New Book Release & #Giveaway ~ Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder (A Teddy Bear Mystery, Book 3) by Meg Macy @megmims #CozyMystery

Original Post Location:

BABS BOOK BISTRO

  

The Beloved Teddy Bear

  

The teddy bear is one of the most popular toys ever, but how many kids (or adults) know just how long they’ve been around? Care to take a guess?

1950? 1930? If you said 1902, you’d be right. The honor of creating the first teddy bear belongs to Germany’s Richard Steiff. He joined his aunt’s Felt Toy Factory in 1897 and produced “Bear 55 PB” with moveable joints in 1902. Meanwhile in the United States, President Roosevelt – a well known game hunter – had particularly bad luck on a hunting trip in Mississippi. Everyone else had success except for Roosevelt, but he refused to shoot a bear chained to a tree – calling it unsporting. The story was quickly reported in the nation’s newspapers. Novelty store owner Morris Michton saw a political cartoon mocking the scene, since the full-size bear had diminished to a mere cub. He wrote to the White House for permission to use the president’s name for the stuffed bear he and his wife sewed. Once Michton displayed them in his shop window, “Teddy’s bear” sales jumped.

Within a few years, over a million teddy bears had been sold. Teddy bears remain the most popular gift to this day, and antique bears are collected and auctioned off for thousands of dollars. Who doesn’t love a soft, cuddly bear? I’ve bought several collectible bears myself – resistance is futile! I own a ‘Beary Poppins’, a ‘My Bear Lady’ dressed in the black/white Royal Ascot gown, a Steiff bear (replica, not antique), and many others. And I always buy a small teddy to add to a gift whenever I attend a baby shower.

I even included my ‘Minky’ bear in Book 2’s plot for my ‘Shamelessly Adorable’ Teddy Bear cozy mysteries for Kensington. Fashioned of real mink fur, incredibly soft – and while I would never wear a fur coat, I do love petting that bear. I also enjoy miniature bears, and bought several hand-sewn ones about the length of my thumb. They are too sweet. And I also own an original Hudson’s Santa Bear – Hudson’s had a long history in Detroit retail before being taken over by Macy’s.

The protagonist, Sasha Silverman, loves teddy bears as well and enjoys seeing children’s delight when they visit the Silver Bear Shop & Factory in Silver Hollow. And in Book 3, Have Yourself A Beary Little Murder, she’s been swamped preparing for the Christmas holidays. Locals and visitors from afar swarm to the village for the annual Festival of Lights parade. But unfortunately, someone has targeted the parade mascot, Santa Bear, for murder . . .

  

Award winning author Meg Macy writes the “Shamelessly Adorable” Teddy Bear cozy mystery series for Kensington, and is also one-half of the writing team for the Agatha Award-nominated historical mysteries featuring Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. As Meg Mims, she’s written award-winning western historical mysteries and sweet Christmas-themed romance novellas with rescue dogs and cats. Meg tackles her to-be-read pile between deadlines, and enjoys tearooms, flowers, and gardening. Visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or her website at www.megmacy.com

Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder

A Teddy Bear Mystery, Book 3 

Cozy Mystery 

Kensington 

September 24, 2019

Paperback: 288 pages 

ISBN-10: 1496722655 

ISBN-13: 978-1496722652 

Digital ASIN: B07MRC5KZG

About the Book:

This holiday season, teddy bear shop manager Sasha Silverman must solve the slaying of Santa Bear . . .

Sasha and her sister Maddie are thrilled that the Silver Bear Shop and Factory has won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest, which means they get to produce a holiday specialty toy, a wizard bear named “Beary Potter.” Promising to be just as magical is Silver Hollow’s annual tree-lighting ceremony and village parade. Only one hitch: the parade’s mascot, Santa Bear—played by Mayor Cal Bloom—is missing.

After a frantic search among the floats, Bloom is found dead. When the outfit is removed, it’s clear the mayor’s been electrocuted. Who zapped hizzoner and then stuffed him into his Santa Bear suit? While the police investigate the grisly crime, Sasha attempts to track down the murderer herself, with some help from the Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club. Can they wrap up this case in time for Christmas—or will Sasha meet her own shocking end?

