Coffee in Italy and Greece

Hi Cleo, I'll be traveling to Italy and Greece in October and would appreciate tips on how to order coffee and what to expect.

Thanks Phyllis Plymouth, MI

My favorite coffee

I just discovered www.bocajava.com, they have great coffee and they also donate a lot of coffee to the troops and give each member the opportunity to donate with each order. they also have a delicious selection of flavored teas that get put in 16 to 20 ounce bottled water. I am hooked and haven't had the cravings for pop in a while.

Cleo here. Hey, there! Thanks for the heads up on BOCA JAVA coffee. I activated the Boca Java link in your Coffee Talk post above, so if anyone is interested in checking out Boca Java's coffees, they can click on the link above. Or Click here to go to Boca Java's Home Page. 

I've been hearing a lot of radio commericals for Boca Java coffee. I haven't yet tried them, so thanks for the heads up. I think their policy of donoting to our troops is wonderful.

For people who want to know more about donating delish coffee to our troops via Boca Java, click here. It will take you right to the page that talks about Operation 5 Million Cups, their latest goal for donating really good coffee to troops who appreciate getting a good cuppa quality Joe from home.

I really enjoyed reading some of the notes of thanks from the troops, which the Boca Java folks have posted on their site, too. FYI...

Here's a photo that was posted from Iraq, along with a note of thanks to Boca Java. Click here or on the photo below to read the Major's letter from Iraq.

Photo posted on Boca Java's troop donation thank you page from...

Major Jack N., Operations Officer
1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion (Centurion)
1st Brigade Combat Team (Ironhorse)
1st Cavalry Division (America's First Team)
Iraq

Thanks again for telling us about Boca Java!

Cleo

How do I Make coffee with a 3-cup stovetop espresso pot?

Help, I just bought a 3-cup stovetop espresso pot and it doesn't have directions. How much whole beans do I use in my coffee grinder? (It has a blade that does the grinding) How long do I grind the beans? then how long does it take from start to finish when the coffee is done? Also, do I press it in or leave the coffee loose in the little holder.

Cleo here. Hi there! Great questions. I love my 3-cup stovetop espresso pot (aka a "Moka" pot, which was invented in 1933 by an Italian metal worker and inventor named Alfonso Bialetti).

For those wondering what this is, click on the picture to of the stovetop Moka Express pot to the right to learn more...

I'll try to help with your situation...

1. Your whole bean question - I find that whole bean measure to ground measure is almost equal. In other words, 1 Tablespoon of whole beans should yield you about 1 Tablespoon of ground coffee (maybe a little more, but don't worry about the small amount that's extra).

2. You should grind your beans fine for espresso. Somewhat courser for drip coffee. And coarser still for French Pressed coffee. NOTE: when you grind your beans for the espresso pot, DO grind them fine, but DO NOT grind them so fine that they become a powder. This will give you a bitter cup. Your fine grind should look like ground pepper or maybe fine particles of black sand. You'll have to eyeball it and get a feel for it as practice always makes perfect. So don't be too critical of yourself as you experiment with the first few pots. Your tastebuds will tell you what to try next to help improve the cup. How long to grind depends on your grinder. You need to be the judge of when the grinds become fine but not powder. Again, practice will make perfect, so don't be too hard on yourself for getting it wrong a few times before you perfect your technique.

3. How long to brew? For a 3-cup stovetop espress pot, I put my timer on 5 minutes, then I put the pot on the burner on medium high. Usually the coffee is done within one or two minutes of the buzzer going off. This is a great time to use your senses in cooking. You will actually HEAR the water boilig in the base of the unit and you will SMELL this amazing aroma of the strong coffee being pumped into the top of the pot. Then you can lift the lid carefully and SEE whether the dark, rich coffee has finished filling the shiny silver top of the pot.

4. I use approx. 3 Tablespoons of finely ground coffee in my 3-cup maker. (I say approx. because as I said above sometimes my 3 Tablespoons of whole beans grinds up to a little more than 3 T. So don't worry about the little extra.)

5. You don't really need to press the grounds down, simply because when you screw the pot together, the pot itself will tamp down the grounds for you. (Unlike a machine that requires tamping into the portafilter handle.)

