#L&SR’s #Wednesday’s Blog Challenge – A project or hobby inspired by a book!
Welcome to #L&SR’s July 8, 2020 – A project of hobby of mine inspired by a book! This was tough but finally I prevailed. Please have a seat, grab an iced tea or lemonade out of the cooler. Be sure and try a chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie.
So here we go.
Years ago I read all of Tony Hillerman Navajo Series set in the Southwest in Arizona and New Mexico. There were eighteen in all. I still re-read them occasionally. Tony passed away in October 26, 2008, a sad day. The realization that there would be no more tales of Officer Jim Chee, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and their friends or family was disheartening. Until, Tony’s eldest daughter, Anne Hillerman, took up the writing torch and continued the tales of Chee and Leaphorn novels. She has written four more books continuing his Navajo Series. Yippee. Anyway you are probably wondering what this has to do with this week’s topic. Well, I’ll tell you…. My husband and I have planned a vacation this fall in our RV inspired by these books. We will visit the sights where Tony set his books. The desert landscape came alive under this pen or keyboard. The descriptions, traditions and adventures of the two Navajo detectives and their people in his mystery stories including the ones written by Anne are extraordinary!
Locations we plan to visit and photograph this fall: Window Rock, Arizona; Ship Rock, New Mexico; Tuba City, and many places in between.
So there you have it, the last place I traveled to & why. How about you? What was a project of hobby of yours inspired by a book?
Alas, I must return to my writing cave where deadlines loom with final galley on my upcoming release HIDDEN GYPSY MAGIC, and Chocolate Raspberry Magic is in edits, and on a new WIP sixth book in A Demon’s Witch Series(very exciting and coming along very well) so let’s see what other authors list a project or hobby of theirs inspired by a book. L&SR
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
School’s out. Looking an exciting read to whisk you away from your ordinary world into a magical, fantasy adventure ? Got just the thing lets celebrate Christmas in July with A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING, second in A Witch’s Journey Series.
A little about A Witch’s Holiday Wedding:
Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. Wedding planning goes awry when the couple spends Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife, Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, and Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?
Thanks for popping in. I really appreciate it. Next week, July 15, can you believe it? Anyway the topic is Things I Collect! Oh that should be fun.
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged #L&SR's #Wednesday's Blog Challenge, Anne Hillerman, Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn, Navajo Series, Ship Rock, Tena Stetler, Tony Hillerman, Window Rock by Tena Stetler with 18 comments.
Camping a Recipe for Summer Treats & Reads
My hubby, our dog, bird, turtle and I love to trade the jungle of civilization for a few days of paradise relaxing in the cool quiet of a Rocky Mountain campsite with a mesmerizing book and evening campfire. That’s my idea of Summer Treats and Reads. Okay, let me qualify what camping is to us. We have a fifth wheel trailer with all the creature comforts required, left tent camping behind a long time ago. LOL
Favorite camping areas in Colorado are: Rocky Mountain National Park a stones throw from Estes Park is a great hiking and biking destination. Twin Lakes in the Pike & San Isabel National Forest is wonderful for kayaking and mountain biking. Both these areas are dry camping, no services but with a generator or solar panels you are all set.
Another fun place is Steamboat Lake, a Colorado State Park, the kayaking is good, hiking with your furry friend is excellent. Electrical is available on some sites. Not far away is Pearl Lake, nice kayaking area, lots of wildlife early morning or around dusk. No motorized boats allowed. It’s also primitive/dry camping but there are several sites large enough for a 30 foot fifth wheel trailer.
These are just a few of the exciting camping area’s in Colorado. Last week we enjoyed a fun filled vacation at Lake Vallecito which I detailed in the prior post.
Mueller State Park is close and a great weekend trip to the mountains. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is centrally located for visiting all the Pikes Peak Region has to offer and is open all year around. It is usually our final destination of the season. The park offers full hookups, tent pad and campfire ring on each site.
Now for the Treats: Chocolate Cherry Dumpcake Recipe. Quick and easy.
2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling
1 package (about 15 ounces) Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake mix or your favorite Chocolate Cake mix.
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 X 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the pie filling in prepared pan, top with cake mix only, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. pour butter over top, covering cake mix as much as possible.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Make 12 to 16 servings. Now for just my husband, myself and a couple of friends, we cut this recipe in half and use a 9X9 inch baking pan or a cast iron dutch oven. Yummy!
For Reads: Obviously, I’d like you to check out my books,
A Demon’s Witch, Charm Me (its on sale for .99), A Witch’s Journey. Otherwise, The Wild Rose Press has lots of wonderful authors with a wide variety of books. I like cozy and regular mysteries, paranormal romances books categorized as fun reads. I’m not into thrillers or weepy books. Happily Every After and feel good novels are what I read, anything else, I can get by turning on the television or internet and I don’t call that entertainment. Just me.
Please visit the other blogs listed below for fun, games and prizes. To be entered to win the $10.00 Amazon gift card I’m giving away, like my facebook page and sign up for my quarterly newsletter on my webpage at https://www.tenastetler.com. Winner will be drawn at random and notified at the end of the blog hop. Also the author’s of The Wild Rose are giving away a Kindle Fire as a grand prize. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below. Good Luck! See you next time with tales of the unexplained. Got your attention now! <giggles maniacally>
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out all the fabulous writers and their blogs
in the SUMMER BLOG HOP below!