About Meg Macy:



Meg Macy is an award-winning author and artist, and lives in Southeastern Michigan, the setting of her Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mysteries for Kensington. Her first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America. Meg is also one-half of the writing team of D.E. Ireland, authors of the Eliza and Henry Higgins Mystery series—of which two titles have been Agatha Award finalists. Meg love gardening, watercolor painting, and reading books of various genres.

Author Links: Facebook Twitter Instagram Website Pinterest Subscribe to my newsletter! 

Purchase Links: AMAZON B&N KOBO 

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Book Feature & #Giveaway ~ The Garden Club Murder (A Tish Tarragon Mystery, Book 2) by Amy Patricia Meade ~ #CozyMystery @amypmeade

The Garden Club Murder (A Tish Tarragon Mystery) by Amy Patricia Meade

Book Details:

The Garden Club Murder 

A Tish Tarragon Mystery, Book 2

Cozy Mystery

Severn House Publishers 

September 1, 2019 

Hardcover: 208 pages 

ISBN-10: 0727889443 

ISBN-13: 978-0727889447 

Digital ASIN: B07TXLVLPP

 

About The Garden Club Murder:

Literary caterer Letitia ‘Tish’ Tarragon is preparing her English Secret Garden-themed luncheon for Coleton Creek’s annual garden club awards, but when she is taken on a tour of some of the top contenders with the garden club’s president, Jim Ainsley, Tish is surprised at how seriously the residents take the awards – and how desperate they are to win.

Wealthy, retired businessman Sloane Shackleford has won the coveted best garden category five years in a row, but he and his Bichon Frise, Biscuit, are universally despised. When Sloane’s bludgeoned body is discovered in his pristine garden, Tish soon learns that he was disliked for reasons that go beyond his green fingers. Have the hotly contested awards brought out a competitive and murderous streak in one of the residents?

About Amy Patricia Meade:



Author of the critically acclaimed Marjorie McClelland Mysteries, Amy Patricia Meade is a native of Long Island, NY where she cut her teeth on classic films and books featuring Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

After stints as an Operations Manager for a document imaging company and a freelance technical writer, Amy left the bright lights of New York City and headed north to pursue her creative writing career amidst the idyllic beauty of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

Now residing in Bristol, England, Amy spends her time writing mysteries with a humorous or historical bent. When not writing, Amy enjoys traveling, testing out new recipes, classic films, and exploring her new home.

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://amypatriciameade.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.patriciameade/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amypatriciameade/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amypmeade 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/174006.Amy_Patricia_Meade 

Purchase Links:

Amazon - B&N - AbeBooks 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

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**In memory of Babs Hightower**

A Cozy Mystery Romance Series in California’s Wine Country by Anna Celeste Burke Author of A Tangle in the Vines (A Calla Lily Mystery) #CozyMystery #Giveaway

In Memory of Barbara "Babs" Hightower

Please welcome Anna Celeste Burke with the guest post originally written for Babs Book Bistro:

A Cozy Mystery Romance Series in California’s Wine Country

Greetings from the hot, hot, hot California desert!

I want to say thanks to Bab’s Bistro for the opportunity to visit with you on her delightful blog and to Great Escapes Virtual Blog Tours for organizing this opportunity to introduce my new book in a new series: A Tangle in the Vines, Calla Lily Mystery #2.

I am so excited about my new Calla Lily Mystery series set in California’s wine country. The Calla Lily Mystery series is my fifth cozy mystery series. As in the others, you’ll find me snooping into life’s mysteries with fun, fiction, & food—California style! As I’ve developed each new series, I’ve been heading north from SoCal where I grew up. Although I spent much of my adult life elsewhere, when I retired, I came back to California and now call the toasty desert near Palm Springs, home. 

Wine country, centered in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, is an intriguing setting because of its laidback, small-town rural lifestyle and lavish, physical beauty. There’s something wildly romantic, too, about the rolling hills, the lush vineyards, the play of light and shadows as the sun passes from day into night. The evenings are especially enchanting when moonlight bathes the countryside. All that’s a perfect backdrop for romance to bloom between the two lead characters, Lilian Callahan and Deputy US Marshal, Austin Jennings. 

In book one, after her Great Aunt Lettie dies, Lily comes home to a hail of bullets. That’s before she learns she’s inherited the Calla Lily Vineyards, Winery, and Playhouse. Sparks fly when a hunky lawman wearing a Stetson hat, cowboy boots, and a beguiling grin comes to Lily’s assistance. He’s intent on helping Lily discover who wants her dead and why, but it soon becomes apparent that his interest in Lily isn’t strictly professional. She shares Austin’s instant attraction. As a Hollywood actress who, until recently, had a starring role in a long-running daytime soap opera, Lily was in ‘Tinsel Town’ too long to believe in love at first sight.

