#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--CROSS STITCHED PINEAPPLE

Today is President's Day. One of the presidents we honor on this day is George Washington, our first president. Here in New Jersey there are many historical homes where George Washington stayed during the Revolutionary War.

Touring these homes, you’ll often see pineapple motifs as part of the décor. The pineapple was a symbol of welcome and hospitality during Colonial days. The tradition began with New England sea captains who brought back fruit, spices, and rum from the Caribbean islands. Legend has it that when these captains returned home from a voyage, they’d spear a pineapple to a fencepost so their friends and neighbors would know they’d returned safely. The pineapple also acted as an invitation to visit.

Eventually, colonial innkeepers adopted the pineapple image in their signs and advertisements. Pineapples were even carved into bedposts. You can still see this today in Colonial-style furniture, and the pineapple motif is still commonly used in the décor of many restaurants and hotels.

The pineapple was also a common motif in samplers stitched by young girls during colonial times.

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--INTERVIEW WITH ROMANCE AUTHOR RED L. JAMESON

Romance author Red. L. Jameson stops by for an interview today. Red writes time-travel romance and other romance sub-genres. Learn more about her and her books at her website and blog.

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

I’ve always been making up stories. My first memories were of inventing fantastical worlds and reading. However, writing a novel came much, much later.

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

Ten long years. Did I mention how long those years were?

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

Well, first let me back up, and answer again about how long it took for me to become published. I was published in a few magazines when I was thirteen and through my teenage years for my poetry. After that, my undergraduate thesis was published in an academic journal. Then there were other small academic articles published here or there—I have another coming out this year regarding the historiography of Native Americans during the Seven Years’ War. However, through it all, my dream was to write fiction. It took a little over a decade for that to happen, and it was only because of the indie publishing movement that I could.

Where do you write?

Anywhere I can. I’m a mom, so I write wherever, whenever I can. Have laptop, will travel, or just lock myself in my bathroom for some quiet to write.

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

My preference is silence. However, life interferes. So I listen to classical or instrumental music when I write.

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

My characters are all drawn from people I know. Or I take something from someone I know and another aspect from someone else. Or I sometimes even take from myself. In Cowboy of Mine, my heroine plagiarized, which makes her feel like a thief and a liar. That was from personal experience. Although I never plagiarized from another writer, in graduate school I did self plagiarize, which is pretty dang bad. My only excuse was my exhaustion. Honestly, I don’t remember thinking through my actions. I was just so tired. I completely forgot about self-plagiarizing, until I was caught. Luckily, my professor was very kind and let me have another chance at that assignment. But I felt terrible about what I’d done. And all of that is channeled into my heroine, Meredith.  

Describe your process for naming your character?

You know, this might sound odd, but my characters tell me their names.

Real settings or fictional towns?

Real settings in different times, which means a lot of research for me. Yay! I love research.

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

In the book I’m currently writing, tentatively titled Duchess of Mine, I have a duchess who wants to curse, run, get drunk, and get into fights. She cracks me up. I love her.

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

Gosh, I’m such a nut, so my quirky quirks might make a pretty long list. Let’s see . . . I have had many years of training for operetta singing, but I never sing in public; I’m barefoot almost all the time, even in snow; I want to eat like the Paleo Diet, but I don’t like the taste of meat; and I don’t like weddings—never have.

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

To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s simply the best book. Ever.

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

I think, in general, I wish I would slow down more. Take my time. Quit stressing about the little things. So my do-over would be for me to have many do-overs and enjoy the fun while I’m doing it.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People who dictate the “rules” of grammar, but haven’t read a style manual themselves. I get a tick in my eye just thinking about them.

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

I’d say my son, but that’s rather selfish of me, forcing my son on a deserted island. Gosh . . . I’d need a helicopter and pilot to get me off the deserted island and back with my son. ;)

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

When I was sixteen I was a janitor in a college girls’ dorm. Girls can be very messy. I only lasted a few months.

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

As I mentioned earlier, I really like To Kill a Mockingbird.

Ocean or mountains?

Both! Hee-hee! I’m the kind of girl who wants it all. I did mention I’m a nut, right?

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

I’m a country bumpkin by heart. However, I have lived in Miami and love visiting cities.

What’s on the horizon for you?

I have another Glimpse Time Travel book coming out this spring.

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

I’m so honored to be here! Thank you for having me! And I love hearing from my readers, so please find me through my website or blog!

Wishing everyone a beautiful day!

-Red

Cowboy of Mine

Book Three of the Glimpse Time Travel Series

The matchmaking, time-traveling muses have a huge problem. An angry Norse god has just captured one of their mortals, refusing to tell them where he took Jacob Cameron, let alone when.