2.
RV Memory | Visit blog
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3.
Tricia Schneider | Visit blog
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4.
Anna Durands Spunk & Hunks | Visit blog
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Judy Ann Davis Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
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6.
Spicy Summer Treats with Mia Downing | Visit blog
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7.
Linda Nightingale. . . Wordsmith | Visit blog
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8.
Jana Richards – Journeys with Jana | Visit blog
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9.
Summer Memories of books well read @ Peggy jaeger. com | Visit blog
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10.
Summer on Cape Cod ~ Kathryn Knight books | Visit blog
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11.
Summer Fun at the Beach, with Katie OSullivan | Visit blog
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12.
I Believe Ill Go Canoeing – C. B. Clark | Visit blog
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Summertime Love is Sweeter with. . . Frozen Mango? @ Kimberly Keyes blog | Visit blog
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14.
Wild Rose Summer Treats Blog Hop @ Brendas Blog | Visit blog
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15.
Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
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16.
Midsummer Magic on the Isle of Skye! | Visit blog
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17.
My Guilty Summer Treats from Lori Sizemore | Visit blog
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18.
Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
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Hywela Lyns post for the WRP Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
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Wild Rose Press Summer Treats & Reads | Visit blog
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21.
Camping is a Recipe for Summer Treats and Reads | Visit blog
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22.
The Snarkology | Visit blog
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23.
Summer Survival Tips @ Nitty Gritty Romance | Visit blog
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24.
Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
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25.
Nell Castle – Summer of the Sweat Lodge | Visit blog
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26.
Myth, Magic & Wonder Susan Edwards, Breathing Life into the Past | Visit blog
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27.
Romance with Spice, Sydney St. Claire | Visit blog
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Author Kat de Falla | Visit blog
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29.
Anni Fife. Exciting new author of Steamy Romance with Irresistible Heroes | Visit blog
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Summer Vacation, Victorian-Style, AND a Giveaway | Visit blog
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31.
Wildfires, Monsoons, and Mojitos – Author Susabelle Kelmer shares how she keeps cool in a climate that is on fire! | Visit blog
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32.
Casi McLeans recipe for Hot Reads and Cool Treats | Visit blog
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Cool Summer Reads: Jeannie Halls Romantic Suspense Blog – Where Hearts Tremble From More Than Attraction | Visit blog
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34.
Summer treat – Adult Slushie | Visit blog
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How to Rediscover the Magic of Bicycling | Visit blog
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36.
Charlottes Tips on How to Stay Cool in HOT New York City | Visit blog
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37.
Caryn McGill | Visit blog
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Views: 594
Posted in Camping, For Fun, My Say What Blog, The Pikes Peak Region and tagged Anne Hillerman, Authors, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Chocolate Cherry Cake recipe, Cozy Mystery, Lake Vallecito, Molly Harper, Mueller State Park, Nancy Atherton, Pearl Lake, RMNP, Romance, Steamboat Lake State Park, Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop, The WIld Rose Press, Twin Lakes by Tena Stetler with 18 comments.
10th Anniversary – Mountain of Authors
Saturday, April 23, 2016, I had the pleasure of being part of the Pikes Peak LibraryDistrict Mountain of Authors. It was a blast. Thirty-four local Colorado authors were on hand to showcase their work. A panel of three mystery authors and a panel of two authors and an agent each presented stories and their experiences in the publishing industry.
The keynote speaker was Anne Hillerman, daughter of award winning author, Tony Hillerman who penned eighteen Navajo mysteries. I loved his books and was deeply saddened at his passing in October of 2008. I own every one of his books and have enjoyed the adventures of characters, Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito.
I was excited to learn that Anne has followed in her father’s footsteps breathing life into his beloved characters once again. Giving Bernadette a fresh, strong woman view point in Spider Woman’s Daughter and Rock With Wings. She also researched and wrote Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn. A stunning collection of original documentary photographs of the New Mexico and Arizona landscapes that were integral to Tony’s detective novels. Pictures by photographer, Don Strel, Anne’s husband. This is a timely showcase of a hauntingly beautiful region that captured one man’s imagination for a lifetime, and is a daughter’s loving tribute to her father. Yep, you guessed it, the book enjoys a place in the center of my coffee table.
Okay one more fangirl observation. Nancy Atherton, author of over twenty Aunt Dimity mysteries, including many bestsellers. These cozy mysteries whisk you away to a small village in England filled with quirky characters. Again, I have all of her books. Nancy’s participation in the Mountain of Authors – It’s A Mystery Panel was very entertaining along side her cohorts in crime, Robert Greer and Manuel Ramos.
It was thrilling to visit with the above authors as well as many other talented local authors. I look forward to next year’s Mountain of Authors. I’d love to see you there.
Thanks for putting up with my fangirl musing. Oh did I mention I sold a few of my books too. Exciting adventure for a new author. Warning shameless promotion! June 15th my third book, A Witch’s Journey will be released. You’ll love it!
I enjoy hearing from readers and other authors. So please feel free to leave a comment. Until next time, take time out of your hectic schedule to read a good book. Its a great stress reducer, if only for a few hours.
Views: 332
Posted in My Say What Blog, The Pikes Peak Region and tagged A Witch's Journey, Anne Hillerman, Authors, books, Mountain of Authors, Mystery, Nancy Atherton, PPLD, Tony Hillerman, Writers by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.