Last year, my birthday wish came true. I wished I would find a literary agent who liked my writing and believed that I could write mysteries both for the mainstream and inspirational markets. That wish was granted in March when Nicole Resciniti from the Seymour Agency signed me.

A few months later, she sold two mystery series for me, one to a mainstream publisher, Penguin/NAL, and one to an inspirational publisher, B&H. Those sales and everything else she’s done for my career is more than I could wish for. I’m so grateful and am looking forward to another year of wonderful surprises.

Of course, not all birthday wishes come true. The handful that do keeps us wishing.

This year’s wish? Sorry, I can’t tell you, or it might not come true if I do.

To kick off this series, I’m starting with food. Below is an Amish recipe that I attempted. It was extremely easy. I must stress that I am in no way, shape, or form a chef/baker/cook. However, my friend Delia and I made these a few weeks ago with the spirited assistance of her one-year-old daughter.

When I saw that the recipe called for sour cream, I was a little hesitant. Sour cream… like for a baked potato? Ick. But I must say these are one of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. You can’t taste the sour cream at all.

And okay, okay… mostly Delia did the baking, but I took the photos. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Drop Cookies
Adapted from “Wonderful Good Cooking from Amish Country Kitchens”

Ingredients:
¼ cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup sour cream
Colored sugar or cinnamon-sugar

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg. Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream and beat until smooth. Spray cookie sheet with baking spray. Using a teaspoon, drop cookie dough onto sheet. Sprinkle with colored sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.

In 2012, I have two new releases coming out. The first is Murder in a Basket, the sequel to Maid of Murder, on February 8th, and the second is the debut of the brand new Appleseed Creek Mystery Series. The first novel, A Plain Death, will release on July 1st. By the summer, I will be able to call myself a multi-published author, which is a dream come true.

Of course, not everything about January is great. There is the weather to contend with. Happily, it’s been unseasonably warm and snow-free in northeast Ohio. Of course now that I’ve said that, we will have a blizzard.

I hope your January is full of new beginnings too.

In early February, I will be sending out the latest edition of my biannual e-newsletter with exciting news about the year to come. If you’d like to sign up, just send an email to authoramandaflower@gmail.com.

Release Feb. 8

You are the lucky winner of a signed Advanced Reader Copy of Murder in a Basket!

Please email me your snail mail address to authoramandaflower@gmail.com to claim your prize, and I will mail you the ARC right away.

You have one week to contact me or a new winner will be chosen, so don’t delay.

Thank you to all who entered!

This is the last ARC giveaway. Stay tuned for more fun contests in 2012. Wishing you all a safe and healthy New Year!

Here’s your chance to be one of the first to read my second novel in the Agatha Award-nominated India Hayes Mystery Series.  I have one more Advance Reader Copy (ARC) available to give away, and you can win it! This is the final giveaway of 2011.

How the contest works:
Anyone who comments on my blog or my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower) with an answer to my weekly question about mystery fiction will be entered into the drawing for that week. If you post your answer in both places, you are entered twice and have a better chance to win! If you don’t win week one, don’t worry you can reenter the next week! You have three opportunities to win.

Click here for contest rules/exclusions.

Giveaway Question #4

Setting is important to any novel. If you could chose the setting of a mystery, where would it be?

Post your answer now to enter! Don’t forget, you can post the same answer on my Facebook Page for an additional chance to win!

This week’s contest runs Monday, December 26th- Saturday, December 31st. Winner will be announced Sunday, January 1, 2012, New Year’s Day!

You are the lucky winner of a signed Advanced Reader Copy of Murder in a Basket! And since it’s Christmas, you also win an Amanda Flower tote bag!

Please email me your snail mail address to authoramandaflower@gmail.com to claim your prize, and I will mail you the ARC right away.

You have one week to contact me or a new winner will be chosen, so don’t delay.

Thank you to all who entered!

There are still two more chances to win an ARC! New contest begins tomorrow with a brand new mystery question!

Here’s your chance to be one of the first to read my second novel in the Agatha Award-nominated India Hayes Mystery Series.  I have two more Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) available to give away, and you can win one!

Because it’s Christmas week, the winner of this drawing will also receive an Amanda Flower tote bag. (Cat not included.)

How the contest works:
Anyone who comments on my blog or my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower) with an answer to my weekly question about mystery fiction will be entered into the drawing for that week. If you post your answer in both places, you are entered twice and have a better chance to win! If you don’t win week one, don’t worry you can reenter the next week! You have three opportunities to win.

Click here for contest rules/exclusions.

Giveaway Question #3

India is an artist and librarian. If you created an amateur sleuth, what occupation would you give him or her?

Post your answer now to enter! Don’t forget, you can post the same answer on my Facebook Page for an additional chance to win!

This week’s contest runs Monday, December 19th- Saturday, December 24th. Winner will be announced Sunday, December 25th, Christmas Day!

You are the lucky winner of a signed Advanced Reader Copy of Murder in a Basket!

Please email me your snail mail address to authoramandaflower@gmail.com to claim your prize, and I will mail you the ARC right away.

You have one week to contact me or a new winner will be chosen, so don’t delay.

Thank you to all who entered!

There are still two more chances to win an ARC! New contest begins tomorrow with a brand new mystery question!

Here’s your chance to be one of the first to read my second novel in the Agatha Award-nominated India Hayes Mystery Series.  I have three more Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) available to give away, and you can win one!

How the contest works:
Anyone who comments on my blog or my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/authoramandaflower) with an answer to my weekly question about mystery fiction will be entered into the drawing for that week. If you post your answer in both places, you are entered twice and have a better chance to win! If you don’t win week one, don’t worry you can reenter the next week! You have three opportunities to win.

Click here for contest rules/exclusions.

Giveaway Question #2

What qualities do you look for in a sleuth?

Post your answer now to enter! Don’t forget, you can post the same answer on my Facebook Page for an additional chance to win!

This week’s contest runs Monday, December 12th- Saturday, December 17th. Winner will be announced Sunday, December 18th.

You are the lucky winner of a signed Advanced Reader Copy of Murder in a Basket!

Please email me your snail mail address to authoramandaflower@gmail.com to claim your prize, and I will mail you the ARC right away.

You have one week to contact me or a new winner will be chosen, so don’t delay.

Thank you to all who entered!  We had a fabulous turnout of over 50 entries!

There are still three more chances to win an ARC! New contest begins tomorrow with a brand new mystery question!