MysteryPartners e-Letter

Book Report Out and About Lifescapes & the Pecan Springs Journal All About Thyme Herb Snips

Book Report

Get an Early Peek into Nightshade Go here to discover some surprising facts about the fascinating nightshade family, check out a recipe, and read the first chapter of Susan's upcoming novel. The book, China's sixteenth adventure, will be in your local bookstore the first week of April. Or you can preorder your very own signed copy here. Susan's Podcasts If you haven't yet listened to Susan's herbal podcasts, check them out here. You can learn all about the secret lives of parsley, rosemary, the notorious nettle, and more. When you listen to the podcasts, be sure and drop in on the resource pages for more information, recipes, and crafts. Fun! Book Review Site Relaunched In case you missed the recent announcement, the Story Circle Book Review site—the largest and most comprehensive women's book review site on the Internet—has been completely renovated. Susan (the site's creator and a current editor), invites you to check out our Author Interview feature. This month's interview: Roberta Isleib, the author of Preaching to the Corpse and current president of Sisters in Crime.

Out and About
Susan is planning a Texas tour for Nightshade. Check our Events listings for April to see whether she's scheduled to be in your area. She's also planning a Nightshade Blog Tour. If you're a blogger and think you might like to participate, go here to check out details and let Susan know of your interest.

Lifescapes & the Pecan Springs Journal

Check out Susan's blog, Lifescapes, to see what she's been up to lately. She recently finished another China Bayles mystery (to be published in 2009) and blogged about the process at the Pecan Springs Journal.

All About Thyme

Got a sore throat? You're not alone. For centuries, people have been treating mouth, throat, and lung ailments with herbal candies. Find out how in the January 28 issue of All About Thyme, the weekly herbal eletter all about thymes and seasons. Go here and look for the "sample copy."

Herb Snips: Winter-Thyme Healers

Many of our summer-time herbs are winter-time allies, and in the cold-and-flu season, they shine. Here are a few garden remedies our grandmothers used. Thyme for a cough. Modern research lends support to thyme's traditional use as an expectorant. Use 2 tsp dried thyme per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Drink up to three times a day. Yarrow and plantain for a stuffy head cold: 1 tsp dried yarrow and 1 tsp dried plantain per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. Drink three or four times a day. Horseradish for a chill: Add 1 tsp grated fresh horseradish to a cup of hot water. Drink three times a day. (To preserve your own horseradish, scrub and peel the root and grate. Place in a jar and cover with white vinegar. Refrigerate. Each day for a week, add a shake or two of salt and stir. Store, covered, in refrigerator.) For additional herbal remedies, The Healing Herbs, by Michael Castleman, is a readable, reliable resource. Read more herb snips.

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