On the Painted Soul Tour - Coffee at Bambi's

Today was a blast! I arrived at Bambi's by Java Dave around 10am.

Bambi, the owner is a friend of mine and as excited as I was to do an event in her shop. Before she even poured a cup of Black Cherry Tea, I had sold two books!


While she took care of her customers, I had fun chatting with them. We shared some laughs and I sold more books. Some people I knew stopped in for a cup of java and some conversation.

Thank you a hundred times to Bambi for letting me hang out in her cute little coffee house for a few hours. I had a lot of fun! HUGS!
Bambi's by Java Dave
4632 State St. -Green Acres Plaza
Saginaw, MI

Happy Thanksgiving!

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and in my sleep.
Strange dreams in my mind, began to creep
Thanksgiving leftovers beckoned --- The dark meat and white,
But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation......
The thought of a snack became infatuation.....
So to the kitchen I did race, Flung open the door,
And gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
Till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground !!

I crashed through the ceiling. Floating into the sky....
With a mouthful l of pudding and a handful of pie,
But I managed to yell as I soared past the trees....................

HAPPY EATING TO ALL !!
PASS THE CRANBERRIES PLEASE !!

Cleaning Day - A Helping Hand

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's easy to become overwhelmed with cleaning the house, preparing the meal, plus the usual day-to-day activities. Don't be afraid to ask for help because there isn't a Thanksgiving Fairy to do the work for you.

Delegate chores; recruit hubby, kids, friends, relatives! Be prepared and have patience as others will bombard you with questions and resist the urge to "do it yourself". Divide the grocery list between kids and turn it into a scavenger hunt. Assign food items to be brought by guests or make the meal more of a pot-luck style.

Take a deep breath to relax and ease tension. Ask someone to rub your shoulders or even take care of the laundry while you soak in a tub! Reflect on "Turkey Days" of your childhood and share the memories with others while you work.

During this season of giving, one often forgets to be willing to receive. After all, receiving is just as important as giving and allow others to help. Remember the reason behind this season and be Thankful.

Ladies Day in Bad Axe

What a fun night on the Painted Soul Book Tour! My friend, Kendra, and I left a little after 2:00pm for Reading & Rhythm in Bad Axe, MI. The two hour drive flew by and we arrived early for the event. All day was Ladies Day in Downtown Bad Axe; specials, sales and events for women were offered everywhere.

Murder/mystery author, Denise Collins, joined me at R&R for book signings. Kendra went Christmas shopping. Heh, heh.


Traffic was better during the day but we still had fun. I strolled around the store carrying a dish of Hersey kisses schmoozing with the customers.

Me: "Wanna kiss?"
Customer smiles at my dish of candies: "Why sure."
Me: "Do you like romance?"
Customer gives another smile.
Me: "Books that is..."
Customer giggles and follows me to my table to "check out my latest romance novel".

Things got a little silly when a discussion turned to the fact that women who read romance books have sex 73% more often than women who don't. Matt, the book shop owner decided to purchase a copy of Painted Soul for his wife.




I love meeting romance readers. The best part is celebrating being women... uh.. I mean... Romance Divas!

Humpday Help - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wednesday is the perfect reason to bake chocolate chip cookies. Hot from the oven will certainly get anyone over the hump of the week. What? You don't have time to bake? Well here are two variations of the easiest cookie recipe in the world.

1 box of yellow cake mix
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2Tbsp water
1 cup of milk chocolate chips
Bake at 350' for 10-12 min. Cool 1 min before removing from sheet.

Another version:
1 box of french vanilla cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Bake at 375' for 9-11 min. Let cool 1 min before removing from sheet.

This recipe is great when the kids want to bake. It's quick, easy and they'll be done before their attention span wanes.

Cookies left in the air will harden and make excellent dunkers. If you wish to keep them soft, place the heal from a loaf of bread into the cookie jar.

The only thing better than good friends and chocolate chip cookies is sharing the cookies with good friends.

Ahhhh... the sweet life...

Another Stop on the Painted Soul Tour - Bad Axe, MI

It's Ladies Day
at Reading & Rhythm
with Romance Writer
Mary Quast
The author will be signing copies of her latest novel, displaying the original artwork she created for the cover of Painted Soul. Copies of Painted Soul will be available for purchase.



Enter to win a Diva Gift Basket from Mary.

Thursday, Nov. 20
5:00pm
Reading & Rhythm110 E. Huron Ave.
Bad Axe, MI
(989) 269-6300

Cleaning Day - Gotta Love Those Totes!