As a seventeenth-century Highlander, being shuttled through time by a man calling himself Odin, might have been enough to crack Jake Cameron’s sanity. He’s kept his mind only through grit, gumption, and the single goal to somehow return to 1653 and his brothers. Landing in the freezing wilds of Montana in 1887, becoming the sheriff for a small mining community, Jake now needs to make a plan to travel back in time. However, when a wee fae-like woman walks into his life all his best-laid intentions becomes hazy.

As a thief and liar, Meredith Peabody knows she has no chance with the new sheriff in town. Although, he melts her frozen heart with his protection and smoldering looks. Even if she did have a chance with him, how could she ever relate she’s not from this time? She might never get the chance because as soon as she realizes her winter’s wish—for Jake to stay close—the criminal he’s hunting turns the tables on him. But there’s no way in h-e-double hockey sticks Meredith will let that happen.

The muses have their work cut out for this glimpse—chasing after a god, trying to find clues where and when their humans could be, and fitting in time for dress shopping has been murder. Gods, hopefully not literally!

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BEAUTY WITH NICOLE--COMBATING WINTER HAIR

Photo courtesy of Aussiegall

Winter wreaks havoc on our hair. The low humidity, coupled with the need to wear hats, creates a lot of static-electricity, making most of us look like something out of a horror movie. To combat this, you need to hydrate your hair more to lock in moisture. This mask will not only do that, it will also reduce buildup to improve your hair’s shine.

Anti-static Hair Mask

Ingredients:

1/2 banana, mashed

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Blend the vinegar and honey into the mashed banana. Wash your hair (don’t use conditioner afterwards) and towel until damp. Coat hair with mask and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse. Apply conditioner and rinse again.

HEALTHY LIVING WITH JANICE--RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS AND YOUR HEALTH

This is Random Acts of Kindness Week. Did you know that practicing kindness is more than just a nice thing to do? According to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, there’s scientific proof that it boosts health, happiness and societal goodwill. Read on to learn more about what the foundation has to say:

Can kindness be taught? Yes! Kindness, like physical and academic skills, appears to be something that is not fixed, but rather can be enhanced with training and practice.

A researcher from the University of Wisconsin says, “It’s kind of like weight training, we found that people can actually build up their compassion ‘muscle’ and respond to others’ suffering with care and a desire to help.”

“Compassion and kindness training in schools can help children learn to be attuned to their own emotions as well as those of others, which may decrease bullying. Compassion training also may benefit people who have social challenges such as social anxiety or antisocial behavior.” — Richie Davidson, Neuroscientist and Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Can kindness really illicit change, and how?

Yes, because kindness is contagious.

Acts of kindness have a positive three-way effect: There’s the positive effect on the recipient, and the positive effect on you—you might find yourself experiencing the positive emotion of the ‘helper’s high.’ But perhaps the biggest effect of all will be on a passer-by who just happens to witness the act.

How can kindness improve your health?

Volunteering results in more health benefits than exercising or quitting smoking. “Helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a helper’s high.” — Stephen Post, Author, “The Hidden Gifts of Helping”.

People who volunteer live a longer more satisfied life. “People who volunteer tend to experience fewer aches and pains. Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying, and that’s after sifting out every other contributing factor, including physical health, exercise, gender, habits like smoking, marital status and many more. This is a stronger effect than exercising four times a week or going to church.” — Christine Carter, Author, “Raising Happiness; In Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents”.

Giving to others reduces depression and improves wellbeing. Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine serves as president of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, which conducts and funds research on altruism, compassion and service. His research shows that when we give of ourselves, especially if we start young, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly improved. Mortality is delayed, depression is reduced and well-being and good fortune are increased.

Committing acts of kindness lowers blood pressure. According to Dr. David R. Hamilton, acts of kindness create emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure and, therefore, oxytocin is known as a "cardioprotective" hormone. It protects the heart by lowering blood pressure.

Helping others increases energy. “About half of participants in one study report that they feel stronger and more energetic after helping others; many also reported feeling calmer and less depressed, with increased feelings of self-worth.” — Christine Carter, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center.

Doing kind acts for others reduces anxiety. During four weeks, University of British Columbia researchers assigned people with high levels of anxiety to do kind acts for other people at least six times a week. The researchers found that doing nice things for people led to a significant increase in people's positive moods. It also led to an increase in relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance in socially anxious individuals.

How can kindness increase happiness?

"People who engage in kind acts become happier over time…When you are kind to others, you feel good as a person -- more moral, optimistic, and positive." —Sonja Lyubomirsky, Professor of Psychology, UC Riverside.

Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.

