tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49220315179560328442024-03-02T09:02:38.438-08:00Meg MuldoonThe home of Amazon bestselling cozy mystery author Meg Muldoon. MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-50915205841937769342020-09-18T12:25:00.001-07:002020-09-18T12:25:29.512-07:00Visit my website for the latest cozy mystery updates!<p> Hi, Cozy Friends!</p><p>I just wanted to let you know that most book updates can now be found on my website at <a href="http://www.megmuldoon.com">www.megmuldoon.com</a> ! There you can find all the latest on my cozy mysteries. Also, if you're looking for new recipes from the books, you can find those when you sign up for my mailing list <a href="https://blogspot.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=84807f62cc&id=03c94d8e25" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDvjuGsElpxFrzT_lbRsUa2UkoEnSDRZBxLMIczxkHDNE4kzBaI7IljUYir94CM7sxdNklcnVuAAZHNwPt_ostW9C7iW_9CWh-na4ipNqrR8dtbKQYRWqDo2E6zZl8eDeyxCVORWyVI8/s820/The+Cozy+Creative+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="820" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDvjuGsElpxFrzT_lbRsUa2UkoEnSDRZBxLMIczxkHDNE4kzBaI7IljUYir94CM7sxdNklcnVuAAZHNwPt_ostW9C7iW_9CWh-na4ipNqrR8dtbKQYRWqDo2E6zZl8eDeyxCVORWyVI8/w477-h182/The+Cozy+Creative+%25283%2529.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Thanks so much, readers!</p><p>Best Wishes, </p><p>Meg Muldoon</p>MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-91681153412917450572019-09-30T19:55:00.000-07:002019-09-30T19:55:05.746-07:00New Christmas River Box Set Collection!Happy October, Readers!<br />
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I just wanted to let you know that there's a new Christmas River Box Set deal available! <b><i>The Christmas River Cozy Mysteries: Books 7-9</i></b> <b><i>(plus novellas)</i></b> was recently published on Amazon and is on sale for a limited time. In this box set you'll find <i>Magic in Christmas River (Book 7)</i>, <i>Menace in Christmas River (Book 8)</i>, and <i>Missing in Christmas River (Book 9)</i>, plus the novellas <i>Warren & the Sparks Lake Mystery</i> and <i>Cinnamon Peters & the Rabbit Bandit</i>. Right now, this box set is 50% off buying the books individually.<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2mrNMFB"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL3Drt_jxdZJ6bBjYqdKtX7Y7tk7rFVEWNSuOlkWuUkj-2q6AS2CK5P1_6cgdiajlzqCxdvrmjq-fJLn1z_n1__cDwAqdWrPpaP8m-MC8iAtzbw1TXRwJju2WNMKTknGsw9Kk35t5m1g/s320/Box+Set+Books+7-9+cleaned+up+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can find the links to your Amazon store below:<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2mrNMFB">Box Set Amazon U.S.</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-River-Cozy-Mysteries-Box-ebook/dp/B07YF4JMFR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Christmas+River+Cozy+Mysteries+Box+Set%3A+Books+7-9+%28Christmas+River+Box+Sets+Book+3%29&qid=1569898062&sr=8-1">Box Set Amazon Canada</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-River-Cozy-Mysteries-Box-ebook/dp/B07YF4JMFR/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=christmas+river+cozy+mysteries+box+set+books+7-9&qid=1569898115&s=gateway&sr=8-3">Box Set Amazon UK</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-River-Cozy-Mysteries-Box-ebook/dp/B07YF4JMFR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=christmas+river+cozy+mysteries+box+set+books+7-9&qid=1569898358&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Box Set Amazon Australia</a><br />
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And as with most of my books, this one's also in the Kindle Unlimited program -- making it a great deal if you're part of that program!<br />
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Thanks so much, readers! Hope you have a wonderful first week of October.<br />
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Best Wishes,<br />
MegMegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-51619370278831544572019-08-08T08:49:00.001-07:002019-08-08T08:49:29.484-07:00Sale on Marionberry Pie & Murder Summer Box Set!Hi Readers!<br />
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Just wanted to let you know I've released a fun, new box set for the end of summer! <b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/31piHRR">Marionberry Pie & Murder</a></i></b> features nearly 300,000 words of cozy magic from some of my most popular series. It includes <b>4 full-length books, 2 novellas, 1 short story, and 13 Pacific Northwest recipes</b>. It's a fantastic collection on sale for a limited time! Also, it's in the Kindle Unlimited Program, so if you have that subscription, you can read this for free.<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/31piHRR"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0W75mjgBC5TzgxIB6dwsqRz_oSI19RxwS83C_J4Pdz_nwRfT8yzRQkNOajo3xYwy1r4M3DMgAX64eYo4jq9uXbk8LSTsAnreMVq3GTfnGXquabe8h6JhLPFJISBbCfBq-lB7ayEHKUk/s640/MarionberryBoxedSet+%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are the links to the book on Amazon:<br />
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<b><a href="https://amzn.to/2GTo6J0">Marionberry Pie & Murder: Amazon US</a></b><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Marionberry-Pie-Murder-Mystery-Sampler-ebook/dp/B07VZXR92Q/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=marionberry+pie+%26+murder&qid=1565278790&s=gateway&sr=8-1"><b>Marionberry Pie & Murder: Amazon Canada</b></a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marionberry-Pie-Murder-Mystery-Sampler-ebook/dp/B07VZXR92Q/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=marionberry+pie+%26+murder&qid=1565278848&s=gateway&sr=8-3"><b>Marionberry Pie & Murder: Amazon UK</b></a><br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Marionberry-Pie-Murder-Mystery-Sampler-ebook/dp/B07VZXR92Q/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=marionberry+pie+%26+murder&qid=1565278898&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Marionberry Pie & Murder: Amazon Australia </a></b><br />
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Thanks so much readers! This is only just the start of my season of releases, and I can't wait to share what else I've been cooking up here at Meg Muldoon Books lately!<br />
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Best Wishes,<br />
MegMegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-24950574837755314052019-04-18T09:05:00.002-07:002019-04-18T09:05:43.533-07:00Easter Sale on Christmas River Cozy Mystery Short!Happy Easter Week, readers! I wanted to let you know that starting today, you can get the Christmas River Cozy Mystery Short,<b> <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2Xj1xTK">Cinnamon Peters & The Rabbit Bandit </a></i></b>for only 99 cents on Amazon! The sale will continue through Saturday, so be sure to get in on the deal for this heartwarming Easter read!<br />
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Find the book in your Amazon store below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPh0L7wErtS3crOih6dTkJxDUKOBDlno8cxynO1_xbMuRAaHkY7S_56bTKtvgLx4Gd978lMHzmCYu3WAC_G85mxZ9UENTbM5JzrGhwrjsajXFuu0euUF3tWz-J5USbTheabhT55pAmIk/s1600/Cinnamon+Peters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPh0L7wErtS3crOih6dTkJxDUKOBDlno8cxynO1_xbMuRAaHkY7S_56bTKtvgLx4Gd978lMHzmCYu3WAC_G85mxZ9UENTbM5JzrGhwrjsajXFuu0euUF3tWz-J5USbTheabhT55pAmIk/s320/Cinnamon+Peters.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><a href="https://amzn.to/2Xmdzf9"><br /></a><a href="https://amzn.to/2Xj1xTK">Cinnamon Peters & The Rabbit Bandit Amazon US</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Cinnamon-Peters-Rabbit-Bandit-Christmas-ebook/dp/B07CDD2RRJ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cinnamon+peters&qid=1555601487&s=gateway&sr=8-3">Amazon Canada</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cinnamon-Peters-Rabbit-Bandit-Christmas-ebook/dp/B07CDD2RRJ/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=cinnamon+peters&qid=1555601545&s=gateway&sr=8-6">Amazon UK</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Cinnamon-Peters-Rabbit-Bandit-Christmas-ebook/dp/B07CDD2RRJ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cinnamon+peters&qid=1555601596&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Amazon Australia</a><br />
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Wishing you a lovely Easter, readers!!<br />
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--Meg :)MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-56367136856722174972019-03-14T09:40:00.000-07:002019-03-14T09:40:25.233-07:00Cinnamon's Top Five Pie Cookbooks for Pi Day!Happy Pi Day, Readers! Cinnamon Peters — the pie-baking and crime-solving extraordinaire from my Christmas River Series — had a few things she wanted to share with you today in honor of 3.14. <br />
So without further ado, here’s her list of Five Pie Cookbooks for Pi Day!<br />
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<b>From Cinnamon:</b><br />
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<i>You can always tell a good cookbook when you see one -- the corners should be soft and worn, the pages should be caked with flour, and it should be so wrinkled that the recipes are hard to read. Those are the hallmarks of a well-loved and high quality cookbook, and in my pie shop, I have a handful that have gone through years of this tough love treatment. They hold a special place on my bookshelf and in my heart. </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TPV-Epti_ai5RTQ_ZoNIYeCgo2FABhaQFJlcRfZbmlZmAIhtzwlhwAFUy7WJHkRVVxs2SbQ0r0mhC0eUJfpuKqaDAt1F1s_8HIcgWFDVWvZYaxw9AwTkVga93mhQvJWsLIASbLiNkDM/s1600/lucy-heath-176681-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TPV-Epti_ai5RTQ_ZoNIYeCgo2FABhaQFJlcRfZbmlZmAIhtzwlhwAFUy7WJHkRVVxs2SbQ0r0mhC0eUJfpuKqaDAt1F1s_8HIcgWFDVWvZYaxw9AwTkVga93mhQvJWsLIASbLiNkDM/s320/lucy-heath-176681-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<i>Here are a few of those that I highly recommend, including a couple recent additions to my pie library that I’m currently loving</i>: <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/2VXAHQI">The Art of Pie</a> by Kate McDermott </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love Kate’s entire philosophy about pie and life. Part cookbook and also part essay/memoir, this book is a true delight to read. After reading this book, I felt like buying myself my own Pie Cottage like Kate on the Pacific Northwest coast! Plus, this book has tons of beautiful, mouthwatering photos, making it a lovely addition to any cookbook library.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/2F3Qmqv">Pie Squared</a> by Cathy Barrow</span><br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2F3Qmqv" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcJkQ8PexyQ13b2k6e8h4Gqb2cjVUfKf2LiI0FC7m5SRux8JHnovT2_8Wla0Nqo7OppqrWwiO1Fc-EbNbNKQtXN3DUS1SGwe1h6WgPwZ2Fziwq37-4g51P0ybp3pUT718vwq_YZS1VEI/s320/51SxgHTxWkL._SX258_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m a traditionalist </span>--<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I like my pie to come in a round dish and I like it to </span>be cut<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> into nice traditional wedge slices. But this cookbook, which only just came out in 2018, is almost enough to convince me to change up my traditional ways. It's a good reminder that it's worth it to try new things. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3282d4ec-7fff-c645-7f32-58f4142f7a3e"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/2O417gC">Baking: From My Home to Yours</a> by Dorie Greenspan</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this book covers much, much more than just pie, the pies in it are outstanding. It’s a huge, heavy book full of delicious recipes, including one for a lemon tart that's to-die-for if you love your lemon desserts on the sour side! This one also has beautiful photos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/2T6bPUW">Perfect Pies & More</a> by Michele Stuart </span><br />