6. It's worth noting that although a dark roast is often used for espresso, many baristas prefer using a medium or full city roast. (Espresso refers to the way coffee is made and not to a particular type or grind of coffee.) Again, you should experiment with what YOU enjoy!

Finally, for anyone interested, Click here to see a step by step process for making espresso in a stovetop (Moka) pot. This cup is a very strong cup with a profile somewhere between an espresso and a cup of Turkish coffee.  The $1,000 machines in coffeehouses will give you a different kind of espresso (with reddish/brow crema). But I really enjoy the stovetop espresso too. Many of my Italian relatives drank it every morning when I was growing up.

I myself enjoy it with a teaspoon of sugar and a bit of lemon zest. (I'm talking zest from the rind of the lemon only. A typical bartender's twist of lemon peel will work, too. Not a lemon wedge, mind you, no juice or pulp involved! Just a bit of peel to give a lovely brightness to the sweetened black coffee).

Yum. Easy and fast, too.

I hope this helps you! Thanks for posting and let me know how it goes!

Cleo

Thank you, Cleo!

Dear Cleo, I just read your response to my post! Never did I think I'd receive a response from you, I just wanted you to know what a difference your writing has made in my recovery. Thank you so much for the big-hearted cookie! Your gracious response has certainly made my day, week and year! I will cherish you encouraging words as I work through my recovery. I, too, am looking forward to new AVATARS. I have such a picture of Madame in my mind, it will be interesting to see your description of her.

Gratefully,

Karen C. from NE

Cleo here. Thank YOU, Karen. Wow! You have so much positive energy. I can feel it in your posts. Keep on smiling, okay?!

Here's a virtual mocha latte for ya! And I hear you on Madame, by the way. Stay tuned! She'll be tricky to create, but she should be making an appearance on the site this fall.

Wishing you all good things,

Cleo

Great Coffee Produces Good Karma!

Last week our town had a major flood - the worst in 100 years (Findlay, Ohio). The BEST local coffee house, COFFEE AMICI, was located right downtown where the worst of the flood was. By some miracle (and an unknown good samaritan who placed sandbags at the door), the coffee house received NO flood damage. Great coffee and good people really do produce good karma!

Cleo here. What a great story!! Thanks for posting this! No doubt the good karma was aided by the good samaritan's urge to protect his valuable cuppa Joe. Love it!

If any Coffeehouse Mystery fans live near Findlay, Ohio, they might want to check out Coffee Amici! (Amici meas friends in Italian, by the way) Click here to go to their website.

I love the Coffee Amici coffeehouse philosophy (pasted below FYI). Clare Cosi would definitely be in agreement with it!

We believe talent in the fine arts is a gift to be shared. Some are given steady hands to paint and sculpt. Another may have a clear voice for song. Instrumentalists have the passion to practice endlessly. Coffee Amici has been designed to showcase these gifts. Make plans to stop by Fridays and Saturdays from 7-10 P.M. Relax and enjoy the fine arts with your friends and family at our gathering place.

Thanks again for telling us about Coffee Amici surviving the flood in Ohio. Java joy to you,

Cleo

Just finished Decaffeinated Corpse

I really enjoyed it, I was a bit sorry for one of the characters at the end but otherwise I couldn't let it down. I had no idea you were Alice Kimberly too & I have enjoyed the bookshop mysteries too. I love Clare & Matteo avatars, I hope there will be more in the future, it's so much fun. I know it takes time to do these though. Thank you for creating such special characters & wonderful books. I live close to New York City & I often feel like going to the Village Blend.

Elizabeth

Cleo here. What a wonderful post, Elizabeth. Thank you! I'm especially lovin' what you said about sometimes feeling like you want to go to the Village Blend. That makes my day because it tells me the place is as real to you as it is to me. That's why I finally decided to create a virtual coffeehouse - it's as close as I can manage to creating the real VB. That and the Coffeehouse Mystery tales, of course. I'm glad you liked Decaffeinated Corpse, too. And I know what you mean about feeling sorry for one of the characters (Clare felt that way too!). Murder is a tough business!

Thanks again for posting, Elizabeth. I hope you'll come back again and again to my virtual Village Blend!

Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

P.S. Here's a virtual Latte Art pour for you, just for stopping by!

