8.7.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, Guys!
 

Amy here. How was your week? Mine was a wee bit crazy, but you know what I discovered? There are such things as cookie delivery services. 

Let that sink in.

If you're running short on time or don't have all the ingredients in your pantry, yet want to show the love to someone you care about, you can order straight-from-the-oven cookies to be delivered to that someone. As someone who was a recipient of said cookies (I'm looking at you, Jake's Bakes in Nashville), they're a small little something that made my day. 

Just a thought the next time you want to feed your friend's soul with warm, gooey goodness.

Anyway!

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

For something a little different to beat the heat, I'm eying this sweet ginger lemonade. Sounds intriguing, no?

Wanna increase your productivity? Try the Pomodoro Technique.

Can you teach your brain to ignore things? 🤔

This week, Netflix accidentally placed the closed captioning of an Aziz Ansari comedy special on a National Geographic animal documentary, and the results were absolutely perfect.

And closer to home:

Do you like Romantic Suspense? Then you're going to LOVE this giveaway! Spoiler alert: a Kindle Fire is up for grabs!

And happy release week to our friend, the brilliant Catherine Coulter! Catherine's new Savich & Sherlock novel, INSIDIOUS, hits shelves this week, and she's celebrating with this contest.

FYI, Denver peeps: JT's going to be signing books at Tattered Cover–Aspen Grove this Thursday night at 7. Go! Have fun! Get all the books!

And in the newly released August News, we shared this recipe for super-easy Cajun Roasted Chicken (this is perfect for those busy school nights coming up). Wanna get awesome recipes like this in your inbox every month? Sign up for JT's email list. There's a free ebook for you, too!

That's it from me, friends. Give someone some cookies, stay cool, and I'll talk to you soon!

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy

7.31.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, guys!

Amy here. How was your week? I can't believe we're already at the end of July. The. end. of. July. You know what this means? Christmas decorations are going to start crawling into the corners of craft stores, and as soon as Back-to-School is underway, then it'll be a full Holiday Décor onslaught. 

Madness. 

By the way, our local schools are starting this week. 

I know. I know. Let that sink in.

Anyway.

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Full disclosure: I'm on a Rambo-charged organizing kick. I'm not sure why: perhaps my inner neat freak has been inspired by too many Instagram posts of beautiful closets with everything meticulously in place and labeled. Regardless, I'm going to share my obsessions with you.

You're welcome in advance. 

This plastic file box has become home to all of my important documents. I'm telling you, there's no peace of mind like knowing you don't have to sift through piles of envelopes and minutiae to find your birth certificate or a rogue instruction manual—it's all there.

I really like these storage boxes from The Container Store. They're a lovely way to store printer paper or corral craft supplies. They come in all kinds of colors, so you can mix and match to your heart's content.

My closets have become much more manageable with these cloth storage totes. I can divide and conquer my smaller cabinet fare, like First Aid items, pill bottles, toiletries, cosmetics, and more. Gone are the days of the Great Travel Shampoo Bottle Avalanche, thank goodness! (it happened more often than you'd think, trust me—I like free shampoo, ok?)

Book nerd alert! It's a card catalog! I have not purchased this, because I have no idea what I would put in it (so. many. drawers.). Thoughts?

For holding overflow produce or berries on the counter, there's nothing cuter than this little ceramic basket. I mean, come on.

So these napkins don't fall into the "organization" category, but someday I hope I have my life together enough where I entertain with cloth napkins on the table...and have the ability to get the stains out afterward. 😂 Don't you get a Girl Scout badge for entertaining with cloth napkins? Regardless, these are adorable. They remind me of a beautiful flower table cloth my grandmother would use for her spectacular Sunday dinners.

This Pressure Cooker Mexican Beef is my current recipe obsession. I've made it for two weeks in a row and, thanks to a recent Chuck Roast sale at my local Kroger, I might be making it for Week #3, and I don't even care. And thanks to my Instant Pot, I can dig into my roast in 1/3 of the time it normally takes to braise in the oven—and I don't have to turn on my oven, which means my house and I stay cool. Plus I have an excuse to eat avocados with something else. Win!  

This week, I read about the worst book signing of all time. Truly. It was horrible. By the time I was done reading, I wanted to give this author a huge hug and a bag of chocolate.

