Tag Archive for 'Norma Huss'

Looking Backward in Time – December 1960, 1935, and 1910

Published on December 21, 2010 in 25 Years Ago Today. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Norma Huss, author of the novel Yesterday’s Body, has been combing past editions of newspapers and has shared a special treat with us. One of the themes of my blog is “25 Years Ago Today” inspired by my novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, in which a newspaper editorial assistant stumbles across an unsolved murder while researching her “25″ and “50 Years Ago Today” columns on the microfilm. Norma has gone back 50 years, 75 years, and 100 years, finding interesting tidbits to share with us from the month of December. I hope you enjoy this walk back in time.

Fifty years ago, in December 1960, the United States was building fallout shelters to protect their families from atomic disaster. On December 6th, one was dedicated in down-town Lancaster, PA. The shelter was designed to protect one family of six for two weeks. The 10 by 10 by 7 (the height) structure had 8-inch-thick masonry walls and was stocked with bunk beds, canned food, stove, radio, flashlight, and games. (I do hope they included water, although that wasn’t mentioned.)

Also that December, three days later a truck loaded with Christmas trees missed a curve and plunged into the Susquehanna River. (The driver made it out of the submerged cab and survived.) In another three days, a surprise storm dumped 12 inches of snow that must have stayed around a while as the temperature dropped to 10 degrees.

Seventy-five years ago, residents of a nearby town were startled when four goats broke through a fence and raced through the streets. Residents scurried to the safety of their porches while the guests at the General Sutter Hotel wondered if wild mountain goats were common in the area. In other news that day, the Lancaster Liederkranz mourned the loss of Gaboot, a 20-man beer stein known as the mightiest mug ever to cross the club’s bar. A man lifted it to refresh the orchestra members, and kapow! The Gaboot fell to the floor and broke into pieces.

One hundred years ago, on December 6, 1910, 8 inches of snow fell on Lancaster. Never fear…large snowplows and gangs of shovelers helped keep all the trolley lines operating. They must have done a good job because the next day, 450 children lined up for free shoes given by two local stores as a result of a fund-raising venture. However, there were only 150 pairs available, so a second benefit was scheduled for the 300 children turned away.

Oh yes, there was another incident two days later of extreme family discord. Residents in a tenement over Woolworth’s store heard a woman screaming at her husband. After she’d turned the air blue, she pulled a stocky horsewhip from her dress and lashed him as he ran down the stairs and out into the street. (Hmmm. Never happen now. No horsewhip, no place to hide it in skin-tight jeans, and…that building is gone.)

Thank you, Norma! Please check out Norma’s book, Yesterday’s Body, on Amazon and wish her congratulations as the novel is a 2011 EPIC finalist in the mystery category. Visit her web site for more information about her writing.

Fun With Food Week: Garlic Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Noodles and Vegetables Recipe from Norma Huss

Published on September 14, 2010 in 25 Years Ago Today. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

25 years ago today, I had no idea how much I’d wish for a personal chef to do all my cooking. As a child, I took my mother’s cooking for granted. On her shopping list, she planned out the dinners for each and every night. My mom would go grocery shopping once and buy all the ingredients needed for the week.

I don’t know why I didn’t inherit her planning – or cooking – talents. I tend to stop at the grocery story, panicked, two or three times per week. Some nights around 4 p.m., I still fling open the pantry cabinets and pace, wondering what the heck to feed my family. Luckily my mom sends me leftovers, but on those other days, I really wish someone else would show up to bail me out.

Since I’m in need of recipe ideas, I’m hosting Fun With Food Week on my blog this week. Today, Jo Durbin, the character in the mystery novel Yesterday’s Body by Norma Huss, is sharing her special recipe for Garlic Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Noodles and Vegetables.

Here’s an excerpt from Yesterday’s Body, Chapter 10, to introduce the recipe.

“What’s for dinner?” I asked.
“There’s half a barbequed chicken left,” Mel said. “I planned to heat it up.”
“Right,” I said and started opening cupboard doors. “You really want dried out leftovers?”
“I’m testing your skills,” he said. “You haven’t disappointed me yet.”
“You’re taking advantage of my good nature.” Of course he wasn’t, and he knew it. In my customary life I was an innovative but often haphazard cook, however, Mel was such an appreciative audience. And face it, I did need a break from outdoor research now and then.
# # # #
I found a package of ramen noodles, a few nuts, a can of mushrooms, and a half jar of peanut butter. I lined up his spices, decided which bits of veggies from the crisper in the bottom of the refrigerator were usable, and did my magic.

Garlic Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Noodles and Vegetables

Leftover rotisserie (barbecue) chicken
Noodles (rice noodles, egg noodles, ramen noodles or any pasta of your choice)
Veggies (broccoli florets, onion chunks, carrots sliced thin, mushrooms, celery, or any others of your choice) Note: You won’t find any peppers in Jo’s recipes because she doesn’t like them – but feel free to use them as well.
Garlic – 1 clove minced, or 1/2 tsp of canned chopped or minced (or more if you prefer).
Peanut Sauce – see recipe below
Peanuts – unsalted dry-roasted – may be chopped

1. Whisk peanut sauce ingredients together.
2. Cut bite-size chunks from left-over barbecue chicken.
3. Prepare veggies. (Peel &/or chop. If necessary, zap in microwave until done to tenderness you prefer.) Note: many veggies, especially frozen peas and mushrooms, may not need extra cooking.
4. Break noodles into 2 to 4 inch lengths then cook according to box instructions (rice noodles, egg noodles, ramen noodles, etc.)
5. Cook garlic in the peanut sauce for 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken and heat for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add cooked noodles and veggies. (Or add veggies earlier.) Stir and heat through.
6. Stir peanuts in before serving, or sprinkle a handful of peanuts on the top after serving.

