I'M GONNA SPILL THE TEA BY: KIMBERLY R. THORN

I'M GONNA SPILL THE TEA                                By: Kimberly R. Thorn

I am sure that you have heard it said, “the book was better then the movie.”  Probably more times than you could count.  But what if, (and just hear me out on this one before you get mad).  What if…..you hadn’t actually read the book?  (Gasp!)  I know, I know!  I am confessing.  I just started hearing about The Thursday Murder Club when the movie was announced as showing on Netflix.  I had never heard of this movie before, and I certainly didn’t know that it was from a book series.  (I know, shame on me).  I apologize to all the book readers everywhere, especially all of those UK mystery fans.  You will be happy to know that I HAVE ordered all the books in the series, so far and am ordering the new one when it comes out, September 30, 2025.

The Movie   

I watched The Thursday Murder Club last week.  I was curious because even though I had never read the books I had heard so much about it.  I was also a little leery as it was 2 hours long.  Could I sit still that long to watch it?  Would it hold my attention for 2 hours?  I mean, it’s not Agatha Christie, right?  Although, I was so looking forward to seeing Helen Mirren and Pierce Bronson back on the screen and working together!  I am sad to say that she was no queen, and he was no 007, this time.

My Reaction

I really enjoyed the movie.  I felt like the two hours flew by and I was surprised that I didn’t have as much time as I thought I had to figure out who did it.  There were parts that I found were a little hard to follow so I missed some important clues.  Sadly, no I did not figure it out. 

I thought it was a brilliant murder mystery.  I liked the cast and felt that the four main characters had great chemistry.  They really were believable in their roles as good friends living in a senior retirement home.  In what many would think would be frail septuagenarians and octogenarians living out their last days, they really used their wisdom and knowledge of human nature to investigate and solve a fifty-year-old murder.  There were several parts that were funny and cute.  These seniors had not lost their sense of humor, while getting to the bottom of a bloody, dirty murder but having some fun, getting into shenanigans along the way.  There were several heartfelt moments as well, as the characters worked through their own personal and family difficulties.

Would I Recommend?

Yes!  Especially if you like English mysteries.  Also, if you like mysteries with some humor, then you will love this movie as well.  If you like both things, then this movie is a must for you to see.  Sorry, I cannot comment on the books…… yet!  I will certainly let you know once I read them.

Murder, She Wrote

The next item I want to bring to your attention… well, I want to scream it from the rooftops, actually.  You probably already know but welp, here it is.  A remake of Murder, She Wrote is being made now!!!!!

In my research, it appears that it will be a stand-alone movie, but I don’t know about you, I will take the remake as I can get it, at this point.  Personally, I was hoping it would be a TV show, but I’ll settle for a movie.  Maybe if the movie does well, they will bring it back as a weekly show.  The fact that Jamie Lee Curtis will be playing the iconic character, Jessica Fletcher, I am ecstatic about!  I love her and think that she will not only do a great job with the role, but I also think that Angela Lansbury is smiling from Heaven!  Could the tide be changing to include casting some older, well-known, legendary actors and actresses into newer roles?

Let me know, what do you think?

SO YOU WANT TO BE A BONNY PIRATE? by Yvonne Saxon

As a young girl I always wanted to be a pirate--I wanted the adventure, the travel, the high stakes and intrigue that life on the high seas might bring. Books like Treasure Island and swashbuckling old movies watched late at night fueled my romanticized, rose-colored glasses version of what a pirate's life might be. I also wanted a pirate birthday party for the longest time.

Could I have been a pirate during the "Golden Age"? Were there actually women pirates outside of fiction? How did they fare? What were their stories? Let's weigh anchor and examine history for some real-life examples.

A TASTE OF THE 1950s: WHEN SPAM AND JELL-O MOLDS RULED THE TABLE by Ellen Butler

 

Since my next book in the Ariadne Winter mystery series, Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle, will be arriving on October 1, I’ve decided to discuss another interesting aspect of the 1950s that I have researched. Food.

The 1950s were a defining decade for American cuisine—a time when the kitchen became the heart of the suburban home and convenience was king. It was the era of TV dinners, canned goods, and brightly colored cookbooks that celebrated innovation, even if the results were sometimes questionable by today’s standards. Among the standout stars of the 1950s dinner table were SPAM and Jell-O molds—two iconic staples that defined the culinary culture of the time.

