Aloha to the RT Booklovers Convention, Beach Blanket Bingo, and Geri Krotow

The countdown begins for the RT Booklovers Convention in Atlanta (link). I  am participating in four events (link), including cohosting BEACH BLANKET BINGO with Kimberly Rocha (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Alison Aimes, Christi Caldwell, Julia Day, Eileen Dreyer (AKA: Kathleen Korbel), Elizabeth Essex, Avery Flynn, Maggie Mae Gallagher (AKA: Anya Summers), Andrew Grey (AKA: Dirk Greyson), Sharon Hamilton, Heidi Hormel, Jessica James, Harper Kincaid, Geri Krotow, Tamra Lassiter, Ann Lethbridge, Siera London, Kim Lowe, Janna MacGregor, Stacy McKitrick, Kate Pearce (AKA: Catherine Lloyd), Ella Quinn, Kimberly Rocha, Julie Rowe, Tracy Solheim

I personally invited each author to participate ... Geri Krotow will bring her smile!  From her website (link),

Extended Twitter Version

A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Intelligence Officer, Geri left her Naval career to pursue a writing career. She has travelled the world, living in such far-flung places as Whidbey Island, Washington State and Moscow, Russia. Geri enjoys creating love stories that stand the test of time, and with settings that she has personally experienced. She's lived it, now she writes it!

Bio told over cookies and coffee

Geri loves to write and will never have enough years to translate onto paper the characters and stories that persistently knock on her mind’s door. When not writing Geri loves to knit and bake. Cookie baking is a favorite, but knitting often replaces the baking as yarn doesn’t add the dimensions to her figure that the cookies tend to. Walking and yoga are other passions, as well as birds, dogs, and foreign languages.

I am reading (and enjoying) Geri's latest release, HER SECRET CHRISTMAS AGENT (Silver Valley P.D., Book 3):

Can a former marine and an undercover cop crack a deadly Christmas case?
When a cult threatens the high school where he teaches, ex-marine Mitch Everlock is on the case. His priority: protecting his students. His world is rocked when one of his pupils, Nika Pasczenko, reveals she's an undercover police officer! But can the agent with secrets of his own trust his partner-in-crime?

The last thing Nika expected on this investigation was meeting a sexy veteran who makes her heart light up like a Christmas tree. But with both their lives at risk, and the students in danger, neither of them can afford the slightest distraction. Especially one as big as falling in love just as a killer closes in…

More book in the series ...

Stay tuned for my review! I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite kind of coffee and/or cookie.  I don't drink coffee but I would enjoy a hot chocolate with chocolate chip oatmeal cookie with Geri anytime.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 8, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 9.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Image and recipe from Not Just Cookies (link)

Aloha to Patience Griffin and IT HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND - Book Review

Christmas in the sleepy Scottish fishing village of Gandiegow this year is a time for quilting, patching up broken hearts, and rekindling an old flame...

After pulling herself out of a three-year fog of grief over the loss of her husband, Joe, Rachel is bringing their five-year-old daughter to see his hometown of Gandiegow and visit with his grandfather. But Rachel wasn’t planning on running into Joe’s cousin, the man who made her have second thoughts at the altar...

Brodie has come home to help his grandfather’s fishing business, but he’d prefer not to see Rachel. Although she did break his heart six years ago, the grip she has on him hasn’t faltered. If they can stop butting heads long enough and learn to overcome the past, they may find new love in the new year...

scotfishmuseum.org

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. - Dr. Seuss

Rachel is hesitant to return to Gandiegow, Scotland, but does so for the sake of her daughter.  It does take long for Rachel to bump into her husband's cousin - the one man who took her breath away on her own wedding day. Still, it was important for Rachel to bring her daughter to the Scottish fishing village so she could meet her paternal relatives.  Fate gives Rachel the opportunity to not only relive the painful memories of her wedding day but follow her heart for everlasting love.

IT HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND is a second chance romance embedded in small town romance topped with Scottish culture and quilting metaphors.  IT HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND is Book Six in Griffin's Kilts and Quilts series - characters from previous novel contribute to the fishing village's second industry, the quilting retreat.  While I am not quilter, I appreciated how the quilting squares - representing each villager - are sewn together for a strong community and a compelling read..  Griffin has a knack for creating "comforting" romances akin to snuggling under a handmade quilt.

