Merry Christmas, Cleo!

Here's hoping you Java Merry Christmas! From your #1 fan in the Carolinas :-D

Cleo here. Thank you, D in the Carolinas!

Merry Christmas to you, too!! And may 2008 bring you Java Joy!

Warmest wishes,
—Cleo

Decaffeinated Corpse

Cleo:

My girlfriend and I LOVE your coffeehouse series and have read them all. Just finished Decaffeintated Corpse and can't say enough about it. Love the recipes too. Was pleasantly surprised to see Nutella in this one. I have that almost every day for lunch. Instead of a PB & J I have a PB and Nutella. A great sandwich on toast. I love Clare and all the Village staff. Can't wait to read about Madame. Just found out about your haunted mysteries and am "dying" to start reading those. I love ghost stories!

PS. My favorite coffee is a chocolate orange flavor. Panera used to have a Cafe Borja, but discontinued it. Now I get my fix from Starbucks, Valencia Mocha. Mmmmm.

Sandy from Schaumburg, IL

Cleo here. Hi Sandy from Schaumburg! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading my Coffeehouse Mystery series. A shout-out of thanks to your girlfriend, also, for keeping those royalties coming (which, consequently, keeps my electricity on--a good thing since it powers the battery that runs the laptop on which I write my books)!

Your Nutella comments made me smile. That stuff's delish, isn't it? I like spreading it on graham crackers, too. Add a little marshmallow Fluff and you've got an instant S'more (can you tell I was a Girl Scout?).

Superb idea on the Valencia Mocha. I've never tried this, but I'm definitely going to try it now. And Panera's a chain I love to stop by, too. I like their cafe blend coffee and usually get the pumpkin muffie (muffin top).

I don't have a virtual Valencia Mocha for you today, but I did bake you a virtual batch of old fashioned sugar cookies from a great, easy recipe on the food network's website.

Click here for the recipe. And Happy Holiday to you and yours!

Thanks for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse, Sandy, and telling me about your favorite coffee-drinking hang-outs and habits. Come on back again and post anytime. The board's seen posts from some very nice folks from all over the U.S. and other countries too.

I love to know what's up with my readers--what's new, what's on your mind, and thoughts and ideas about the series are always welcome, too.

Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

Coffee and words

Hi Cleo, last year a friend and I happened to be shopping at a book store and I mentioned that I was in need of a new series to read. We were wandering around and she saw your first book and the coffee picture on it. She handed it to me and said, "Don't know if it's any good, but you like coffee so mabye you'll like it." She's a genius, I did enjoy it and I justify to my husband buying all your books because I can make recipes from them. I really get my moneys worth and he gets some sweet treats. All is well in coffee and words.

Cleo here. Thank you for YOUR very kind words about my books. Your story made me laugh! Please thank your friend from me for giving the series a chance and pointing it out to you. Believe me, I cherish ever new reader I get!

Here's a cuppa sunshine for you for posting and stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Come on back again anytime (where are you from?! Let me know if you get a chance to read this)...

Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

Coffee Anesthetic

I bought a full sized Mocha 2 days ago. I now remember why I don't drink coffee. I swear I could use that stuff as anesthetic. It knocked me out to such an effect that I slept all the way through 3 shifts at work and woke up just in time to go to work tonight, if that's not crazy I don't know what is. Chelle

Cleo here. Funny story. Must be the milk in the mocha that knocked you out. Of course, the winter cold and the stress of the holidays always makes me more tired than ever this time of year. The combo must have done you in! Maybe you shoud try a cuppa tea!

LOL! Cleo

Calories

Hi Cleo

I've been lucky enough to be blessed with a high metabolism. I have all my hot chocolates and iced/hot coffees with big dollups of whipped cream on them and still weigh anywhere between 110 and 115 no more. Wonder how much longer that blessing will hold out now that I'm closing in on my 30's lol Chelle

Cleo here. Wish I had your problem!! I'm forever watching the calories!

Cleo

Your Books

Hey Cleo,

I love your books. I am a big fan of Java (the nectar of the God's). I am about to start reading your bookshop books as well. I would love to actually have a coffee house of my own like the Blend. Thanks for your great books and I can't wait for the next one.

