Why I Write by J.Q. Rose

Dangerous Sanctuary by J. Q. Rose

Cozy Mystery

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock 

that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Find more mysteries by J.Q. Rose at BWL Publishing

Welcome to the BWL Insiders Blog. You'll find a variety of blog articles written by the BWL Publishing authors. Please take your time and visit them.

Thoughts on Why I Write by J.Q. Rose

I’ve been writing non-fiction articles since 1996 and mystery novels since 2006. Sometimes when stories aren't flowing onto the keyboard, I wonder why I write. 

Ready to write!
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

When I wrote non-fiction articles, I really enjoyed meeting the folks I interviewed or delving into the story of a business or place to visit. I wrote for me in a sense of learning about new places and great personalities I met along the way. Yes, I wanted to inform, educate, and entertain readers with my stories and derived satisfaction when my articles really helped the reader.

When I began writing fictional stories, it definitely was fun for me to escape the real world and develop characters and their situations to amuse myself. I delighted in posing the question “what-if” as I expounded on the plight of the beleaguered characters. Chasing down all possibilities and pushing them further was like a game. But the most challenging part of the game was trying to wind up all the loose ends to make sense of the story. I relished discovering the ways to use my wits to win the game. I hoped the reader would play along with me.

About two years ago we attended a concert by Joseph Martin, a master pianist and composer of sacred music. When he played the piano, the music was so beautiful, tears surprised my eyes. Emotions of joy, inspiration, power, thankfulness filled the night as Mr. Martin shared his mastery of the piano and his anthems sung by our church choir. One selection after another fed my heart. What a gift he had for blessing others with his music.

The grand piano played only the way Joseph Martin can!
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.com by nuchylee

Joseph Martin--Master of the Pia

As I listened, I realized this is what I want to do for readers. If a reader finishes my book, and the story is one she will remember for the entertainment, the surprises, the humor and the emotions that played through her as she read, then I have accomplished my reason for writing.

Readers, what are you looking for in a book?

Writers, why do you write books?

Please leave a comment below. 

We'd love to read your thoughts on this topic.

Thank you.

Click here to connect and like JQ's Author Facebook page.

My Daughter's Recipe: No-Bake Cookies

Romantic suspense, Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring 

for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Find more books by J.Q. Rose here.

Need a quick treat for your family and/or friends? This cookie is stirred together in the pan and cooked on top of the stove. It's quick, easy, and has some healthy ingredients in it. (But don't tell the kids...)

My daughter loved to make this recipe when she was a kid. When I searched my recipe box to find the recipe for No-Bake Cookies, I found a treasure. A crunched up piece of paper folded within the recipe cards magically appeared. I smiled when I opened it up and discovered it was this cookie recipe written by my daughter in her distinctive handwriting. Although the paper is faded and stained by years of lovingly stirring this no-bake cookie mixture together, it brought back wonderful memories of being together. You can bet I tucked this keepsake back in the box. My daughter is all grown up now with children of her own.

No-Bake Cookie recipe written by my daughter many years ago.

The ingredients include peanut butter and oatmeal, so it’s got to be good for you, right? If you have kids/teens/ guests coming over, this is a cookie everyone will love. I typed out the recipe below for easy reading.

No-Bake Cookies Recipe

½ c. butter

2 c. sugar

¼ c. cocoa

½ c. milk

½ c. peanut butter

3 c. oatmeal

1 tsp. vanilla

Bring the sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk to a boil in a large saucepan.

Boil mixture over medium heat for one and a half minutes. Remove from stove.

Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir well. Add oatmeal and stir.

Drop mixture by the teaspoonful on waxed paper. Cool until set and firm.

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About J.Q.

After writing feature articles in magazines, newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the world of fiction. Her mysteries published by BWL Publishing are Terror on Sunshine Boulevard, Dangerous Sanctuary, and Deadly Undertaking.

Author J.Q. Rose

Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things that keep her out of trouble. She and her husband, Gardener Ted, spend winters in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.

Connect with J.Q. Rose online at

Focused on Story Blog by J.Q. Rose  

Camping Trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring 

for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Available at the BWL Bookstore

Hello and welcome to the Books We Love Insiders Blog!