Likewise, Griffin offers the escape to Scotland.  Sigh. Alba.

IT HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND was published on January 3, 2017, by Berkley, making it the first keeper of the new year.

Learn more about Patience and her books at patiencegriffin.com.

Patience Griffin is giving away a print copy of IT HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about quilts - do you have any?  I have three quilts - one for my wedding and one for each child - hand made by my husband's childhood piano teacher.  Cathy has since past away so the quilts are now a tribute to her kind heart.  They are so beautiful that we hang them rather than use them.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 8, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 9.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

More books in the series ....

Aloha to Weekly Winners and VERA - a UK set mystery series.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou - Happy New Year! We have winners at SOS Aloha - Denise, Di, and Carol win a book choice from my convention stash.

I am also a winner for discovering the UK's mystery series VERA, broadcast on Maryland Public Television (MPT).  From Wikipedia (link),

Vera is a British crime drama series based on novels of the same name, written by crime writer Ann Cleeves. It was first broadcast on ITV on 1 May 2011, and to date, six series have been broadcast. A seventh series is set to air in 2017.

The series stars Brenda Blethyn as the principal character, DCI Vera Stanhope. Vera is an employee of the fictional Northumberland & City Police, who is obsessive about her work and driven by her own demons. She plods along in a constantly dishevelled state, but has a calculating mind, and despite her irascible personality, she cares deeply about her work and comrades. Vera forms a close relationship with both of her sergeants, Joe Ashworth (David Leon) and later, Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty).

Set in the Northeast corner of England, VERA offers a diverse landscape for murder from gritty city streets, to breathtaking North Sea beaches, to the mysterious moorland. Every scene is gorgeous.  

Vera muddles around in a wrinkled raincoat and late model Landrover, adding to her persona.  She barks orders at her large team to investigate each murder, but spends most of her time with Sergeant Joe Ashworth. Vera uses the terms "luv" and "pet" in her British accent when currying favor with witnesses. The mysteries themselves are intriguing, pulling out a few red herrings, family secrets, and unexpected villains. 

In essessence, VERA is the UK version of TNT's THE CLOSER with Kyra Sedgwick.  Vera even has her own version of Prevenza - DC Kenny Lockhart.

Added bonus - actress Brenda Blethyn starred as Mrs.Bennett in the 2005 film adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with Keira Knightley. 

Look for VERA on your local PBS station.  Can you recommend a mystery series - book, TV, or film?  Or your favorite Jane Austen romance - book, TV, or film?   

I enjoyed THE CLOSER when it broadcast on TNT.  I adored the mini series of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE starring Colin Firth.  Sigh.  Mr. Darcy.

One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Sunday, January 8, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 9.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The opening credits of VERA include the Angel of the North (below). From the Gateshead council, the sculpture signifies:

(1) that beneath the site of its construction, coal miners worked for two centuries

(2) to grasp the transition from an industrial to an information age

(3) to serve as a focus for our evolving hopes and fears

Image released to Public Domain (link)

Aloha to Codi Gary and HOT WINTER NIGHTS (James Patterson's BOOKSHOTS) - Book Review

The Bear Mountain days are cold, but the nights are steamy....

Allie Fairchild made a mistake when she moved to Montana. Her rental is a mess, her coworkers at the trauma center are hostile, and her handsome landlord, Dex Belmont, is far from charming. But just when she's about to throw in the towel, life in Bear Mountain takes a surprisingly sexy turn....

BookShots Flames

Original romances presented by JAMES PATTERSON

Novels you can devour in a few hours ... Impossible to stop reading

There is a Bear Mountain in Glacier National Park

Above is Two Medicine Lake with Sinopah Mountain in Glacier NP

Public Domain (link)

Allie Fairchild - an OR nurse and hospital administrator - accepted  a new job in Montana to show her family in New York that she can make it on her own.  She rented a cabin sight unseen ... only to discover the sexy landlord still repairing it upon her arrival.  Clearly Allie is attracted to Dex Belmont - an Army veteran turned park ranger - but she wants to focus on her career.  Likewise, Dex flirts with Allie but stands aside when his buddy expresses an interest in her.  Dex loves his footloose lifestyle ... until Allie turns his life upside down.

