Lisa Ks Book Reviews blog is proud to bring to you

THE COZY TIMES

This is a weekly online publication focused on connecting cozy mystery readers to favorite cozy characters by way of their town's newspapers. 

The Cozy Times will be available Wednesdays right here on Lisa Ks blog. 

There will also be weekend editions, and special editions from time to time. So keep watch. 

Today The Cozy Times is featuring the 

THE LINCOLNITE

We dug into the archives of The Lincolnite again and we're  happy to say we didn't find murder. 

What we did find is that Lincoln Point, California is a busy little town!   

Check it out!

NATIONAL WATERMELON DAY, AUGUST 3

Once again, Lincoln Point will participate in National Watermelon Day, with festivities held at Mary Todd Park. Residents will remember that last year Lincoln Point farmer Mickey Seedless took first prize in the Most Massive Melon Contest, with a watermelon weighing 314.16 pounds, thus also qualifying for a pi-day prize.

Also taking a prize last year was Maddie Porter, a Palo Alto resident visiting her Lincoln Point grandmother. Maddie won the Watermelon Facts Bee with the correct answer to the question, "What is the main ingredient of watermelon?" (Answer: water.)

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SUMMER CAMPS

Lincoln Point is proud to host a variety of summer camps, listed below.

    

 • Build a Mansion. Miniaturist Gerry Porter will hold a workshop to build a 10-room Victorian mansion, complete with a hidden room. Porter assures us that, although they can't find the room right now, they're close to locating it.

• Forensics for Citizens. Decorated police officer Skip Gowen will share his knowledge of the latest in forensics. Warning: Participants will be swabbed and the results compared to the National Data Base of Criminals' DNA.

• Coloring for Adults. You're never too old for a coloring book. Yes, you are. (Oops, sorry, that slipped in.)

NOTE From Lisa: I like to color. 

                   

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JULY 4 PARADE MARRED BY CURIOUS INCIDENT

The crowd along Springfield Boulevard roared when a ginormous green dinosaur balloon developed a leak and collapsed at the corner of Springfield and Gettysburg Boulevards.

Parade organizer, Mitzi Hamilton told Lincolnite reporters, "I warned them. Dinosaurs have no place in a Fourth of July parade."

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COOKING WITH CAMILLE

Let's not allow National Watermelon Day to overshadow National S'mores Day. August 10. We're all familiar with the classic s'mores sandwich of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. Here's a recipe with a twist.

• Salted Caramel S'mores. Add caramel sauce and sea salt flakes. (Camille's rating: *****)

• Diet S'mores. Use rice cakes instead of graham crackers, and sugar-free chocolate. (Camille's rating: why bother?)

• Couch Potato S'mores. Use BBQ potato chips instead of graham crackers, guacamole instead of marshmallows, bacon instead of chocolate. (Camille's rating: see Diet S'mores.)

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LOCAL AUTHOR APPEARANCE

Be sure to drop by Rosie's Book Shop on Springfield Boulevard when local author Margaret Grace will sign older books in her series, The Miniature Mysteries, set in our very own Lincoln Point. 

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FOOD TRUCKS EXPERIMENT

Merchants along Springfield Boulevard are still evaluating the presence of food trucks. Favorites are the Stuffed Jalapenos truck and the Greasy Cloth-Wrapped Bacon truck. Willie, of Willie's Bagels, wants to see the trucks disappear, however, claiming, "It's bad enough to compete with Sadie's Ice Cream and Freddy's Fried Everything. Now we have to have restaurants that follow you down the street?"

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Lincoln Point sounds 

like quite the little town!

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That's this week's edition of 

The Cozy Times 

I hope you enjoyed!

To learn more about the small California town of Lincoln Point and its many social and cultural opportunities, read The Miniature Mysteries by local author Margaret Grace. The newest titles are

 MANHATTAN IN MINIATURE 

(April 2015)

Perhaps Manhattan, like Christmas, is best seen through the eyes of a child. Gerry Porter provides both magical experiences for granddaughter Maddie when a SuperKrafts manager takes them to New York City for a huge crafts fair. They get to work on both making miniatures and solving crimes, the detecting duo’s favorite pastimes. All this, plus Rockefeller Center and Radio City, too! But a crafty murderer wants to make sure they don’t make it safely home again to California….

and soon-to-be released
MATRIMONY IN MINIATURE
(September 2016)

When murder happens in the small town of Lincoln Point CA, there aren’t many degrees of separation between the victim and retired teacher Gerry Porter. How can she stay away from the investigation when the crime scene is the venue for her marriage to Henry Baker? But this time, nephew Detective Skip Gowen tries to discourage Gerry’s and granddaughter Maddie’s efforts to solve “The Case.” He couldn’t live with himself if the murderer learns of their efforts and comes after them....

Book 1                                          Book 2

Book 3                                       Book 4

Book 5                                        Book 6

Book 7

About the author

Camille Minichin0 aka Margaret Grace received her Ph.D. in physics from Fordham University, New York City. She is currently on the faculty of Golden Gate University, San Francisco and teaches writing throughout the Bay Area. Camille is Past President and a member of NorCal Mystery Writers of America, NorCal Sisters in Crime, and the California Writers Club.
Camille has published over 20 novels and many short stories and nonfiction articles.
As Camille Minichino, she's published Periodic Table Mysteries, featuring retired physicist GLORIA LAMERINO
As Margaret Grace, she writes the Miniature Mysteries, featuring miniaturist GERALDINE PORTER and her 11-year-old granddaughter, Maddie. The 8th in the series, MANHATTAN IN MINIATURE was released in April 2015.
As Ada Madison, she's published the Professor Sophie Knowles Mysteries, featuring college professor SOPHIE KNOWLES.
As Jean Flowers, Camille has launched a new series, The Postmistress Mysteries. The first, DEATH TAKES PRIORITY, debuted in 2015. The second, CANCELLED BY MURDER, is due in September 2016.

A stand-alone, KILLER IN THE CLOISTER, is available on Kindle and CreateSpace.
The nonfiction book, HOW TO LIVE WITH AN ENGINEER, is available on Kindle and Createspace. 

Contact: camille@minichino.com

Is there a cozy town you'd like to see featured in 

The Cozy Times? 

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