After World War II, America was booming. Suburbs were expanding, appliances like refrigerators and electric ovens were more accessible, and grocery stores were brimming with processed foods that promised to save time for the modern housewife. Home cooking adapted to this new lifestyle with recipes that were equal parts creative and efficient.

SPAM, the infamous canned meat introduced by Hormel in 1937, found its heyday in the '50s. Though it gained popularity during the war due to its long shelf life, it remained a household favorite afterward. Its versatility made it a star ingredient in many meals. Fried SPAM slices were served with eggs for breakfast, diced SPAM was baked into casseroles, and it often appeared in sandwich form. Housewives praised it for its affordability and convenience, despite its mysterious texture and salty flavor.

But if SPAM was the workhorse of 1950s cuisine, Jell-O was the showstopper. No dinner party or potluck was complete without a dazzling, multi-layered Jell-O mold. These gelatin-based creations weren’t limited to sweet desserts—savory versions, known as "aspics," included ingredients like olives, tuna, chopped vegetables, and even shredded chicken, all suspended in a quivering, translucent dome. As seen in the photo above. Served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a dollop of mayonnaise, they were as much a conversation piece as a side dish.

The fascination with Jell-O molds reflected the decade’s obsession with presentation. Cookbooks encouraged women to make food look impressive, even if it meant encasing ham in lime gelatin or adding hard-boiled eggs to a tomato aspic. It was all about entertaining with flair—menus were designed not only to satisfy but to impress.

Beyond Spam and Jell-O, 1950s food was a playground of new ideas. Casseroles made with condensed soup, deviled eggs, molded salads, and pineapple-glazed hams were fixtures of the American table. Recipes leaned heavily on processed ingredients—instant pudding and margarine were pantry must-haves. While modern sensibilities may raise an eyebrow at tuna suspended in lime Jell-O, these dishes represented creativity, resourcefulness, and a sincere attempt to embrace the future.

Today, vintage 1950s recipes resurface as a mix of nostalgia and novelty. Some home cooks have become social media influencers by replicating these dishes and sharing them on various platforms.  Others incorporate SPAM as a staple in their meals and share the fun of Jell-O molds with their children and families. Either way, SPAM and Jell-O molds remain unforgettable icons of a decade that dared to dream—in pastel colors and gelatin.

ENGAGING THE FIVE SENSES FOR RESEARCH (AND MAKING IT FUN!) By Allie Marie, Guest Blogger

I’m excited to be one of the contributing authors for Sand in Our Shorts. My writing spans several genres, but most are historical mysteries with paranormal elements and time travel. While I can research settings for modern characters with ease, trying to authentically capture the past takes time and research—and a bit of creativity. I didn’t start applying all of the senses to my writing right away. The technique has evolved with time and has helped me create accurate and interesting settings.

My books are set locally where I am surrounded by the history of America. As a hands-on person, I can really get “into” my work. This has included shadowing a brewer for several sessions to learn the essence of his job, visiting naval museums to study a German warship, and following a beekeeper during harvest. I’ve developed a method of incorporating the tedious task of research with the fun part of “experiencing” it through the five senses. This is especially helpful to “show, not tell” my readers.

For example, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown, both of which are featured in some of my stories, have restored sites that mirror the locations some of my time travelers visit.

I live not far from the beach and have found secluded coves that match the settings I imagine for a future pirate or seafaring story. My photo of the fog covering the horizon yet leaving the beach and trees visible will help me recreate the scene.

It is a short drive to Washington, DC, or a train ride to New York City to capture the big city elements as well as the historical aspects of both cities.

Every trip engages the five senses, and sometimes what I call my “sixth” sense—when I seem able to breathe the very essence of my characters or setting through my research. Sometimes, however, my imagination does a pretty good job of conjuring up images of a location or setting before I’ve even seen it.

SIGHT

I like to see the sights of my settings, as close as possible to the real thing. My research journeys have taken me to 18th-century manor houses, Victorian mansions, and historic settlements to see what the homes and buildings of the past looked like. Visits to breweries, distilleries, and old speakeasies have been integral to my research for my True Spirits Trilogy.

When I visit a site that captures what my imagination is creating, I take a photo to remember details later. What might the characters’ clothes look like? From the deerskin-clad Native American to the Colonial soldier, from the Victorian hostess to the 1920s flapper, from the modern firefighter’s turnout gear to the business suit of the female executive, descriptions need to be accurate. 

