Lisa here, literally just off the train from the annual Malice Domestic conference in Bethesda. I’m a little bleary-eyed and haven’t had a chance to process the whole amazing weekend yet, or organize any halfway coherent thoughts, but here are a few annotated photos (with, um, important disclaimers)… Continue reading Dateline: Malice Domestic 2024
Tastes are subjective, they say (whoever they are). What movies and books have the Chicks loved that the critics hated? Read on for our picks:
Continue reading “Chick Chat: Movies/Books We (at least) Loved”
By now, most of us bibliophiles are well aware of Marie Kondo’s admonition that we ought to declutter our homes by purging them of excessive “stuff,” books included. Her notion is that you should pick up each item in your home, hold it to your breast, and if it doesn’t “spark joy,” then you should toss it. But as my wife Robin (who would be … Continue reading Books Spark My Joy
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” —Anna Quindlen
Reading is the best, even if it’s just the back of a cereal box! Today, we talk about what we’re currently reading and enjoying.
I almost cried when I heard my local library was reopening. Not curbside service but actual in-person browsing. Why? Because I’m a bonafide book nerd. I didn’t realize there was a term for this before, but it explains a lot of things. Reasons I know I’m a book nerd? Needing to finish another page, even in the dimmest of light Mispronouncing words because I originally … Continue reading Book Nerd
Dear Authors, While I appreciate you putting mouth-watering food descriptions in your books, I also charge you with making me hungry. Your excellent sensory prose has led to the revival of my sweet tooth, much snacking, and procrasti-baking. My evidence? Exhibit A: Pecan Pralines. I made these after reading Ellen’s Fatal Cajun Festival. Exhibit B: Cinnamon Rolls. These pastries aren’t even typically served at the … Continue reading Your Book is Making Me Hungry
Okay, this is definitely a book lover’s dilemma. My TBR pile keeps growing perilously taller. Death by falling books is just waiting to happen. Having a (literal?) ton of books means that I keep upgrading to bigger bookcases. Unfortunately, during this timespan, my home has not expanded. I also house books in this ornate wooden trunk my mom gave to me. Side note: She used … Continue reading What Should I Do with All These Books?
If you are what you read, then I’d be a mishmash of different personalities: mysterious, quirky, lovestruck, creepy, and even superheroic. I’ve always enjoyed escaping into books, and I’ve done that even more during these pandemic times. My go-to genres are young adult (mainly dystopian), buzzy books on the New York Times bestseller list, and mysteries of all flavors. I like chasing down a good … Continue reading Changing my Reading Habits
A couple of years ago, I was in a doctor’s office waiting room doing what I usually do: reading the true crime section of People, perusing Us Weekly to see if stars really are just like me, and considering what height I should claim to be. I was taking a reading pit-stop, thumbing through a piece about the royal family, when I heard the nurse … Continue reading Where the Armenians Are
Kathleen here, and I’m so pleased and honored to welcome Gabriel Valjan today. Gabriel is not only a wonderful, Agatha (and other!) award-nominated author, but also one of the biggest champions of the writing and reading community, continually promoting, encouraging, and cheering on his crime fiction brethren. But enough fan-girling from me. Let’s get into what Gabriel has to say about comedy and crime. Crimes … Continue reading Comedy is Crime Plus A Cat
Kathleen here, and I’m SO thrilled to welcome the talented, award-nominated and all-around amazing author of the Maeve Malloy Mystery series, Keenan Powell. Take it away, Keenan! Day Trip to Seward: Trains and Whales Before I started writing Hell and High Water, I had a clear picture of the first scene. Maeve’s fed up with law, so she decides to take a summer job in … Continue reading Guest Chick: Keenan Powell
The Chicks are thrilled to announce the birth of Vickie Fee’s fabulous new book, My Fair Latte! The delightful page turner is the first in her Cafe Cinema Series and we know you’ll love it. AND join Vickie and all us Chicks tonight as we celebrate the launch with a Facebook party from 7-8 p.m. CST!! Click here to buy My Fair Latte! To … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday, Vickie!!
Chicks on the Case 