Month: December 2011
Friday Cocktail
Ringing in the New Year with a toast? Try celebrating with a Kir Royal or Kir Impérial. Simple and elegant, the Kir family of cocktails are easy to make and perfect for celebrations. Popular in France, the Kir originated in the Bourgogne region after World War II as an aperitif made with crème de cassis. The mayor of… Read More ›
TV Tropes
It may have covered television tropes initially, but it’s long since expanded to cover other mediums: literature, comics, video games, film, theater, and more. TV Tropes is the newest addition to the Links section of this site. “A catalog of the tricks of the trade for writing fiction,” TV Tropes contains thousands of entries on “devices and… Read More ›
Coming in 2012
Another year draws to a close, and I find myself looking ahead to 2012. What will the new year bring? Well, hopefully the conclusion of my ongoing seralized eStory, The Poisoned Martini. Perhaps other eStories as well. I also plan to post prologues for other novels in my Mysteries of Syracuse series and reveal more about… Read More ›
Character vs. Plot II
I’m outnumbered! The Poisoned Martini‘s first poll asked the question: which do you prefer…character-driven or plot-driven mysteries? The results were 70% vs. 30%. Yours truly prefers puzzle plots to solve in mysteries, but the majority of respondents want character-driven stories. I previously discussed this topic here. A quick recap: my experience has been that recent mysteries—while… Read More ›
Friday Cocktail
Toast the end of the week with a Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail! Considering the recent reviews here on The Poisoned Martini, is it any surprise that this would be this week’s drink of choice? Perfect for the holiday season, this cocktail–another recent addition to the pantheon of mixed drinks–has a variety of differing recipes. Several call for cooking… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder III
On a more serious note, Leslie Meier’s “Gingerbread Cookies and Gunshots” rounds out the trilogy of novellas offered in Gingerbread Cookie Murder. “It was Christmas…again.” That’s how this Lucy Stone mystery begins. A much more somber tone than the two previous entries. The last in my “A Taste of Murder” discussion series, Gingerbread Cookie Murder features… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder II
“Christmas with my parents is always a mixed bag.” Oh, dear. With an opening line like this, where are we headed? Moving to a retirement community doesn’t necessarily benefit one’s health, at least for one individual in Laura Levine’s novella, “The Dangers of Gingerbread Cookies.” Fans of Janet Evanovich might very well enjoy this taste of… Read More ›
Gingerbread Cookie Murder I
Ever had to put up with a neighbor’s noise pollution? That’s what Hannah Swensen is faced with early on in “Gingerbread Cookie Murder.” The last in my “A Taste of Murder” discussion series, Gingerbread Cookie Murder features the talents of three authors: Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meier each of whom contribute a novella-length mystery to… Read More ›
Friday Cocktail
Liven up your holidays with a Candy Cane Cocktail. As far as cocktails go, this one is a relative newcomer. And as I’ve found with more recent creations, there are a variety of ways to make it. In fact, searching the name of this cocktail will net innumerable recipes and variations. So what’s one more?… Read More ›
D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths
In Olden Times, when men still worshipped ugly idols, there lived in the land of Greeve a folk of shepherds and herdsmen who cherished light and beauty. They did not worship dark idols like their neighbors, but created instead their own beautiful, radiant gods.” So began one of my most treasured books from childhood. D’Aulaires’… Read More ›
The Poisoned Martini 