Cleo here, responding. What a great post. Thank you SO much for kind words. I hope you enjoy the Haunted Bookshop mysteries as much as you like the Coffeehouse books. I hear you on the dream of opening a coffeehouse. I'm way too busy writing to open a coffee shop, but I have that dream, too. I'd love to open a real Village Blend in New York someday. Who knows? If the series is successful enough, anything's possible, right? That's what's great about the future--dreams are as real as anything. In the meantime, I have the virtual version of a coffeehouse right here and it's really gratifying when people like you stop by to say hello. Here's a cappuccino and some fresh-baked vanilla-almond biscottis for you as a thank you for dropping by. Come on back now, y'hear?

Happy holidays!

Cleo Coyle 

Haunted bookstore

Chelle,

Thanks for the info on the books. Sorry it has taken so long for me to respond, but I have a 13 yr. old daughter in band and we have been SOOOOO busy with football games and state marching competitions, I have barely had time to read, much less be on the computer. But again thanks so much.

 Cleo here, replying to say that I was in marching band when I was in high school! It was the bomb! You brought back some fond memories with your post.

Sending a shout-out to you and your daughter for the holidays! Here's a couple of virutal gingerbread men for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!

Cleo

Mocha yumma!!!

Hi Cleo

hmm I think I'm going through withdrawl from your books as I've read all of them now, I almost called you Clare just now. I was at Safeway the other day and there's a Starbucks in there so you can grab a coffee to drink while you do your shopping. Someimes they give out samples for you to try out. The other day it was Mocha's. I'm not a big coffee drinker but mmmmm Mocha's are so good the chocolatey touch takes away the strong coffee taste and gives you the effect of drinking hot chocolate with a touch of coffee flavouring. I'm definatly going to be drinking that more often, would be easy to get hooked!!!

Chelle from Canada

Hi Chelle!! Good to hear from you again. Cleo here (duh, right?!). Loved your mocha sample-drinking story. Starbucks has some really yummo flavors, don't they? I was typing away on my laptop last month in a nearby Starbucks and was given a sample of the pumpkin spice latte. That thing is amazing. A girlfriend of mine is hooked on the white chocolate lattes. The high calorie count on those drinks prevents me from ordering them all the time (I'm forever struggling against the pudge factor), but every so often, I say, hey I've been good, time to splurge!

Keep in touch, Chelle! Things have been a little crazy for me and I haven't been able to update the site as often as I'd like, but I check it every day!! I saw your recent comment about adding to the "Meet the Village Blend Staff" page (also via the Espresso link). Next on my list is Madame. I hope to have her added soon. In the meantime, thanks a million for checking in and stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Here's a virtual mocha latte just for you!

Java Joy to the World to you and yours for the Holidays,

Cleo

Clare's Cappuccino Muffins

Enjoy your books. Just finished reading Decaffeinated Corpse. Decided to bake Clare's Cappuccino Muffins and I have a question regarding the recipe. Does the 2TB of coffee beans get mixed in with the dry ingredients, and do I grind them first or just toss them in whole? Keep writing!

Hi there! Cleo here. I'm so happy you're enjoying my books. Thank you! I also hope you enjoy the Cappuccino Muffins. I love them! Quick answer for you on the recipe. Re-read the full line on the ingredients list and you'll see that it does indeed say: "2 tablespoons darkly roasted GROUND coffee beans" - so, yes, you definitely want to grind those beans! And since ground coffee beans are a dry ingredient, then you'll want to mix them in with your other dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, chocolate chips, nuts, orange zest, etc...). I'm glad you wrote with that question! Happy Holidays and here's a virtual cappuccino and biscotti to you for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!

—Cleo Coyle

Hey Cleo

I am reading your Haunted Bookstore Series. I find that I have a hard time putting it down! I really enjoy reading your works. I can't wait for for April when your new book comes out!!

Kathy

Cleo here. Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for your kind words about my books (you made my day!). Here's a virtual big cookie for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse.

In the near future, I'll be writing more on this web site about my upcoming April Coffeehouse Mystery: French Pressed.

In the meantime, if any other site visitors are wondering what the heck the "Haunted Bookshop" mystery series is, I'll briefly explain...

I write the Coffeehouse Mystery series as "Cleo Coyle" and I also write another mystery series under the name "Alice Kimberly"--that series is about a young widow named Penelope "Pen" who lives in a small town and runs a mystery bookstore.

Pen strikes up a strange but humorous friendship wiith "Jack Shepard," the spirit of a hardboiled private investigator who was gunned down in her bookstore's building fifty years before.

Pen is the only one haunted by Jack, no one else can hear his voice, so she keeps it to herself for fear of being pronounced crazy. And although she's initially freaked out by the visitations of the hardboiled ghost, she soon realizes his value when she needs some experienced advice in solving a local homicide.