There’s also the little matter of all the murder and mayhem going on around them. Life in small-town California wine country turns out to be a tangled vine of mystery, suspense, and intrigue. I love playing off the idyllic setting against all the hidden motives that drive people to misbehave. In book two, there’s another tangle in the vines that puts the spotlight on murder. Lily and her friends were hoping to produce and perform a brand-new play during the Napa Thanksgiving Harvest Festival. Less than ninety days away, that already required a minor miracle. A killer on the loose is all they need. 

Another reason I love California’s wine country as the backdrop for this series is that the area wreaks of mystery rooted in its status and history. The wine industry is highly competitive. Grapes are tricky. They need to be picked at just the right moment and handled the right way to produce a palatable wine. Strategies for creating a prize-winning vintage require technical know-how, data, intuition, and the ability to be flexible in the face of the curveballs Mother Nature throws. Vineyards and wineries need money. I see the potential for funny business and foul-play everywhere! 

Initially inhabited by native tribes that were all but wiped out by waves of invaders, elements of their heritage remain. The Spanish settled in the area building missions, and after the Mexican revolution for independence, the Mexican government controlled the area. After the Mexican American War, the Anglos moved in, stampeding into Northern California during the gold rush. Thirsty gold miners spurred the development of the first wave of wineries farther to the east than the Napa Valley. Hidden in that history are motives, means, and opportunities for skullduggery. 

In cozy mysteries, despite the nasty, dangerous business of crime, there are all sorts of resources to deploy to combat the mischief. Of course, that includes a resourceful amateur sleuth who, in Lily’s case, happens to come into a fortune and has an inside track into the US Marshals Service. Friends like her aunt’s best friend, Judy Tucker who steps in for Lettie, and Lily’s posse of divas from LA. Plus, there are four-legged friends, too, like Lily’s beloved Miniature Pinscher, Marlowe. Humor, food, and well-crafted wine also offer a few creature comforts while trying to figure out whodunit. 

There’s more to come for Lily, Austin, Marlowe, and their friends. In Fall’s Killer Vintage, the Taste of Napa Challenge turns out to be more challenging than anyone ever imagined. One of the wines entered in the competition is more than a little disappointing when it turns out to be a killer vintage. When one of Aunt Lettie’s old friends turns out to be a suspect, Lily is soon caught up in the mystery. Is the murder of a federal judge about a rivalry among vintners, or is someone out for revenge?

I hope you’ll grab the first two books in the series and join in on the misadventures in wine country. Cheers!

A Tangle in the Vines (A Calla Lily Mystery) by Anna Celeste Burke

About A Tangle In The Vines:

A Tangle in the Vines
A Calla Lily Mystery, Book 2
Cozy Mystery
Independently Published
September 10, 2019
Number of Pages: 250 pages and includes recipes
ASIN: B07T62B16Q

About the Book:

The curtain may fall on the Calla Lily Players' first season unless Lily and Austin can find a killer on the loose in California's wine country. Torrential rains threaten to put a damper on The Calla Lily Players’ first outdoor theater production. When the ground suddenly shifts, buried secrets revealed amid the tangled vines put the spotlight on murder. As Lily and Austin dig deeper into the mystery, the drama unfolds onstage and off. The race is on to find a killer before opening night.

Grab your copy of the second book in the Calla Lily Mystery series by USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Anna Celeste Burke and join the race! Recipes Included. Free to read in Kindle Unlimited.

About Anna Celeste Burke:

An award-winning, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, I hope you’ll join me snooping into life's mysteries with fun, fiction, and food—California style! Life is an extravaganza! Figuring out how to hang tough and make the most of the wild ride is the challenge. On my way to Oahu, to join the rock musician and high school drop-out I had married in Tijuana, I was nabbed as a runaway. Eventually, the police let me go, but the rock band broke up. Retired now, I’m still married to the same sweet guy and live with him near Palm Springs, California. I write the Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series set here in the Coachella Valley, the Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery Series set along California’s Central Coast, The Georgie Shaw Mystery series set in the OC, The Seaview Cottages Cozy Mystery Series set on the so-called American Riviera, just north of Santa Barbara, and The Calla Lily Mystery series where the murder and mayhem take place in California’s Wine Country. Won’t you join me? Sign up at: http://desertcitiesmystery.com.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.desertcitiesmystery.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/annacelesteburke/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7553558.Anna_Celeste_Burke
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-celeste-burke

Purchase Link - Amazon

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Some Thoughts On Writing a Novel by Allison Brook, Author of Buried in the Stacks: A Haunted Library Mystery, Book 3 ~ #CozyMystery @MarilynLevinson #Giveaway

In Memory of Barbara "Babs" Hightower - you will forever be in our hearts!

