Gooey S’mores Pie!

It’s occurred to me that I haven’t posted any recipes in a while!

I also don’t know how long I’ll be without being able to post anything on this cruise. I have NO idea if/where I’ll have wifi or not. I know it can be really expensive on the ship ((Don’t they nail you for EVERYTHING!!?)) so this is another one of those posts I've set to release while I’m gone so you don’t have an abandoned blog to turn to while Lori and I are off with the quilt cruisers having the time of our lives. ((Aren’t I terrible for rubbing that in?!))

If you haven't heard from us yet...it's because we can't get reasonable connection!

You have GOT to try this pie. It is the yummiest thing ever, and just right for Labor Day festivities coming up…what is better for summer than S’mores, and put it in pie? Awesome!

Gooey Chocolate S’more Pie

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 1 graham cracker crumb crust, baked
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• pinch salt
• 2-3 cups mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Put the chocolate in a bowl.
3. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit a few minutes, then whisk until smooth.
4. Whisk in the egg, sugar and salt. Pour into the crust.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, until filling is softly set but still trembles slightly in the middle when you gently shake it. If it starts to darken around the edges, loosely cover the edge of the pie with a pie shield or foil.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack. Keep the pie shield or foil in place — it’ll come in handy when it goes under the broiler.
7. Pile the marshmallows on top of the cooled filling and preheat the broiler.
8. Broil the pie for a minute (it browns quickly, so check it after 30 seconds) until the marshmallows are golden brown.
9. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife dipped in hot water, then wiped dry (do this before you cut each slice).

You won’t believe how yummy and easy this is!

Enjoy!

30 years ago today….

As I’m sitting here writing this post, I’m completely in awe of how time really DOES fly. Everything changes, yet everything is the same in so many ways.

30 years ago today, August 28, 1981 I didn’t have a cell phone. AMAZING. How much a part of our lives are these contraptions now?

30 years ago today, I didn’t own a color TV.

30 years ago today, I didn’t have a mortgage.

30 years ago today, I didn’t have a car payment. ((Oh I wish that would apply now!))

30 years ago today, I didn’t own a microwave.

30 years ago today, I didn’t have a personal computer.

30 years ago today, I did have a stereo with 8 track cassette. ((Boy, was that dumb!))

30 years ago today, I didn’t have a vcr. ((Not even a stupid beta max one either, glad I didn’t!))

30 years ago today I didn’t have a GPS or even imagine that would be possible.

30 years ago today I didn’t have pets.

30 years ago today I didn’t have children.

But 30 years ago today Dave and I were married…..and I had everything.

This post is for you, Honey. I wish you could be on this cruise with me. I’m sorry that I’m away on our special milestone anniversary, but I am so glad we got to share Alaska together!

This was us in front of that crazy carved moose inside of Gwennie’s diner in Anchorage where we had that first awesome breakfast. My shirt really is NOT neon green, it’s light blue denim. Gotta love flourescent lighting ---

30 years ago today I didn't have these crow's feet either! And you had hair! :c)

This is where we first stopped to look at the mountain goats on the other side of the road with your binoculars. We were so full of awe and wonder at the beauty of the nature around us…just as we were in the beginning of our life together.

On the shores of the lake at Moose Pass. Remember trying to nap in the car, and how I was so hungry I left you there while I went for that reindeer sausage dog? It was cool to watch the float planes take off and land here. Next time, let’s go up in one, okay?

This is you with Jetta, Nikki’s dog…on our hike up Moose Pass. I’ll always remember the stories you’ve told me of the dogs you’ve had in your life. How one dog ((Was it Sam??)) saved you from drowning in the canal when you were a small boy. I love your love of animals, and what a place they have been in our lives. I love to watch you with Sadie, she is so attached to you, with good reason. You spoil her rotten!

We had such a great time in Delta Junction! Was this picture after Buffalo Burger #1, or #2?

Our hike with the Rogers family was terrific! I’m so glad we got to get to know them better and to spend what little non-rainy weather there was in the beautiful outdoors.

If you EVER con encourage me into staying in a rustic cabin like this…just KNOW that my handcrank sewing machine is coming along for the ride. I’ll sew…you fish, hunt, whatever..but remember, if you catch it, you clean it!

So whaddya say? Are you up for another 30 years?

