HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: You know Henery Press, right? It’s THE upandcoming publisher, focusing on cozies. (The adorable chicken is their logo--this is the winter version.) But the point is, you have to know Kendel Lynn, the managing editor. How she does it, I don’t know. Because she not only runs a thriving and award-winning publishing company, she also is a wonderfully accomplished Agatha-nominated author. And little did I know, apparently, a party planner. But she needs your help to plan the St. Patrick's Day party that’s a set piece for her next book. (And she’ll award two books to a lucky commenter!) So what better day for a party—than today!
PARTY Please!
By Kendel Lynn
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I’m delighted to be here, and while I’d love to chat about my new book (out today!), I’m busy plotting the next one (Pot Luck) which happens to feature a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
One of the great joys of writing fiction is living vicariously through my characters, especially my Elliott. She gets do things and say things I can't, or at least wish I could. Donald Maass once said something to the effect of: most of us have thought of the perfect snappy insult or comeback, something to win the argument, but too late. I totally agree. And lest you think those moments mostly happen in high school, it happened to me on a panel
at Bouchercon.
(it happens to me on every panel). I had the best answer (interesting, intelligent, with a hint of wit) as soon as the question moved on. Oy.
Now if conference panels ran like presidential debates, I could’ve ignored the next question that came my way and took it back to the previous one to give my clever answer, but I'm polite and kind and not running for office.
I love thinking up the best responses for Elliott and the gang. Dreaming of scenarios where she gets to let loose (or sometimes another lets loose on her). Another vicarious pursuit (and dragging this back to St. Patrick’s Day): I want her involved in things I'd love to do, so she plans amazing parties.
The Palm & Fig Ball in Swan Dive (out today!), the most amazing Wonderland Tea Party in Whack Job (complete with enormous whimsical topiary animals, a nine-foot topsy-turvy cake, and a seven-piece Dixieland band in vests and boaters), and soon a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Pot Luck.
And here's where you come in (because I don't cook, though I love to eat, and I've got the elastic waistband to prove it)…I'd love help planning this one, as we chat here on St. Patrick’s Day.
Here’s what I have so far for the Irish Spring beer-tasting fundraiser: Takes place on the back lawn of the Ballantyne Big House. Over thirty-five rolling acres covered with magnolias, pines, crape myrtles and palm trees. The menu: I'm thinking twenty local breweries serving up special blends. Do all brew pubs go green on St. Patrick’s? What other cocktails go Irish?
We’ll have a corned beef cook-off (all renowned local chefs) – did I mention Elliott's shindigs are part of her duties as Director of the billion-dollar Ballantyne Foundation? So yeah, every festivity is extravagantly imaginative) – whiskey-glazed corned beef and cabbage, braised corned beef flat cut brisket, corned beef spring rolls (a local Dallas restaurant makes the BEST most delicious ones). What other gourmet corned beef dishes could we feature? High end, super fancy and super delicious? And for dessert? Perhaps Baileys Irish Cream cupcakes? Is there a traditional dessert?
Entertainment: I've got an Irish folk band (figuring Bono is booked). What else goes into a typical St. Patrick’s Day celebration?
Lastly, (Femmes Fatale Catriona McPherson, I’m looking at you), do other countries celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the way we do in America with green beer and corned beef and leprechaun hats and Kiss Me I'm Irish tees? Is this a worldwide celebration?
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, one Lucky (get it?) commenter (or really question answerer) wins double: Two (SIGNED!) Board Stiffs for the price of one (free)! The first Board Stiff (an Elliott Lisbon Mystery) is by me, and the second Board Stiff (a Dead-End Job Mystery) is by Femmes Fatale Fabulous (and one of the nicest and most genuinely funny people), Elaine Viets.
Thank you for hosting me and thank you for helping me!
Kendel Lynn is a Southern California native who now parks her flip-flops in Dallas, Texas. Her debut novel, Board Stiff, was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. It features Elliott Lisbon, a mostly amateur sleuth who has a slight aversion to all things germy and is only five thousand hours away from getting her South Carolina PI license. The latest, Swan Dive, releases today! Along with writing, Kendel spends her days as Managing Editor of Henery Press editing, designing, and reading subs from the slush pile.
Photos:
Kendel Lynn, Bouchercon 2014 Long Beach (taken personally):
The Fine Art of Murder: Mysteries in the Museum and Art World
Back Row: Kendel Lynn, Reba White Williams, Jane Cleland
Front Row: Juliet Blackwell, Kate Carlisle, Sheila Connolly
Corned Beef Spring Rolls: Blog post for back links, with recipe:
http://www.fieldandfeast.com/cook-something/corned-beef-rolls/
Baileys Irish Cream Cupcakes: Blog post for back links, with recipe:
http://www.ericasweettooth.com/2011/03/baileys-irish-cream-cupcakes.html
How about Irish Car Bomb cupcakes? It's an unfortunate name, but the combination of sweetness with Guinness, Jameson's, and Bailey's is da bomb.