More Dante, Please!

Hi, Cleo.

I haven't been to the 1369 Coffeehouse in Cambridge yet, as I tend to frequent the North End when I'm in Boston, but it's definitely on my list now! I live in RI and enjoy the Coffee Exchange and Cafe Zog, both on Wickendon St. in Providence, the Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House on Douglas Ave. in Providence (which is probably the closest thing we have to what I picture the Village Blend to look like), Cafe Bon Ami in Cranston, Sofia's in E. Greenwich and Brew'd Awakenings in South County.

I'm still looking for an approximation of the wonderful European coffeehouses I've visited, particularly those in Belgium. How civilized to get wonderful coffee in a real cup and saucer, with a piece of gorgeous chocolate on the side! I like the European coffee bisquits, too, but chocolate is always better. I was delighted that your new barista, Dante, is from RI. I'd love to see him included in additional storylines.

You offered recipes for our State drink, coffee syrup, in DECAFFEINATED CORPSE; also, you can buy a preprepared bottle of it in every grocery store here for a couple of dollars - Autocrat and Eclipse are the best and most readily available. I think the CoffeeHouse Mysteries would make a wonderful TV series, along the lines of Robert B. Parker's SPENSER FOR HIRE. Would that be something you'd consider?

Carol C.

Cleo here. Hi again, Carol C. YES! Dante Silva, fine arts painter, tattooed barista, and native of RI, will return to the Village Blend in future books. Have no fear. I love that character. And down the line, I'll be scheduling him for a staff page avatar too (he just needs to be in a few more books)!

Thanks very much for telling me about your Belgium coffee experience. How wonderful! I've visited cafes in London, Paris, Rome, and West Berlin but never Belgium! (And, yes, chocolate is always better! And I'm SURE it's amazingly better in Belgium!)

I virtually checked out some of the coffeehouses that you mentioned. How wonderful! Now I have a starter list of them to look up when I'm in your neck of the woods.

Here are some links for anyone who wants to check out a few of the coffeehouse recommended by Carol...

Here is the coffeehouse that Carol says reminds her of the Village Blend...

BROOKLYN COFFEE & TEA HOUSE

Like the Village Blend, the Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House is located in an historic district (only this district is located in Providence, RI, and not New York City. Yes, don't be fooled by the Brooklyn name - it's a Rhode Island location!).

The old brick building (well over a century) once housed a grocery. Then a local artist with real vision bought it and restored the property . How wonderful!! This is a place I'll definitely want to check out someday!

And here are a few more of Carol's local picks...

COFFEE EXCHANGE (they mail order freshly roasted coffee)

I love their policy of giving free shipping to all orders of 4 pounds or more. This is an excellent deal because shipping costs really are a bummer when it comes to getting coffee via snail mail. I'll have to check this out! Also, they clearly have some great programs to help coffee farmers. Bravo!

BREW'D AWAKENINGS (Cleo says: very punny!) 

COOL website! Wow! I also like their menu: "The Curious George" - a coffee drink that includes chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter" and I'd love to try their "Frozen Cappaccino" Yum!

Finally, to answer your question about TV adaptation - that's something that would indeed be a lot of fun. Seems to me we've gone far too long without a more modern version of Murder She Wrote (I loved that series).

I think the TV version of Coffeehouse Mysteries would lean a little more towards the comic end. But I can just see Clare and Matt sniping at each other while trying to solve a murder, serve customers, AND stay out of hot water (OOOOOOH bad pun)!

LOL, Carol, Java joy to you,

Cleo

Village Blend Staff

Hi Cleo, My vote for the next postings on the staff to be for Joy (she helps out) and would like to meet Quinn.

Bob Lane in Amarillo

Cleo here. Hi Bob in Amarillo! LOL on Joy. Thanks for your vote on Clare's wayward daughter! I just added her to the bottom of the STAFF page today as "coming soon" - and Mike Quinn will be fun to create, for sure.

I also undertand I have YOU to thank for introducing your entire family to the Coffeehouse Mysteries (via an impulse purchase of Murder Most Frothy). Very cool!

I baked you some delish virtual brownies for a big chocolate thank you.

