NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, December 12, 2011

The stories behind the decorations

IT'S MISTLETOE MONDAY -  The Not Your Usual Suspects authors share their personal Holiday season decorations and delights with you.

Tell us about your favourite decorations and traditions at this time of year - we'd love to hear them!



We love to decorate! Here are some of the beautiful displays on view by our authors:


Shirley says: I love tinsels and baubles, the tree and my scarf-wearing reindeer, but my favourite Christmas decoration is snow. I'm like a kid when the first flake appears and our traditional Boxing Day walk and/or football match isn't the same without the lovely white stuff.


Shirley Wells
Dark Crimes, Deep Secrets, Powerful Stories...
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Shelley says: During the run-up to Christmas, I like to make small gifts rather than buy them. Not only is it satisfying, but it’s cost effective too. I enjoy cooking and I have several recipes that make perfect gifts, but I only make them at Christmas. Why? Confession time…
I have a terrible sweet tooth. I blame my father. He's always liked anything sweet ranging from dessert to cakes and sweets. It would be much easier if I hadn't inherited this gene, but I try to control myself as much as possible.
My father is a farmer. He has worked hard all his life and has never suffered a weight problem. My sister thinks, and I agree, a little indulgence of his sweet tooth isn’t bad. After all, he can't hurt his teeth since he has false ones. :grin:
He has a lolly jar that my sister fills periodically. There used to be a running joke. My sister would fill the jar and before she knew it, the lolly jar would be empty again. My father always denied everything and said that Joe ate them. (Joe was my sister's big foot cat. He was a real character but he died earlier this year) This is how the conversation would go:
"My lolly jar is empty."
"But I filled it a few days ago," my sister would say.
"Joe has been in the lolly jar again," my father would say. "I told him off but he keeps eating the lollies when I’m not looking."
After Joe died, my father forgot for a minute. He started the lolly jar is empty and Joe ate them spiel.
"Ah-ha!" said my sister. "You can't blame Joe. He isn't here."
My father is still trying to come up with a good excuse.

Shelley Munro
Provocative, Adventurous, Romance.

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Elise says: here's my toy poodle Jackie Warner Bernard at her first Christmas Party, complete with special decorations!





Elise Warner
Scene Stealer




                              


Update on the BOOK GIVEAWAY:
Follow this on each post during Dec as the books mount up. Comment on any post to to be entered in the draw. Final prize giveaway on Jan 2!

FIVE BOOKS TO DATE!






Blinded by Our Eyes by Clare London
Dead Silent - Shirley Wells
Sea of Suspicion - Toni Anderson
Under Fire - Rita Henuber
The Shoeless Kid - Marcelle Dube

13 comments:

Marcelle Dubé said...

Hey, we had a cat like that, too! Only his name was Percy and he used to eat all the cookies...

Anne said...

I so agree with Shirley. When I wake up on Christmas Day and there's snow, especially fresh snow, it looks so beautiful. It just says Christmas to me. After that it's a pain in the a$$.

Rita said...

I grew up in Florida and snow was never part of the Christmas equation. The years we lived in the Midwest I think we had a white Christmas may be four times. But it always manage to get snowy and icy for new years.

JB Lynn said...

LOL, love the lolly jar story, Shelley!

Toni Anderson said...

Shirley--you can always visit for a snow fix!
Shelley--that's funny. Oh my goodness do my kids have a sweet tooth.
Elise--what a gorgeous pooch! Jackie is adorable. Today is the year anniversary of getting our pooch from the pound so celebrations all around.

Unknown said...

Yay, happy anniversary, Toni. Is it really a year since you got the pooch? Oh, and thanks - I'm on my way!

Great story, Shelley. :)

Elise, what a beautiful picture.

Elise Warner said...

Shelley, I'm surprised your dad didn't give you another hungry cat.
Jackie ate my baked beans and rice pudding when I went to answer phone calls. Good taste.

Jane said...

My favorite decorations are the wooden ones I saved from childhood. I wish I hadn't thrown some of them away during some spring cleanings.

Stevie Carroll said...

I saw some wonderful snow scenes for sale this year. If I can think where to set it up, I'm going to buy one for next year.

Maureen A. Miller said...

I think my football team needs snow, Shirley. :)

Shelley, you can indulge my sweet tooth anytime!

Karen C said...

My favorite decorations are the ornaments I've collected from the places we've visited over the years. Second would be the collection of nutcrackers, including the 3' tall guy my daughter gave me.

Fedora said...

LOL! Shelley, what a funny story! And I have a dangerously bad sweet tooth as well--I do have to make sweets only when I can give them away! Otherwise I eat them all!

Shelley Munro said...

A sweet tooth is a trial to be sure!

Elise, my sister has a kitten called Dennis (after Dennis the Menace) He's always in the middle of mischief and will no doubt take Joe's position!

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