Peanut Sauce – For 2 people (use multiples for more people – all measurements are approximate)
Whisk together -
1 TB creamy peanut butter
1 tsp hazelnut oil (or any oil)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 shakes ground red pepper
6 twists of pepper mill
3 shakes onion powder
3 shakes ground ginger
Further note: Norma’s first attempt at Jo’s peanut sauce was bland and gummy. So, after taking those pictures, she experimented some more with much better results.

Read more about Norma and Jo in their previous 25 Years Ago Today post. Tomorrow, I will share an apple french toast recipe mentioned in my book Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. On Thursday, we’ll be joined by Avery Aames, author of A Cheese Shop Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, and on Friday, I’ll feature the book Killer Recipes, a collection of recipes by mystery authors with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

I would love to see reader recipes shared in the comments today! Does anyone have a favorite recipe to share?

25 Years Ago Today: Yesterday’s Body Author Norma Huss

Published on September 13, 2010 in 25 Years Ago Today. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

It’s Fun With Food Week on my blog, and all week long, we’ll be meeting characters who enjoy cooking. Later in the week, we’ll also be sharing great recipes.

To kick things off, I’d like to welcome fellow Sister in Crime Norma Huss. Norma has been writing and publishing short pieces for years, but the mystery, Yesterday’s Body, is her first full-length novel. She’s a wife, mother, and grandmother who, like her protagonist, loves to cook meals from whatever is on hand. Sometimes they don’t turn out well, but one does need a little adventure now and then.

Norma collects cook books and reads mysteries. She and her husband like to travel, and before selling their latest boat, cruised the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.

Don’t miss Norma’s recipe tomorrow for Garlic Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Noodles and Vegetables, along with an excerpt from her book. For now, Jo Durbin, the main character from Yesterday’s Body, will do an interview with Norma to answer the question “What were you doing 25 years ago?”

Norma’s Interview: “I received my first check from something I’d written,” Jo said. “It came from ‘the trues,’ those magazines with stories like, ‘I married my own grandfather.’ A happy day, but eventually I ended up on the street where you first met me.”

“How so?” I asked.

“All too simple. I rewrote a gruesome news story about a woman who got away with murder. The story came out as, ‘How the White Widow Killed Her Husband.’ All in first person, of course, with a byline of The Widow, Mrs. White, writing from an undisclosed location. Then three years ago a former mail clerk published a ‘tell-all’ book, naming names. One of the chapters was, ‘Jo Durbin, the White Widow killer hiding in plain sight.’ The trial lasted eighteen months, all writers included were completely exonerated, but I still see the damn book in libraries.”

“So how, exactly, did you end up on the street?”

“Lord love a duck! Try telling a bunch of bankers that they could trust me with their financial secrets after they found out about my previous short-term career. I had the degrees – journalism and business. I had the experience – twenty years in their employ. Didn’t change one mind. Which is why I decided to write my own tell-all book, my life on the street as a bag lady. You should know the rest–you wrote it.”

Visit Norma’s web site for more information on her books. You can also check out Yesterday’s Body on Amazon. Jo Durbin knows one down-side of acting the homeless bag lady, no one will believe she just happened to find the very dead Francine.

Stop back tomorrow for Norma’s delicious recipe! On Wednesday, I’ll share an apple french toast recipe inspired by my novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. On Thursday, we’ll meet Avery Aames, author of A Cheese Shop Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, and on Friday, we’ll take a peek at the brand new book Killer Recipes, a collection of recipes by mystery authors with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Summer Almost Over, Most Writing Goals Accomplished

Published on August 27, 2010 in Amazon Bookstore and General News. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

It has been a productive summer and I’m proud that I accomplished most of my writing and publishing goals.

I made my trade paperback novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today available in ebook format, uploading it to Kindle and arranging for Smashwords to distribute it to multiple ebook retailers including Barnes&Noble, Sony, Apple’s iPad Store, Diesel and Kobo.

My children’s picture book The Flag Keeper went into production and now has a web site and Facebook page. I also collected wonderful back cover blurbs from Steve Van Buskirk, Director of Programs, VFW National Headquarters, and Mike Buss, Deputy Director, Americanism, American Legion National Headquarters.

I’m in the process of working on a large review mailing related to my reality TV show-themed mystery suspense novel Sink or Swim, which will be officially released New Year’s Day, 2011. Also this summer, I collected endorsements about the book from Stephenie LaGrossa, owner of GiGI Restaurant & Lounge, Philadelphia PA, Television personality and fan favorite Survivor: Palau, Guatemala, Heroes vs. Villains; Shawne Morgan, contestant CBS’s The Amazing Race 16 and entrepreneur; and Michelle Costa, contestant Big Brother 10.

I’ve also signed on as one of the moderators at a fabulous new message board forum called Bestseller Bound which connects readers and indie authors. Stop by and join the discussion.

In August, some terrific writers have visited the blog so far. We heard from: Matthew Dicks, Mary Deal, J.R. Lindermuth, Gerry Charbonneau, Suzanne Young and Patricia Gulley.

Coming up, we’ll hear from authors: Loni Emmert, Timothy Hallinan, Norma Huss, Avery Aames, Caitlyn Hunter, Barbara Ross, Kenneth Weene and Monica Brinkman. During the week of Sept. 12, I’ll host my first theme week “Fun With Food Week,” in which every post will tie into characters who enjoy cooking. Late September also marks the release of The Flag Keeper and a special giveaway. Stay tuned!

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