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l<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> love the creativity featured in this pie book recipe! It’s full of creative, tasty recipes like Candy Bar Pie and Apple Caramel Crunch Pie. Whenever I open this book, I’m reminded that ultimately, baking pie is about having fun and spreading joy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. <a href="https://amzn.to/2EXfDCL">The Pie & Pastry Bible</a> by</span> Rose Levy Beranbaum<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the title says, this is the ultimate cookbook for pie bakers! This book takes you through every aspect of building a delicious pie and has had a place in my cookbook library for years and years. </span><br />
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PLUS, one bonus pick!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. <a href="https://amzn.to/2VWZm7R">Bubby's Homemade Pies</a> by Ron Silver: One of my very favorite pie books ever, this cookbook has given me tons of inspiration at my own pie shop over the years. Unfortunately, this cookbook is out of print, but if you can get your hands on it, I can't recommend it enough! Full of delicious recipes, great tips, and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">What pie cookbooks do you love? Comment below! </span></div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-5476968410005039802019-02-14T08:34:00.000-08:002019-02-14T08:34:37.903-08:00Valentine's Day Freebie!Hi, Readers!<br />
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Happy Valentine's Day! I wanted to let you know <pwa class="pwa-mark pwa-mark-done" data-pwa-category="style" data-pwa-dictionary-word="that " data-pwa-hint="The word 'that' can often be omitted here" data-pwa-id="pwa-510C184FF512BDACB87EF019124E00C2" data-pwa-rule-id="READABILITY_2834" data-pwa-suggestions="(omit)">that </pwa><i>Mischief in Christmas River</i>, the fifth book in The Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series, is free on Amazon today. You can find the link by clicking here:<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2IdQ4T2"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvh0G02IXkWUG7PodFv83pUmby3zBd-jEtrDWVondVPRI0ugyr08M1dyt0I-0k7kmDbq_VaH4XFBQKm60qZBy5LrAIx5l59b7n929CSyWSkd4PAHX1ggr7DGwFOhRGHbP36VPODiugB04/s320/Mischief+in+Christmas+River+Cover+FINAL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2IdQ4T2"><b>Mischief in Christmas River: Book 5</b></a></div>
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Wishing you a <pwa class="pwa-mark pwa-mark-done" data-pwa-category="style" data-pwa-dictionary-word="very " data-pwa-hint="Readability may be enhanced by removing this" data-pwa-id="pwa-0E6D45768A7D557804042CCF456192FB" data-pwa-rule-id="READABILITY_297" data-pwa-suggestions="(omit)">very </pwa>lovely Valentine's Day full of flowers, chocolate, and good reads!!</div>
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MMMegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-22574325049297105512019-01-02T10:44:00.000-08:002019-01-02T10:44:09.777-08:00Sale on The Christmas River Cozy Mysteries Box Set!Hi, Readers!<br />
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I wanted to let you know <pwa class="pwa-mark pwa-mark-done" data-pwa-category="style" data-pwa-dictionary-word="that " data-pwa-hint="The word 'that' can often be omitted here" data-pwa-id="pwa-69914A27890AF87574CACC0615C21286" data-pwa-rule-id="READABILITY_2834" data-pwa-suggestions="(omit)">that </pwa>you can get <a href="https://amzn.to/2BTrroi">The Christmas River Cozy Mysteries Box Set: Books 1-3</a> for only 99 cents on Amazon through January 5! This is the lowest price that this box set has ever been, so now's a great time to nab it if you haven't yet!<br />
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Hope all of you are having a great start to 2019!</div>
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Best, </div>
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Meg</div>
<br />MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-33751708970377543172018-10-15T09:58:00.000-07:002018-10-15T09:58:09.505-07:00Midnight in Christmas River Available for Pre-order!Hi, Readers!<br />
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I just wanted to let you know that <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2Eljlcv">Midnight in Christmas River (A Christmas Cozy Mystery, Book 11) </a></i>is now available for pre-order! This is a lighthearted, Halloween-themed mystery that's as cozy as a mug of cider on a crisp fall day. It officially comes out on Oct. 26 (just in time for Halloween weekend!) and you can pre-order it on Amazon today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHWvW2WnbB1BxU8QxPmdXhJrCsYfD0EXgt_6iMSjkdhGhO54TcFwQlz38PHZoo9DgOo-eP3dzUvYC74TJVoWfVvUX_jg28nQWRz5el5lftj7mLdGu-e0VhPPVgZeTbFrTz3X7P-8UVF0/s1600/Midnight+in+XMas+River+Rough+Draft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHWvW2WnbB1BxU8QxPmdXhJrCsYfD0EXgt_6iMSjkdhGhO54TcFwQlz38PHZoo9DgOo-eP3dzUvYC74TJVoWfVvUX_jg28nQWRz5el5lftj7mLdGu-e0VhPPVgZeTbFrTz3X7P-8UVF0/s320/Midnight+in+XMas+River+Rough+Draft.jpg" width="200" /></a>I view this latest mystery as a fun, seasonal intermission before we get into the much more intense mystery featured in <i>Mistake in Christmas River (Book 12)</i>, which is coming out this holiday season. For those of you waiting on the cliffhanger at the end of Book 10 to be addressed, you will find that and much more in <i>Mistake in Christmas River t</i>his holiday season!<br />
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<i>Here's the description of <b><a href="https://amzn.to/2RRijHW">Midnight in Christmas River</a></b>:</i><br />
<i><br />It's October in Christmas River, and things in the central Oregon town are becoming downright bone-chilling. <br /><br />When famed horror author Ashcroft Black takes up residence at an old hunting cabin rumored to be haunted, pie baker extraordinaire Cinnamon Peters and the rest of the small town are thrilled to have a bona-fide celebrity in their midst. <br /><br />But when the characters of Ashcroft's horror novels literally start leaping to life in Christmas River, Cinnamon finds herself pulled into a perplexing mystery involving betrayal, crime, and a scandalous secret someone's willing to kill over. <br /><br />Can Cin figure out the mystery and free the town of Ashcroft's horror for good? Or will she instead discover that fact is truly more horrifying than fiction?<br /><br />Midnight in Christmas River is a Halloween-themed standalone Christmas River mystery. It's full of mischievous fun and heartwarming moments, and even features recipes from Cinnamon's own Halloween party menu!</i><br /><br />Look for MISTAKE IN CHRISTMAS RIVER (Book 12) on digital shelves this fall!!<br />
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-5214685976889842472018-09-16T14:29:00.001-07:002018-09-16T14:29:40.374-07:00New Christmas River Novella Available for Pre-order! Hi, Readers!<div>
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Just wanted to let you guys know that I've got a new novella coming out this week! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crushed-Christmas-River-Mystery-Novellas-ebook/dp/B07HBBTNY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537132941&sr=8-1&keywords=crushed+in+christmas+river">Crushed in Christmas River (A Christmas Cozy Mystery Novella) </a>is available as a pre-order on Amazon and will officially come out Friday September 21st. In the meantime, I just wanted to share this delicious early-fall recipe. It's one of my very favorite weekend dinners and I can't think of a more cozy meal! <br /><br /><br /><b><br /></b><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Roasted Port Chicken with Plums & Rosemary Sweet Potatoes</b></div>
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(serves six)</div>
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(based on a recipe in "Kathy Casey's Northwest Table.")</div>
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2 teaspoons ground coriander</div>
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1 teaspoon ground cardamom</div>
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1 teaspoon black pepper</div>
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¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper</div>
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1 tablespoon kosher salt</div>
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6 skin-on, bone-in chicken breast halves</div>
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3 tablespoons of olive oil</div>
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10 to 12 plums, cored and quartered.</div>
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2 shallots, sliced thinly</div>
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4 cloves garlic, chopped</div>
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1 lemon, sliced</div>
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1 cup port </div>
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Parsley for garnish</div>
<br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl. Lay the chicken on a baking sheet and sprinkle each piece on both sides with the spice mixture.<br /><br />In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Saute the chicken for about three minutes on each side until the skin is golden brown (you will probably need to do this in two batches.) Place the browned pieces skin-side up in a 9 by 13 roasting pan. <br /><br />Saute the shallots for about a minute in the leftover oil of the pan. Add the plums, garlic, and lemon and saute for an additional minute. Add the port, and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring just to a boil, then take off heat and add the mixture (with everything) to the roasting pan of chicken. <br /><br />Roast the chicken for about 40 to 45 minutes until nicely browned on outside and thoroughly cooked on the inside. Remove from oven, transfer chicken to a platter along with the plums, shallots, garlic and lemon slices (use a slotted spoon to retrieve these.) Pour the remaining liquid in the roasting pan into a sauce pan and cook over high heat until the sauce is reduced to about ¾ of a cup. Adjust for seasoning if need be and drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Scatter parsley leaves over the chicken and serve. <br /><br />Serve with roasted sweet potato side dish (recipe follows).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes</b></div>
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2 lbs of sweet potatoes</div>
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2 tablespoons of rosemary, chopped</div>
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4 tablespoons of olive oil</div>
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½ tsp of salt plus more to taste </div>
