Please join me on my blog tour for The Quick and The Thread. Below are this weeks stops along the tour:

July 26, 2010 Monday
Gayle Trent will be chatting with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of Amanda Lee’s book!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

July 27, 2010 Tuesday
What type of person has two names? Spies, people in witness protection, movie stars…and writers. Amanda Lee tells us what it’s like to go through life with two personas–one writing mysteries about a cake decorator and the other writing mysteries about an embroiderer.
http://hellorhighwaterwriting.wordpress.com/

July 28, 2010 Wednesday
In her interview today, Amanda Lee (a.k.a. Gayle Trent) tells us that murder isn’t the only thing she has to research for her cozy mysteries. For The Quick and the Thread, the first book in her new embroidery series, the unlikely subject was whales!
http://www.sellingbooks.com

July 29, 2010 Thursday
Amanda Lee is stopping by Mom-e-Centric to tell us about how murder and embroidery make a wonderful mix. She’ll also be giving away a copy of The Quick and the Thread!
http://www.momecentric.com/

July 30, 2010 Friday
Stop by today for an interview with Amanda Lee by fellow mystery writer Christine Verstraete. These two will be sharing some great mystery writing tips!
http://candidcanine.blogspot.com/

August 1, 2010 Sunday
Blue hair, the early bird special, embroidery. Three things grandmas like. Or are they? Amanda Lee tells us about what a fun hobby embroidery can be for all ages and about her young embroiderer who also solves murders in The Quick and the Thread.
http://www.cozychicksblog.com/

Marcy’s Musings

I’m so excited! Romantic Times has named The Quick and The Thread an RT Top Pick!!! And reviewer Pat Cooper gave the book 4 1/2 stars!!! Pat says:

Site Spotlight: Curiosities 808

This site offers a tutorial for embroidered flowers that I really want to try. The flowers are made on felt and tinted with crayon. The blogger says she’s challenging herself to make this project simple and affordable. I can buy the affordable, but the project doesn’t appear simple. But, the flowers are gorgeous! I’m thinking of trying the iris.

In order to see the tutorial blog posts, use the archives to pull up June of 2008 and then follow the posts. The first one is on June 24.

Good luck!

Congratulations to Linda Weaver, winner of the $50 Amazon gift card for pre-ordering The Quick and The Thread. Random.org’s random number generator picked Number 16 from the number of contestants entered, and that number belonged to Linda.

I truly appreciate everyone else who pre-ordered The Quick and The Thread. The book was just named a Romantic Times Top Pick and given 4 1/2 stars.

Please keep in mind that I’m throwing a virtual launch party on Facebook on August 3 where there will be opportunities to win prizes all day long. Join me, won’t you?

Thanks again, everybody, for your support and encouragement!

Marcy’s Musings

Gayle received galleys for The Quick and The Thread yesterday. She sent them to Nordic Needle, Needlework Retailer and The Book Report. She’s waiting to hear back from a reviewer on another galley.

Although the galleys are tan with plain covers, and they specifically tell book reviewers these are uncorrected proofs, the books still look great. And the covers are fantastic! The picture of Angus is even carried over to the spine! He’s adorable, and I think he’ll give our book an edge over those that don’t feature darling canines on the cover.

Site Spotlight: Needlework Retailer

I’ve highlighted Nordic Needle for you before, but I haven’t introduced you to Needlework Retailer. That’s mainly because I’ve only just met them myself.

Needlework Retailer is for those of us who work in the embroidery industry. In addition to blogs, guest articles and magazine archives, the website hosts contests for displays. See the current contest and get information on entering. Who knows? You might win!

If you’re an embroidery shop owner–or even if you’re not–check out Needlework Retailer. Gayle really enjoyed the guest article ”Maximize Your Time: Achieve More with Less” by Joelle Jay, Ph.D.

Welcome!

I have exciting news.  Gayle’s publisher has decided to move the release date up for the revised Murder Takes the Cake to January 2011! She’s still working on Killer Sweet Tooth, and is looking forward to having that hit the shelves as well. Myra is, too. You guys don’t know how much Myra is looking forward to “being famous.”  She thinks that now if she could just nab her a rich husband… (eye roll).  Tune in to Killer Sweet Tooth to see if she has any luck with any of the Elvis impersonators who come to Brea Ridge! Hopefully, Gayle will get a book trailer together for Killer Sweet Tooth in the next few months.