The middle of summer and the prime time for travel is here. Today I'm taking you on a Road Trip to my most favorite place in the world--Mackinac Island, Michigan. Once the center of fur trade and now a top tourist destination due to the natural beauty and unique atmosphere of the area.

The small red star at the top of the map of the USA marks the place where Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron, one of the five Great Lakes. (Can you name all five lakes?) Answer is below.

Our entire family spent a few days in upper Michigan. We camped at the Tee Pee Campground in Mackinaw City, Michigan. (I loved the name of the bath house--WeeWee TeePee) Weather was perfect, but then again, I have visited Mackinac Island several times and the weather has always been perfect.

You probably noticed the two spellings of the city and the island are different, but both are pronounced Mackin AW--the ac is a French spelling I believe.

 We boarded the ferry filled with tourists to cross the Straits to the island in about thirteen minutes on the catamaran beauty. We took the early morning Star Line cruise because they make a detour to sail visitors under the Mackinac bridge, a five mile long bridge connecting the lower peninsula of Michigan to the upper peninsula.

 The  bridge was constructed in 1954 and completed in 1957. It has certainly changed the economics of the area for the good.

The underside of the bridge is a work of art as well as of engineering.  How strong this must be to hold all the traffic going along it. On windy days, the bridge will close to traffic. I'm glad we camped on the south side so we didn't have to drive our camper across this monstrosity.

The first glimpse of the elegant Grand Hotel from the ferry always makes my heart quicken with the excitement of knowing we are close to this magical place. If you saw the movie, Somewhere in Time, you saw this famous landmark. The movie was filmed here with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as the main characters. So romantic.

Arch rock is another famous landmark about a mile's ride from the commercial area. Oh yes, I forgot to mention there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (except emergency vehicles like a fire truck.) So we rode our bikes around the eight mile perimeter of the lovely island. Enjoyed taking our time to see amazing views of water and skies and wild flowers.

These draft horses are huge! They have to be strong to haul 24 passengers in their specially built Jayco carriages (drays?) Yes, Jayco is a well-known name in the camper industry. When you set foot on the island, there is no gasoline smell from motorized vehicles, but a distinct odor of horses. 

The front entrance to the Grand Hotel.  I wish we had more time to tour the hotel, but with young boys and a five year old granddaughter, it's probably best not to get too close to the elegant surroundings.

Dollhouse looking homes and B n B's in the Victorian style add to the charm of the island.

We visited the old fort on the hill. 
These costumed folks explained about the way of life and the history of this beloved area.
And of course, they fired canons and rifles to the delight of the crowd.

I wish my photos could do justice to the landscapes and sea surrounding the island. Breathtaking. We are standing in the old fort looking out over Father Marquette park. 

Sunset over Lake Huron

Hope you enjoyed the tour. If you ever get a chance to go to Mackinac Island, do it! And take me with you to my most favorite place on earth.

Click here for more information about Mackinac Island.

What is your favorite place to visit? Please leave a comment below.

Can you name the five Great Lakes?
Answer--Remember the names of the five Great Lakes by spelling H.O.M.E.S.--Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.

Gardener Ted's Spring Vegetable Garden and Hydroponic Gardening by J.Q. Rose

Cozy mystery author J.Q. Rose

Dangerous Sanctuary available at the Books We Love bookstore

Writing stories has been a pastime for me since I was seven years old. Making up characters and setting them in different situations has always been so much fun and satisfying. I enjoy  conjuring up novels today on my laptop as much as I did when I was a kid with pencil and paper stretching my imagination and sharing stories with friends.

My husband's lifelong pastime is gardening. He loves growing plants. So much so that his starting seedlings in a hobby greenhouse set us on the path to becoming business owners with a flower shop, garden center and greenhouses. Now in retirement, he is living his dream of gardening year round. He has a small winter garden in Florida and a very large garden in the summer in West Michigan.

Let me introduce you to Gardener Ted and his 2017 spring garden. 

He is always experimenting. 

This year, he is trying a no-till garden. No roto-tilling. In the photo you see all the dead-looking grass? That was rye that he planted in the fall. He digs a trench in the dead rye grass and plants his seeds.