Posted by: Karen in Ohio | March 17, 2015 at 04:52 AM
Oh, gosh, that IS an unfortunate name! xoxo Can we change it to..celebration? But they do sound yummy...
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 17, 2015 at 05:00 AM
Irish soda bread with raisins? seems plain compared to the rest of the menu. Dessert: Irish whiskey flavored cheesecake or bread pudding.
Posted by: Margaret Turkevich | March 17, 2015 at 05:24 AM
Margaret, you are making my mouth water! YUM!
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 17, 2015 at 06:50 AM
Congratulations on Swan Dive! Thanks go to Hank for luring me to this great blog. As for St. Patrick's Day? I have it on good authority that chocolate cake made with Guinness Stout is a secret weapon to be eaten only in the most dire of Irish emergencies.
Posted by: Connie Johnson Hambley | March 17, 2015 at 08:13 AM
Homemade Irish Cream, in drinks, in desserts, or just tossed right down, is the best.
http://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/irish-cream-recipe
Posted by: Sal | March 17, 2015 at 08:54 AM
Sal! HOMEMADE Irish Cream? Whoa.
Kendel, are you swooning?
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 17, 2015 at 09:00 AM
Guinness chocolate cake?
Posted by: Gram | March 17, 2015 at 10:11 AM
Guinness perhaps? Our guide in England told us the slogan used to be "Guinness, it's good for you," and National Health would pay for a daily dose for expectant mothers . . .
Posted by: Storyteller Mary | March 17, 2015 at 10:26 AM
Congratulations and Happy St Patti's Day. We are having corned beef, cabbage and posts for supper here in Virginia.
[email protected]
Posted by: Betty Jo English | March 17, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Seems to be a theme here....LOVE it! xoo
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 17, 2015 at 11:18 AM
Hey everyone! Such great ideas.
Karen, Irish car bomb cupcakes sound scrumptiously perfect for a murder mystery...
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 11:45 AM
Margaret, bread pudding is probably my most favorite dessert. Perhaps I can throw in some of Sal's homemade Irish cream? (and you know it, Hank, swooning like nobody's business over here. and jotting down notes. lots of notes.)
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 11:46 AM
Gram & Mary, a definite yes on the Guinness chocolate cake (with an asterisk next to "Guinness, it's good for you." I'm thinking I need to use that line...
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 11:48 AM
Betty Jo, how lovely you're making the full corned beef & cabbage meal for dinner! I must include some sort of cb&c dish for the POT LUCK party.
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 11:50 AM
One year we did a potluck with all green dishes. My favorites are the 24 hour layered salad and a green pretzel salad. Either of them would be a great side dish.
Posted by: Ellie Enos | March 17, 2015 at 03:29 PM
Green...pretzels? Or green salad with pretzels? Ellie, we have to know!
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 17, 2015 at 03:34 PM
I'm sitting here in a Kelly green dress feeling very American. In Scotland, school dinner ladies might put green dye in the mashed potato (meanies) and Irish pubs will have a party without any encouragement, but I'd never thought about St Paddy's (PADDY'S; WITH DDs) until I lived here. But here's an interesting little fact. Irish people in Ireland don't eat corned beef. It was the food on the boat to America. Irish people in Ireland eat bacon instead.
Posted by: catriona | March 17, 2015 at 03:49 PM
I second Hank's question: green preztels? though any kind of pretzel salad sounds delightful...
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 04:21 PM
Catriona, VERY interesting on the corned beef! I think a chef at my party needs to mention that tidbit (as she serves some kind of gourmet award-winning bacon dish).
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 17, 2015 at 04:23 PM
Our usual pretzel salad is either strawberry or raspberry. You make a pretzel crust (with butter and no sugar for our recipe).
Then there is a cream cheese layer, a Cool Whip/whipped cream layer, and finally a Jello and fruit layer. We used green Jello and pineapple tidbits for our green version. You could use green grapes or canned gooseberries. Just type in pretzel salad and many versions will come up. The fresh fruit ones can be spectacular. They look beautiful in a glass baking pan.
Posted by: Ellie Enos | March 18, 2015 at 05:16 PM
Looking up pretzel salad this instant! Thank you!
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 19, 2015 at 06:17 AM
And the winner is: Ellie Enos! Elie, please contact me via"contact" at my website http://www.HankPhillippiRyan.com
andI will connect you with Kendel!
Hurray--and Kendel, have a wonderful party! I am off to get pretzels. ANd Guinness. xxxoox
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | March 19, 2015 at 08:42 AM
Congrats, Ellie! Thank you, everyone, for all the wonderful suggestions, POT LUCK will be better for it. And thank you, Hank, for hosting me. Such a lovely way to spend St. Patrick's Day!
Posted by: Kendel Lynn | March 19, 2015 at 04:24 PM
Thanks to both of you. I've e-mailed you. If you need anymore information just e-mail me.
Posted by: Ellie Enos | March 20, 2015 at 12:34 AM