From a Carol Award finalist and US Today bestselling author, Mary Ellis, What Happened on Beale Street: Cousins and private investigators Nate and Nicki head to Memphis at the request of their childhood friend Danny — but when they arrive, Danny is missing. Can Nate and Nicki unravel family secrets and solve a baffling mystery? A suspenseful Christian read! NOW $1.99 at Amazon, Kobo, and Google
We’re giving away some truly great prizes! You can cuddle up under this beautiful quilt while you snack on Brownie Brittle, gaze at your new Christmas ornaments, and read books by the Suspense Sisters! You’ll also get some great bookmarks to keep your place.
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But since I’m a country girl who loves getting her hands dirty in my garden, I’m always intrigued by the plants which grow where the winters don’t get as cold and snowy as (northern) Ohio’s. Here are eight of my favorite plants that don’t grow where I live, plus the magnificent magnolia tree, which does grow here, but is far less common up north. (My photo is from one of my neighbor’s two magnolias in her front yard. Some people have all the luck!) All photos except the magnolia were taken on the coast of Georgia.
l) camellias – they were blooming everywhere in February! What a treat!!
6) palm trees – I just learned some get coconuts, some don’t. Majestic trees, but don’t stand up well to hurricane force winds.
7) live oaks – the tree which most of us Yankees associate with the deep South. Cute little acorns. Keeps its leaves year-round, which means it’s always losing some year-round, so you’re never down raking or blowing leaves. And you almost never see one without the ubiquitous Spanish moss.
8) bamboo – found tall, thick stands of this used as privacy fences everywhere. Much cheaper than chain-link!! Some places it has become downright invasive!
Tell me what plant or flower you love to see on vacation that doesn’t grow where you live for a chance to win a copy of The Amish Sweet Shop. Please leave an email address. US and Canada only.
Whenever I travel to a new area of the country, I take my same old culinary tastes with me. The first time someone asked: Would you like potatoes or grits with those eggs? I asked: What exactly is a grit? Up north, grit is what you’re left with after the dentist cleans your teeth. Now twenty years later, I have come to love those little offshoots of white corn (also called hominy) especially if they’re buried under a thick layer of cheese and topped with grilled shrimp! I spent the month of February on Jekyll Island which holds an annual Shrimp and Grits Festival every September. Thousands turn up to sample and judge for themselves who has the best recipe. After spending three months on the barrier islands of Georgia to research book 3 of Marked for Retribution Mysteries, I ate cheesy shrimp and grits many times. (Note: photo on left taken at Horton Cemetery on Jekyll Island. Horton was one of Jekyll’s early settlers.) Here’s one recipe that’s both delicious and easy to make. Enjoy!
#1 In a medium sized skillet cook bacon or medium high heat to desired crispness then chop. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain bacon grease but reserve approximately one tablespoon in the pan for cooking the shrimp.
#2 Add the shrimp to the grease and cook until shrimp are no longer pink, around 5 minutes. (Optional: add chopped garlic or Cajun seasonings if you prefer spicy while cooking shrimp) I like to add a bit of lemon juice and salt and pepper.
#3 Follow the recipe on the box for Quick Grits. Bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat and add grits slowly, stirring constantly until the grits start to thicken. Then stir in 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheddar. Continue stirring cheese is melted. Can add milk or cream if necessary.
#4 Add the cooked chopped bacon to shrimp and reheat. Serve immediately over cheesy grits. Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped scallions if desired.
Here’s a little bit about my latest book, Sweet Taste of Revenge:
Are you pining for summer? Thinking about warm days? Sitting by the lake? Sipping lemonade? Sounds great. But to really enjoy summer you need good books, right? Well, how about sixteen stories by some of Christian Fictions most popular suspense and mystery authors?
 You’ll find stories of suspense by Mary Alford, Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley, Vannetta Chapman, Mary Ellis, Debby Giusti, Rachel J. Good, Ruth Hartzler, Shaen Layle, Ruth Logan Herne, Loree Lough, Elizabeth Ludwig, Nancy Mehl, Serena Miller, Samantha Price, and Alana Terry. All for just .99 cents. SUMMER OF SUSPENSE is now available for preorder at Apple and Barnes and Noble. This anthology collection will release on August 6th. After the release week, the book price will be $9.99, so don’t miss out on this amazing read for just .99. Apple: https://apple.co/2EhNTJV
Nook: https://bit.ly/2Gz6lAc
*On August 6th, SUMMER OF SUSPENSE will be available on Kindle. It will be .99 for the rest of that week before going up to $9.99!
 Now you can ignore the cold because, the SUMMER OF SUSPENSE is coming!
Have a great week, readers!! Mary Ellis
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Enjoy the best of Christian suspense in this sixteen book anthology by some of Christian Fiction’s most popular mystery and suspense authors. Stories of suspense by Mary Alford, Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley, Vannetta Chapman, Mary Ellis, Debby Giusti, Ruth Hartzler, Shaen Layle, Ruth Logan Herne, Loree Lough, Amy Lillard, Elizabeth Ludwig, Nancy Mehl, Serena Miller, Samantha Price, and Alana Terry. All for just .99 cents.
SUMMER OF SUSPENSE is now available for preorder at Apple and Barnes and Noble. This anthology collection will release on August 6th. After the release week, the book price will be $9.99, so don’t miss out on this amazing read for just .99.
Apple: https://apple.co/2EhNTJV
Nook: https://bit.ly/2Gz6lAc
*On August 6th, SUMMER OF SUSPENSE will be available on Kindle. It will be .99 for the rest of that week before going up to $9.99!
Have a great week, readers! Mary Ellis
