the real stuff happening all around me, sometimes writing fiction is a futile endeavour”.  He was referring specifically to a real-life incident in Florida in which a local congressman had been found in a cheap motel, naked, in bed with an alligator.  “If I’d made that up,” Hiaasen said, “people would have said it was too far-fetched.”

As a comic crime novelist I was always on the lookout for real life craziness that would translate into funny but just about believable stories. I got a character in my second novel, A Ghost of A Chance, from a magazine photograph of a man standing on a beach with a pint of beer in his hand.  He was naked except for a thong and he was painted from head to toe in horizontal black and white stripes. An accountant by day, in the evenings and weekends he liked to go around as a zebra.  His ambition was to go into the hills as one of a herd of zebra with a group of “like-minded people.” 

 

But now I’ve moved from the Daft Side to the Dark Side my engagement with real events is more problematic.  My new novel, City of Dreadful Night, is based on a 1934 unsolved true crime.  A butchered woman, her head never found, her identity never established, her killer never caught.

For this definitely non-comic novel I had access to a mass of detail in the police files.  I had to be ruthless, not allowing myself to pile in my novel some fascinating stuff that had nothing to do with the story I was trying to tell.  Ruthless enough?  Yes - but as City of Dreadful Night is now the first of a trilogy, that stuff might still make it in.

Thanks for joining us today, Peter. Any comments or questions, readers? Remember, post a comment to enter the drawing for a copy of City of Dreadful Night. And don't forget to stop back on Sunday to see if you're the winner. -- AP           

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN

Hi Everyone! Sorry to brake into Kelle's wonderful guest blog today, but I need your help. Thanks to a reader down in Virginia, author Lois Winston learned yesterday that a printing error occurred in some copies of ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN, the book about yours truly. The last 48 pages are missing! Unbelievable, right? 

At this point we have no way of knowing how many books are missing pages. The reader purchased her book at a Borders. The other copies at that store were also missing 48 pages. Lois has checked at her local Borders in New Jersey, and those books were also missing 48 pages. Her author copies, the books she's bought from Amazon, and the books at her local Barnes & Noble are all fine.

So I'm asking a huge favor.  If you happen to be in a bookstore, would you please check the store copies of ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN? The correct version should have 302 pages with the last page being Lois's author bio. The books with missing pages end at page 254, mid-sentence. If you come across books with missing pages, please let the bookseller know. There is a procedure in place for booksellers to deal with printing errors.

Also, if it's not too much trouble, please shoot Lois a private email to let her know if you did find any defective books. 

Thanks so much!

Anastasia

TRAVEL WITH SERENA -- GUEST TRAVEL WRITER DR. KELLE Z RILEY

Our globe-hopping guest travel editor Dr. Kelle Z. Riley is back with us today with a very unique New Year’s resolution, one I plan to take her up on. -- AP

Greetings fellow travelers!  I hope you all recovered from our whirlwind shopping trip last month.  Here in my Tennessee home, nature gifted us with a White Christmas and the perfect winter, one that lasts only about 3-6 weeks.  Despite this, January is overcast and gloomy—and brings with it the pressure to make resolutions.

I’ve given up on New Year’s Resolutions.  How many of you make them?  How many keep them?  I confess there was only one New Year’s Resolution (out of many) that I actually kept.  Before I reveal it, you need to know a little about me. 

Generally, I have two speeds:  all out and full stop.  Life is short, so I throw myself into it.  For example: I earned a Ph.D. in chemistry, taught at a graduate level, and worked in industry doing research, teaching, engineering, and sales support revolving around water purification and use.  It was tough but fun.

I also earned a third-degree black belt in Karate, developed and sponsored self-defense workshops, taught at a women’s shelter and obtained certification with a national self-defense training organization.  From that I developed my passion for raising awareness about Domestic Violence and its prevention.  And all of this in spite of my two left feet!

Then, I started writing.  One novel, a handful of short stories and a closetful of manuscripts later, I’m still writing, developing workshops on craft and striving to perfect my skills.

Oh, and in between all of this, I dabbled in house buying and remodeling (laying bricks was more fun than installing linoleum), wedding planning (my own), community and charitable activities and just about anything else that presented itself.

Which brings me to the NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION.  During a hyperactive phase, where I took time out only to eat and sleep, I resolved to relax on the couch and read more books.  Seriously.  I resolved to be lazy.  You’d think it would be easy, but I struggled to keep it.  Eventually I achieved a better (though far-from-ideal) balance between doing and not doing. 