Wishing you Java Joy,

Cleo Coyle

Re Village Blend Staff from C. Lane

Glad to let ya know the three of us did enjoy the page! I'm sure there are plenty of others, y'all speak up. We don't use violins around here, they're fiddles! How well we understand time constraints. Take all the time needed, ya hear. I agree it's a great idea to let us know in the newsletter. In the meantime, we'll keep checking out the site.

Catherine

 ⇔

Village Blend Recipes

I just read the post from Margaret requesting a recipe from one of the books. I agree no one should post recipes or any part of any copyright. That's what they are all about. I recommend she should buy the book with the recipe. Hey, Cleo! How 'bout checkin' into publishing a book with the recipes (coffee lattes as well, cause they're hard to find in recipe books). That would help those of us who keep libraries and want to cook without messin' up our books.

Thanks,

Catherine Lane in Amarillo

Cleo here. Hi again, Catherine in Amarillo! Love your posts (fiddle and all). Great idea on a Cleo Coyle coffee recipes book. If things continue to go well with the series, that's a great idea down the line!

Best java wishes to you,

Cleo

Village Blend Staff

When will we be able to meet more of the Village Blend Staff on your site? I love the characters, very real, and enjoyed the internet versions as well.

C. Lane in Amarillo, TX

Cleo here. Hi C. Lane in Amarillo! THANK YOU for your post! I loved creating the "Village Blend Staff" page and you're the very first person to mention it! Hooray! Now I know SOMEONE out there likes it!

Creating the Avatars for Clare and Matteo was tons of fun for me. Unfortunately, the process is a time consuming one, and I've been under major deadline stress lately (yeah, I know, poor me, break out the violin). I plan to add more CM characters to the page in the coming months. Madame is next on my list of Avatars. She should be a challenge!

I appreciate your mentioning the page, and you've actually given me a great idea with your post. The next time I add a staff member (probably later this fall), I'll announce it on the Home Page and mention it in the e-newsletter, so you (and others) will be able to see right away that there's an update.

Thanks for dropping by the virtual coffeehouse C. Lane! Come on back again anytime, y'hear!

--Cleo Coyle

Is there a portion on your website for recipes

I would love to have the recipe for the chuck roast with coffee. Unfortunately I've misplace my copy of on what grounds. could someone please post it. thank-you

Margaret, Ferndale Ca

Cleo here. Hi Margaret in Ferndale, CA. Thank you for posting! The recipe that you're looking for is "Coffee Marinated Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Hearty Coffee Gravy."

It's a delish recipe--very earthy and it's got a real jolt in there from the caffeine. However, that recipe is not found in the back of ON WHAT GROUNDS (there are other great recipes in the back of that book, too, just not that one). The coffee marinated steak recipe is in the recipe section of Coffeehouse Mystery #2: THROUGH THE GRINDER. (Cover is pictured left.)

I'm thrilled that you're interested in the recipe, but please understand, the recipes are part of the book purchase. So no one should be posting the Coffeehouse Mystery recipes on this site or any other site without permission. To answer your question about recipes on this site, I do occasionally post recipes on the Home Page. And I'll also be sending those out via my e-newsletter. The newsletter is free, and you are most welcome to subscribe to that. In the coming months, I may very well be sharing the popular Coffee Marinated Steak recipe in my newsletter, too. Great idea!

To get the recipe faster you can always borrow THROUGH THE GRINDER from the library or (eee gad!) even purchase a copy for yourself because as I said, even if you misplaced your copy of ON WHAT GROUNDS (woops), it isn't in there!

Warmest wishes and thanks sincerely for taking the time and effort to post a message. I've just launched this site, but you make a good point that a section of the site devoted just to recipes might be something for me to consider in the next year or so. I hope you'll come back to the virtual Village Blend again, Maragret. Enjoy a vritual cup of java just for stopping by!

Cleo Coyle

Next Haunted Bookshop Mystery?

Hi, I was wondering when the next Haunted Bookshop mystery will be released. I also love the Coffehouse mysteries.

Cleo here. I dont know where you're from, so I'll just say hi YOU! Thank you for your nice words, believe me they mean a lot to me.