In this photo he is watering the green beans (string beans) he just planted today, May 15. 

Next to it is rhubarb which comes up every year.

 You can see the baby pea plants are just getting a good start.

The onions are finally getting some growth. We have had pretty cool nights and days this spring, so the plants are waiting to grow. But once it warms up, there will be a big growth spurt.

 This morning he cut rhubarb for the first time and cooked it. Do you like rhubarb? I can eat it in a strawberry-rhubarb pie, kind of, but he loves it "stewed" in a pot. Just rhubarb with LOTS of sugar, no crust.

 This is the best results we've had for our strawberries in the past couple of years. 

Look at all the blossoms.

My mouth waters when I think of those delicious red berries coming on in June. If every blossom turns into a strawberry, we're going to be gorging ourselves, the family, and the neighbors on lots of strawberry shortcake and pie. Oh, and don't forget the strawberries on ice cream. Mmmm...

This winter Gardener Ted designed and constructed a hydroponic growing system. The dictionary defines hydroponics as "the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil."

This is the first system he built in Florida and raised delicious, clean varieties of lettuce.

For his spring garden, he has completed his new and improved system, including doubling the growing capacity of the Florida one.

The plants' roots are in the water to extract the nutrients out of the water flowing through the pipes. Gardener Ted carefully monitors and controls these factors every day.

The water is pumped out of this big gray container, through the large pipes, and then returns to the container to be pumped through again.

This system produced the best tasting, crunchy lettuce we've ever had.

Cleaning the fresh pulled lettuce heads from the hydroponics growing system is a dream. The heads are so clean, I just run them under the kitchen faucet, and they're ready for the toppings and dressing for a delightful fresh salad.

Besides working in the garden and having the satisfaction of eating the delicious veggies, he loves spending time with our grand kids and sharing his gardening knowledge with them. They love chomping on the vegetables as they help him harvest the crops. Someone said how much sweeter a pea is when eaten in the garden.

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Are you a gardener? Vegetables? Flowers? Why do you garden? Wishing you sunny skies and plenty of rain!

Connect online with J.Q. Rose here.

Photos by J.Q. Rose

Dedicated to My Grandmother, Maw

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Romantic suspense

For more information about BWL books by J.Q. Rose, 

and to purchase, please visit J.Q.'s 

Books We Love Author Page.

My Grandmother, Maw by J.Q. Rose

My grandfather and my grandmother Maw

.

My grandmother Maw, as we called her, was an intelligent woman who passed her love of reading and teaching to me. In fact she was the one who encouraged me to write stories. I dedicated my latest romantic suspense novel to Maw whose real name is Beulah Lee. March is the month of her birthday. She would be 125 years old this month, and I'm sure she was celebrating with the angels in heaven.

We always had fun together. When I went to her house to visit, she usually had several doll outfits for my beloved Ricky Jr doll for me. She created them using her foot pedal sewing machine. She could look at a dress in a magazine and make it. What a seamstress.
Maw and I had a special connection and not just because we loved to shop. (When her social security check came in, she cashed it into small bills and stuffed them in her wallet. She delighted in showing me the stack of cash she had for us  to spend on our shopping trip.) Besides shopping, we were readers and loved words and books.

Her reading probably spurred my love of reading which in turn developed my desire to write stories for others to read. I began writing little stories when I was in second grade and developed a writer’s bump on my middle finger from writing constantly. (Anyone else get that bump?)

In seventh grade I decided to tackle writing my first novel. The story line was about a horse and a girl probably influenced by my love of the book, Black Beauty. I wrote the entire book on lined yellow tablet paper and shared it with Maw. Taking those awful scribbles of sentences and typing them into a manuscript became her major project.

Antique typewriter
Courtesy of  thaikrit at freedigitalphotos.com

Maw's blue eyes twinkled with excitement when she handed me the typed pages. I was so overwhelmed with joy when I saw the typed manuscript, I cried. I was overcome with the idea she spent so much time "publishing" my book for me. She was delighted at my reaction, but she really worked on the project because she loved the story. Maw encouraged me to write more stories for more people to enjoy. From that day forward, I knew I wanted to tell stories and have them published so I could share them with readers.