<br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into ½ inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, chopped rosemary, and salt in a baking dish until the potato pieces are well-coated. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are just beginning to blacken. Remove from heat, season with additional salt to taste, and serve with chicken (this can bake simultaneously with the chicken.)<br /><br />Enjoy!</div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-63753200668169032062018-07-05T09:27:00.000-07:002018-07-05T09:27:25.471-07:00New Christmas River Novella Collection Coming to Amazon 7/9Hi Readers!<br />
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I'm excited to announce that a new collection of Christmas River Cozy Mystery novellas will be available this upcoming Monday on July 9! <b><i>Caught in Christmas River </i></b>comes in at nearly 40,000 words (close to a full-length book) and features two novellas that were originally published on my Cozy Lodge Patreon Page (so if you are a Cozy Lodge member, you already have these stories and all bonus material, so no need to purchase this collection twice!) Here's the description of this wonderfully fun summer-inspired collection which also features two bonus recipes, a bonus short story <i><b>and</b></i>... a very special sneak peek at a chapter from the upcoming full-length book, <b><i>Mistake in Christmas River (Book 11)</i></b>!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Caught in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery Novella</i></b></span><br />
Two summertime whodunits perfect for the easy breezy carefree days of summer. Featuring:<br />
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<i>Mystery at Agate Inn</i><br />
<i>A romantic vacation to a cozy inn on the Oregon Coast turns deadly for Cinnamon and Daniel when one of the other guests takes a tumble off the side of a cliff. </i><br />
<i>But was it really an accident? Or was there something more sinister to the incident? </i><br />
<i>Cin and Daniel play detective in this delightful seaside whodunit! Featuring Cin and Daniel on vacation for the very first time!</i><br />
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<i>Warren & The Sparks Lake Mystery</i><br />
<i>It's 1951 in Christmas River and Warren Peters has had a tough week. He's failing English class, the girl he's secretly in love with doesn't even know he exists, and his after school job at the Sparks Lake General Store has been slow and boring.<br />But when a serious crime takes place in Christmas River and it hits a little too close to home, Warren finds himself pulled into a perplexing mystery that will take all his wit and intelligence to get out of alive.</i><div>
<i>A heartwarming coming of age tale based on one of the most beloved characters from the Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series...</i><i><br /></i>
<i>So grab your sunscreen, beach bag, and Kindle, and cozy up with this summery Christmas River mystery collection!</i><br />
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Thanks so much, readers! Look for this novella collection on Amazon Monday! </div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-46586402508938289022018-04-02T10:18:00.000-07:002018-04-02T10:18:18.606-07:00New Cozy Mystery Short Stories Every Month on Patreon!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi, Readers!<br /><br />I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter! I wanted to let you know that I just launched a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/megmuldoon">page</a> on Patreon, where I’ll be publishing stories every month from Christmas River and my other series! </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />If you haven’t heard of Patreon, it’s a website/platform where people are able to support their favorite creators for a small monthly fee, and in return, they get extra content and behind-the-scenes access they wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. Recently, many authors have joined this site to better keep in touch with their readers and to offer bonus stories and excerpts from upcoming books. I decided to start up my own page where every month, I’ll be publishing a new short cozy mystery (most will come from the world of Christmas River) along with an original recipe to go along with it. I really view it as a short story subscription and have built my page with that in mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can join my<a href="https://www.patreon.com/megmuldoon"> PAGE</a> (called <a href="https://www.patreon.com/megmuldoon">Meg's Cozy Lodge</a>) today for as little as <b>$1 a month and get access to these new cozy mystery stories.</b> There are also higher tiers, where you get more extras, like cozy artwork made by me, additional stories, and book excerpts from upcoming books. <br /><br />Also, if you join and then decide at anytime that you’d like to unsubscribe, you can without any further obligations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And just so you know, this will not affect my regular cozy mystery novel publishing schedule. <i>Mistake in Christmas River: Book 11</i> is still coming out in late spring. This Patreon page is really just a fun cozy side for readers who are looking for more uplifting, feel-good stories.<br /><br />There’s plenty of information about it on my page and I hope that you’ll take a look! This is a great way to get more Christmas River in between books. And personally, I really can’t wait to share these new short stories with you guys! <br /><br />Thanks so much for your support, readers!<br /><br />Best, <br />Meg</span></div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-72455517970984199742018-03-13T15:51:00.000-07:002018-03-14T11:06:32.127-07:00Meg's Magic Cherry PieHi, Readers! <br />
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If you came here by way of my newsletter, then you know the story behind this pie. But if you didn't, let’s just say that since I’ve been baking pies, I’ve had trouble when it comes to making a basic cherry pie. I can’t explain why, but every time I make it, something goes wrong. But I’m happy to report that a few weeks ago I finally, finally broke the curse and made an amazing cherry pie. So in honor of Pi Day, I thought that I would share it here. <br />
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I hope you enjoy! <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Magic Cherry Pie</span></b></div>
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<b><u>Crust</u></b></div>
(<i>This recipe makes enough for a double crust pie, but you can halve it if you plan to use the crumble topping recipe (see below) instead -- which I highly recommend!)</i> <br />
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2 ½ cups flour (plus more for rolling)</div>
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3/4 tsp salt</div>
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8 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces</div>
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8 tbsp Crisco vegetable shortening</div>
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½ cup of ice water</div>
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Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter and vegetable shortening with a pastry cutter until mixture is pebbly (avoid touching the dough with hands as much as possible so that the butter doesn’t melt.) Add ice water, and combine into two dough rounds. If it's too crumbly, add a little more water. Wrap rounds in plastic and place in freezer for at least an hour. <br />
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Remove rounds (or a single round if you plan to make the crumble topping) and roll out into a flat disk on a floured surface. Transfer to a pie dish, and press the dough along the edges with the back of a fork. Puncture dough with fork several times (so it can breathe during cooking) then let pie dish chill in the freezer again for about 15 minutes. (I have found that the often times, the freezer is the secret ingredient to getting the perfect pie crust!)<br />
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Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove pie dish from freezer and place on a baking sheet. Let sit for five minutes at room temperature, then bake the crust for 10 minutes in the oven. (This is to ensure that the bottom crust doesn’t get soggy when the filling is added.) <br />
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Meanwhile…<br />
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<b><u>Cherry Filling</u></b></div>
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1 ½ pounds of dark cherries, frozen, pitted</div>
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¾ cup to 1 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet the fruit is)</div>
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½ tsp of cinnamon (of course!)</div>
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⅓ tsp of salt </div>
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Juice from half a lemon</div>
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¼ cup flour</div>
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2 tbsp cornstarch</div>
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Chop cherries into quarters (<i>I find that frozen cherries you find in the grocery store freezer section can be giant, and this makes it so there aren’t big gobs in your pie. Cutting them up also makes it so you can inspect the frozen cherries for pits. Even though the bags of frozen cherries say they’re pitted, I have occasionally come across pits in these bags, so this is a good way to make sure nothing bad ends up in your pie!</i>) Add sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, flour, and cornstarch to cherries. Mix well, and taste. Add more sugar or more lemon depending on the sweet/sour ratio. Place bowl of mixture in the freezer while you prepare the crumble topping so that it doesn’t melt and get soupy. <br />
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<b><u>Crumble Topping </u></b></div>
(<i>Optional -- you could use the second dough round to roll out a top-crust if you like and it will still be delicious, but this crumble topping is super decadent and tasty!</i>)<br />
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½ cup brown sugar</div>
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¼ tsp salt</div>
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½ cup flour </div>
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1 ½ cups of oats</div>
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8 tbsp butter, cut into pieces</div>
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Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Add all ingredients together in a medium bowl, cutting the butter in with a fork or your hands until the mixture becomes pebbly. <br />
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Remove cherry filling from freezer and place in the blind baked pie dish crust. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the filling. <br />
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Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 40 minutes or so, checking occasionally. <br />
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Remove from oven when crumble topping is golden and bubbly. Let cool for several hours. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy!<br />
