BLUE JEANS AND COFFEE BEANS by Joanne DeMaio

When I was invited to participate in Joanne DeMaio's book tour for her latest release Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, I jumped at the chance. Given the following description, how could I resist?

What do a denim designer, a cherished New England beach and a dusty reel of an old home movie have in common?  All get the story brewing in Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans.  Returning again to the sandy shores of Long Island Sound, the story follows a group of beach friends reuniting after a decade apart.  But can these friends ever be who they were to each other all those summers ago?  Now one of this circle is dead; another unemployed and struggling in a tenuous marriage; another regretting a fateful decision; while one is missing a mother, ever seeking a connection she longs for.  

To the backdrop of shingled cottages and a boarded-up beach hangout, to the soundtrack of whispering lagoon grasses and a vintage jukebox, Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans asks if we can really design our own lives or if our fate lies somewhere in the stars.

This book did not disappoint. When Chicago designer Maris Carrington returns to her childhood home on the coast of Connecticut to settle her father's estate, she reconnects with old friends, sharing old memories and making new ones. Then she discovers a shattering family secret; her search for answers keeps her at the from returning home as planned. As time goes by, she finds herself questioning everything about the life and relationship waiting for her; her old friendships deepen and she begins to succumb to the allure of the beach, finding inspiration for her denim clothing line in the sand, water and air. But when her Chicago boyfriend proposes marriage and she receives her dream job offer in New York City, she is forced to make a decision that will affect the course of the rest of her life, as well as the lives of those around her.

With its great cast of characters with stories of their own, beautiful beach setting, and masterful weaving of plot and subplots, Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans will keep you turning pages until the very end and wishing for more. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE from the author's publicist in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

It was the best of times...

Today I'm blogging over at Petit Fours and Hot Tamales about my recent experiences with the Redeemer Piano Ensemble of Atlanta, Georgia, culminating in our spring concert yesterday. Click HERE to find out more!

Snickerdoodle Muffins

As everyone knows, I have long been a fan of snickerdoodles. So when this variation started making the rounds on Facebook, I couldn't resist. Last night, after piano ensemble rehearsal, I came home and whipped up a batch snickerdoodle muffins.

You MUST try this recipe. I promise you won't be sorry.

SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time; mix well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.

3. Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the butter-egg mixture. Mix well.

4. Using a scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely, Place muffin into muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-22 minutes or until done.

I finally did it

KG-2

This afternoon I bought myself a grand piano.

It was love at first sight and then some. Not just a pretty face, this beautiful instrument has heart and soul. It will be pure joy to realize its depths.

It's shiny but it's not brand new. And I had to take out a loan to pay for it.

But I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that I made the right decision. As a matter of fact, I have been asking myself why I didn't take the plunge sooner.

Stupid fear.

Delivery is scheduled for next Thursday.

Life will never be the same.

Baby Bonsai

My firstborn and his girlfriend gave me a Miniature Indoor Bonsai Tree Garden kit for Christmas. I followed the instructions carefully, soaking the pre-planted tub of seeds, then placing the tub in the refrigerator, imitating winter. After several weeks, I removed the tub from the refrigerator and waited for the seeds to sprout. Just when I was about to give up, I discovered a lone seedling. Now my tiny tree is about two inches tall. 

I love it dearly. It will be two years before my baby bonsai is tall enough and sturdy enough to plant outdoors. It appears that growing a bonsai tree is yet another lesson in patience. My journey has begun.

Words in, words out

Reading is the inhale, writing is the exhale.
~ Justine Musk

At the beginning of 2013, I resolved to read fifty books over the course of the year. I have only finished twelve so far so I'm a bit behind schedule. But I still believe I can make my goal, especially considering I usually have three or four books going at any given time. Currently, I am wading through five.

The Meryl Streep Book Club by Mia March (fiction)
Grand Obsession by Perri Knize (nonfiction/memoir)
The Prosperous Heart by Julia Cameron (nonfiction/self-help)
Hooked by Les Edgerton (nonfiction/writing craft)
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (fiction/Kindle)

It is nice to think that all this reading will make me a stronger writer. But the books themselves are reward enough. What are you reading right now?

Circle of Life

I've been obsessed with copper lately.

Red Jasper and Copper Earrings

Crazy Cluster Seed Bead Copper Chain Mail Earrings

Swarovksi Pearl and Crystal Copper Criss Cross Bracelet

Czech Glass and Copper Earrings

Check out these pieces and many more at my online store, The Wishing Box at Etsy. Sell jewelry>buy supplies>make more jewelry>sell jewelry. It's the circle of my beading life.