I wish Maw were here now to be a part of this writing experience in the 21st century. I recall her typing away on her old typewriter. She would be amazed at these keyboards and laptops, wouldn't she? To be honest, when I work at my laptop, I feel her presence. I'm sure her blue eyes are sparkling with pride.

Author J.Q. Rose

Who influenced you to become a writer? a reader? Please leave a comment below and let us know. Thank you.

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About J.Q.
After writing feature articles in magazines, newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the world of fiction. Her published mysteries are Deadly Undertaking and Dangerous Sanctuary released by Books We Love Publishing. Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things that keep her out of trouble. She spends winters in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.
Connect with J.Q. Rose online at
J.Q.Rose blog
Facebook
Google+
Books We LoveAuthor Page 

What's in a Name? by J.Q. Rose

For more information about BWL books by J.Q. Rose , 

and to purchase, please visit J.Q.'s 

Books We LoveAuthor Page .

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The month of February is known for cupids, hearts, romance and love. It’s the perfect time of year to remember Shakespeare’s famous love story, Romeo and Juliet. This is my favorite passage from the play.

Juliet:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

Juliet-"What's in a name?"

By any other name would smell as sweet."

In this famous scene Juliet asks what’s in a name. She answers by telling Romeo Montague that a name is meaningless. She loves the person who is called "Montague," not the Montague name and not the Montague family. 

Alas, Juliet is wrong about a name being meaningless as far as writers and readers are concerned.

As a writer, I've discovered a name helps to convey to the reader a character's personality. If writing a story set in Victorian times, an author would not choose Jayden or Madison, the popular names in 2010. Names also help to establish the setting of the novel. Arapaho Valley conjures up a setting in the West, not in an Eastern city. Do you agree?

A strong, powerfully built hero would probably not be named Herbert. How about that gorgeous sexy blonde character at the bar? A name like Edith just does not evoke the matching image in the reader’s mind. (But it would be a fun twist to name her Edith anyway.)

When penning my romantic suspense novel, Dangerous Sanctuary,I tried several contemporary names for my main character who is a female minister. In a moment of creative energy, the name Christine swirled through my brain. I knew that was exactly the name I had been searching for. Later I discovered the meaning of the name is "follower of Christ." 

Think about the name of your favorite character in a book you've read. I love Mark Twain’s Huck Finn. There just is no other name that would fit that adventurous kid. In Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, what better name than Lula for that wild and crazy lady of the night and Morelli for the sexy rogue policeman?

When it comes to naming characters, what’s in a name? Everything!

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Books We Love and author J.Q. Rose are celebrating this month of love by offering the romantic suspense, Dangerous Sanctuary FREE today, February 20. 

Click here on the J.Q. Rose BWL Author page for a FREE download

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About J.Q.

After writing feature articles in magazines, newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the world of fiction. Her published mysteries are Deadly Undertaking  and Dangerous Sanctuary released by 

Author J.Q. Rose

Books We Love Publishing. Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things that keep her out of trouble. She spends winters in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.

Connect with J.Q. Rose online at

J.Q.Rose blog 

Facebook 

Google+ 

Books We LoveAuthor Page 

Nosy Neighbors

BOOKS WE LOVE AUTHOR J.Q. ROSE

 

Hello and welcome to the Books We Love Insider Blog!

Because I'm a writer, I have a good excuse to use my imagination to make up stories with quirky characters and interesting settings. In keeping with the humor in my latest cozy mystery, Dangerous Sanctuary, I thought we'd have some fun imagining a conversation with the main character, Pastor Christine Hobbs, and her Nosy Neighbor. 

You know how nearly everyone has a nosy neighbor in the neighborhood. Well, the pastor’s neighbor called her to find out about the murder at Pastor Christine’s church. Realizing the neighbor’s right to be concerned since she lives so near the church and parsonage, Christine took time to answer her questions. Perhaps they’re some of the same questions you may have about this romantic suspense, Dangerous Sanctuary.

Phone Conversation between Pastor Christine and her Nosy Neighbor

Nosy Neighbor: Oh, Pastor, what in the world happened over at Dayspring Church? Ambulance, fire engines, police were over there on Thursday morning.