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Have a magical Pi Day!</div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-31706702431106382012018-01-23T09:34:00.000-08:002018-01-23T10:25:11.194-08:00Cinnamon's Chocolate Hazelnut PieThis is not a pretty pie.<br />
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This pie is messy. The buttery crust slumps down when cooking. The edges are prone to burning. And basically, when it gets on the plate, it isn't exactly the thing that will impress your friends and neighbors.<br />
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Until they taste it, that is.<br />
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This pie packs a wallop of hazelnut flavor, is absolutely delicious, and is easy to make. And while the crust tends to be a little tricky to work with, you won't mind once you start eating it.<br />
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It's not the prettiest pie in the world, but there's more to life than looks :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chocolate Hazelnut Pie</span></div>
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<b>Crust</b></div>
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1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts</div>
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1/2 cup softened butter</div>
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1/3 cup sugar</div>
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1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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3/4 cup of flour</div>
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Toast hazelnuts in frying pan over medium heat until they start browning and becoming fragrant -- about 5 minutes (this part is important because the hazelnuts that come in the pre-packaged baking aisle usually aren't very flavorful unless toasted.) Be sure to keep a close eye on them because they can burn easily. </div>
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Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.</div>
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Soften butter in microwave (be sure not to melt completely). In a medium bowl, mix butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour until just mixed, then add the hazelnuts. Combine until you can bring mixture together into a ball. Press dough into a tart pan or shallow pie dish and form a crust. Place crust in freezer for about 20 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature, then bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, covering the edges with foil if need be. The crust will be ready when it has a nice toasty shade to it. When done, let cool for half an hour.</div>
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<b>Filling</b></div>
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1 13-oz jar of Nutella (or any hazelnut chocolate spread)</div>
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1 8-oz package of cream cheese, room temperature</div>
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5 oz of Cool Whip (about 3/4 of tub), thawed</div>
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Spread about 1/3 cup of Nutella on pre-baked crust bottom. With a mixer, blend the remaining Nutella with the cream cheese. When well-combined, add in Cool Whip. Mix until blended, then pour filling into crust. Cover and chill in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. Serve with scoops of remaining Cool Whip. Enjoy!</div>
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Happy Pie Day!!</div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-72221937126338178772017-12-17T11:05:00.000-08:002017-12-17T11:05:23.494-08:005 Things to Know About the Christmas River Series (Updated!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Readers, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today, <b><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2B1Cs9c">Mayhem in Christmas River </a></i></b>is a featured free deal on BookBub! I figured I’d post this little entry for anybody who has just downloaded the free book and is looking for more information about the series. So without further ado, here’s Christmas River 101!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">How many books are in the Christmas River series?</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQtvMHoHmFVwyPNhyphenhyphenLp-iN1XiZ4e_hLGfAzsKOhyphenhyphenxbRiNrsnuu3cf7nrfVttEUB36wZFlMa32CK02Pls2AK7UxCsbjeSiapo_dTzcCOISNOm6t5BYGXFqC1i26npq6OFgY2gjjnUHf6o/s1600/Murder+in+Christmas+River+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQtvMHoHmFVwyPNhyphenhyphenLp-iN1XiZ4e_hLGfAzsKOhyphenhyphenxbRiNrsnuu3cf7nrfVttEUB36wZFlMa32CK02Pls2AK7UxCsbjeSiapo_dTzcCOISNOm6t5BYGXFqC1i26npq6OFgY2gjjnUHf6o/s400/Murder+in+Christmas+River+Cover.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10 books, plus 1 novella</b>. Chronologically, they are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bWf3GG">Murder in Christmas River (Book 1)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2cisNje">Mayhem in Christmas River (Book 2)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2cisLro">Madness in Christmas River (Book 3)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bpFv9V">Malice in Christmas River (Book 4)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bIlG2U">Roasted in Christmas River (standalone novella) </a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2c4IFVi">Mischief in Christmas River (Book 5)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bIlpwJ">Manic in Christmas River (Book 6)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bWgm8q">Magic in Christmas River (Book 7)</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2btq9AS">Menace in Christmas River (Book 8)</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2kGmh6y">Missing in Christmas River (Book 9)</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://amzn.to/2CLHwvF">Meltdown in Christmas River (Book 10)</a></i></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">Plus, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bpGlnr">The Christmas River Mysteries Box Set: Books 1-3</a></i>, which includes the first three books in the series is available for only $6.99 and also includes recipes! You save over 35% by buying them all at once in this bundle. </span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p><o:p><span style="font-size: large;">Also, recently added to Amazon is <i><a href="http://amzn.to/2bWh8lW">The Christmas River Mysteries Box Set: Books 4-6</a>, </i>which features the next three books in the series, along with the standalone novella, <i>Roasted in Christmas River</i>. This is available for $8.99. You also save big with this deal as well! </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All of these books are available on Amazon as eBooks and on Audible, and all books are also part of the Kindle Unlimited program. Which means that if you're part of the program, you can read ALL of my books for free!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Additionally, if you're looking for recipes from the series, please sign up for the<span style="color: cyan;"> <a href="http://blogspot.us6.list-manage1.com/subscribe/post?u=84807f62cc&id=03c94d8e25"><span style="color: cyan;">Meg Muldoon Mailing List</span></a></span>! Mailing list subscribers receive a FREE recipe booklet with recipes straight from Cinnamon's kitchen! </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>How would you describe this series?</i></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">The Christmas River Cozy Mystery series is cozy romance through and through, with a good helping of mystery and intrigue to boot. The books center around Cinnamon Peters, a pie baker who has seen her share of tough times, but despite that, remains kind, funny, and sharp as a whip. The mysteries are light, easy, and satisfying reads that will make you laugh out loud, but will also tug at your heartstrings. There's plenty of humor and heart throughout. Not to mention plenty of pooches! Ooh... and pie! </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Where is Christmas River?</i> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji65dajSyyZ2-mpZ2Pu57ng_FAC-OMqnCeCf2vT8D9KUBqlCvv_a1CKi6itCixvX0t-iIhScZUqK-qNtvEzIiXYXoSoE_ujqUnSsa7we7RffIuhwN_Vt7_OeF6Tpc8EyWqbuavU_lUEMs/s1600/sisters%252C+oregon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji65dajSyyZ2-mpZ2Pu57ng_FAC-OMqnCeCf2vT8D9KUBqlCvv_a1CKi6itCixvX0t-iIhScZUqK-qNtvEzIiXYXoSoE_ujqUnSsa7we7RffIuhwN_Vt7_OeF6Tpc8EyWqbuavU_lUEMs/s400/sisters%252C+oregon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Christmas River is a small town in the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon. Though it is fictional, Christmas River is based on the real-life quaint, cozy, western town of Sisters, Oregon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Are there more books planned for the series? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Absolutely! <i>Mistake in Christmas River,</i> the 11th book in the series, is due out in Spring 2018. So stay tuned! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Is Christmas River the only series you write? </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1LLrB_jKgdKu8j1P6wKkppbjkub6yy7srsQtfX_WXxnv7Dcl-8dki9BqJ8aLNe-tpRBPObpWNrEOU7TDA01pogoj3QGPw6bGWuN9bCDafQv7aS6WM704J0yxAtmogli4eGjE4QQm6WY/s1600/mutts+%2526+murder+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1LLrB_jKgdKu8j1P6wKkppbjkub6yy7srsQtfX_WXxnv7Dcl-8dki9BqJ8aLNe-tpRBPObpWNrEOU7TDA01pogoj3QGPw6bGWuN9bCDafQv7aS6WM704J0yxAtmogli4eGjE4QQm6WY/s320/mutts+%2526+murder+cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Currently, I write several different series. Please visit my <span style="color: cyan;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Meg-Muldoon/e/B00AO8NI3Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1"><span style="color: cyan;">Amazon page</span></a> </span>to see what other cozy mysteries I write! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! If you're interested in more cozy recipes and news, please join me on <span style="color: cyan;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meg-Muldoon/284767758328847?ref=aymt_homepage_panel"><span style="color: cyan;">Facebook</span></a> </span>or join my <a href="http://blogspot.us6.list-manage1.com/subscribe/post?u=84807f62cc&id=03c94d8e25"><span style="color: cyan;">mailing list</span></a>! </span></div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-23026734336487265852017-11-30T09:31:00.001-08:002017-11-30T09:31:42.224-08:00Meltdown in Christmas River: Book 10 Coming Soon!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvUaM9OSWdrV_J8bnVWQZL4NyBXc1Xh0b1jriy2wWgzM39lZ_vN92lLLpSHrbatteGLGrqSFS5okw6gtkanseyUpa_MjuVRkiGM9bp32nya-dLTjWcntTpzWuPVAAfraufbis_XfqILo/s1600/Coming+Soon%2521+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvUaM9OSWdrV_J8bnVWQZL4NyBXc1Xh0b1jriy2wWgzM39lZ_vN92lLLpSHrbatteGLGrqSFS5okw6gtkanseyUpa_MjuVRkiGM9bp32nya-dLTjWcntTpzWuPVAAfraufbis_XfqILo/s640/Coming+Soon%2521+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-61118109264594343922017-10-27T10:54:00.001-07:002017-10-27T10:54:16.613-07:00The Haunted Nutcracker - A Christmas River Scary StoryDear Readers,<br />