Please welcome Allison Brook to Sapphyria's Books today!

Some Thoughts On Writing a Novel

I spent the first six months of 2019 writing the fourth book of my Haunted Library mystery series. Then, to my surprise, it was finished—the murderer revealed, loose ends tied up at 80,000 plus words—just like the previous three books. Surprised because I'd simply sat down each day for a few hours in the late afternoon and wrote a few pages at a time.

I approached this book as both a plotter and a pantser—starting out as a plotter with a clear idea of the book's framework: two groups of characters with a murder in each camp linked to a murder that took place twenty years earlier in Clover Ridge, the setting of my series. Once I worked out how the murders were connected, I began writing as a pantser. Scene after scene came to mind and my story unfolded. I'm not saying I never got stuck, but it was never over anything major and never for long. I have line-edited two-thirds of the manuscript so far, and the only edits I've made involve changing words or phrases for clarity and smoother reading.

I began to wonder how this relative ease—and I say relative because I feel a pang of anxiety every time I sit down to write—came about. Writing a mystery, regardless of the subgenre, requires attention to one's characters' development and interactions, careful plotting, and good pacing to maintain the reader's attention without telescoping the identity of the murderer. A mystery writer must deal with many elements simultaneously, similar to the way a puppeteer has to control a marionette's many strings when performing.

I believe that becoming a good fiction writer is an ongoing process. We learn as we take courses, study technique, critique one another, and continue to write. Soon we no longer have to stop to consciously think: does this scene further the plot? Do I need to bring in the murderer more frequently? Am I remembering to show character development? Not revealing too much too soon? These are important issues that must be addressed. Eventually, they are dealt with on a subconscious level. As we continue to work on our novels and short stories we acquire the ability to know how and what to write.

Years ago, I read Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers: the Story of Success. Using Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and the Beatles as examples of masters in their fields, he surmises that learning, practicing and/or performing roughly ten thousand hours in their areas of expertise led to their high achievement in their chosen fields. I've no way of knowing if ten thousand hours of writing and learning about writing will make a good fiction writer, but I do know that becoming one requires hard work. Until what we've taken in becomes ingrained in our minds and our souls, to be made use of intuitively—like a seasoned tennis player knows subliminally where to send the next volley so his or her opponent can't return it. It's all part of a process that requires dedication and discipline—and constant writing.

Buried in the Stacks: A Haunted Library Mystery by Allison Brook

About the Buried in the Stacks

 

Buried in the Stacks: A Haunted Library Mystery

Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series 

Crooked Lane Books 

September 10, 2019

Hardcover: 320 pages 

ISBN-10: 1643851381 

ISBN-13: 978-1643851389 

Digital ASIN: B07NKPTL81

 

About the Book:

Librarian Carrie Singleton is building a haven, but one of her neighbors is misbehavin'. Can resident spirit Evelyn help Carrie catch the culprit who made her a ghost?

In winter, the Haunted Library is a refuge for homeless townspeople. When a group purchases a vacant house to establish a daytime haven for the homeless, Carrie offers the library as a meeting place for the Haven House committee, but quickly learns that it may be used for illegal activities.

As the new Sunshine Delegate, Carrie heads to the hospital to visit her cantankerous colleague, Dorothy, who had fallen outside the local supermarket. She tells Carrie that her husband tried to kill her--and that he murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier.

And then Dorothy is murdered--run off the road as soon as she returns to work. Evelyn implores Carrie to find her niece's killer, but that's no easy task: Dorothy had made a hobby of blackmailing her neighbors and colleagues. Carrie, Evelyn, and Smoky Joe the cat are on the case, but are the library cards stacked against them?