The next Haunted Bookshop mystery (the series that I write under my other pen name "Alice Kimberly") will be released in May 2008. The title is THE GHOST AND THE FEMME FATALE. For anyone interested in that series, here are all the titles in order (click on the first book to go to the Amazon page if anyone reading this wants to know more about the first book in the series...)

THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES by Alice Kimberly

1. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure

2. The Ghost and the Dead Deb

3. The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library

4. The Ghost and the Femme Fatale (coming in May 2008)

I'll be sure to post a cover and tell you more about the story in my new Haunted Bookshop mystery (#4 The Ghost and the Femme Fatale) when we get closer to its publication date in May of 08. Stay tuned! And thank you again for posting!

Cleo Coyle

love your series

Just wanted to drop by and let you know how much I love both of your series (The Coffehouse and The Haunted Bookshop). Can't wait for the next ones.

Cleo here. Well, dang! You made my day! Bless your heart for taking the time and effort to let me know that you're enjoying the books. I truly, TRULY appreciate it!

Come on back to my virtual coffeehouse anytime. Here's a virtual blueberry tart for you to enjoy with your latte!

Warmest wishes,

Cleo Coyle

Interested in a recipie you mentioned breifly in Through the Grinder

Hello, You mention a recipie for Three Chocolate Mocha pudding in the book Through the Grinder. I was looking for it in the back of the book, but it wasn't their. Could you post it or send it to me via e-mail. Thank-you. Have stared my next coffee mystery Latte Trouble and am enjoying it. Thank-you

Margaret Meister meister.margaret@gmail.com

Cleo here. Hi, Margaret M.! I'm so glad you are enjoying the Coffeehouse Mysteries! Thank you for reminding me about the Three Chocolate Mocha Pudding. Here's the thing about that recipe--Clare never actually gets to serve it to Mike or Bruce in the book, she plans to but never does, so the recipe never made it to the back of the book, either. I figured she'd finally get to serve it to Quinn in a future book and then I'd pub the recipe. But there's another reason it isn't in the book--I just wasn't happy enough with the recipe yet. Still working on it. 

Since you're bringing it to my attention again, however, I'll make a note to go back to the recipe and keep working with it...once I get it right, I'll publish it on this site and also in the e-newsletter (and I probably should include it in a future recipe section for another Coffeehouse Mystery, too). After all, Quinn never did get to eat it! Thanks for stopping by Margaret M. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Cleo Coyle

Essprsso Fool

Greetings from Destin Florida!! I am a single mother who loves her coffee! I love the Kona blends and all kinds of flavored coffees. I have made some of your recipes and love them. I also have a cappuccino machine and use it often. Thank you so much for my 2 favorite things: you coffee recipes and a good mystery!! Can't wait till Fench Pressed is in book stores. Thanks for writing these excellent books.

Leah from Florida

Cleo here. Hi Leah from sunny Florida! What a great post! Thank you for your very kind words. Sending props and snaps to you for being, like Clare, a single mother. If there's a harder job on the planet, I ain't heard about it. Blessings to you and thank you for supporting the series! I hope you enjoy the upcoming books--and since you're a cap lover, here's a virtual one for you to take with you. Looking forward to seeing you back at the Village Blend again, Leah!

Warmest wishes,

Cleo Coyle

Ghost Mysterys

Read them and loved them too!! Thanks for telling me

Barbara

Cleo here. Hi again Barbara! You're very welcome. Thank you for asking. Because you did, I'm sure other readers heard about the series for the first time, too. Drop back again anytime for a virtual cuppa!

--Cleo Coyle

Please lighten up on us decaf drinkers - it's not always a happy choice!