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Happy Halloween! Yesterday, I participated in Kathi Daley's Halloween Spooktacular where I shared a short scary story featuring characters from The Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series. I wanted to be sure to post that story here also in case you missed the event! So here it is, just in time for Halloween weekend. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Haunted Nutcracker</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s0nmHeSX2nDlzzL7fDpswIClTOqYzObpsN8Ippoe_sezgO0HIGKQ7mHJxwiDtaPIMyBLDobXcwAIJIdNdx-lDrB_6CpqdVTIAHDiPucuzUIq8PSVenywPXe6p7EVHzg7mraTR0OZ4Os/s1600/HalloweenFBEvent_3Nutcracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="370" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4s0nmHeSX2nDlzzL7fDpswIClTOqYzObpsN8Ippoe_sezgO0HIGKQ7mHJxwiDtaPIMyBLDobXcwAIJIdNdx-lDrB_6CpqdVTIAHDiPucuzUIq8PSVenywPXe6p7EVHzg7mraTR0OZ4Os/s400/HalloweenFBEvent_3Nutcracker.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Kara Billings didn’t remember much about her grandfather except that the old man was ornery and hardly said much except to complain about his sore hip. <br />But there was one thing that Kara’s grandfather said that stuck with her years after he passed away. <br />“In life, there are some doors you have to kick your way through, girly,” he’d said to her once. “And then there are others that are closed for a reason. Leave those be.” <br />At the time, Kara didn’t understand what her grandpa meant. <br />But now as she stood in the corner of her ornament store on a dark and dreary night in November, taking in fearful breaths and trying not to scream, Kara began to understand.</div>
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<br />Some doors were indeed better left closed.<br /></div>
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<br />It had all started a week earlier at the estate sale. <br />Old Hattie Blaylock, Christmas River’s resident witch, had died of natural causes at her home just after Halloween. The old woman was a recluse and though nobody knew for sure whether she really was a witch, some locals in the quaint mountain town breathed easier when they heard that she had passed on. <br />One morning shortly after Hattie’s death, Kara was driving to work and saw a cardboard sign.<br />“HUGE ESTATE SALE! GREAT DEALS!”<br />Kara, the owner of Christmas River’s most popular ornament store, was never one to pass up a sale. She hooked a fast left, following the cardboard signs all the way to Hattie’s old house, where she found a surprisingly vast array of antique furniture scattered across the dead lawn. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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***</div>
<br />Kara had been studying the 3-foot-tall nutcracker standing on a sideboard when she heard a voice. <br />“Oh, I see you found him.” <br />Kara looked back to see a stylish woman standing there with a clipboard. <br />“Beautiful, isn’t he? A classic example of German craftsmanship. It’s an original Gaunerei doll, you know.”<br />“Oh, really?” Kara said, not knowing what that was, but pretending like she did. <br />“Yes, absolutely. Hattie’s older brother brought it back from Germany after World War II. It’s a true antique.” <br />With each passing moment, Kara felt herself more and more transfixed by the wooden sculpture. <br />The nutcracker was dressed as a soldier and was elaborately painted in rich shades of maroon and gold. Though the passing years had left a layer of dirt on him, his teeth were still white and prominent, and his eyes were--<br />Kara knew it sounded silly. But she could have sworn that she saw a sadness in the nutcracker’s eyes. <br />“How much for him?” <br />The woman consulted her clipboard. <br />“$345.”<br />Kara felt her eyes bulge. <br />“Normally, that is,” the woman said with a slick smile. “But since you’re the first one at the sale today, I can give you a deal. How about $100?” <br />The next thing Kara knew, she was writing a check and gently placing the nutcracker in the trunk of her car.<br />
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***</div>
<br />“Don’t you just love him?” <br />Kara had positioned the nutcracker to stand at the entrance of her ornament shop and greet the customers. Already, people had started commenting about how great he looked. <br />“I wish I had one just like him for my pie shop,” Cinnamon said, gazing at the doll. “He could sure help with all those hazelnuts I have to crack for my pies.” <br />“The sales lady let me have him for a steal,” Kara said, taking a sip of her Pumpkin Maple Latte. “I think it must have been on account of all that witchy business. But personally, I don’t really believe that Hattie was a witch. I mean, not really.”<br />“Me neither,” Cinnamon said. “Hattie was just an elderly woman who kept to herself. I don’t believe the stories that people told about her.” <br />Cinnamon glanced at the time. <br />She wished she could have stayed longer, but she needed to get back to her pie shop. Locals and tourists alike would be wanting pumpkin pecan, cranberry cinnamon, and chocolate hazelnut pies for their November tables. <br />“I better get going,” Cinnamon said. “See you later, Kara?”<br />Cinnamon noticed that her best friend was staring at the nutcracker with a faraway look in her eyes. <br />“Kara?”<br />“Oh, sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “Yeah, see ya, Cin.”<br />Kara suddenly felt a little strange. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />That night, Kara was carving a wooden dove ornament in the back room of her store when she thought she heard a strange noise coming from the front door. <br />At first, she thought it was just the wind. It had been awfully windy in Christmas River this November. <br />But then, she heard the strange noise again. <br />It sounded like a young boy crying. <br />Kara got up and walked into the display room. The lights from the many Christmas trees flickered, casting shadows on the walls. <br />She flipped on the lightswitch and scanned the room, looking for what could have made that strange sound. <br />Her eyes eventually fell on the nutcracker. <br />That was odd, she thought. <br />She could have sworn that she’d set the doll on the right side of the entryway. Not the left side. But there he was, standing where she hadn’t left him. <br />Kara shook her head. <br />She hadn’t had dinner yet and hunger was starting to make her see things. <br />She went over, moved the nutcracker to the right side of the door where he belonged, and then headed into the back room. <br />She reckoned it was time to go home and get some food and--<br />Kara stopped dead in her tracks as a loud wail echoed through the store. <br /><br />Her blood turned to ice. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />The same thing happened several nights in a row. And each time that Kara tried to find the source of the crying, the sound all but vanished. It left her feeling frightened and desperate. <br />She thought about getting rid of the nutcracker, but then remembered the money she’d forked over for it. <br />She couldn’t just throw an original Gaunerei nutcracker away like that. <br />By the third night, she’d had enough. She placed a few phone calls and the next day, a woman named Evelda Madison arrived at the ornament shop. Evelda was dressed in a long black lace gown and looked exactly how Kara imagined a real psychic would look. <br />When Evelda was done investigating the shop, the psychic told Kara of her findings.<br />“You are right about the nutcracker, Kara. It really is haunted.” <br />Kara felt a little nauseous as the psychic confirmed her worst fears. <br />“There’s a spirit of a young boy attached to the nutcracker,” Evelda continued. “The doll was his before it was taken away and sold during the war -- just like the estate saleswoman told you. The witch kept the boy’s spirit trapped in this doll, and that’s why he cries.” <br />Now Kara knew why the nutcracker’s eyes were so sad.<br />“How do we help him?” Kara asked. <br />The psychic handed her a small bottle of soil. <br />“Sprinkle this around him and say ‘you are free’ three times in a row tonight at midnight. This will allow the boy to cross over into the light.” <br />Kara took the soil, nodded thanks, and then handed the psychic a check for her hourly rate. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />Kara waited that night in the shop, listening to the sound of the wind howl outside. <br />The rain had turned to ice and the trees had frozen right in place. Every time the wind blew, their branches groaned and creaked like a sinking ship. <br />When midnight rolled around, Kara went over to the nutcracker, sprinkled the soil around, and whispered “you are free” three times in a row. <br />When she finished, she felt the heavy energy of the shop lift.<br />She let out a sigh of relief, kneeling for a moment to look at the nutcracker. His mouth was hanging open, the way it always was, ready to crack a nut. <br />“You’re free now, little boy,” she said, putting a hand up to its cheek. “Go your way in peace--”<br />The nutcracker’s jaw sprang up suddenly without warning. <br />Then, the lights in the shop went out. <br />Kara screamed and ran out into the storm. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />The Next Day…<br /><br />Cinnamon placed the nutcracker in the display window of her shop. She stepped back to get a better look at him. <br />No. That wasn’t quite right either.<br />She’d been having trouble finding just the right place for the old nutcracker.<br />Maybe by the door, she thought. <br />She picked him up, and as she did, something floated down to the floor. <br />It was a golden, weathered sticker that said “Gaunerei, Made in Germany.”<br />She flipped the nutcracker upside down and was about to re-apply the sticker to its base when she noticed something else. <br />The sticker had been covering up another one. <br />The original sticker. <br />“Holiday Crafts Inc., Product of California, 2008.” <br />Cinnamon smiled sadly as she put two and two together. <br />Poor Kara had gotten swindled at the estate sale. Maybe that was why she’d given Cinnamon the nutcracker out of the blue that morning, saying she wanted nothing more to do with it. Kara probably didn’t want it after finding out it was a fake. <br />But it didn’t matter to Cinnamon whether the nutcracker was an original or not. He had character and spunk and would be a useful addition to her pie shop. She had noticed that his jaw was a little warped and could snap up without warning, but other than that, he did a good job cracking nuts. <br />Cinnamon set the nutcracker down by the front door and tossed the golden sticker in the trashcan. She backed away to get a good look at it. <br />Yes, she thought. Now that was the perfect place for him. <br />She dusted her hands off on her apron and headed back to the kitchen to finish making a batch of chocolate hazelnut pies.<br />