So, instead of striving to do more, be more or get more, this year, I’ve decided to appreciate what I have more.  To count blessings instead of short comings.  To balance accomplishments with goals.  And to continue to read more books.

So what about you?  Won’t you join me in declaring January “Curl-Up-And-Read-A-Book-Month?”  Because really, there is nothing in life that can’t be made more bearable by a cup of hot tea (or cocoa or coffee) and a satisfying book.  We all deserve some time out to replenish ourselves.

If you agree, please comment with your suggestions of a great book for January reading.  And I’ll see you next month, when I’ll share some of the romance of Paris, just in time for Valentine’s Day.  Happy Reading!

So readers, what do you think? Ready to curl up and read a book for Curl-Up-And-Read-A-Book-Month? Might I suggest you start off by picking up a copy of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the book about yours truly? Whatever book you decide to read, don’t forget to post a comment to be entered in the drawing this week for a book by our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

MONEY MATTERS WITH SHEILA--JUST SAY NO

Money guru Sheila Conway dishes out some tough advice today. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia. Unless you’re a hermit, I’ll bet you’re constantly accosted by friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers trying to part you from your hard-earned dollars. This week it’s Bob in accounting whose kid is selling popcorn for his Boy Scout troop. Last week it was your next door neighbor inviting you to a Tupperware party. Next week your niece will be selling wrapping paper to raise money for the PTA.

No matter how low on funds you are, you usually buy at least the cheapest item in the catalog because you’re a nice person and feel uncomfortable saying no to these people, even if the last thing you need is a tin of popcorn, more wrapping paper, or another plastic storage container. Not to mention the fact that even if you did need popcorn, wrapping paper, or a plastic storage container, you could buy them all for a lot less at Target or Walmart.

Social pressure and the need to be liked make you spend money you don’t have. Then you feel like kicking yourself afterwards as you shove the popcorn, wrapping paper, and Tupperware into a pantry, drawer, or cabinet. There’s also the fact that at some point your kids will be selling Girl Scout cookies or overpriced boxes of M&M’s, and you don’t want people slamming doors in their faces.

If you added up all the money you’re coerced into spending each year, I’m certain you’d be shocked by the total. I’m here today to give you permission to say no. Don’t be intimidated. You don’t owe these people any excuses. Don’t feel guilty about being extorted. Just say no. Your neighbor has no right to twist your arm because she wants to earn a little extra money. The guy in accounting shouldn’t be extorting his co-workers so his kid wins a prize for selling the most tins of popcorn. And if money is tight for you, your relatives should know better than to try to get you to buy overpriced stuff you neither want nor need.

And when it comes time for your own kids to sell stuff? Tell the organization your kids aren’t an unpaid sales force.

Wow, Sheila! Now all I need is the courage to follow your example. What about the rest of you? Ever find yourselves shelling out money for something you didn’t want? Let’s hear from you. Post a comment to the blog this week, and you're entered into the drawing for a free book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP 

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- TURKEY POT PIE

Many people traditionally have open house parties on New Year’s Day. A staple of these events is a buffet which includes a turkey. If you’re like most of us, you bought too big a bird and now have turkey leftovers up the wazoo -- even after pressing doggie bags on your departing guests. Cloris is here today with a quick and easy solution to the too much turkey leftovers dilemma. -- AP

TURKEY POT PIE
(serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 deep dish frozen pastry shells
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
9 oz. package frozen boil-in-bag mixed vegetables in teriyaki sauce, thawed
6 frozen asparagus stalks, thawed
4 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces
1 small onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can turkey gravy

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop onion. Sauté in olive oil until golden brown. Set aside.

Cut asparagus into 1” pieces. Mix together turkey, mixed vegetables, asparagus, and onion. Pour into pie crust. Pour gravy over mixture.

Cover pie with second pie crust. Crimp edges. Poke holes in to crust.

Bake 40-50 minutes until crust turns golden brown.

Note: This recipe can also be made from scratch by replacing the frozen pie crust with pie crust you make yourself and using fresh vegetables instead of canned and frozen. If you go the made-from-scratch route, you’ll want to add some seasoning. Garlic, paprika, and celery salt would work well, or try soy or teriyaki sauce.

Well, I certainly didn’t have a New Year’s Day party this year, given dead louse of a spouse left me penniless and up the wazoo in debt (read ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN to learn why), but this sounds like a great dinner to use up chicken leftovers as well. Thanks, Cloris!