I've just discovered your coffeehouse mystery novels, and I love them. On the way up to my lake cabin for an extended Labor Day weekend, I picked up the first two books. I read them both yesterday! Now I can't wait to get home and buy the rest. I have two adult children who work at coffeehouses. My 19 year old son is truly a "coffee geek." (He spent 3 months in Brazil backpacking through the Amazon. While there he switched to tea because the coffee they had tasted like "Brazilian Folgers.") I chuckled at the discriptions of the different coffee beverage drinkers. My son has come home with the same descriptions! Last night I called him to tell him about the recipe for Coffee Marinated Steak and Coffee Gravy (he's also an excellent cook), and he can't wait to try them out. This son also feels the way you do about decaf. Which brings me to my headline... About five years ago I apparently hit pre-menopause. The first thing that happened was that whenever I drank caffeine (or alcohol) my nose and cheeks lit up like Rudolph's on Christmas Eve. I could live with that, I found a great makeup that toned them done effectively. Then the hot flashes hit!!!! Big Time!!! After traveling down the estrogen route and the soy and black cohash route (the estrogen worked on the hot flashes, but at the cost of extremely painful boobs). The soy and black cohash are only moderately successful. So that leaves altering my diet. The one thing that seems to consistently induce major hot flashes is caffeine. So, to make a long story short. Until I get past this ungodly time of my life, decaf makes it bearable. Thanks for letting me vent.

Kathy C Plymouth, MN

Cleo here. Howdy, Kathy C. in Plymouth, MN, your post totally cracked me up, painful boobs and all! I'll chalk you up as a DD - Decaf Defender.

Loved hearing about your son's adventures! Not surprised about his experience with the Brazillian coffee since a good bit of their crop is robusta and not of high quality (although there are highly-rated farms in Brazil now, too). The Third World nations in general don't consume their own product to the degree of the first world. It's too expensive for some of them to consume what brings in the major money for their annual income.

Thank you for sharing Kathy C.! I hope you'll drop back again at the virtual Village Blend! And if your son has any favorite coffees (single-origins or blends) or online coffee vendors or roasters he'd like to recommend, be sure to post and let me know.

Wishing you (decaf) java joy,

--Cleo Coyle

french pressed

when will french pressed be in the book stores

Cleo here. Thanks for asking! For those of you wondering...FRENCH PRESSED is my next Coffeehouse Mystery (#6). It will be published in 2008 (most likely the spring). I'll let you know more in the coming months! Stay tuned for the cover and more about the book's story!

--Cleo Coyle

GERD & Coffee

Greetings from Amarillo, TX. I also have GERD and have always loved coffee, but could not drink it without becoming very sick. I've been a tea drinker for years, both hot & cold & have discovered even some blends of tea bother also. I take Priolizac OTC (2 each day). I have found since I read the coffee house mysteries that if I buy the Hawaiian blend & grind the beans, I can drink up to 2 double lattes a day. Hope this helps other GERD sufferers like Jeanne in NM.

C. Lane

Cleo here. Thanks C. Lane! Java snaps and props to you for helping out a fellow virtual Village Blend visitor. I don't know much about GERD, so I appreciate your helping out Jeanne in NM. Your suggestions sound great!

I baked you a virtual box of biscotti for your trouble!

--Cleo Coyle

Greetings from Amarillo, Texas

I just wanted to post how my family loves the coffee house mysteries. We have been telling everyone we know about them. Since my husband originally found Murder Most Frothy, we have been hooked. We bought all that are out, and are eagerly awaiting the next! We also found out about the haunted bookstore series; my daughter and I went to Hastings & bought the only one on the shelf. We ordered the other two available and already have them. We can't wait for the new ones. However, we realize it is impossible for you to write as quickly as we can read & it takes time to have them published. We will buy them as they are available.

C. Lane (the 2nd of 3)

Cleo here. With fans like you, I'm feeling like I might actually get to keep writing for a living. Thanks C. No kidding. I appreciate your support! And thanks again for the other post about GERD! Drop back anytime to the virtual blend and let me know what's up!

Cleo

Coffee Fool

Hi Cleo

Have you heard of this site called www.coffeefool.com? I wonder if their coffee tastes as good as they say. The site says that most of the coffee we buy at the stores is already Stale. Anything in your knowledge banks about that?

Chelle

Cleo here. Hi Chelle! I just answered your Cat Poo post LOL. I just checked out CoffeeFool.com With a name like that how can I not be intrigued?!

I do agree with what they're saying... that the coffee bought on grocery store shelves is usually sitting there for far too long to be considered fresh. And anything that's pre-ground has also lost a lot of flavor. It's all about keeping as much flavor in the beans as possible from roast to cup. 

Before buying from Coffee Fool, I'd consider what other customers have said about them. I found this string of comments on Coffee Forum (click here). What's good about this string is that there are suggestions for which of CoffeeFool.com's coffees and blends were great and which were disappointing (at least in the opinions of these few customers).

