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Thrillerfest Bound!

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Game of Books Podcast is Thrillerfest bound! Christie and I are both attending as writers, but now we’re also attending as podcasters! We’re so excited to get to do a Thrillerfest version of Corks and Conversation with some amazing writers!

We had a phone-strategy session yesterday to prepare, and true to GOB past practices, we shared a glass of wine across 2000 miles. We tried the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. The planning session AND the wine were refreshing! Stay tuned for more Thrillerfest updates!

 

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Monday Food: Food Truck Tacos

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In Episode 23 of the GOB podcast, Christie and I shared a bottle of Trivento Malbec while we discussed the great Meg Gardiner and Into the Black Nowhere.

If Christie and I had had the pleasure of sharing our wine and conversation in the same location, instead of being 2000 miles apart, I would have served a variety of tacos, inspired by the food truck tacos in the book. I choose the wine we shared based on this article on how to pair wine with food truck tacos.  How perfect was that find?

And check out the reversewinesnob.com article on why they liked the Trivento Malbec. We agreed!

Favorite food trucks in your area?  Share with us on twitter and facebook! @GOBwriters!

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Episode 22: Karin Slaughter, Lee Child, and Moscato!

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We think you’re going to love Episode 22!  It’s jam packed – we discussed a short story from the great Karin Slaughter and Lee Child, Cleaning the Gold:  A Jack Reacher and Will Trent Short Story.  And to accompany the conversation?  Christie chose Seven Daughters Moscato.

During the conversation, I mentioned an interview I read with Karin Slaughter regarding the short story.  It has a pretty good hook for a title….

You can listen to Game of Books podcasts on Apple Podcasts (Itunes), Spotify, and Google Podcasts, as well as here on our website.

Join our conversation at Facebook and Twitter @GOBwriters!

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Wednesday Update: June 5

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Hey All!

First, my new favorite quote, courtesy of Anne Frank (which makes it even more touching):

“Everyone has inside of her a place of good news.  The good news is you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what you’re potential is.”

Second, I shared this quote while teaching my first official yoga class on Monday.  I’m always learning from my yoga practice, but diving deep into the #prairiesoulcommunity has been a wonderful surprise in so many ways.  Here’s my playlist from class:

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmusic.apple.com%2Fus%2Fplaylist%2Fyoga-vinyasa-1-6-3%2Fpl.u-NpXmmWVsl1mM9j&data=02%7C01%7C%7Ce245822caed04e461b5708d6e86ad832%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636951942916225157&sdata=ro2eRsDyngYmMcp8xLzMPMv9AYgSGxmNRoS%2BifzCid4%3D&reserved=0

Third, Pumpkin, who is a beloved 17-year-old Calico, recently had surgery.  She’s not enjoying the cone – at all, but I can’t stop myself from taking even more pictures of her than usual.  Why are animals wearing cones so fun to document?

Finally, this is my sign off for Season One. Christie and I have had so much fun (not to mention the learning curve we’ve “enjoyed”) this year.  We’re taking the summer to plan a Killer Season Two, with even more interviews with fantastic authors and discussing page-turning mysteries and thrillers, all while enjoying a glass of wine.

We’d love to hear from you as we plan Season 2. What authors should we read and welcome to Corks and Conversation?  So many authors, so many books, and of course, the wine!  Can’t wait!  Let us know @GOBwriters!

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Carla Norton – Corks and Conversation #9

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On Episode 9 of Corks and Conversation, we have the pleasure of speaking with Carla Norton, author of both true crime and crime fiction.

For the Cork part of our conversation, Carla choose a delightful bottle of California Red – Once Upon a Vine’s Big Bad Red Blend.  It wasn’t available in my location in SD, so I choose another California Red – Dreaming Tree Cabernet.  Both wines received high praise from all -we suggest you add them to your shopping list!

And speaking of adding things to your list, if you haven’t already, add Carla’s true crime books– Perfect Victim and  Disturbed Ground and her fiction – The Edge of Normal and What Doesn’t Kill Her to your reading list ASAP!

The Conversation piece of the podcast was even better than the wine!  Carla is a true delight and has greats stories to tell. She’s working on a new novel featuring a North Korean spy that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Tune in and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Click here for the link to GOB podcast on our website, Spotify, and Apple.

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Episode 21! Harlan Coben’s Run Away and Clos du Bois Pinot

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We made it legal!  Episode 21 and we celebrated with a bottle of Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio and a great conversation about Harlan Coben’s latest, Run Away.

We talked about the haunting premise behind Run Away, kids graduating, including the difference between graduation celebrations in small town SD and highly populated south Florida.  We shared some info on Mahi Mahi in the conversation!  And, during the Writer’s Perspective, we discussed Harlan Coben’s 5 Writing Tips, which I happen to always have above my writing desk.

You can listen to Game of Books podcasts on Apple Podcasts (Itunes), Spotify, and Google Music, as well as here on our website.

Join our conversation at Facebook and Twitter @GOBwriters!

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Monday Food: Fajitas

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I’m full of questions this morning.

Question 1 – Have you listened to our latest podcast?

Corks and Conversation #8 features Elaine Viets, the mystery writer with a mystery for every mood!  When we asked her our favorite food-related question (Which of your characters would you have a meal with and  what would it be?), she said she’d share fajitas with Angela Richman from her Death Investigator series (Ice Blonde is the latest installment).

Question 2 – Who doesn’t love a fajita?  Seriously, who?

Question 3 – Have you gotten into the sheet-pan cooking thing?  It’s a great concept – all the food on one pan and you’re set.  But fajitas?  Yes!  I found this recipe from Joyful Healthy Eats – I’m trying it tonight!

 

 

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Monday Food: Chicken Soup

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On Episode 20 of our podcast, which aired last Friday, we discussed D. J. Palmer‘s Saving Meghan.  During our discussion, we enjoyed a glass of Alamos Malbec and both agreed to add it to our wine shelves.

We also discussed chicken soup, which features heavily in the book.  After discussing the merits of chicken soup for  healing, Christie and I agreed the science doesn’t really matter.  It’s comfort food!  So much so that Christie was in the process of making some Chicken Soup just before we talked!  She makes a version of her grandma’s polish recipe.  It looks delicious!

My favorite chicken soup recipe is from the blog Damn Delicious.  I’ve been following the site for a couple of years and have discovered several recipes that are on repeat in our family, thanks to the blogger behind the site, Chungah Rhee.  She published a cookbook in 2016 and couldn’t be more adorable (her Corgi Butters doesn’t hurt, either).

Any other fav Chicken Soup recipes out there?  Share, please!

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Wednesday Update: Grit

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I’m reading Grit by Angela Duckworth.

It’s a concept I keep running into.  Brad Parks talked about grit in Episode 4 of Corks and Conversation.  Katie Couric mentioned it in her 4/29 Wake-Up Call email (it’s a morning news email; you can subscribe here).  When Katie talked to Angela about grit, she said it was “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.”  She explained grit as having “an ‘ultimate concern’ – a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do.” And most importantly, when you screw things up, which you will (hello?  talking to myself loudly here), “grit is holding steadfast to that goal.”

The book is fascinating, as is the concept (try taking the Grit quiz here!).  I’m all in.  Anyone else on the Grit train?

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