The act of helping another person triggers activity in the caudate nucleus and anterior cingulate cortex regions of the brain, the parts involved in pleasure and reward. That is, serving others may produce the same sort of pleasure as gratifying a personal desire.

How can kindness build good will?

“Kindness can jumpstart a cascade of positive social consequences. Helping others leads people to like you, appreciate you, to offer gratitude. It also may lead people to reciprocate in your times of need. Helping others can satisfy a basic human need for connecting with others, winning you smiles, thankfulness, and valued friendship.” —Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., professor of psychology, University of California, Riverside. 

COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR SKYE TAYLOR AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Former Peace Corpse volunteer Skye Taylor lives by the sea where she walks the beach every day with her furry companion MacDuff. She currently writing the fourth book in The Camerons of Tide’s Way series. Learn more about Skye and her books at her website.   

Sandy Cameron’s Kitchen

The Camerons are a big, close-knit, often noisy, sometimes pesky, but always loving family. Descendants of hard-working folk who came from Scotland with little more than the clothes on their backs and a steadfast faith in God, the Camerons are a patriotic, enterprising clan more apt to spend their spare time volunteering in the service of others than playing golf or checking their investment accounts. They’ve settled in Tide’s Way, a little town that grew up around the old Jolee Plantation in coastal North Carolina, where they planted their roots deep.

An orphan and alone at eighteen, Sandy Marshall Cameron dreamed of getting married and having a large, happy family. Then she fell in love with Nathan “Cam” Cameron, and her dream came true. (Believing In Love) Sandy’s children are grown and mostly on their own now, but they all still live in Tide’s Way where she can keep watch over them and dote on her growing brood of smart, adorable grandbabies. Philip (Healing A Hero), her firstborn, has been a Marine all his adult life, and he’s the one she worries about the most. Kate (Keeping A Promise), her only daughter, has become her friend and confidant. Then there are the twins, Ben with his busy, successful kennel (Loving Meg – August 2014) and Will, a North Carolina State Trooper (Trusting Will - April 2015), and last is Jake (Falling for Zoe - April 2014), her baby, who made a few mistakes along the way but grew into a man worthy of a mother’s admiration. She’s proud of all her children and grandbabies and loves nothing more than having them all under her roof as often as possible for a rollicking good family dinner. She has dozens of cookbooks and loves to try new things but always has time to bake everyone’s favorites.

In each of the Tide’s Way books you’ll find a recipe – one of her childrens’ favorites. But here is Sandy’s husband Cam’s favorite recipe: Almond Shortbread Cookies.

Sandy Cameron’s Almond Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 tsp almond extract

2-1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

Leave butter at room temperature until soft, then adding sugar and whip until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract and whip briefly. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill in fridge until firm.

Heat oven to 350°

Roll dough out until 1/4” thick. Cut with diagonal lines to create diamond shaped cookies, or if you prefer, cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. They are great just as they are, but you can sprinkle with sugar while still warm. (Or other holiday themed sprinkles.)

Loving Meg

When Meg Cameron joined the Marines to get an education, she never counted on being deployed to a war zone. Now that she’s home, both she and her husband Ben are struggling with the toll war, separation and regrets have taken on their marriage. Meg is tormented by guilt over the death of a military dog and the kiss she shared with her commanding officer as he comforted her. Her husband, Ben, is the love of her life; how could he possibly forgive her if he knew the truth?

Ben Cameron is just happy that his brave, beautiful wife is safely home with him and their young sons. Everything seems fine--at first. In bed, he and Meg are perfect together, until the nightmares come and she calls out a name that's not his. She's hurting and he doesn't understand, but he's trying. If only she would talk to him about what's bothering her.

Then there's Kip, a police K-9 who lost his handler and his spirit to a perp with a gun. Ben has been asked to help rehabilitate the grieving K-9.  Can Ben help these two wounded warriors find peace? Can he convince Meg to trust him with her nightmares? As Meg debates returning to active duty, a move that would surely end in another deployment, Ben's frustrations and fears climb. What if her pain and confusion take her back into harm's way again, and he lost her forever?

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEK

Today we’re taking a break from Crafts Monday to talk about Random Acts of Kindness because today kicks of RAK Week, a worldwide celebration of kindness that takes place the second full week in February each year.

Established in 1995, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) is an internationally recognized nonprofit headquartered in Denver, CO, dedicated to inspiring people to practice kindness and pass it on to others. RAK provides free online resources to encourage acts of kindness across the globe, specifically in school communities.