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Happy Halloween, Readers!! </div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-45651347716414239132017-09-29T08:55:00.000-07:002017-09-29T08:56:20.089-07:00Autumn Apple Green Chile Pie<span style="font-size: large;">I bet I can guess what you're thinking right now -- <i>Green chiles... in a pie? Did I read that right? Sounds weird.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But you'd be surprised at how delicious this pie actually is! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was lucky enough to live in New Mexico for two years, where warm fall days are filled with the magical smell of chiles roasting. When I lived in Oregon, I was oblivious to the cult of the green chilies and I didn't really like the peppers all that much. These days, I'm a convert and I can't get enough of them. Especially when autumn arrives and the days start turning<i> chile</i>. Haha. (Bad joke.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I made this pie recently with chiles I picked up in Hatch (the chile capital of the world!) This was inspired by a recipe from the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Mexico-Farm-Table-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00PSYG6Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506624684&sr=8-1&keywords=farm+to+table+new+mexico">The New Mexico Farm Table Cookbook</a>. The chiles give the apples a tasty roasted flavor and just a hint of heat. If you can't find freshly-roasted chiles where you are, they are available at Trader Joe's in the frozen section or in cans at the grocery stores. Just be sure to taste the peppers beforehand to gauge their level of heat. Sometimes the labels (usually, mild, hot, and extra hot) are not accurate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This pie will also be featured in <b><i>Meltdown in Christmas River (Book 10)</i></b>, which will finally be out this fall!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Apple Green Chili Pie</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(makes one 12-inch pie)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3 cups flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9 tablespoons cold butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6 tablespoons vegetable shortening<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">½ teaspoon of salt (or more, if you like your crust a little saltier)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">½ cup of cold water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mix flour and salt together. Cut butter and vegetable shortening into small pieces, then add to flour mixture. Cut butter and shortening into flour with a pastry cutter until mixture is pebbly. Add water a little at a time until it forms a dough. Split dough into two and roll into balls. Cover in plastic wrap and place in freezer for half an hour.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roll out one of the dough halves into a disc. Place and form into pie dish. Cut off excess edges and poke crust several times with a fork. Place back in freezer for 10 minutes, then place dish in heated oven for 10 minutes to pre-bake.<br /><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6 to 7 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4 tablespoons of <b>mild</b> roasted green chiles, chopped with most of seeds removed (adjust amount depending on heat of chiles.)</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br />1/2 cup flour<br />1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling<br />1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1/2 teaspoon nutmeg<br />1/4 cup lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup of pecan pieces</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons butter<br />1 large egg<br />Vanilla ice cream (for serving)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pre-heat oven to 375. Add the sliced apples and chopped green chiles to a large saucepan (test the chiles beforehand to gauge heat level -- if too spicy, reduce amount to only 2 tablespoons.) Saute over medium heat for about 12 minutes, adding a little water to pan if necessary, until apples are slightly tender. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes. Add flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and lemon juice to the apples and chiles, and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie crust. Roll out second ball of dough and make a lattice topping over the filling, weaving strips of dough over and under each other. Beat egg in a small bowl and brush egg wash over lattice topping. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, add the pecans. Toast about 4 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When pie is ready to serve, sprinkle slices with toasted pecans and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Fall!!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-20210317381505766152017-07-18T13:04:00.002-07:002017-07-18T13:04:58.172-07:00Meg's Christmas in July Reading Deals!Dear Readers,<br />
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I hope all of you have been having a wonderful July so far!! I love July for many reasons... it usually means vacation, it happens to be my birthday month, and it gives me an excuse to bring a little Christmas spirit into the middle of summer! I find the last part in particular quite fun (which shouldn't come as a surprise since I write about a town where it's Christmas year-round!) With some mid-year Christmas spirit in mind, I thought I'd compile a list of my Christmas books for those of you who might not have read my Christmas-themed books. Any of these would make a great Christmas in July read:<br />
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MURDER IN CHRISTMAS RIVER (A CHRISTMAS COZY MYSTERY) BOOK 1<br />
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The flagship of the 9-book Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series! When a Gingerbread Junction Competition judge ends up dead behind pie baker Cinnamon Peters' shop one snowy evening in December, Cinnamon discovers she has a lot more to worry about than gumdrops and frosting. Over 1,000 reviews on Goodreads!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">$2.99</span> on <a href="http://amzn.to/2t7rfA4">Amazon</a> through the end of the month!</b><br />
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MAYHEM IN CHRISTMAS RIVER (A CHRISTMAS COZY MYSTERY) BOOK 2<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TbyLWf8UgzE-WV7bEd4UcVJYkzCiK-hZ2JaGfKWHgozODMZCdnPIMwtx3JQH_5hku1umEr3OIOpYjrT1hekpApAdzMzBGwAD1r7mSsKzVB-4qHQRHNvAPX1m1HGdU05X2q5FaFSfLrA/s1600/Mayhem+in+Christmas+River+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TbyLWf8UgzE-WV7bEd4UcVJYkzCiK-hZ2JaGfKWHgozODMZCdnPIMwtx3JQH_5hku1umEr3OIOpYjrT1hekpApAdzMzBGwAD1r7mSsKzVB-4qHQRHNvAPX1m1HGdU05X2q5FaFSfLrA/s200/Mayhem+in+Christmas+River+Cover.jpg" width="125" /></a>Book 2 in the Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series takes place in the summer, and makes for one explosive Christmas in July read! When a arsonist dressed up as Santa Claus starts burning down Christmas River businesses, Cinnamon Peters finds herself drawn into a mystery full of dark small town secrets.<br />
<b><br /></b><b><span style="color: red;">$3.99</span> on <a href="http://amzn.to/2udxrWQ">Amazon</a>!</b><br />
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THE SILENCE OF THE ELVES (A HOLLY HOPEWELL COZY MYSTERY) BOOK 1<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0HqyIq1Lv4_tJPhV3Ponp7HE3Dx-q30Kvz7UQXwTxduTaKalnhgTyO66ishSwG2Lu049imm9HecYx-4dN6csjDDTBKAEX2BCuZ6Q-tywj64lcCVoe4Zc9KwqybylmwJasPV7vVXfC3k/s1600/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1058" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0HqyIq1Lv4_tJPhV3Ponp7HE3Dx-q30Kvz7UQXwTxduTaKalnhgTyO66ishSwG2Lu049imm9HecYx-4dN6csjDDTBKAEX2BCuZ6Q-tywj64lcCVoe4Zc9KwqybylmwJasPV7vVXfC3k/s200/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" width="131" /></a><i>The Devil Wears Prada </i>meets the movie <i>Elf </i>in this cute and cozy Christmas read. When Mrs. Claus banishes elf Holly Hopewell to work in a department store in the small town of Mistletoe, Oregon, Holly finds that not all is as it seems in the small town. Especially when the hated department store owner turns up dead...<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">.99 cents</span> on <a href="http://amzn.to/2t7zXyl">Amazon </a>for only one week this July!!</b><br />
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MISCHIEF IN CHRISTMAS RIVER (A CHRISTMAS COZY MYSTERY) BOOK 5<br />
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Book 5 in the Christmas River Cozy Mystery series and a true fan favorite. When dogs start disappearing in Christmas River right before Christmas, Cinnamon Peters finds herself on the trail of a serial dog kidnapper. Fully of cozy Christmas spirit, this turned out to be one of my favorite books also!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">$3.99</span> on <a href="http://amzn.to/2tMX4gi">Amazon</a>!</b><br />
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THE CHRISTMAS RIVER COZY MYSTERIES BOX SET (BOOKS 1-3) PLUS RECIPES!<br />
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For the ultimate Christmas in July reading pack, Books 1 - 3 of the Christmas River series feature almost 600 pages of cozy Christmas magic! Includes delicious recipes straight from Cinnamon's kitchen!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">$6.99</span> on<a href="http://amzn.to/2sUeJzJ"> Amazon</a> for a limited time! (40% off retail price of buying the books individually!)</b><br />
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Hope you find some good books in there, readers! And if you do enjoy these books, reviews left on Amazon are very much appreciated by the author.<br />
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Additionally, look for Book 10 of The Christmas River Cozy Mystery Series -- Meltdown in Christmas River -- later this summer on Amazon!<br />
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Wishing you a very merry Christmas in July!!<br />
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MMMegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-24602776282909794612017-06-01T13:35:00.001-07:002017-06-01T13:36:59.966-07:00Ginger's Bewitching Grilled Cheese Sandwich<span style="font-size: large;">Happy June, Readers! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the recent release of <a href="http://amzn.to/2qFJNSZ"><span style="color: magenta;">Ginger of the West</span></a>, I thought I would throw in a fun recipe that wasn't included in the book (but definitely belongs.) It's for a grilled cheese sandwich, and while that might not sound so luxurious to you, believe me -- this is the fanciest grilled cheese you'll ever try! It's something I imagine Ginger offers at her cafe to the many tourists who frequent it during the lunch hour on long summer days at the coast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whenever I announce that I'm making this sandwich, people in my household tend to freak out (in a good way). Make sure to grill up lots of extras!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Bewitching Grilled Cheese Sandwich</i></b></span></div>
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(Makes 8-plus sandwiches depending on size of bread slices)</div>
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2 small to medium shallots</div>
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5-6 tablespoons white wine (more may be necessary)</div>
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5 oz Gruyere</div>
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8 oz Brie</div>
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8 oz of white cheddar</div>
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¾ stick of butter</div>
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1 loaf of sliced sourdough bread</div>
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2 tomatoes, chopped</div>
