The Josie Toadfern Mystery Series E-Newsletter

Following is a sample of the e-newsletter I'll be sending to subscribers 3 or 4 times a year. To subscribe, all you have to do is send an e-mail with "Subscribe Josie" in the subject line to sharonshort @ sharonshort.com (remove spaces)! And I promise, I will not share your e-mail address with anyone else.

The Josie Toadfern Mystery Series E-Newsletter

Issue #1

August, 2003

Thanks for taking a few minutes to read through this first issue of my newsletter about all things Josie Toadfern! I plan to send out just three or four issues a year, but promise each issue will have news about Josie's latest appearances in books, my appearances on behalf of Josie, updates on Josie's "Stain Buster" contest (her efforts to make sure you get into a story with her!), a stain tip, and a fun recipe (because what better way to create stains than to eat yummy food?)

If this has been forwarded to you by a friend, and you'd like to get my next newsletter in a few months, directly from me, just send me a quick e-mail at: sharonshort @ sharonshort.com (remove spaces)

I promise, I won't share your e-mail address with anyone else!

And if you'd like an occasional update on my and Josie's goings-on, check my website at http://www.sharonshort.com/

Contents for this issue:

§         Sharon's New Book—Death of a Domestic Diva—Now Available!

§         Book Signing, Books & Company, August 15, 7-8 p.m.

§         Enter "Stain Buster" Contest and Win An Appearance in Sharon's Books

§         Stain Tip: Getting Out Silly Putty!

§         Josie's Recipe for "Killer" Salmon Patties

Sharon's New Book—Death of a Domestic Diva—Now Available!

I am delighted to announce that Josie Toadfern—stain expert and laundromat owner in small town Paradise, Ohio—is making her series debut in Death of a Domestic Diva! To sample this new mystery, read the first chapter at http://www.sharonshort.com/

In her first outing in this humorous, cozy mystery series, Josie decides to use her stain expertise to help her town gain some much-needed publicity. Her grand plan: use her stain expertise to get an interview on the nationally popular Tyra Grimes Home Show. Everyone laughs at her plan, until Tyra surprises everyone by coming to Paradise—supposedly to interview Josie. Instead, murder and mayhem ensue. It's up to Josie and her good friends to solve the crimes... and clean up the aftermath.

Death of a Domestic Diva is now available! If you can make it, I'd love to see you at my first book signing event for this novel, at Books & Company, August 15, 7-8 p.m. But if you can't make it, consider picking up a copy at Books & Company, or ordering online at one of the stores below.

(The first three are outstanding independent mystery bookstores who are also hosting me for book signings in September—so if you know any mystery lovers in those areas, let them know! And if you do decide to order through one of these independent stores, let them know Sharon sent you, if you like!):

Foul Play Mystery Bookshop (Carmel, IN; signing on September 4)—http://www.foulplaybooks.com/

The Mystery Company (Columbus, OH; signing on September 17) —http://www.themysterycompany.com/

Mystery Lovers Bookshop (Pittsburgh, PA; I'm signing there September 20)–http://www.mysterylovers.com/

Amazon—http://www.amazon.com/

Book Signing, Books & Company, August 15, 7-8

I will be reading from and signing copies of Death of a Domestic Diva at Books & Company in Kettering, Ohio on Friday, August 15 at 7 p.m. (Books & Company—www.booksandco.com—is located in Town & Country Shopping Center, 350 East Stroop Road; Phone: 937-298-6540) This promises to be a fun time, and I'd love to see you there!

Enter "Stain Buster" Contest And Win An Appearance in Sharon's Books

Would you like to make an appearance in one of my future Josie Toadfern mysteries—with your own stain removal tip?

Then enter "Josie's Stain Busters Contest!" (In the series, Josie writes a monthly stain tips column, called Josie's Stain Busters, for her hometown newspaper.)

For future books, I will select one stain tip submitted by a reader, and include the stain tip in the book. The winning contributor will be named in the book's acknowledgement page, and will receive a mini-laundry gift basket filled with laundry-related items. Deadline for Josie book 2 is August 20—but don't worry! This is an ongoing contest! Entries sent in after August 20 will be considered for Josie book 3! Contest details are available at http://www.sharonshort.com/

Stain Tip: Getting Out Silly Putty!

Here's a tiny preview of Josie Book #2 (complete... but as yet untitled!) Josie helps a customer get Silly Putty out of a sweater. I love this stain tip, because I got to look like Super Mom when my youngest daughter (age 9) brought me her favorite red sweater in which she'd somehow ground sparkly gold Silly Putty. The old stick-it-in-a-freezer-then-scrape-with-knife trick wouldn't work, because this Silly Putty was ground into and through and in-between the fibers of the sweater.

So... I whipped out a bottle of rubbing alcohol (note—always test for color fastness in an inconspicuous area when trying any cleaning method!), and poured a bit directly on the Silly Putty—then rubbed. More rubbing alcohol, more rubbing. After three or four repeats, the Silly Putty literally disappeared as if I'd tapped the spot with a magic wand and cried "Presto!" Then I washed the sweater as usual to get out the rubbing alcohol.

And my 9-year-old thought I was really awesome. Little did she know, I was just doing research for my next Josie book...

Josie's Recipe for "Killer" Salmon Patties

In DEATH OF A DOMESTIC DIVA, Josie decides to get a little publicity for her hometown of Paradise, Ohio by inviting herself on the popular Tyra Grimes Home Show. Tyra, a self-made expert in all things domestic, turns the tables by showing up in Paradise unannounced. Soon, she has Paradisites one and all eating out of her hand—for example, feeding them salmon canapés while giving them tips on how to make seasonal mulch. Sure, Josie knows Paradise is really a salmon patty kind of town... but when murder and mayhem ensue, can she convince her fellow Paradisites to help her set things right?

JOSIE'S SALMON PATTIES

14 ¾ ounce can salmon (Josie recommends fancy pink salmon), drained

4 slices white bread, torn into crumbs

2 eggs

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Thoroughly mix all but the oil until ingredients are well blended. Shape into 8 patties. Fry in oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serve with homemade tartar sauce—1 Tbsp. pickle relish mixed with 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise. Josie's favorite side dish with salmon patties: white hominy, heated through.