As the tag line says, "Novels you can devour in a few hours ... Impossible to stop reading", I read straight through the 137 pages in HOT WINTER NIGHTS.  I enjoyed how Gary brought the hero and heroine together, allowing them to share their past pains only to discover they have more in common than mutual attraction.  I also appreciated the vivid descriptions of the Montana landscape.  Gary lays the groundwork for more books to come, including SEXY SUMMER FLINGS, as announced on her website (link).

Hidden Lake and Bearhat Mountain (right)

Image: Wikipedia / Tobias Klenze / CC-BY-SA 4.0

I am giving away my copy of HOT WINTER NIGHTS plus a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about mountains - what the nearest one near you?  The Catoctin Mountain Park is an hours's drive from my home in Maryland. 

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 1, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Chimney Rock Vista at Catoctin Mountain Park

Image by Vegemighty (link)

Aloha to Krista Davis, Old Town Alexandria, and the Domestic Diva Mystery Series

I recently discovered Krista Davis' Domestic Diva Mystery Series.  From her website (link),

Krista Davis lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She resided in Northern Virginia for many years and lived for a time in Old Town, Alexandria.

She really does have a gregarious Ocicat named Mochie who can open cabinets and leap to amazing heights. Her dogs, including a Golden Retriever who isn’t golden and won’t retrieve, consider Krista’s writing career a convenient second job that allows her to be available for her primary job as door opener, canine cuisine chef, and walking assistant.

Krista’s fascination with mysteries was fueled by Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Agatha Christie. Like her protagonist, Sophie Winston, Krista loves to entertain friends and family, but would just as soon leave cleaning to someone else.

The Domestic Diva Mystery series is set in Old Town Alexandria - across the river from Washington, DC.  When I worked at the Pentagon (a long time ago), hubby and I frequently enjoyed a Metro ride to Old Town to soak up its Colonial charm.

Book 1 is THE DIVA RUNS OUT OF THYME:

Few can compete with Natasha Smith when it comes to entertaining, but her childhood rival, Sophie Winston, certainly tries. Natasha may have stolen the spotlight, and Sophie's husband, but Sophie is determined to rob her of the prize for the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. She just needs the right ingredient.

But Sophie's search for the perfect turkey takes a basting when she stumbles across a corpse. And when the police find her name and photo inside the victim's car, Sophie will have to set her trussing aside to solve the murder, or she'll be serving up prison grub.

Book 9 is THE DIVA STEALS A CHOCOLATE KISS:

Domestic Diva Sophie Winston is in charge of the sweetest event in Old Town this summer. Amore Chocolates is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with a chocolate tasting at the mansion of the company’s CEO, Joe Merano—and Sophie is running the show. With cookies, candy, and five kinds of chocolate cake, it’s a chocolate lover’s dream! But when Joe goes missing, the celebration becomes bittersweet. And when Sophie discovers the body of a competing chocolatier in the guesthouse, the event turns downright deadly.

As if that wasn’t enough, Sophie’s been receiving daily boxes of sweet treats. After ruling out her new beau and her exes, Sophie wonders if someone’s trying to send her a message—and if she’s next on a chocoholic’s hit list…

The heroine, Sophie, and her archenemy (but sometimes friend) Natasha, each have an online column to answer readers' questions.  Davis opens each chapter in both books with letters addressed to Sophie or Natasha (swapping throughout the book).  The letters hint at the action to come. Davis adds humor when Natasha answers a question from a wife ... and Sophie then responds to a letter from the husband based on the advice of Natasha.

Both books follow the typical cozy mystery pattern of the heroine finding the body, becoming a suspect, sleuthing on her own, and encountering a few red herrings.  Sophie is aided (and abetted) by her nosy neighbor (and best friend) Nina. Rounding out the cast of characters is Natasha, Mars (Sophie's ex husband and Natasha's current live in beau), Bernie (British restaurateur), and a handful of animals owned (or fostered) by the characters. Davis takes the mystery one step further by adding large families, friends, employees, and enemies integrated into the murder mystery.  To some degree, it becomes a soap opera - I found it entertaining in both books (but may not appeal to other readers).

Finally, I enjoyed Sophie's adventures around Old Town Alexandria.