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Peel and chop shallots. Melt ¼ stick of butter in frying pan. When butter is melted, add shallots to pan. Saute until golden brown and the house smells delicious (about 5 minutes or so) Remove from pan and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, remove the rinds of the various cheeses and chop the good parts into cubes. Add cheese cubes to food processor along with 5-6 tablespoons of wine. Blend until it becomes a paste (you may need to add more wine if it gets stuck processing.) Then add cooked shallots to paste. Blend again until shallots are fully incorporated. Set mixture aside. </div>
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Cook bacon according to package. (For bacon that’s crispy and not hard on the teeth, I prefer baking it in the oven as opposed to frying it in a pan.) Drain cooked bacon on paper towels. Set aside. </div>
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Lay out sourdough bread slices, buttering the outside of each slice with softened butter. Spread a healthy layer of the cheese mixture in the middle of the sandwich (the non-buttered sides should face inward), then top with bacon strips and tomatoes. When all sandwiches are assembled, begin frying them on a griddle, two at a time. Cook about two minutes on each side, until the outside is golden brown and the inside is gooey and melted. (Keep a close eye on them because they can burn fast!) Remove from griddle, cut in half, and serve with a glass of white wine.</div>
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Be prepared to make many more! </div>
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This recipe is inspired by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0727WWTVJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493908326&sr=1-1&keywords=ginger+of+the+west+meg+muldoon">Ginger of the West: A Witches of Broomfield Bay Mystery,</a> available on Amazon.com. </div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-89492620660717545552017-05-01T20:24:00.002-07:002017-05-01T20:24:46.611-07:005 Things to Know About Ginger of the WestI’m so excited to announce that my latest project, <b><i>Ginger of the West: A Witches of Broomfield Bay Mystery,</i></b> will be out this Thursday! This book, which I’ve co-written with Amazon best-selling author Jools Sinclair, is a lighthearted mystery brimming with cozy magic. Since this is a new book and a new series, I thought it would be helpful to do my usual “5 things to know…” post for those who want to know more!<br /><br /><b>1.</b><i><b> What is Ginger of the West about?</b></i><br /><br /><b><i>Ginger of the West: A Witches of Broomfield Bay Mystery</i></b> is about a cafe owner named Ginger Westbrook who lives in a small town on the Oregon coast. It has paranormal elements in it, but it also has plenty of cozy elements, too. Here’s the official description: <div>
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<i>A dead mayor.<br />A wacky aunt.<br />An uppity millionaire romance author.<br />And a small town full of explosive secrets…<br />It’s one headache after another for witch and café owner Ginger Westbrook.<br />When Mayor Penelope Ashby rolls her car off a driveway and into the ocean, everyone in the small, sleepy seaside town of Broomfield Bay, Oregon is shocked.<br />Everyone but Ginger’s Aunt Vivian, who “saw” the grisly death coming long before the unlikable mayor plunged into the Pacific.<br />But when it’s discovered that the death may not have been an accident, accusations start flying and Ginger and Vivian find themselves smack dab in the middle of a modern-day witch hunt.<br />Strange things are afoot in Broomfield Bay this summer, and it will take all of Ginger’s powers – supernatural and otherwise – to keep the small town’s pitchforks and torches at bay.<br />Amazon best-selling authors Jools Sinclair and Meg Muldoon join forces in this magical tale. Full of mystery, romance, humor, and chowder, the first book in the Witches of Broomfield Bay Mysteries is this summer’s perfect cozy mystery beach read.</i><div>
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<b>2. <i>Why co-write a series? </i></b><br /><div>
<br />Jools Sinclair is a fellow indie author and I'm a huge fan of her best-selling paranormal mysteries, <a href="http://amzn.to/2ppTOVZ">44</a>. We’ve been talking about co-writing a series about witches for years now, so it’s so exciting to see this work published! This book is a real collaboration -- we’ve both brought our best storytelling talents to the table for this series. You'll see shades of Cinnamon Peters and Abby Craig throughout the book.<br /><br /><br /><b>3. <i>What makes Ginger of the West different from other witch cozy mysteries out there today?</i></b><br /><br />There are tons of witch cozy mysteries out there these days, but Jools and I like to think of Ginger of the West as being special for several reasons. The book is a true mystery that will leave readers guessing right up until the end. Also, Ginger takes place on the Oregon Coast -- a place that both Jools and I know very well and love. We're both from Oregon, and have both spent lots of time on the coast. I think that comes through really clearly in the book, and makes it a fantastic summer read. The book is also very much a cozy, with lots and lots of mouthwatering food descriptions!!<br /><br /><br /><b>4. <i>Will there be more in the series? </i></b><br /><br /><i>Ginger Snaps</i>, the second book in the Witches of Broomfield Bay Mystery series, is set to come out this fall. In total, we’re planning on writing 5 books in the series.</div>
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<br /><br /><b>5. <i>Are there recipes included in the book? </i></b><br /><br />Yes! In true cozy fashion, we’re including five recipes in this book straight from Ginger’s cafe. These include marionberry scones, ginger lemon bars, and a delicious recipe for salmon chowder.<div>
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<i>Ginger of the West </i>will be available on Amazon this Thursday! Jools and I can't wait to share it with you guys!</div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-61972448880121576672017-03-19T12:10:00.000-07:002017-03-19T14:55:48.219-07:00What I'm Reading This Week<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Readers, </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been writing cozy mysteries now for a while, but I have always considered myself first and foremost a reader. Like many of you, I love reading and I always have. One of my biggest New Year's Resolutions has been to read more -- I often get caught up in my work and reading is the first thing to get crossed off the list. However, so far this year, I've kept my resolution of reading more (the only one, in fact! :) Three months, nine books, and going strong! It's been so fun to get back to it, and I thought I would have a little feature here on my blog sharing what I'm reading lately. I'd love if you'd comment and tell me what you're reading lately, too! Or if you've read any of these, let me know what you thought of the book! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2noJVrq">Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher</a> by Timothy Egan</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm on a bit of Western kick lately. This non-fiction biography is about Edward Curtis, the photographer who spent his life photographing and documenting North American tribes in the early 1900s. I absolutely loved this book and can not recommend it enough, especially if you enjoy reading about the West! I love reading about people who are completely consumed with their art and work. This is also a fascinating look at Native American cultures and how much was lost in the years following Western expansion. An excellent read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2mFVHcp">American Ghost</a> by Hannah Nordhaus</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I said, I'm on a bit of a Western kick! This one is particularly fun for me because I live less than a mile away from the haunted hotel that this book is about -- The Julia Staab Mansion, which is now the La Posada Hotel here in Santa Fe. I'm enjoying this book so far. I'm reading it partly as research for a Santa Fe-based mystery series I'm planning on releasing in 2018. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2nbdZ9l">Jammed </a>by Deany Ray</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was hooked by this cute cover! I enjoy reading a lot of different kinds of books, but sometimes I enjoy reading books in my own genre, too. I liked the opening line of this one: "<i>What does it mean that the highlights of your workday are a cookie and the chance to slip out early?</i>" Been there! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>In Reading Queue: </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2n4q8MY">The Black Echo</a> by Michael Connelly</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33rBq1k5KUmymMC4LPcop1BDf6tsdRuJMZqWlEHZPmp3K36Rvcg9uyjMhTZFVaxiB1HKr83d7kAe0U40E-cpObT34bA3SF2bRGGzfvQ-JXX-Vq887p6t_61_3LqkfLodhnPZxV3sBH5U/s1600/513VMeeuMfL._SX277_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33rBq1k5KUmymMC4LPcop1BDf6tsdRuJMZqWlEHZPmp3K36Rvcg9uyjMhTZFVaxiB1HKr83d7kAe0U40E-cpObT34bA3SF2bRGGzfvQ-JXX-Vq887p6t_61_3LqkfLodhnPZxV3sBH5U/s320/513VMeeuMfL._SX277_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="179" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I love reading mysteries based in Los Angeles, and for some reason, I particularly love reading them in the spring. I got to meet Michael Connelly at Bouchercon this past September (actually, it was more like I took my friend's picture with him and nervously smiled while hoping I didn't mess up the photo. :) I've read some of the Lincoln Lawyer series, and I've seen the Amazon television show for the Bosch novels, but haven't actually read them for myself. I'm excited to finally start on this series! Especially with season 3 of Bosch coming out this April. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are you reading these days? Post in the comments below. I'd love to hear about your own reading lists! </span><br />