What about you, readers? Do you have any special ways you like to use up leftovers? Let’s hear from you. Post a comment to be entered in the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Every go into a panic when you need to buy something, but the choices are so confusing that you stand in front of the shelf, unable to make a choice? Which brand of cereal is best for your kids? Which shoes go better with that outfit? What color paint will look best on the living room walls? Does this brand work better than that brand? 

It's enough to drive anyone to the brink of a panic attack! And guess what? Whether it's cereal or wall paint, we're generally bombarded with too many choices. Often it's a simple matter of taste, but more often than not, other factors come into play. Educating yourself about products helps you make better choices, right? Well, the same thing is true with craft supplies and tools.

Using the proper tools is essential in any craft. Needles are no exception. No matter what the thread or material, there’s a needle to suit the job. However, sometimes the choice can be overwhelming. Many stitchers are confused as to which needle to use for which kind of stitching project. There’s a specially designed needle for each specific type of sewing and needlecraft, and it’s important to use the right needle to obtain the best results.

To confuse matters further, many types of needles also come in a selection of sizes. When dealing with size, a good rule of thumb is to choose a needle that does not open the weave of the fabric any more than necessary as the needle passes through it. A needle that is too large will create gaps in your fabric as you work, and a needle that is too small will cause your thread, floss, or yarn to fray as you stitch. This is true whether you’re stitching by hand or machine. Always test your needle, thread, and fabric combination before beginning a project.

Here’s a handy guide that should help in selecting the appropriate needle for your work:

CREWEL/EMBROIDERY NEEDLES
Crewel needles, also known as embroidery needles, are medium-length needles with sharp points for piercing closely woven fabrics. They have long oval eyes for easy threading of multiple strands of yarn or floss. Use these needles for most embroidery projects, including cutwork, pulled thread, stumpwork, candlewicking, and smocking.

CHENILLES
Chenilles are similar to crewel or embroidery needles but are larger in size for stitching with heavier threads and fabrics. They work well when using tapestry wools or multiple plies of Persian wool. Chenilles are also ideal for fastening the ends of couched threads.

TAPESTY NEEDLES
Tapestry needles are heavy needles with blunt ends and large oval eyes. They're used when stitching on evenweave fabrics when you want the needle to slip between the threads of the fabric, rather than piercing the threads. This makes them ideal for counted cross stitch, Hardanger embroidery, blackwork, shadow appliqué, and trapunto. They are also used for stitching on canvas for needlepoint and Bargello and for plastic canvas.

BEADING NEEDLES
Beading needles are very thin needles with small eyes that allow the bead to slide down the needle onto the thread. Use them for doing counted bead embroidery or other beading projects.

SCULPTURE NEEDLES
Sculpture needles are very long needles used for making soft sculpture dolls and stuffed animals. Their length enables you to stitch through stuffed sections.

SHARPS
Sharps are medium-length needles with round eyes and sharp points. They’re used for hand sewing.

MILLINERS
Milliners are similar to sharps, except longer. These needles are useful for basting as well as for pleating and smocking.

BETWEENS
Betweens, also known as quilting needles, are short needles with small round eyes and sharp points. They’re ideal for making short, even quilting stitches.

DARNERS
Darners are long, large-eyed sharp needles used primarily for mending. They’re also ideal for dollmaking.

Do you have a favorite tool you can’t be without? Let’s hear from you. Post a comment this week to be entered in the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

THIS WEEK'S CRAFTS BOOKS WINNER

Thanks to all who stopped by this week at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers. We hope you'll come back often and also tell your friends about us. We have lots of exciting posts and guests planned for the months ahead. I’d also like to thank Lois Winston for being our Book Club Friday guest and offering a selection of crafts books to one of our readers who posted a comment this week. The winner this week is Gen Voss who posted to Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers at Creating the Hive where the blog feeds. Gen, please email your mailing address to me at anastasiapollack@gmail.com. I’ll forward the information to Lois, and she’ll mail your books to you. 


And don't forget to check out Lois's other guest blogs throughout January. Post a comment to any of them, and you'll be entered in the drawing to win one of five copies of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the book about yours truly. In addition, Lois will be offering crafts books giveaways at select blogs. You can find the blog tour schedule right here on the sidebar and at Lois's website.


Happy reading and happy crafting! -- Anastasia