Thursday, June 25, 2015

#FelineFriday--Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith 6/26


This week our cats did a combination of exploring the world and helping me! Zoie and Paddy especially like to "help" in my office. And Paddy has decided the kitchen counters are her space too and she likes to "help" there...even when she's not hungry. But I love having them around wherever they choose to be. Here's a glimpse of our week.

 A big box arrived this week and London 
and Paddy had to explore.  
London won 
the box first and then Paddy took claim too.


















Paddy helped me "organize" my file cabinet! 

 At eleven months, Paddy still has her
 kitty curiosity and playfulness.






  Through it all, Halo sleeps, 
even when we run the sweeper!  

Even with storms, Sunnybud had a fairly calm week. Several mornings we found him snoozing in the sun room attached to our basement. We keep it open. I found a shelter we can put in there for winter. Soon it will be time to introduce it to let Sunny get used to it.

                                       


Until next week...

******************

In my Caprice De Luca Home Staging mystery series, my sleuth Caprice takes in stray cats and dogs and finds them forever loving homes!













GILT BY ASSOCIATION on Amazon

GILT BY ASSOCIATION on Barnes and Noble


********************



Karen's Search For Love Series Website





USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


***************





©2015 Karen Rose Smith



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Monday, June 22, 2015

Mason, Halo's #Kitten, Eleven Months Later by Karen Rose Smith




The only thing as good as keeping a newborn kitten is finding a loving adoptive home where it will be nurtured and cherished. We were so fortunate to find exactly that kind of home for Mason, Halo's second-born kitten. As hard as it was to let Mason go, we knew he was going to a home with three other cats. Mason's adoptive parents were looking for a buddy for their lone male cat. Mason made the transition beautifully and is now best buddies with his new "brother" George. He has provided endless hours of enjoyment for his adoptive parents and over the weekend they shared photos of Mason as he nears his first birthday.

Mason snoozes with George, his new brother.
And what is not "happy"
about this pose?
Mason waits for his "forever" mom to come
home from her walk.
Mason spent his first three months with us before leaving for his "forever" home.
In the lower right corner, he sits with Miss Paddington.

We wish Mason and his forever family many more years of hugs, laughter and purring.
Happy First Birthday, Mason!

*******************

ON SALE @ $.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME




A MAN WORTH LOVING on Amazon

A MAN WORTH LOVING on Barnes and Noble

A MAN WORTH LOVING on Kobo




USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


***************





©2015 Karen Rose Smith



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Friday, June 19, 2015

Are You A Tea Drinker? by Karen Rose Smith




Are you a tea drinker?

What kind of tea do you like to drink?

Hot tea
Iced tea

Do you use...?

Tea bags
Loose tea

Do you prefer...?

Herbal
Decaffeinated
Green
Black
White
Rooibus
Tisane or infused 


When I decided to write my Daisy Swanson Tea Garden mystery series (due for release in Spring 2017), I began exploring teas. In the past I'd mostly used Celestial Seasonings teabags in their many flavors or Luzianne, especially for making iced tea. However, exploring the loose teas opens up another whole world of tea drinking.

I found my tea kettle to heat the filtered water, bought a tea ball (for brewing a cup), a pot filter (for steeping up to 6 cups) and pulled my mother's china teapots from my hutch. From my research, the first nuance about tea that I learned was that a tea drinker should heat the water and then pour it over the loose tea into the china tea pot. How long I steep the tea depends on the type I'm using. Tea cozies come in handy to insure the tea in your teapot stays hot.

I explored Silver Needle White Tea first because I like mild tea. Next I explored Green Tea and then Black. But I realized early on that I enjoyed fruit flavored teas the most and, for health reasons, decaffeinated served me best...though I do indulge in caffeinated now and then. I found Teavana teas and they are by far my favorite--from Wild Orange Blossom to Raspberry Pineapple to Limeade Twist. I also discovered a local herb farm where I found Cinnamon Rooibus, Lemon Souffle and Green Honeybush Nut Crunch.