Live demonstrations at battlefields depicted the size and operations of cannons, the outdoor cooking conditions, and the tiny tents nine soldiers had to share. 

Colonial pubs, wine cellars, and tasting rooms often capture the settings of the period, with brick walls, candles in lanterns and sconces, wooden benches, and tables. Sandy beaches, old forests, farmland, and fields capture the essence of nature when you stand in front of any of these locations and your senses take in your surroundings.

SOUND

I’ve been to Native American Indian Powwows, Royal Tattoos, and colonial reenactments to capture the sounds of Indian drums, the swirl of bagpipes, and the thunder of cannons, and I want my reader to experience it too. 

Did the native drumbeats send my heart racing as the warrior in war paint approached? It did when I imagined I was a settler facing the unfamiliar sights unfolding in front of me.

Did the swirl of bagpipes put me in the same mood as my characters of Scottish descent? It did when I “joined” their family celebration of Hogmanay. Did that cannon boon put me in the middle of the battle of Yorktown? You bet it did.

Does silk cloth rustle with movement? Does it squish or scrape like taffeta? A minute of my time (not counting an hour to find said materials) can give me the exact sensation I want to portray in the right scene.  

SMELL

What does gunpowder smell like after a gun has been discharged?

How do I describe the salty smell of the ocean on a hot summer day without going to the beach and concentrating on that single sense? What does a raw fish smell like after sitting on the shore for hours in the hot sun? How does freshly cut grass compare to wet hay after a storm?

Does that decadent smell of coffee bring a sense of relief to battle-worn soldiers or a contemporary character needing the jumpstart ahead of a busy day? How about the aroma of fresh-baked bread in a bakery? Or the smell of sandwiches and fruit when children open their lunches in a schoolroom?

For romantic elements, what kinds of perfume or cologne do the characters wear? Is it a flowery scent for her, a musky, woodsy smell for him?

Can you capture the scent of a building—the cold, mold in a dank basement, the wooden floors of an old butcher shop mixed with the overwhelming odor of meat?

TASTE

I want to know about the foods my characters eat, whether they are modern or historical. Is the roast fork tender or tough as leather?

How did the oysters from the James River of Virginia taste to the Native American Indians, or how haggis tastes to a Scotsman, or the dry, hard biscuits called “tack” that were sometimes the colonial soldiers’ only food? What foods have been a staple throughout the centuries?

Does whiskey (with or without the e, depending on where it comes from) really burn if you take a swig? What kinds of barrels enhance the flavor of a good, spirited drink, and does it make a difference?

Did freshly churned butter taste like the butter we buy from the store? I’ve learned that honey has different tastes if the hives are located next to other agricultural fields.

Does the character have the taste of blood in his or her mouth after being injured?  Is it metallic or coppery?

I want to see and taste what my characters taste in order to describe it well.

FEEL (TOUCH)

How does a newborn baby’s skin compare to the aged hands of its grandparent?

What does rough wool feel like to the upper-class woman who has fallen on hard times and no longer wears velvet or cashmere? How about that silk mentioned earlier–—can you help your reader feel it in your description?

Does the food your character is eating have a flavor or texture that can alter their experience?  An unexpectedly sour taste, chewing on a tough piece of meat, or stale bread can all enhance your story.

The soft fluff of the fiber and the prickly scratch of the bracts of the boll presented two extremes to the difficult harvesting of this crop, which will be a feature of a future historical series.

BREATHING   

 I like to think of a different kind of “sixth sense”—the effort to “breathe” in the atmosphere of the settings, and for a brief moment, live like my characters. And hopefully, so will my readers.

Using all of my senses to research my stories has become interesting and fun. I’m resigned to one fact, though. When I’m creating my ghosts and time travel events, I have to rely solely on my imagination for that!

 

 

BEST WRITING ADVICE (PART THREE) : THE ALMIGHTY B-I-T-CH by Penny Hutson

 

If you’ve read (Part One) and (Part Two) of my “Best Writing Advice” blog series, then you know reading a lot and not looking back to edit the previous day’s work are tools I’ve used in completing first drafts. Today’s advice gets me started and keeps me creating. 