Pastor Christine: Oh dear. I bet you were scared when you saw all the emergency units here at the church. I’m sorry I didn’t call you. It’s been pretty crazy around here.

Unfortunately our talented Director of Music, William White, was found dead in our church basement.  We’re trying to deal with his loss as best we can. We’re having a difficult time imagining anyone would murder this kind young man.

Detective Cole Stephens considers our custodian, Dutch, and myself to be “persons of interest.”  Perhaps you saw something from your window that morning that could help the police with the investigation?

NN: Oh, no Pastor. I didn’t see anything till the emergency vehicles arrived.  I must admit I did see the story on the news and in the newspapers. It’s so ridiculous how the stations play the story over and over 24 hours a day. But what is crazier is to accuse you and that gentle custodian of murder. I’m so sorry this has happened at your church.

PC: Thank you.

NN: Can you tell me how you came to minister to the people at Dayspring Church? I mean they’ve NEVER had a female pastor in all the years I’ve lived next door.

PC:  I love being the spiritual leader of the folks at Dayspring. I’ve been there about a year now, but I’ve been in the pulpit for five years at another church. I was happy to move away from that area, not because I had problems at the other church, but because I could put distance between my ex-husband, Brad, and me.

I’m having a terrific experience getting to know so many wonderful people at Dayspring. We’re becoming a family. Of course, there are always conflicts that arise when dealing with so many personalities. The president of the women’s group, Mrs. Jewell is not exactly happy that I’m caring for a pig and kangaroo in the back yard of the church parsonage and that I’ve taken in Mrs. Whitcomb’s cat after that sweet lady passed. I’m looking for a family who wants the darling tabby cat. Bitsy is litter trained and I have re-assured the parsonage committee that Bitsy has not had any accidents on the church-owned parsonage floors. Say, you wouldn’t consider taking in this adorable cat, would you?

NN:  Oh no, Pastor. I’m very allergic to cats. I was wondering about the animals in your back yard though.

PC: Well, yes. Now the backyard is another story…you know pigs like to root up the ground and eat everything in sight. I keep telling President Jewell that their stay just temporary, and I’ll replace all the bushes, trees, flowers, and grass when their owner re-claims the animals.

NN: How much longer will they be there for heaven’s sake? Of course, they aren’t bothering me, but Wilda just a few doors down from the parsonage is worried that pig is going to get loose and root up her yard! And, uh, I’m sure she’s also concerned the pig might get in the road and get run over.

PC: Of course, she’s concerned about the pig getting hurt…Please assure her the animals will be gone as soon as their owner is healthy again. She’s in the hospital. And, well it’s a long story how I ended up with Abraham the pig and Katy the kangaroo in the back yard.

NN: I often see the flower shop’s delivery truck at the church and in your driveway. You know, I just notice when I’m outside walking. I’m not watching out the window at your comings and goings, of course.

PC: That would be my friend Lacey, the gal who owns the flower shop.  She’s the petite strawberry blonde. We tease each other about our difference in height because I’m six feet tall.  With the weddings and funerals, she’s always delivering flowers to the church, so we have time to talk and get to know each other.

 NN: You know, I have a very tall nephew who’s divorced. He’s a sweet guy and after awhile, you don’t notice his big ears or his lisp. Can you date being a minister?

PC: Well, yes I can. I’m not a monk. I’m a real person who likes to enjoy a movie, and a beer and pizza with my friends. Thank you so much for wanting to introduce me to your nephew, but I’m just not ready to date anyone yet.

NN: Not even thinking about that cute Detective Stephens? I’ve seen him going into the church and parsonage—a lot!

PC: Strictly for the murder investigation. Why would I be interested in a man who wants to put me in jail for murder?

NN: Why, of course not. I’m sorry I asked, but he IS around a lot and I just thought…

PC: Hey, look at the time. I’m almost late for a meeting at the church. Good talking to you. I’ve got to run. Good-bye.

NN: Okay. Well, I’ll bring my nephew over when he stops in again. Uh, hello….hello. Are you there???

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Author J.Q. Rose

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