For me tea is no longer about dipping a teabag into water heated in a microwave. It's a calming process that involves aroma as well as taste, sharing and experimentation with mixing and combining to develop my own favorite taste sets.

So come join me in a cup of tea on this Midsummer Night's Eve, breathe in an aroma and enjoy flavors you like the best!




******************

FOR FATHER'S DAY




******************




USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


***************





©2015 Karen Rose Smith


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Thursday, June 18, 2015

#Feline Friday--Karen Rose Smith's #Cats This Week 6/19





This was a "lazy" week in the Smith household as the furry inhabitants seemed to settle in their favorite spots for the "hazy-lazy" days of summer. As you can see above, Miss Paddington was ever-vigilant from her favorite resting spot--on top of the refrigerator. The rest of the crew seems to have fallen into a summertime routine of eating and sleeping...eating and sleeping...until Paddington decides it's play time!  

Zoie Joy cools off with an on-her-back
pose that says, "Please rub my tummy!"
Paddy strikes the same
pose while resting with
Halo as if to say, "Turn
up the air conditioning,
 please!"


Halo sleeps soundly
regardless of the time or
temperature.
London waits for hubby to settle on the
bed for an afternoon snooze. 
Mason's (Paddy's brother)
adopted parents even shared a
snapshot of him waking from
a snooze on his favorite condo. 
Sunnybud takes refuge in the cat shelter during
an afternoon thunderstorm.


Father suspects?

Could either of these two visitors to our backyard be the father of Halo's kittens?  Regardless of who their father is the kittens have the regal demeanor of Arthur, the independence of Sunnybud and the quiet gentleness of Halo.

Arthur

Sunnybud
Happy Father's Day to all fathers who have instilled their best qualities in their children.


********************

In my Caprice De Luca Home Staging mystery series, my sleuth Caprice takes in stray cats and dogs and finds them forever loving homes!














GILT BY ASSOCIATION on Amazon

GILT BY ASSOCIATION on Barnes and Noble


********************



Karen's Search For Love Series Website





USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


***************





©2015 Karen Rose Smith



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Monday, June 15, 2015

An Awesome #Kitty Gift--Zoie Joy by Karen Rose Smith




Three years ago on my parents' wedding anniversary, my husband and a friend heard crying coming from our gnarled redbud bush. Storms had moved through the night before and the temperature was a sweltering 98 degrees. When hubby found the little black kitten and put her in my palms, I lost my heart. She was only 1 1/2 pounds, dehydrated and hungry. We have a sunroom on out basement level that has a small air conditioner. We began running it during the day and I would go there and hold Zoie Joy for hours. After a flea treatment and vaccines, we moved her to my office where she lived for another two weeks until an eye infection cleared.

Zoie as a kitten waiting in the sunroom
for her move to her forever home.
A young Zoie watches her big sisters
from high on her condo perch.
And then she met our two other cats. London who was eleven was curious about her. Ebbie, also eleven and my soulmate cat, tried to ignore her. But Zoie wouldn't be ignored. She and London became "sort of" sit-in-the-same-
room buddies. Zoie and Ebbie were together most of the day until Ebbie passed on last September. Zoie was in mourning and thank goodness we had taken in Halo and helped her deliver kittens. They were living in my office and visiting the other cats through a screen. But after Ebbie passed on, we introduced Zoie to Paddington, the kitten we intended to keep along with Halo. It just seemed right. They became instant buddies and play together when they aren't napping.

Zoie Joy is an absolute sweetie and she and Halo are becoming friends too. She always has been. Zoie is my cuddler and a great comfort. I love her to bits. I truly believe my mom and dad sent her to me. She gives us joy and so much more.



*******************

ON SALE @ $.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME



A MAN WORTH LOVING on Amazon

A MAN WORTH LOVING on Barnes and Noble

A MAN WORTH LOVING on Kobo




USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 87th novel will be released in 2015.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


***************





©2015 Karen Rose Smith



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