About Allison Brook:

Allison Brook is the pseudonym for Marilyn Levinson, who writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for kids. She lives on Long Island and enjoys traveling, reading, watching foreign films, doing Sudoku and dining out. She especially loves to visit with her grandchildren on FaceTime. Author Links Website: http://www.marilynlevinson.com My Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/ 

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS: 

September 10 – I'm All About Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

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New Book Release ~ Cordial Killing (A Backyard Farming Mystery, Book 2) by Vikki Walton ~ #Cozy #Mystery ~ Character Inverview ~ Elderberry Cordial Recipe

Cordial Killing

Backyard Farming Mystery

Vikki Walton

 

Snuggle up with a cozy mystery that will keep you guessing!

Cordial Killing (A Backyard Farming Mystery)

About the Book:

Anne is excited for the opening of the Brandywine Inn. Kandi and Hope are her partners in the bed-and-breakfast in Carolan Springs, Colorado, where they also provide homesteading and herbal workshops for guests. As soon as the guests arrive, it’s plain that the five old college chums have bad blood between them. When Anne finds a threatening note, it's clear that someone is out for revenge. Then they find a guest dead. At first, the death appears to be natural, but suspicions begin to grow. When a blizzard threatens the Inn, will it trap them all with a killer and no way out? Cordial Killing is a classic who-dun-it with a twist. Set in the fictional small town of Carolan Springs, you will enjoy an armchair getaway into beautiful Colorado. 

Purchase from Amazon

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Character Interview:

Hope, can you share with our readers about yourself? 

Certainly. I live above the shop of an herbal apothecary I own in Carolan Springs, Colorado. I’m also a medical doctor.. My mother, Faith, lives with me and I care for her. I’m an only child and I moved back to care for my mother when she started having health issues. I love living in a small town and I love Colorado. I’m in the perfect place for the life I want to live and the work I want to do. I have a new intern, Autumn, so that’s helping me to expand into other areas of interest. 

You’ve recently opened a bed-and-breakfast with your friends. Can you tell us about that?

My father, Ralph Rogers, passed away, and I inherited his house. I didn’t know for years that Ralph was my father, so it surprised me when he left me the home in his will. The house is a huge, old Victorian that probably stood by itself for many years before the other homes went up around it. Anne, who has become a good friend, and Kandi, another friend, talked about the possibility of opening a bed-and-breakfast in the house. As they live on either side of the house, it works well for them. Anne has written and taught about suburban homesteading while Kandi is a great cook. Plus, I get to do teaching on herbs through workshops we hold there. It’s called the Brandywine Inn as Ralph was a big fan of Brandywine tomatoes. In the summer we open it up primarily for tourists and those who come for the homesteading fair. Then we can hold workshops in the spring and fall.

Tell us about where you live.

I live in the small mountain town of Carolan Springs in Colorado. (Don’t try to find it on a map as it’s only in the author’s imagination). I have to say the weather here in Colorado takes some getting used to. There can be a snowstorm in the morning and by the afternoon, lots of bright sunshine and warm temperatures. The key is to wear layers at any time of the year! I finally learned that after living here for a few years. I’m excited about spring because it’s that shoulder season when it's normally crisp morning and sunny days. It’s a great time for hiking and seeing all the early wildflowers popping up and sometimes even mushrooms. We’re incorporating hike opportunities for our guests.

Can you tell us a bit more about Carolan Springs and its inhabitants?

It’s a fairly small town—around 3500 people—and just like everywhere else, you have many characters. My shop is along the main street filled with little shops and everyone is usually nice though we have some cranky folks just like any other town. I think Sheriff Carson and Anne should just get on with it and become a couple because they’re both so stubborn that they’d be a perfect match. But don’t tell them I said anything. Problem is they’ll probably end up with others. Oh well, what can you do? I’m sure you’ll find out more about the town’s residents in future stories.

You mentioned the author, what can you tell us about her?

Well, she was born in Chicago but spent most of her life in Texas—around the San Antonio area. But just like me, she loves Colorado’s mountains. She grows and uses herbs and making her own tinctures, tonics, and salves. She loves the basic edible herbs like basil, cilantro, dill, and others. A few of her favorite medicinal herbs are astragalus and osha for tinctures along with comfrey she uses in salves. In addition to writing mysteries, she’s also written nonfiction books. She loves everything about being a suburban homesteader or what some call backyard farming. She’s a certified permaculture designer, has chickens and beehives and gardens of various types.