I’ll beg my readers’ pardon for the crude sounding acronym in my title, which merely stands for “butt in the chair.” It’s not a new expression, and you may have heard it before. I used it for the chuckle or laugh of recognition it might bring, but also because I find it fitting to the task. Let’s face it. Writing is hard, and often the hardest part is making yourself sit down and write. To stop whatever else you’re doing, get rid of any distractions, and just write can be a daunting task.

I have a friend who’s been developing a novel in her head for more than thirty years – true story. Eventually, she plans to write it down and publish it but insists she’s got to get the entire story just right before committing anything to paper. As you’ve likely guessed, she hasn’t written or published a single word. Perhaps that’s an extreme example, but many of us are doing some version of that. We’ll finish writing that mystery when we figure out who the killer should be, or we’ll start that new romance when we have an original storyline, better hook, or more interesting main character. The reasons are endless.

My advice this week is to just sit down and write, or start an outline, at least. I never get any writing done unless I’m sitting in front of the keyboard and typing. Others may use a pen and paper or voice recorder. Some may even create at a standing desk. It doesn’t matter how you write. It only matters that you do. Sure, we get ideas in the shower, while driving or doing something other than writing; but we must put the words down on the page (be it virtual or real ink) or they disappear.

And just for the record, no writer envisions an entire story or nonfiction piece with every detail in their head worked out ahead of time. The truth is that writing begets writing. Ideas bring more ideas, but you must write them down first. I can’t explain why this is true, just that our brains appear to work that way. You must write out your first thoughts, lines of dialogue, or descriptions before the next lines will come to you. If we spend too much time thinking, like my friend, it will take much longer to reach our writing goals or worse - we may never even finish.

REFLECTIONS ON A SUMMER RENTAL by Michael Rigg

Sandbridge Beach - View from Sandwolf's Den 

For several years, we’ve followed an annual family tradition: a summer rental house on Virginia’s Outer Banks.

That’s right, the Outer Banks are not the exclusive province of North Carolina. Rather, this storied chain of barrier islands extends into the Commonwealth of Virginia. The northern extent of the Outer Banks is a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and Back Bay (and its subdivisions, Sand Bay, Shipps Bay, and North Bay). The better-known name for Virginia’s Outer Banks is Sandbridge Beach.

Sandbridge Beach has no hotels. The community consists of single-family residences, vacation rental homes, and three large beachfront condominium complexes (both personal residences and rentals). There are some small stores, food facilities, a couple of churches, and a fire station. Compared to the resort strip several miles north in Virginia Beach, Sandbridge offers a relatively isolated, laid-back vacation experience.

As our family has grown, so has the size of our weekly rental house. This year, we rented Sandwolf’s Den, a three-story beachfront home with an outdoor swimming pool. Yes, that’s right, we took a beach vacation and stayed at a place with a swimming pool. Over the years, we’ve learned that a swimming pool is a necessity, despite being adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. If you can locate a house with a poolside cabana (with refrigerator, microwave, etc.), that’s even better.

Some of the other things we’ve learned that our family enjoys:

--A pool table. This is a great source of entertainment, especially on rainy days and at night. One of the family members often organizes a pool tournament—a great source of fun and entertainment. Other amenities to look for include a foosball table, ping pong, air hockey, and shuffleboard. One house had an electronic game console table (think Pac Man and Space Invaders). Another had a pinball machine (very noisy). Not every house has every amenity, but we’ve learned that a pool table is essential.

--An elevator, if the house has three floors. The elevator is a great help on move-in and again at check-out. Carrying items (or dragging them in the case of luggage) up the stairs isn’t much fun.

--Two of “everything,” especially in the main kitchen. Two stoves/ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators/freezers, sinks, washers/dryers, etc. are very important, at least for the number of people in our group. It’s very convenient to have one dishwasher working while the other is being filled. Just multiply a dozen people by three meals a day (plus snacks) and you’ll see why. Most houses have mini-kitchens on other floors, e.g., a microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc., which is very convenient.

--A ”media room,” to allow groups to watch movies, videos, television at the same time. This is especially nice if there are small kids. Usually the houses we’ve stayed in, lately at least, have televisions in each bedroom as well as large televisions in common areas of each floor, e.g., the kitchen, living room/media room, recreation room, etc.

--Gas grills for outdoor cooking/grilling. This year, though, we didn’t do any outdoor cooking.