There are three books in this series with the fourth coming out in May 2008. Reviewers have called it part-cozy, part-hardboiled detective, part ghost story...some have desribed it as a young Miss Marple meets Philip Marlowe others have said it's like a young Jessica Fletcher solving crimes with the hard-bitten Mike Hammer. Whatever you think it is, Kathy, I'm glad you are enjoying the series, and I hope others will, too!

Below is the list of books for any readers interested. Just click on the title of each book to go to the Amazon page to read more about each book...

Haunted Bookshop mystery #1: The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)

Haunted Bookshop mystery #2: The Ghost and the Dead Deb
by Alice Kimbery (Cleo Coyle)

Haunted Bookshop mystery #3: The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)

And coming in May 2008...

Haunted Bookshop mystery #4: The Ghost and the Femme Fatale
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)

 Java Joy to the World to You!

—Cleo Coyle

(who also writes as Alice Kimberly)

Moka Pot

Dear Cleo:

After reading all the posts about the Moka pot i went to my local store and bought one. I followed you directions and brewed my first pot. The smell was wonderful and I couldn't wait for my brew to finsh. This was about 5:30 PM. That first pot was truly delicious I drank the whole thing with just a touch of sugar. At 5 AM I was still raving about how good it was and was ready for my next pot, oh I forgot to mention I didn't sleep all night after drinking that first pot I needed the secon pot to keep me awake all the next day. Boy did I learn a lesson, Moke pot coffee not good for dessert. Can't wait for your next book and loved the Bookshop mysteries too.

Rusty in Plainfield, IN

Cleo here. Thanks, Rusty!! You definitely made me laugh with this post. Beware the jolt in the java. Everyone's got their limit.

Java joy to you! And I'm glad that you're enjoying the Moka pot. For anyone who is wondering what a Moka pot is, here's a picture. It's a way to make espressos right on your stovetop. Click here or on the pic and it will take you to a link with more info on how the pot works.

--Cleo Coyle

Beatitudes

Just finished your last book that I bought at my favorite bookstore/coffeeshop--Beatitudes in Mosinee, Wisconsin. I bought all the books there and they have been having book discussions about them! So that's my favorite place in the world right now! Greetings to you and I can't wait for the new book!

Cleo here! Thank you SO much for reading my books! You made my day, telling me about your favorite coffeehouse AND the fact that they're having a book discussion about them, too. How cool is that?! Please tell the folks there that I said hello and send my sincerest thanks for their support and interest in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. If ever I'm up that way, I'll be sure to stop in myself!

Beatitudes Coffee
 421 4th Street, Mosinee, Wisconsin

Store motto: "Leave the grind behind..."

                   "Beatitudes is a gourmet coffee shop featuring fresh roasted coffee, espresso, loose leaf teas, smoothies, chai, and elegant pastries with a great atmosphere." —Mosinee Chamber of Commerce

—Cleo Coyle

Gombe Reserve

Trudy from Calif.

I just wanted to say that I loved this coffee! It was so good that I sent some to my mother in law in Washington for her to try it. She fell in love with it as much as I did. I would have written soon about this but I went into the hospital shortly after receiving it. But the good news is I had something to look forward to when I was well enough to enjoy it.

Thanks again for letting me try it.

Trudy

Cleo here. Thank YOU, Trudy, for posting. I'm sorry to hear about the hospital! I hope you are okay and recovering well. Please accept my very best thoughts and wishes for the holidays and the coming new year! And I'm so glad you liked Dr. Goodall's favorite African coffee!

Anyone who wants to learn more about Gombe Reserve coffee, click here.

Cleo Coyle

Green Mountain Coffee

I am glad to see your mention of Green Mountain Coffee. My favorite is the 'Autumn Harvest' blend. We used to have a local coffee place in the owner's home and she served and sold it as well as the other blends. She also made wonderful scones. We miss the taste of that great coffee.

Marge

Claire and Gang

thanks for the brownies !

coffee link

There is a coupon in our paper today..here in Appleton WI..for New England coffee. New to me..so....I found the website.. and it is very interesting...thought I would share the info: www.newenglandcoffee.com

Here in WI we have Door County coffee. Their Door Cty Christmas blend is awesome:

 www.doorcountycoffee.com

—Mary T

 Cleo here. Hi Mary from Appleton, WI! As always, I'm thrilled when a CM reader suggests coffees or coffeehouses. I've activated your links above (to New England Coffee and Door County Coffee) for others to try and I'll be trying coffee from both of these places in the near future. If all goes well, I'll be posting about them, too, so stay tuned.

