Interview with the Author Patricia Rockwell, "Sounds Of Murder"

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Patricia Rockwell, author of the cozy mystery, "Sounds Of Murder".
1. Patricia, tell me about your cozy mystery "Sounds of Murder".
Hi, Lola. My book is the first in what I hope will become a series of mysteries based on the exploits of my main character. Pamela Barnes is a Psychology professor at a small regional university in the south. Her specialty is the study of sound and she is an expert in the use of acoustic technologies. When one of her colleagues is found murdered in the department’s computer lab, Pamela attempts to find the killer by analyzing a recording of the sounds made during the actual murder.

2. That sounds different from most murder mysteries.

I hope it is. My own background involves acoustic research so I am very familiar with the technology that Pamela uses to solve the crime. Of course, I never solved any murders like Pamela does.

3. Is there anything about your book that might be of particular interest to readers of Lola’s Diner?

Pamela’s husband in the book--Rocky--is a retired Army cook and self-appointed gourmet chef. Much to Pamela’s joy, he spends a great deal of his time trying out new recipes on her. And, of course, she’s too busy solving crimes to do much cooking herself. I’ve even included a number of Rocky’s recipes at the end of the book and several readers have noted that they like this addition. I’m guessing that your “diners” might like Rocky’s recipes too.

4. You say this is a “cozy” mystery. Just what makes this book so “cozy”?

Actually, the term “cozy mystery” refers to the mystery genre of the book. The cozy mystery probably reaches back to some of the works of Agatha Christie, particularly those involving her character Miss Marple. In a cozy, the emphasis is on an amateur sleuth who figures out a crime using intuition, determination, and cleverness. There is very little graphic violence in cozies. Most of the murders, for example, occur “offstage.” Sounds of Murder is much like this. We don’t see the murder take place; Pamela discovers the body after the fact. That’s just one element. Cozies also focus more on the characters and their relationships than in regular adventure/thriller type mysteries. Cozies often have a lot of humor too.

5. It sounds like a fun book to read. How can my followers get a copy?

I think almost anyone would enjoy reading it--but, of course, I’m prejudiced. Print copies are available from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com. Electronic versions are available from Amazon.com’s Kindle store and from Smashwords.com.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Random Tuesday Thoughts

My son started school last week Thursday. I thought my daughter started school tomorrow. That's what she kept telling me since summer school ended. So how did I find out that it started today? I got rudely awoken by the bus horn at 7:45am. Not only was it rude, it was puzzling because I had called the bus company to find out her pick up time yesterday and they said it was 6:40am! So the bus was an hour and 5 minutes late. Needless to say my daughter missed the bus and we were running around like 2 crazies trying to get ready and get out the door. I had to drive her to school and because we thought she didn't start until tomorrow, she has a therapist appointment scheduled for today and she won't make it unless I pick her up. So I texted my fabulous girlfriend and explained the situation and she said I could hang at her house (which is real close to my daughter's school) until school lets out, saving me the time and expense of driving home and then driving back again. My girlfriend rocks!

So the rest of my day today will be spent on the phone trying to get her pick up and drop off times more reasonable. You can't expect a child with my daughter's issues to get up and get ready for school for a 6:40am pick up, and 2 and a half hours on the bus. That's just not reasonable.

So my son started last Thursday, right? And he was home all weekend. Sunday night at 7:30pm he tells me he needs a bunch of school supplies, including a flash drive. He had all weekend to tell me, but waits until 7:30pm when I'm exhausted and really, not much is open. So I decide to wait until Monday for this emergency back to school shopping expedition. So my daughter and I go to the new Meijer in Orland Park, all excited because it's my favorite store to shop at and we usually have to drive at least 45 minutes to get to the closest one. Well this one sux. It's very small, no full clothing departments and the flash drives were ridiculously expensive. Call Ripley's because this is the first time ever that I have left a Mejier without buying anything. I seriously doubt I will be going back to that location. So we headed to Targhay, which is close to our house. The school supply section had practically nothing left. Still managed to get a few things and got a flash drive for a more reasonable price.

I am doing the happy dance that they are both in school today, but I'm a little cranky because the bus horn woke me up. Lol!

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010

Book Review - The Homesteader's Kitchen Recipes From Farm To Table, By Robin Burnside

I recently received a copy of The Homesteader's Kitchen Recipes From Farm To Table, By Robin Burnside.
The Contents are:

Acknowledgments
Introduction
How To Get Started
Basic Kitchen Equipment
Stocking The Larder
Beverages
Morning Meals
Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
Salads and Salad Dressings
Vegetarian Entrees
Fish, Poultry and Meat Entrees
Embellishments
Breads
Desserts

The book is loaded with color photographs, though some of them are not of the finished recipe. Many of the more than 100 recipes are one's from the author's restaurants. The recipes are back to basics, wholesome ingredients, from scratch cooking.

Apple-Raspberry Crisp
Serves 6-8
Topping:
1/2 C Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 C Rolled Oats
1 Tbs Cinnamon, optional

8 C Sliced firm Apples (8-10 whole apples or 2-3 pounds)
1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbs Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or Tapioca Powder
4 C Fresh Raspberries

Place the Butter, Brown Sugar, and Flour in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the Oats and Cinnamon, if using, and pulse again. Set aside until ready to use. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the Apples with the Lemon Juice. Sprinkle in the Flour, add the Raspberries, and gently toss. Place the fruit in an 8x12 inch ovenproof glass pan or ceramic baking dish and evenly distribute the crumb topping to cover the top. Put your hand on the side of the dish as you sprinkle and gently press the topping around to the edges to hold in place. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is nicely browned.

About the Author:

"Robin Burnside was the co-owner/chef of Carmel Cafe in Carmel, California, and Cafe Amphora at Nepenthe in Big Sur, California. She is also one of the inspiring chefs behind the creative meals offered at Esalen Institute and has been a professional food service consultant, private chef and caterer for many special events throughout her 40-year culinary career. Robin lives on the Big Sur Coast, where she and her family have been homesteading and practicing a sustainable lifestyle for 17 years."

The Homesteader's Kitchen Recipes From Farm To Table is currently available at Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and your local bookstore.

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given this book to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Lola's Diner ©2008-2010