Binge Watching/Reading - My Favorite Vice

With the advent of streaming services like Netflix, Prime, HBO, Showtime, AppleTV+, to name a few, many of us have indulged in the guilty pleasure of watching entire series of TV shows in only a few sittings. Maybe even one sitting since shows often only offer 8-10 episodes per season. We find ourselves so entranced that we have to watch just one more episode, then another, and then another, until before we know it, it’s five o’clock in the morning and time to get ready for work. 

My first binge watch was in the early 2000s, way before streaming services, when all I had was a TV antenna that barely worked and a DVD player. Someone gave me the Sex and the City box set on DVD as a gift and I could not stop watching. 

My cat could easily spend days watching Movies for Cats on Amazon Prime.

I recently saw an article about a streaming service that is offering $2400 for someone who will watch 24 hours of true-crime, and document the whole thing on social media.

Get Paid $2400 to Spend the Day Watching True Crime Shows 

This sounds right up my alley! What could be better than watching true crime mysteries for an entire day? Drilling down further, it looks like they will only be offering this to one person and will let that individual watch the 24 hours of true crime shows within a 48-hour time period. How merciful of them! I don’t think I will apply since I have a 9-5 day job that might interfere, and my social media presence would not make the cut!

Of course, binging can also apply to reading. Even before the pandemic, when I had a much more active social life, one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday and/or Sunday was to stay home and read a book/books for hours on end, staying up into the wee hours of the night (although as I get older, I find that I fall asleep against my will as I struggle to keep my eyes open to read just one more page). 

I try to space out book series that I love so as not to finish them too soon and have to say goodbye to beloved characters to whom I have grown attached. But it’s hard not to read one book after another in a series that you love. My favorite books are mysteries - I am drawn to cozies, police procedurals, and English detective novels, although I can easily get sucked into a good true crime book. During the pandemic I have been binging Agatha Christie and have made my way through most of her series and stand-alones. 

Do you binge watch or read? If so, what series of shows or books do you like best? Could you watch 24 hours of true crime in 48 hours?

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.

Ebook or Printed Book - Which Works Best for You?

I just finished a great ebook I borrowed from my local library. I was excited about what I might read next, but when I went to my virtual library shelf, I had no books checked out, only “holds” that won’t be ready for several weeks. What to do, what to do … I could easily do some searching and find something electronic from my local library, or I could look through the hundreds of ebooks I have purchased over the years online. Or, dare I select a printed book from one of the dozens on the bookshelves surrounding me? I decided to go for it and chose a book by one of my favorite authors I had bought in hard copy at some point, and that I can’t get in electronic form from my library. So why the hesitancy and odd feeling of dread?

My name is Angela Crider Neary and I’m an ebook junkie! It snuck up on me gradually during 2020 when it was much easier to get a book electronically from the library or purchase one online rather than go to the actual library or a book store. I started out by reading two books at once—one ebook and one hard copy. But eventually, I found myself gravitating toward the ebooks. Here’s why:

• Instant gratification! You can order an ebook online or request one from the library and boom, it immediately appears on your electronic device.
• For books that aren’t immediately available from the library, you can place them on hold. It’s like Christmas morning when you receive a “Hold Ready” notification from the library! (Although this can also be frustrating when all your holds come in at the same time even though you strategically scheduled them to come in one after the other. But you can always reschedule them!)
• You can increase the font on an e-reader so that reading is easy on aging eyes. I make it really, REALLY big. (This may be the “biggest” reason I prefer ebooks.)
• Ebooks are easier to read any place or any time since most of us have our phones with us everywhere we go. Like when you’re in a long line, on the bus/train/ferry, or in the doctor’s office waiting room. I have insomnia and enjoy being able to reach over to my night table, grab my phone, and access an ebook without turning on any lights, or even moving much for that matter, so I don’t wake up my husband or cat.  
• You can press down on a word in an ebook and get a quick definition or translation. 
• You can search for words or phrases in an ebook. For example, if you forgot what happened when a character was initially introduced, you can search for the character’s name and return to that portion of the book.
• Ebooks cut down on the physical clutter. Although I love having oodles of books around the house, I may have a bit of a hoarding problem. It’s much better for me, at this stage in my life, not to accumulate more “stuff.” 