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<br />MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-88300926030596980592017-03-19T10:10:00.000-07:002017-03-19T14:39:08.033-07:00Ginger of the West's Tomato Tart<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Spring! Hooray for making it through the winter! (At least on the calendar anyway :) I just wanted to let you know that <i><b>Ginger of the West: A Witches of Broomfield Bay Cozy Mystery</b></i> -- the paranormal cozy that I've been working on with best-selling author Jools Sinclair -- is coming out in early April. Yippee!! This book has been so fun to work on with Jools, and I'm so excited that the first installment is finally coming out. In honor of its spring release, I asked Jools to share a recipe on my blog here. She went with a drool-worthy recipe that we mention in the book: a Tomato Tart that Ginger, the main character, makes for her crazy witchy aunt, Aunt Viv. This tart has become one of my very favorite meals, and it's perfect for the warmer days ahead. So without further ado, here's the recipe with a little introduction by Jools! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Jools Sinclair Says: </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Ginger knows that there is true magic in excellent food prepared with fresh ingredients and lots of love, so it’s no wonder that this rich and soul-satisfying French Tomato Tart recipe is one of her must-make-often dishes. It’s also one of Aunt Viv’s favorites, and she reminds Ginger of that by returning the empty tart pan as soon as every last bit of the buttery crust has disappeared, in hopes that another tart will soon be on its way.</i></span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-87dcc55a-e772-a483-d017-d010d5e7cea4" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>In a perfect world, you’d always use your own tomatoes growing outside in the garden, but if you don’t live in that kind of world or it’s simply off season, no biggie. Just make sure the tomatoes you do purchase are chemical-free and flavorful. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>This recipe is featured (and was found on) David Lebovitz’ blog, who in turn got it from Kate Hill. It’s highly recommended to add a glass or two of your favorite rose, and to sit in some sunshine when consuming. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Tomato Goat Cheese Tart</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5imfWnOWN_6yb3Rikg1F-oYVwQjnf_1fbMTAC-G13SSUtp6AOk4jwuQEiGXM40ohN5nLjOkSEkTHHi7GUW1ZzBeh_6yWsE1C_Bw3BE0NW_GBLeOIE5SYGNlTaPA-3_9u96JpIE4jSrF4/s1600/dennis-klein-123631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5imfWnOWN_6yb3Rikg1F-oYVwQjnf_1fbMTAC-G13SSUtp6AOk4jwuQEiGXM40ohN5nLjOkSEkTHHi7GUW1ZzBeh_6yWsE1C_Bw3BE0NW_GBLeOIE5SYGNlTaPA-3_9u96JpIE4jSrF4/s640/dennis-klein-123631.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Tart Filling</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One unbaked tart dough (see recipe below)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Dijon or whole-grain mustard</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">2-3 large ripe tomatoes</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">salt and freshly ground pepper</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">two generous tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, chives, chervil, or tarragon</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">8 ounces (250g) fresh or slightly aged goat cheese, sliced into rounds</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Optional: 1 1/2 tablespoons flavorful honey</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Tart Dough</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">1 1/2 cups (210g) flour</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">4 1/2 ounces (125g) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">1 large egg</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">2-3 tablespoons cold water</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">1. Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">2. Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">3. Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">4. Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If making a freestyle tart, simply transfer the dough to a prepared baking sheet; no need to make indentations with your fingers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">5. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). See note below. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">6. Spread an even layer of mustard over the bottom of the tart dough and let it sit a few minutes to dry out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">7. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the mustard in a single, even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">8. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs, then arrange the slices of goat cheese on top. Add some more fresh herbs, then drizzle with some honey, if using.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">(If baking a free-form tart, gather the edges when you’re done, to envelope the filling.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">9. Bake the tart for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is cooked, the tomatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is nicely browned. Depending on the heat of your oven, if the cheese doesn’t brown as much as you’d like it, you might want to pass it under the broiler until it’s just right.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">*You might wish to check the tart midway through baking and turn it down a bit in case the top is getting too dark, before the crust and tomatoes appear to be cooked.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">***If you wish to make a free-style tart, roll the dough out to about 14-inches across, then transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Assemble the tart, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border, which you’ll then fold up to enclose the tart.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jools & MM :)</span></div>
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-42272562687894039482017-02-11T09:05:00.000-08:002017-02-11T09:05:34.792-08:00Upcoming Meg Muldoon Books<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Readers, </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope all of you have been having a great 2017 so far! I've spent this first part of the year organizing my work schedule and working on some upcoming books. I wanted to share my tentative schedule with you here:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERghmvBHslFLETgZ5ipPDYBs2dxyf73VEgkL7_JdasehYnJ0P2FL0BzDv1K0ThsmO7RAtDQA1VUJ1f8PQTW4UlqDlYbMDw4U0rXyIIHnK-Xl0sMxkowYEsXBWeV1Gu5x5XBgMxoJhunc/s1600/20170118_110331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERghmvBHslFLETgZ5ipPDYBs2dxyf73VEgkL7_JdasehYnJ0P2FL0BzDv1K0ThsmO7RAtDQA1VUJ1f8PQTW4UlqDlYbMDw4U0rXyIIHnK-Xl0sMxkowYEsXBWeV1Gu5x5XBgMxoJhunc/s640/20170118_110331.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's going to be an exciting year! <i><b>Ginger of the West: A Broomfield Bay Cozy Mystery (Book 1)</b></i> is first up, and is set to come out in mid-March. I'm co-writing this one with Amazon best-selling author Jools Sinclair. More info about this book and the others to come soon! </span>MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-34842271839367720642016-12-17T11:37:00.000-08:002016-12-17T11:38:19.567-08:00The Silence of the Elves Now Available on Amazon!Dear Readers,<br />
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<i><b>The Silence of the Elves: A Holly Hopewell Cozy Mystery</b></i> <b>(Book 1)</b> is now available on Amazon! It's priced at 99 cents for 2 days only, so be sure to get in on the deal! It's also part of the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you are a KU subscriber, it's FREE to read!<br />
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You can buy your copy <a href="http://amzn.to/2hGL7Bg">HERE</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdY0WfuINB3X627V4N6_qnTjY3aeMi7De6A_VH7lDFjZv5wO1qVzHyQA0Re16KHacj-VL0rW4bbZMTxMXeBtKL_dVk0-_6CNQX_xgk84bWUDGeYD5yKVu0OnCBUB7FvaTtb9P4DCoBQ8/s1600/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdY0WfuINB3X627V4N6_qnTjY3aeMi7De6A_VH7lDFjZv5wO1qVzHyQA0Re16KHacj-VL0rW4bbZMTxMXeBtKL_dVk0-_6CNQX_xgk84bWUDGeYD5yKVu0OnCBUB7FvaTtb9P4DCoBQ8/s400/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<i>If there’s one thing that every elf in the North Pole knows, it’s this:</i><br />
<i>Never get on Mrs. Claus’s bad side.</i><br />
<i>Never. Ever.</i><br />
Ever.<i>..</i><br />
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<i><br />After getting reassigned from the North Pole by a jealous Mrs. Claus, misfit elf Holly Hopewell is sent to work in the worst place imaginable: The North Pole Emporium Department Store in Mistletoe, Oregon.<br /><br />The elves call it Mistletoe Row: a place so devoid of joy and Christmas spirit, that many a curly-toed folk has lost their poor mind working there.<br /><br />But just when Holly thinks things can’t get any worse, the store’s manager, who also happens to be Mrs. Claus’s nephew, is found murdered in his office. And good-natured Holly Hopewell finds herself as the prime suspect in the local police’s investigation.<br /><br />Will Holly be sent to a row of a different sort for a crime she didn’t commit? Or will the handsome yet mysterious homicide detective assigned to the investigation find the real murderer before the gumdrops hit the fan for Holly Hopewell?<br /><br />The legend of the North Pole gets a spicy and humorous revamp in this lighthearted, humorous cozy mystery. </i></div>
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Thanks so much for your support, readers! And if you do end up enjoying the book, I would be so grateful if you would take the time to write a review for it on Amazon. </div>
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Happy Holidays and Happy Reading! </div>
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MM</div>
MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922031517956032844.post-80072220541938503952016-12-14T19:32:00.001-08:002016-12-14T19:32:11.062-08:00The Silence of the Elves Coming Soon!Dear Readers,<br />
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I hope the most wonderful time of the year has been treating you well so far! I just wanted to let you know that my latest book, <b><i>The Silence of the Elves: A Holly Hopewell Cozy Mystery</i> (Book 1)</b> will be out on Amazon this weekend. The idea for this book has been rolling around in my head for the past two years, so I'm so excited that it's finally been written and that I'll be able to share it with you so soon. In the meantime, here's the description and cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAn2zmKLR8CnummRfR3fHDNjDZomrQKT5PYJItAIyNYz2ii6jrQQyFaNTyTd8AJNS20X128yJn_uioCErhfjaizVSttUueyXwAtXzBVqHghamf3jMDGiYbaQ8tsMe9b7ghn2O_rP9EQM/s1600/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAn2zmKLR8CnummRfR3fHDNjDZomrQKT5PYJItAIyNYz2ii6jrQQyFaNTyTd8AJNS20X128yJn_uioCErhfjaizVSttUueyXwAtXzBVqHghamf3jMDGiYbaQ8tsMe9b7ghn2O_rP9EQM/s400/The+Silence+of+the+Elves+FINAL+COVER.jpg" width="263" /></a><br />
<i>If there’s one thing that every elf in the North Pole knows, it’s this: </i><br /><i>Never get on Mrs. Claus’s bad side. </i><br /><i>Never. Ever. </i><br />Ever.<i>..</i><div>
<i><br />After getting reassigned from the North Pole by a jealous Mrs. Claus, misfit elf Holly Hopewell is sent to work in the worst place imaginable: The North Pole Emporium Department Store in Mistletoe, Oregon.<br /><br />The elves call it Mistletoe Row: a place so devoid of joy and Christmas spirit, that many a curly-toed folk has lost their poor mind working there.<br /><br />But just when Holly thinks things can’t get any worse, the store’s manager, who also happens to be Mrs. Claus’s nephew, is found murdered in his office. And good-natured Holly Hopewell finds herself as the prime suspect in the local police’s investigation.<br /><br />Will Holly be sent to a row of a different sort for a crime she didn’t commit? Or will the handsome yet mysterious homicide detective assigned to the investigation find the real murderer before the gumdrops hit the fan for Holly Hopewell?<br /><br />The legend of the North Pole gets a spicy and humorous revamp in this lighthearted, humorous cozy mystery. </i><br />
<br />
Coming soon!<br />
<br />
MM<br />
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MegMuldoonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719099915679629018noreply@blogger.com3