Thanks, Mary! Post again anytime. Here's a virtual plate of delish brownies to you for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse.

 Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

I LOVE COFFEE!!

I was born and grew up in Brazil, so coffee is definitely part of my life. I love the smell of it in the house. It's fun to be reading these novels and know that Matt travels also to Brazil to get coffee. I can't wait till French Pressed comes out.

Cleo here. Hello Brazillian native! It's so wonderful to hear from you. Thanks for your lovely words about my books. You made my day! Stay tuned for more info on French Pressed, and thanks again for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Here's a virtual latte art pour, just for you!

Feel free to post anytime. I'd love to hear more about your memories of Brazil. Did you ever visit the rain forest or the beaches of Brazil? Or do you have any special Brazillian foods or dishes you especially miss or enjoy having to remind you of your native country?

Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

Coffee Concerns

It's so weird that you posted that article on decaff coffee. I am actually wondering if drinking coffee is really as bad for your health as the research shows. I like to have a couple of cups a day...but now I'm not so sure. The long term affects of coffee are pretty unnerving. Do you have any thoughts? Are these worries just old wives tales?

Kathy

Cleo here. Hi, Kathy! Research shows there are actually health benefits to drinking my favorite beverage! HOOO-AH!

While not everyone can tolerate coffee or caffeine, many people love it, and they should feel good about loving it, too.

     Listen, folks, too much WATER can harm a person! And a single peanut can kill someone with an allergy to nuts, so I'm putting this all in perspective. Some people have issues with caffeine (sure!) just like some people have an intolerance of wheat or milk, but that doesn't mean we shoud be afraid of a beverage that's been enjoyed for 1400 years by cultures all over the world!

     For me, coffee has enhanced my life. I enjoy it and it's been a benefit to me (I exercise and make a habit of eating right, so factor that in, too). I guess I'm trying to say that there are many studies that show coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle and even protect you against disease.

     I put up some "Coffee and Health" links in the right column so you can see what I mean. To quote Thomas DePaulis, Ph.D., research scientist at Vanderbilt University..."Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful."

     Click here to read a WebMD article, which also discusses coffee's health benfifts. Thanks for the post, Kathy! I'm sure a lot of people are having those same questions.

 —Cleo Coyle

Gombe Reserve

Hi there Cleo,

I bought some of the Gombe Reserve to bring in to work, and all of us night RNs just love it. I have everyone I work with hooked on great coffee, and they all ask me which one you have posted on the website, and when I am going to order it for them to try. I just love your books - the Alice Kimberly ones too. Keep up the great writing!!!!

Kristin, RN

Cleo here. Hi, Kristin! Great to hear you liked the Gombe Reserve. Stay tuned for some great coffees coming up in the next few months and in spring '08. I can hardly wait for next year. The research I did for French Pressed included scouting out some amazing coffees and I'll be featuring them in early '08 before and after the book's published April 1. In the meantime, here's a virtual pot of Joe for you in thanks for stopping by and posting at my virtual coffeehouse!

Java joy to you,

Cleo

I can see it now. . .

Clare, Matt and Joy take a road trip, meet Penelope & Aunt Sadie & Jack . . .while setting up their first kiosk coffee bar in Buy The Book. The readers all live happily ever after while sipping their vanilla lattes. ellie from Nebraska, now retired with her TBR pile in Florida

Cleo here. HI, Ellie from Nebraska (and now in sunny Florida)! LOL! Your scenario has style. I know you were just kidding, but I actually COULD see Penelope going on a road trip with Seymour and Brainert to visit New York City (Jack's old stomping ground) and they could all stop in for a latte at the Village Blend! I wouldn't rule that one out in the future if both series continue to do well (i.e. if y'all keep reading!). Thanks, Ellie for the road trip addendum!

Warmest wishes to you and here's a virtual plate of delish cannoli in thanks for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!

--Cleo Coyle

Haunted bookshop sereis for Dawn in Texas

Hi Dawn she writes those books under the name of Alice Kimberly The Ghost and Mrs McClure The Ghost and the Dead Deb The Ghost in the Dead Man's Library and The Ghost and the Fem Fatal. That one isn't released yet. hope that helps they're pretty funny books. Chell from Canada

Haunted bookshop series?

Recipe Requested

Can't wait for French Press