Some of theCoffee Fool blends do sound intriguingto me, especially the African beans. Thanks for the tip, Chelle! I'm always interested in checking out coffees and coffee vendors...I'll post again after I give them a try!

--Cleo

The Best Coffe/ Mystery Ever!!

Dear Cleo,

Thank you so much for my two favorite things in the whole world - coffee and mysteries. My local bookstore knows when I walk in, to let me know the release date of your next book! I look forward to each and every new book to find out what will happen next to my favorite people! Keep 'em comin'!

Julie

Cleo here. HOW COOL IS YOUR POST?! Julie, you are exactly the reason why the Coffeehouse Mysteries have been growing in sales. The series has been a quiet little engine, running along without much notice or fanfare, but year after year, more and more people have been catching up to the coffee train and swinging on board. (How's that for a sappy metaphor!) Oh, well, I'm tired and getting over a nasty head cold so you'll have to forgive. But, no kidding, Julie, it's people like you, asking about the new title at your local bookstore, that have made the orders go up and up with every new book. Thank you sincerely and stay tuned for more adventures with your "favorite people"--(I love that!) You know, of course, they're mine, too!

Warmest java wishes,

Cleo Coyle

haunted book shop!

I just finished reading Ghost and Mrs. McClure under Alice Kimberly. I absolutely loved it. Love the lingo of old and all the charecters. There is so much rich charecters and great plotlines. I laughed outloud when Fiona "overheard" other woman anna falactic! Can't wait to read the next one. Thank you

l in jersey

Cleo here. Hi I in Jersey! I'm so glad you liked Pen, Jack, and Fiona Finch "the bird lady" - that series really is a hoot to write. New one out in May 2008. I'll post the cover when I receive it from the publisher. Here are the titles for the entire haunted bookshop series in case you need...

1 The Ghost and Mrs. McClure (you read that one)

2 The Ghost and the Dead Deb (a send up of debu-tramps like Paris)

3 The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library (a  tribute to Poe)

4 The Ghost and the Femme Fatale (a film noir frolic)

Thanks again for letting me know you liked the book!

Java joy to you,

Cleo Coyle

Thanks for Decaffeinated Corpse

Dear Cleo,

I am an avid mystery reader and discovered your mysteries and read them all along with a friend who was, at the time, managing a coffee house. We had such fun sharing your books! Last November I became seriously ill and continue to recover, although I am permanently disabled. Besides losing a lot of physical ground, it has been difficult for me to regain some of my short-term memory. This has made reading very difficult and frustrating. Thank you for Decaffeinated Corpse. My friend and I picked it up last week and I was able to read the entire book without losing track of the story, not to mention that I enjoyed it thoroughly. Not only was this latest book another delight in a thoroughly wonderful series, but it gave me my first full step back into doing what I love most - reading mysteries. Please keep the books coming.

Karen C. in NE

Cleo here. Hi Karen C. in NE. OMG! Your post didn't just make my day, it made my month, my year, my writing LIFE! Thank you for sharing your situation and thank you from the bottom of my java-loving heart for your wonderful words. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for you to face the challenges in your life. Yet instead of giving up on reading, you plowed ahead and kept trying. How brave you are and how inspiring! I'm so incredibly proud that Decaf Corpse could have helped you in any way.

I'm also so very pleased that you stopped by the virtual Village Blend to say hello. I hope you'll come back again and again, Karen. Thank you and please keep in touch. Post again anytime!

Wishing you the warmest, freshest java joy,

Cleo Coyle

P.S. I baked you a big-hearted cookie to thank you for your brave-hearted post!

My Two Favorite Things!!

Dear Cleo,

You have managed to put together my two favorite things in the whole world besides my husband—Coffee and Mysteries! I love your books and the recipes are fantastic. The coffee syrup was great. Thank you and keep the books coming.

Trish

Cleo here. Thanks, Trish!! I'm so glad you liked the coffee syrup--and impressed, too. That's definitely a recipe for people who LOVE LOVE LOVE the bean!

Java joy to you!

Cleo Coyle

P.S. Loved the husband qualification! (I feel that way about mine, too.)