--At least one covered, screened-in porch or deck area. Mosquitoes. Enough said.

--Bathrooms. Plenty of bathrooms, especially one easily accessible from outside (beach, pool, etc.) Related to this is plenty of trash receptacles, especially in the kitchen. This year’s house had six  in the main kitchen—three we used for trash and three we used for recyclable items. And trust me, we had to bag up the trash/recycling several times and take it to the outside bins. I can’t imagine having only one or two trash receptacles in the kitchen.

There are probably features I’ve forgotten, but those are the major ones.

One of our favorite activities each year is making tie-dye tee-shirts (or other clothing items). After so many years of doing this, I have enough tie-dye tees to wear a new one each day we’re at the beach house.

Of course, renting a house in Sandbridge can be pricey. But we don’t engage in a lot of activities through the year (golf, travel, etc.), so all-in-all it’s not that bad. And getting the family together and creating memories? Priceless.

PROMPTS TO INSPIRE YOU, PART TWO, by Adele Gardner, aka Max Jason Peterson

Want a dose of inspiration? I'm back with more prompts! 

As Adele Gardner, I host Adele's Writers Cafe, which is a live Zoom-only inspiration workshop for micro poetry and prose. These free sessions are made possible by Hampton Public Library. If you're interested, feel free to check out the ongoing collection where you can find past, present, and future workshops in the series (ages 18+, free, but registration required for each individual session via Eventbrite):

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/adeles-writers-cafe-micro-poetry-prose-3651389

For more details on how these work, as well as additional prompts, feel free to look at Part One in this series.

Here are some more prompts I've created for your enjoyment! As always, feel free to use any part of the prompt, or let it take you in a whole new direction. You can even use these to further explore a character or situation in an existing work in progress.

If it is helpful, try writing something for each prompt for ten minutes with a timer. You may not finish your idea in that time. And you most likely won't get beyond the rough draft stage regardless. But having this short a timer can help us just get our thoughts out there, in some form that we can play with later. 

Travel or Transportation: So many ways to go places, so many places to see! Sometimes we feel a need to get away, find a chance of scene, or simply a change of mind. Think about traveling in the mind’s eye through books, media, and/or the imagination. Or science, science fiction, or fantasy traveling via portals, teleportation, space shuttle, interstellar ship, or tesseract. Or physically visiting another place on Earth near or far (as near as another room in the house; as far as the next universe or beyond); it might be a visit to family or friends, a road trip, or a daily commute. Will you stay in a haunted hotel? Imagine any form of conveyance, ancient, modern, or futuristic.

Time Shenanigans: We all need more time, don’t we? Explore time’s impact—or our impact on time. Have fun with time travel, time loops, déjà vu, past lives, alternate versions of characters in the multiverse when time branches off through different decisions or circumstances. How about the effects of relativity? Or time passing at a different speed for people on different worlds? Humans may experience time moving too slow or too fast—and sometimes we can change our own perceptions of time, living in the Now. Explore your connections to time, including how you want to spend it.  

Pets: The creatures we cohabit with change our lives. There are so many types of pets, historical, modern, and otherworldly; maybe your character chose one, or maybe the pet chose them. Pets can reflect personalities, but also influence them. Maybe the character defines themselves by these pets and wouldn’t live without that type of pet; or maybe this is a reluctant (though caring) pet-parent who made an exception in an otherwise pet-free life.

Missing: Is your character missing someone or something? This could be the emotion of longing for something or someone currently at a distance or out of reach, or the actual fact of someone or something being lost. The character might feel they are missing part of themselves but not be sure what the missing piece is. Or they might be hunting for something specific, or trying to reclaim a part of themselves temporarily lost by the wayside.

Family dynamics: Your protagonist has great powers—be they magical, scientific, superpowered, or as part of a pantheon or mythology. Write a letter from their point of view to a parent or sibling, providing insight into the familial relationship and a greater understanding of the protagonist. 

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Adele Gardner's poetry collection Halloween Hearts is available from Jackanapes Press:

https://www.jackanapespress.com/product/halloween-hearts

Themes of Halloween, horror, Edgar Allan Poe, and Ray Bradbury. The press has seasonal discounts.

Max Jason Peterson has two stories in the new anthology Coastal Crimes 2: Death Takes a Vacation from Wildside Press.