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about chocolate - the subject of Book 9.  Do you have a favorite brand?  Have you made any chocolate from scratch?  What's you favorite way to eat chocolate?

My husband enjoys Ghirardelli truffles and brownie mixes.  I love chocolate chip cookies!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 1, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

More books in the series ...

On this day in history ... the first Navy nurses

Today's trivia is worthy of writing a second post. From the Navy History website (link),

Red Rover, the Navy's first hospital ship, was a side-wheel steamer built in 1859 at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Purchased by the Confederacy 7 November 1861, she served as CSS Red Rover (see II, 560), a barracks ship for the floating battery New Orleans. At Island No. 10, near New Madrid, Mo., from 15 March 1862, she was holed during a bombardment of that island sometime before 25 March and abandoned as a quarters ship.

When the island fell to Union forces on 7 April, Red Rover was seized by the Union gunboat Mound City, repaired, and taken to St. Louis. There she was fitted out as a summer hospital boat for the Army's Western Flotilla to augment limited Union medical facilities, to minimize the hazards to sick and wounded in fighting ships; and to ease the problems of transportation-delivery of medical supplies to and evacuation of personnel from forward areas.

In December, Red Rover, used during the fall to alleviate crowded medical facilities ashore, was ready for service on the river. On the 26th, she was commissioned under the command of Acting Master William R. Wells, USN. Her complement was 47, while her medical department, remaining under Assistant Surgeon Bixby, was initially about 30. Of that number, three were Sisters of the Order of the Holy Cross. Later joined by a fourth member of their order and assisted by lay nurses' aides, they were the forerunners of the Navy Nurse Corps.

Group photograph of the first twenty Navy Nurses in 1908

Public Domain (link)

As we continue to enjoy the Christmas holiday, let us remember those who serve - military, medical, first responders, and law enforcement.  

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Do you have any nurses in your family?  I don't have any in my family ... but I have serveral friends, including nurses turned authors Eileen Dreyer and Siera London!  Bonus - Siera is a retired Navy nurse!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 1, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Navy Flight Nurse School, 1940s
Public Domain (link)

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Penelope Keith and Hidden Villages (UK TV program)

River Dee

royal-deeside.org.uk

Happy Boxing Day!  I hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas and Hanukkah weekend.  I was a winner with cat related gifts - my family knows me well!

We have winners at SOS Aloha - Catslady, Gretchen, and Marjorie win a book choice from my convention stash.

Last week, I spotlighted HIDDEN FIGURES - an upcoming movie portraying the African American women who contributed to US space program in the 60s (link).  Last night, I enjoyed HIDDEN VILLAGES, broadcast in the US on PBS. From the Independent (link),

Penelope Keith, best known for playing lofty neighbour Margo in The Good Life, has proudly outed herself as "a villager" to present Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages on More4. This leisurely three-part wander through Britain's rural communities is inspired in part by Sir Brian Batsford's cover illustrations for a 1930s book series, and, naturally, it's very picturesque. The village greens, the church spires and the thatched cottages are all here in plentiful supply ...

Balmoral Castle
visitscotland.com

We joined Penelope in Series 2, Episode 3, as she visits Royal Deeside outside Aberdeen, Scotland.   Hubby and I targeted Royal Deeside during our trek to Alba in 2008.  From the Royal Deeside website (link),

Welcome to Royal Deeside and the eastern Cairngorms National Park. We hope that once you have read these pages you'll agree that this is a very special part of Scotland.

The Dee runs west to east and is mostly bounded on both north and south by high hills with few passes. The castles of Deeside offered their owners control of east-west travellers in the valley and north-south travellers using the mountain passes.

Castles include the Queen's summer residence, Balmoral, plus several properties maintained by the National Trust for Scotland - Craigievar Castle, Crathes Castle, and Drum Castle.

This is why I love Alba.

You can watch the episode (and visit other villages) at this link.

Craigievar Castle

Youtube (link)

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about "hidden villages" - do you have any near you?  I live near Savage, Maryland - a sleepy "village" near the I-95 corridor that grew up around the historic Savage Mill (link).

Or, of course, you can leave a comment about Scotland.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 1, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 2.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Crathes Castle
royal-deeside.org.uk