The foundation’s goals are threefold:

1. To inspire others to be kind.

2. Legitimize kindness as a way to improve society.

3. Be a highly regarded, visible social and emotional learning education program.

Why not commit to practicing random acts of kindness this week and every week? Here are a few suggestions from the foundation:

1. Just smile at one extra person.

2. Eat lunch with someone new—at school, at the office or just out and about.

3. Make sure to say “I love you” or give someone special an extra hug.

4. Volunteer for a Special Olympics Team, coach a youth sports team or even referee for an hour on a recreational league.

5. Take your kindness digital by downloading Kindr from the Apple App Store. Then brighten someone's day by sending a creative compliment, a hug or even a cute animal video.

6. Try a new vegetable or fruit or even try to cook something healthy and new for you or your family.

7. Attempt to park your car a little farther away than normal as to provide that sweet spot for a pregnant lady, a person with special needs, an elderly person or someone who just needs a little more ease.

8. Send a positive message to someone in need or help someone who might not need it, but would appreciate it.

9. Donate unwanted or unused clothes or household goods to a shelter, non-profit or animal rescue organization.

10. If you feel you just must make a monetary contribution and are insistent, buy someone’s groceries or offer to help pay for someone in line.

Do you practice random acts of kindness? Stop by the blog on Wednesday to learn how practicing random acts of kindness can benefit you in ways you never realized. 

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR KELLY COCHRAN

Kelly Cochran is a long time dog lover, with twelve four-legged family members having brightened her home at some point throughout the years. As the author of Buying Time, the first in her humorous mystery series, Kelly embraces her K9 characters--the good, the bad, and the smelly. Learn more about Kelly at her website, her series website, and her blog.

The Dogs under My Desk: A Tidbit of Karma

My commute to work involves walking down my stairs to my basement office. I do not spend my days alone. My co-workers keep me company as they busily nod off in their beds beneath my desk. I am lucky to have such interesting co-workers who constantly amaze and amuse me. They are my dogs and the best co-workers a writer could have (cat lovers don’t despair; cats make wonderful co-workers too!).

I have three co-workers, but today, I’m writing about only one-- Tidbit. She is a Bichon Frise, a breed recognized by the American Kennel Club since 1972. Tidbit is white and fluffy on her good days, but she’ll never win ‘best in show’ at The Westminster Kennel Club or any other for that matter. She bounces without warning, her nose is pink, and she has no pedigree papers because she came to us a lost soul.

In my first humorous mystery, Buying Time: An Aspen Moore Novel, I gave my protagonist’s client, Mr. Quetzalcoatl, a Bichon Frise named Mr. Personality.  At the time, our home was blessed with four dogs, not one a Bichon Frise, and I had no idea how ‘Karmic’ writing the story would be.

Two years before publishing Buying Time, and within weeks of one another, our Rottweiler/Australian mix, Bear, lost his leg to Osteosarcoma and our Lemon Beagle, Wendy, lost her life to lung cancer. Needless to say, it was a devastating summer. Fast forward to Thanksgiving of that year: our neighbors found a Bichon Frise wandering the streets. They could not care for her and so they asked my husband if we could take her. We tried to find her parents and when that failed, I let that little dirty, matted Bichon Frise climb up onto the lap of my heart. She became our tidbit of joy.

Although Tidbit is not the K9 model on the cover of Buying Time, she still played an important role. As my co-worker, she helped me revise my manuscript before publication, allowing me to flesh out Mr. Personality and to confirm my description of him as being “...built like a fluffy white slipper you longed to spend a rainy day in.”  Tidbit’s contribution to my next book, Borrowed Time, was important and her assistance in researching the opening scene, which takes place at St. Louis’s annual Beggin’ Pet Parade, priceless.

Be it karma, serendipity, or synchronicity, Tidbit found her way into my life that day and it was a blessing. I am so excited she is a part of our family, but even more excited that I didn't choose to give Mr. Quetzalcoatl a pet python.

Kelly’s other co-workers, Skipper and Boomer, will be highlighted at a later date on her blog.

Buying Time: An Aspen Moore Novel

Aspen Moore has a new life in a new city, complete with a new career. As a personal concierge, she sells her time to those who don’t have enough. One of the perks of her business is focusing on other people’s lives so she doesn’t have to face the demons in her own.

When Aspen’s most loyal customer dies and his suicide looks eerily like murder, she anonymously tips off the police so she won’t expose a secret she desperately needs to keep. But, murder and mayhem are a bothersome duo and she soon finds herself caught in a web of chaos.

A string of crimes, long enough to make a real detective sweat, threaten her livelihood and ultimately her life. Aspen’s only hope is to untangle the mess before they cause permanent damage. Pursuing the truth means solving the mystery of a decade-old land deal, while juggling a quirky DJ and his dog, an eccentric paraplegic, a curious set of twins, and a flirtatious neighbor with spy gadgets.

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