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against printed books. I have boxes and boxes and shelves and shelves of paperbacks and hard covers. I enjoy gazing at them and feel comforted by their presence. There’s nothing like the smell of an old book. I won’t give up on them completely, but if there’s a choice between an ebook and a physical book, I’ll probably take the ebook.

What about you? Do you prefer ebooks or printed books? What makes you like one or the other better? 

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.

Getting into the Holiday Spirit

I’m not sure what it is - the pandemic, the lack of family and friends gathering together - but this year, I’m having trouble getting into the holiday spirit.  Even last year, the first year I celebrated both Thanksgiving and Christmas with only my husband and cat, was a bit novel and cozy - we hunkered down, cooked by ourselves, and enjoyed the peaceful solitude of our home.  This year, however, the edges are tearing and the center cracking.  I’m not sure how much more alone time we can take!  (As further explanation, we are in the minority (at least it seems like it) of still staying home, masking, social distancing, and avoiding inside social activities, notwithstanding the promise of the vaccination.)  So, what to do to jump-start that special holiday feeling?

My husband knew we needed a holiday spirit injection, so planned a trip to nearby San Francisco, a place that usually puts on a dazzling holiday display.  But this was not an easy task considering our current restrictions.  Used to riding in enclosed buses and taxis, I wondered how we would get around.  Of course there was the old tried-and-true walking (I got 20,000 + steps daily!) and the open-air cable car.  

(Pre-pandemic photo)

We dined outdoors despite the 50ish degree weather.  There were plenty of outdoor gas heat lamps for warmth.

And stopped to pose in front of our favorite holiday displays.

This weekend trip got the ball rolling and when we returned home, it was time to decorate the house.  We got a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, a record for us, but I stalled on decorating it.  I needed some sort of holiday motivation, and music is always an important part of that.  

I highly recommend the Los Straight Jackets Holiday Pandora station - includes mostly surf rock, Elvis, Stray Cats, BB King holiday songs, and the like.  This year, I stumbled upon the WWOZ New Orleans annual Frightening Holiday Music Extravaganza radio show.  I can’t explain much about it, other than to say it was a truly unique mix of holiday music, and I hope I’m able to tune in yearly from now on.  It, coupled with my favorite holiday cocktail, a Peppermint Martini (2.5 oz. vanilla vodka and 1 oz. peppermint schnapps):

provided the impetus to finally finish decorating the tree.

Once that was done, an Amaretto Sparkler (small amount of Amaretto liqueur topped with sparkling wine) inspired the rest of the decorations around the house.

Along with those drinks, who doesn’t need a savory snack?  My mother used to make cheese-and-sausage balls for breakfast on Christmas morning.  I’ve kept up the tradition by making them ahead of time and enjoying them during the weeks before Christmas.  Easy and delicious.

Next up for that cozy holiday feel, I love to immerse myself in holiday books, movies, and TV shows.  Elf and Bad Santa are a yearly tradition for movies, and any holiday baking show will warm my cockles.  

Many authors have holiday books and short stories to help make spirits bright.

Like Livia Washburn's Naughty or Mice

What are your favorite holiday traditions?  What recipes, movies, and books do you like?  Are you an author with a holiday story to tell us about?

Happy holidays to you all!

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.

Back in the Saddle

 

I missed my October post because my husband and I were on a road trip. I took my laptop with me but never took it out of the case, LOL. This was our first long trip with our travel trailer. We left home on September 7th and returned on October 4th having been on the road for 28 days, 12 states, and 4,856 miles. We learned a lot, including the fact that we can spend a month in close proximity and not get on each other's nerves - much.😂 We also came home with a minor list of repairs to make to the camper, most of which my awesome hubby has already completed. 

Including our home state we visited Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. We also visited two national parks/monuments: Acadia National Park in Maine and the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania. However, since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'm going to let my photos do most of the talking and share some of my favorites with you beginning with photos from West Quoddy Head, the easternmost point in the continental United States, which is located near the tiny town of Lubeck, Maine.