Hope, can you tell us what’s next for the series?

We’ve all been talking about getting beehives for the property, so we can offer honey to our guests. Having bees on the property will also help with all the gardens we want to install. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of those being a part of the next book in the series.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I can’t think of anything. Though my mother (Faith) says she has a bad feeling about our opening weekend at the bed-and-breakfast. She has second-sight so that’s a bit disconcerting that she says she has a bad feeling. But I’m sure it’s nothing. I hope.  

Marie’s Elderberry Cordial Recipe:

Items Needed

• Quart canning jar with lid
• Funnel (large mouth)
• Wooden spoon
• Label or masking tape
• Sharpie
• Cheesecloth (optional)
• Strainer (optional)
• Decorative Bottle (optional)

Ingredients	Amounts needed	Comments
Elderberries	1.25 cup dried or 2 cups fresh	For fresh, remove from stems.
Brandy	3 cups	Can also use other alcohol but brandy is most commonly used.
Honey	¼ to ½ cup (or to taste)	Vegans or those who don’t have access to good local raw honey can substitute maple syrup. Acquiring local honey will provide your cordial with its own unique flavor.
Optional
Cinnamon stick	One	Flavor along with Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory properties
Rosehips	¼ cup	Extra Vitamin C
Ginger	1-2 tbsp grated fresh ginger	Flavor along with Antioxidants

Instructions

• Place elderberries (and any optional ingredients, if using) into quart jar.
• Cover with brandy.
• Add honey.
• Stir with wooden spoon or put lid on and shake.
• Place in dark, cool space (usually a cabinet will do) for three to four weeks.
• If desired, strain with cheesecloth and using a strainer, put into a decorative bottle.
• Or you can leave ingredients in jar.
• In winter take 1-2 tbsp daily for immune-boosting. If ill, take 3-4 tbsp (basically a shot glass) a few times a day until symptoms improve. This cordial can also be used as a base for poor-tasting tinctures such as osha.
• Can last for a year with fresh berries and longer if made with dried berries—if you have it that long!

Notes:

Elderberry is a wonderful plant to have in your yard or on your property. It has many medicinal benefits and uses. The elderberry plant most commonly associated with immune-boosting and flu-fighting properties is the dark berry plant (Elderberry Sambucus Nigra). Elder flower is also used in elixirs, teas and food. Elder was the International Herb Association’s Herb of the Year in 2013. It’s usually harvested in September. **This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.** 

  Cordial Killing (A Backyard Farming Mystery Series—Book Two) www.vikkiwalton.com  

About the Author:

 

Vikki’s first words were “I get it!” This attitude became her life-long mantra to always go after what she wants. It also helped her realize her desire to help others get what they really want out of life. After spending years as a registered interior designer, Vikki began to write. While writing for periodicals, Vikki found herself on assignment interviewing publishers in Colorado Springs. It wasn’t long before the natural beauty of Colorado captured her heart. After moving to Colorado, Vikki worked with nonprofits. However, she soon realized she needed more autonomy in her work. Vikki started her own business as a nonprofit consultant and grant writer. She has helped nonprofits across the U.S. to receive millions of dollars for their work. Yet, she realized doing one thing wouldn’t satisfy her for long. Vikki became a Work Quilter™ combining her many passions to create multiple income streams. She started speaking and teaching adults on myriad and diverse topics around her knowledge, skills and passions. She's taught and spoken on Creative Writing, Design for Heart and Home, Fundraising Fundamentals , Suburban Homesteading, Permaculture, How to Get What You Really Want, and of course, Work Quilting. Two words that continually appear on instructor and speaker feedback forms are "engaging" and "knowledgeable." Born in Chicago, Vikki lived outside of Paris for a few years as a small child. That may account for her love of travel. She moved to Wichita with her parents before going on to live most of her life around the San Antonio, Texas area. She is the founder of #girlswantago and you can connect through Facebook or www.girlswantago.com. Vikki is also an experienced, professional global house and pet sitter. Vikki's favorite genre is mystery so it wasn't long before she had begun her first cozy mystery series. Incorporating her love of suburban homesteading, or as some call it, backyard farming, Vikki's first book is Chicken Culprit. You'll most often find Vikki out hiking with her dog, outside gardening, traveling abroad, house or pet sitting, or writing her next book.

       

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