Lucky us: the brilliant Catherine Coulter's newest Savich & Sherlock thriller is coming out next week! And she's giving away a. ton. of. prizes. Including an iPad mini! Go check out her epic giveaway!

 

And closer to home:

This week's Wine Vixen post brought a delicious Pinot Grigio you white wine-lovers shouldn't pass up!

Are you on JT's monthly newsletter list? Sign up for book news, contests, and so many delicious recipes. Also, you are automatically entered into any contest she runs for life. For reals. We've got a newsletter coming out this week—it's the perfect time to join the fun!

That's it from me, y'all. Have a great week, eat some tomatoes 🍅, and I'll talk to you soon!

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy

7.26.16 - It's Time to devour the next Taylor Jackson novel

I’m so excited to share more Taylor and Baldwin with you!  

How often do you get the chance to marry your love of murder and mayhem with the great poets? I’ve done just that in ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, the story of a reluctant killer who grows to love his chosen profession and terrorizes the Southeastern United States with Nashville Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin hot on his trail. The Southern Strangler leaves presents at his crime scenes, love poems by the greats—Wordsworth, Blake, Coleridge, Yeats—and the previous victim’s severed hand. When he passes through Nashville, leaving behind a body, hand and poem, Taylor Jackson catches the case, and the chase is on.

With a spiffy new cover and a super-low price, I know you'll enjoy visiting (or revisiting!) this book. 

With a spiffy new cover and a super-low price, I know you'll enjoy visiting (or revisiting!) this book.

Enjoy, chickens. And look for more Taylor news soon!

xoxo,
J.T.

7.24.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hi, guys!

Amy here. How was your week? I played Bingo last night. Yup: BINGO. The fast-paced kind where you have a million squares and a marker to pound out tiny dots. I was the youngest by a couple scores, but I didn't care. It was magical.

It doesn't take much, folks.

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Have you read anything by the most successful Australian author you've never heard of?

This was fabulous: "What Historical Fiction Can Do That History Textbooks Cannot" (bonus quote i.e. why I loved this: 

“It’s up to fiction to tell the smaller stories, to remind us everyday courage matters too.”

Yes. Yes. Yes. 👏👏👏

Take a gander at the midnight paintings of Dr. Seuss.

Writers: this is why it's crucial to write ugly.

And closer to home:

Miss the Boss Lady yet? I know, me too. You can catch her blogging every other Friday on The Wine Vixen! This week, she dished on a yummy Barolo she had in San Diego. (Barolo is legit, you guys—just sayin')

P.S. To celebrate the re-release of ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS, we're giving away 5 books to folks on J.T.'s email list. That's right: all you have to do is sign up for the list, and you could get a free book.

AND being an email subscriber = you're automatically entered into all of J.T.'s contests for life. 

WHAT. 😮

Interested? Sign up here! (spoiler alert: there's even a thank-you gift for signing up!)

Alright, folks, that's it from me. Stay in the shade, wear sunscreen (do it!), and I'll talk to you soon!

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy

7.17.16 - Sunday Smatterings

Hello, fellow bookworms.

I hope you're doing alright today. Whatcha been up to, anything fun? I've been trying to figure out what to do with my latest farmer's market haul. I'm thinking of making a huge, cold salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, lemon, and parsley. Because it is 🔥🔥🔥 here, you guys. And under no circumstances do I want to turn on my oven.  

Anyway . . .

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Coca-Cola. Pepsi. Dr. Pepper. Mountain Dew. They all have something in common besides being sodas: they were all founded here in the South. This fascinating article from Serious Eats explains why.

Did you hear that Audible is basically launching its own paid podcast channels?

Update: Texas Library Cat Reinstated (this is the important news I bring you, people).

Nothing stirs up controversy like declaring something THE BEST. What say you about these 100 "best" beach reads?

Speaking of beach reads, you can win a whole bunch of them here—including FIELD OF GRAVES!

IMPORTANT: there is a Harry Potter science summer camp.

 

And closer to home:

And on The Wine Vixen: are you looking for a white wine off the Riesling/Sauv Blanc/Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio beaten path? This wine might be the ticket.

Oh! And you might've heard that J.T. is writing a new book... (talk about saving the best for last!)

That's it from me you guys. Pray for me tonight as I bake in the sun at an outdoor country music concert. In July. In Nashville. I must be a glutton for punishment.
 

Cordially yours,
Assistant Amy