The lighthouse at West Quoddy Head

  

 

 

 

Sunrise at the easternmost point in the US

The coolest thing about this picture of the sunrise is that The Weather Channel saw it on my Twitter feed and contacted me requesting permission to use it on the air! Mind. Blown.

I fell in love with the rocky coast of Maine.

The coast at West Quoddy Head

A sunny day at Cutler Preserve

The sunset at our campground (conveniently named Sunset Point RV Park) was nothing to sneeze at.

Sunset at the campground

We suck at selfies but we keep trying, LOL.

We may not be good at selfies but we have fun!

I'll be back with more photos next month. Until then, happy reading!

 

Sign up for my newsletter here:  http://madmimi.com/signups/112968/join 

Amazon Author Page:  http://amazon.com/author/isabellanorse

Website:  http://www.isabellanorse.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaNorseAuthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/isabellanorse/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabellanorseauthor/

FAN MAIL, by Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer

A few days ago, I received a fan letter. I don’t get a lot of them, so I’m always excited when a reader takes the time to send me a note. I was eager to check it out when it arrived in my inbox, but in no way was I prepared for the words I read. 

As an author of cozy mysteries, I keep my stories light. I love the gentle genre that promises a few hours respite from the real world. But I also try to add a note of sincerity, of grace, and maybe a bit of optimism as well. Yes, like many of us, I want to save the world. 

I usually have no idea if any of these subtleties come through to my readers. Then this letter came: 

 

Dear Ms. Hunt,

 

I am in the middle of The Ghost Cat of Ocean Cove, and it’s such a perfect book for me I don’t want it to end. Camellia’s dream is my dream too, leaving the big city and moving to a cottage on the coast with my cats, so I am reading very slowly, especially since it’s the first book of the series! I can’t wait for the next one. 

 

The world feels like such a mess right now. Getting lost in a mystery with a cast like a Miss Marple Mystery, and a ghost cat (!!) helps me cope. You remind me that it might someday be possible to take a different path in life. 

 

Reading your book feels like sitting by the fireplace with my furry ones when it’s pouring rain outside, (my favorite thing to do) even while riding a city bus in Seattle. That’s quite an accomplishment!

 

Thank you for the comfort and joy you have given to me through your writing. It really is a blessing.

 

Jennifer

 

After I stopped smiling and crying, I wrote back to Jennifer, whom I’ve never met. I told her how much her letter meant to me. And do you know how she responded? She sent me pictures of her cats!

 

Have you ever received a fan letter that’s stopped you in your tracks? I hope so, because this one made my day year!

   

You can find Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer on her blogsite: https://molliehuntcatwriter.com/ 

Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/MollieHuntCatWriter/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/molliehuntcatwriter/

Twitter: @MollieHuntCats

Sign up for Mollie’s Extremely Informal Newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/c0fOTn

Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year again when Summer and Fall straddle the fence.  Some days are in the sweltering 90’s, only to switch to the comfortable 60’s or 70’s within 24 hours (at least out here in northern CA where I’m lucky to be living).  I’m never ready for the transition—change is hard for me—so I’m happy for the gradual adjustment.  Since time flies when you’re having fun, especially as you get older, we decided we should unpack the Halloween decorations this past weekend.  I found some old Halloween costumes that I might need to revive.

Me as Madonna and my friend, Ben, as Prince circa 2000 (??).

Once we get all the pumpkins bought and decorations in place, we might even have a small party this year in the back yard.  Last year was a bust due to the pandemic, although we were able to pass out candy in bags in the front yard.

This year, I might even bring back the wine and candy pairing—a popular activity for Halloween in wine country.  Last year, we went to a formal tasting with candy pairing at a winery.  

Although it was nice to have it done for us, I enjoy doing my own.  Here are a few favorites:

A combination of two of my favorites, although I understand candy corns are a polarizing treat in the Halloween world.  

Or for something a little more substantial—peanut butter and buttery Chardonnay.

And now for something red and fruity.

What’s your favorite wine and candy pairing?  Favorite Halloween candy?  Favorite Fall tradition?

 

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.