I'm approaching the end of my little book tour and I'm oh so thankful for the person who invented plastic totes. My faithful bin has been incredibly helpful carrying my books, posters, book stands, easels, and other odd-n-ends to my signing events.

I use these same totes for storing out of season clothes, hunting clothes, sporting goods, camping gear, holiday decorations and rummage sale items. With a label on each bin, searching for an item is easy.I love the clear bins so I can see exactly what's inside. Plus, using these bins helps clear the clutter!

They stack nicely in a closet, on a shelf, or against a wall. Items inside are protected from mice in the attic or a flooding basement. I like to keep cedar bars or fragrant sachets in bins holding clothing. I even have a wafer-like disc that smells like leaves and dirt I put into the bin holding my husband's hunting clothes.

I've taken three small bins and made them into time capsules for my sons. The outfit each boy wore the day he came home from the hospital and the one he wore for his baptismal are in the bins. Early artwork, items from birthday parties, notes from relatives, newspapers from the day each was born... these are all items in their bins.

Several bins hold art supplies for the classes I teach. Having such organized bins makes it easy for me to pack for a lesson outside of my studio.

Uses for totes are endless and you can still use those fun packing peanuts.
What can you fit into a tote?

You know... that bin might get a bit too heavy and you might need a little help carrying it.

Another Stop on the Painted Soul Tour

I woke to rain at 6am in Caro, MI on opening day of firearm deer season. I was in the Thumb and this area is known for having large deer herds. During breakfast we watched deer cross the field next to the driveway.

On our drive to Deckerville for the book signing event, we were very alert watching for deer. Some ran across the road in front of the car, others simply ran out of the woods into fields. Every acre had a pickup truck parked on a two-track or a deer blind with a flash of orange inside. Welcome to Michigan!

Deer hunting is a part of life in many parts of this state. Especially in these tough economic times. My husband already brought in two deer from bow season and are now neatly packaged in our freezer. Many wonderful dishes will be made this winter for my family with the meat.

Anyways.... once arriving in Deckerville we wandered Main St. for a bit. Cute little town. Most of the traffic was hunters coming in for breakfast. There was a large craft show "crowded with deer hunter widows" being held at a school. The Deckerville high school football team was in regional so two busloads of locals left to cheer the players.

We dallied for a bit in a quaint resale shop. All proceeds from the shop stay in the community for charities and the local food pantry. I purchased a long leather coat for $20, a pair of black jeans for $1 and a few small items. My friend Deb found a few treasures as well.


Tracy, the owner of TLC Used Books, greeted us when we walked in and helped set me up at a lovely antique wrought iron table. We had fun chatting with customers and shared some laughs when I passed out Hersey kisses saying, "Do you wanna kiss?".


Despite the dreary day, the event was successful. Thank you to Tracy for inviting me! I hope to return in the spring!

Book Signing Event

Romance Writer
Mary Quast

The author will be signing copies of her latest novel, displaying the original artwork she created for the cover of Painted Soul, and chatting with friends over coffee.

Enter to win a Diva Gift Basket from Mary.

Copies of Painted Soul will be available for purchase.


Painted Soul, the debut novel of Quast’s Soul Series is edgy and fresh. A contemporary romance with a twist, Painted Soul is a story that takes the reader on a wonderful ride in an artist’s life, through the streets of London, and into the shadows of the underground.



Saturday, Nov. 15
10:00am
TLC Used Books
Deckerville, MI



“Quast’s emotionally charged and intensely romantic novel is so well researched and so exquisitely told. I will be looking for more of Mary’s work; that is for sure!” -Karen Mayes, contemporary romance reviewer.

Humpday Help - Give me Coffee!!!!!

I love flavored coffee! It really picks me up any time of the day. I don't mean the caffeine... I simply enjoy the hot beverage. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still am a tea totter.

On November 29th, I'll be at a friend's coffee house promoting my book. I look forward to sampling her teas. There is an array of natural flavors I've never seen and look forward to trying; especially those with "Vanilla" in the name. Yep... I can see myself lounging by the fireplace in the shop sipping my tea, chatting with the regular customers.

However, I love how I can go up to the counter and say, "I like coffee and chocolate. You decide." My friend, Bambi or her daughter, will smile and begin making me a wonderful surprise. It's like a mini Christmas gift when I hold that cup in my hand; not really knowing what is inside. Is it a Latte, Cappuccino, does it have whipped cream? I may know it's coffee with some kind of chocolate flavor, but there are so many varieties. Mocha, Mocha-caramel, Choco-mint, Choco-almond, Choco-cherry, Choco-hazelnut... the list is endless!

What? I can get it hot or iced! Oh wow! Can I have both?