Site Spotlight: Bake, Decorate, Celebrate

Where can you learn all kinds of decorating techniques step by step, get delicious recipes and even have your questions answered by an expert? Bake, decorate, celebrate! 

Bake, decorate, celebrate is the name of a television show in which the hosts provide information and detailed instructions on baking and decorating cakes. The website is a continuation of the show and helps novice as well as professional cake decorators learn new techniques and stay on top of trends.

The show hosts are Nancy Siler,  Melanie Glasscock and Beth Madland. Nancy  has been baking and decorating for over 25 years and is Director of the Wilton School. Melanie is a former broadcast journalist who brings a homemaker’s point of view to the BAKE DECORATE CELEBRATE! series. Beth is a former reporter who enjoys filling in for Melanie when Melanie takes time off to be with her family.

Check out Bake Decorate Celebrate! You’ll be glad you did.

Check out my cover!

Don’t you love it?! I do. I’m really thrilled. Gayle told her editor she wanted to hug the artist. So she (a/k/a Amanda Lee) and I have something else to be thankful for tomorrow.

I’m keeping this newsletter short and sweet since tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I hope all of you have a wonderful, blessed day.

Welcome!

As you may already know, Mondays are Daphne’s designated blog days.  I’ve decided, however, to give her blogs a makeover. Rather than have her post whatever comes to mind on Mondays, I’m going to have her do a bi-weekly newsletter called Killer Cakes. In Killer Cakes, Daphne will provide information about “her” series, cake decorating techniques, famous cake decorators and fabulous cakes. She’ll also preview bakeries, promote cake decorators and share recipes. If anyone has anything to share, please e-mail Gayle at gayle@gayletrent.com.

Dead Pan

Dead Pan is almost here. The book releases next month, and I’m really excited about it. Author Gayle Trent will be heading to Marion, VA to a crafts fair the weekend of the 20-22nd. If you’re in the area, please drop by to say hello. Gayle will have copies of both Dead Pan and Murder Takes the Cake on hand, and the set will be sold at a discounted price.

Other News

Murder Takes the Cake was released in a large-print hardcover edition by Thorndike on October 16, 2009. If you haven’t read this book yet, and the paperback edition isn’t in your library, this is a perfect opportunity to request your library to order a large-print copy. Some libraries have standing orders for Thorndike books, so check with your librarian to see if the library has it already.

If you’d like Gayle to speak with your group (either in person or by teleconference), please let her know by e-mailing her at gayle@gayle.trent.com.

Spotlight: Nati’s Cakes

Nati’s Cakes is located in Located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Although Nati’s Cakes is not currently taking orders, you can check out their gallery of wonderful, scratch-made cakes at Nati’s Cakes Gallery.  All the cakes made by Nati’s Cakes are baked using in house developed cake bases. They are also only baked from scratch using the best fresh ingredients possible. This means that if Nati’s Cakes doesn’t have a cake flavour that takes your fancy, one can be created to meet your requirements.

Flavours include Tahitian Vanilla Butter Cake, Ivory (a Swiss white chocolate mud cake with white chocolate ganache), Caramello (caramel-infused mud cake), Ebony (dark chocolate mud cake), Espresso (coffee-scented dark chocolate mud cake), Jaffa (rich chocolate mud cake which has been baked using fresh oranges, and joined together with dark chocolate ganache), Light Fruit Cake (soft butter cake, lightly enhanced with sultanas, walnuts and glace cherries) and Rich Fruit Cake (a traditional fruit cake, full of sultanas, raisins, currants, dates, glace cherries, orange peel and slivered almonds).

Nati’s Cakes’ luxury collection includes Coco, Coco Caramel Bliss, Tropical Coco, Raspberry Coco, Hazelnut Kiss, Peanut Butter Lover’s Delight and Ebony & Ivory.

Gayle is going to start writing posts here in the next few days.