Happy Anniversary!

Love,

Quilt Kids on the Move!

I recently received an email from Jan, telling me how she got a handful of kids busy and productive, all having a great time while learning the joys of giving!

Here is her story:

Hi Bonnie,

I wanted to tell you about a quilting experience my friend and I shared with our children using one of your tutorials.

One beautiful summer day we got together with my 4 children and her 5 children and we set up 4 sewing machines on the table with a big pile of scraps in the middle. Then we set the kids to piecing onto squares of muslin.

While the younger ones played outside, the older ones sewed and sewed. We encouraged them not to stress out about matching, but to just plunge in their hands and draw out a scrap. It was so fun to hear the kids exclaim, "Oh, this is from my quilt!" or "This is from the one you made for the baby!" or "Hey, my purse has this fabric!"

What surprised us most was the boys, aged 6 and 8. We didn't expect them to be interested in something like sewing, but they were into it in a big, big way. One of the boys put it this way, "Mom, I love pushing the gas pedal SO much!"

As the children were sewing, and the quit was coming together, my friend and I joked that when the quilt was finished we would have to take turns having it at our homes, work out a custody schedule. But the kids had a better idea - they wanted to give it away, and they thought of a widow in our church and decided to give it to her.

The rest of the day, they would say things like, "Mrs. M. will love this!" and "Won't she be surprised!"

Well the kids sewed without pause for hours! We had to drag them away from the machines because it was time for dinner, but by then we had enough blocks for a nice sized lap quilt. They were so excited and proud, and my friend and I were amazed at what they accomplished and how well the day went.

My friend and I finished off the quilt with some borders and then I quilted it, and a few weeks later we invited Mrs. M over for lunch one Sunday afternoon so the children could give her the quilt. She was so surprised and moved and delighted. She shared with us how much it meant to know that people in our church family love and care for each other, and what a blessing it was for her.

Then she said, "You don't know how much this means to me - tomorrow is the anniversary of my husband's death, and I was wondering how I would get through it. Your quilt is a reminder of God's love for me."

What a blessing for the children to hear how their gift made such a difference to this lady and to hear her share her faith. They realized that they were meant to make that quilt and share it, and that God had a plan for their efforts.

Thanks for sharing your patterns with us!

Jan

Dear Jan, Friend, and Kids:

Thank you for sharing this wonderful inspirational story with me, and with all of us! I am so touched by the lessons these children have learned. It really is planting a seed with in each of them that will affect their whole lives.

“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.”

Isn’t this true?!

Autumn Fun with the Patchwork Posse!

Have you ever visited PatchworkPosse.com? No! Well you just might want to check it out!

Patchwork Posse offers a wide variety of Online Workshops, E Patterns, and Sew Alongs ((Sew Alongs are free!)). Go ahead and take a look around....find an online sewing workshop that fits you and get sewing! All patterns and workshops are exclusive to Patchwork Posse and they are designed by totally talented sewers SEAMSTERS!!

Where do I come into this mess? I’m going to be the featured designer for a 3 month long workshop that will feature 1 NEW Pattern each month for September, October and November. The patterns are exclusive to the group, and not available anywhere else!

And don’t worry, the November one will wrap up before we start our online Mystery here on my blog ;c) You CAN do it all!

I have pulled together and patterned up 3 small quilts just for Patchwork Posse! Here is your chance to grab a few new quick & easy small quilt patterns, ask me some questions in the forum, and “talk” to me online. Right in your own home. No traveling necessary. ((There has to be something you’ve always wanted to know, isn’t there? Well --- Within reason of course!)) I’ll be trying to check into to the forum as often as I can with my schedule!

Each pdf pattern has easy to read instructions and full color photos to make your piecing time fun!

Along with my 3 month Mini Quilt Marathon, Print & Stitch patterns from other designers are available too! Check out the variety of designers and patterns .....purchase them, print it and stitch it! Super quick and easy to get going on your next sewing project.

Along with the online workshops there is also a Forum, Sew and Tell Photo Gallery and a Community-- so you can freely share, interact and get to know others with a sewing/quilting obsession just like you.

So what will we be working on?

One design will be released on the First Friday of each month for September, October and November, so our starting date is only one week from today! Mark the Date! That’s FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd!! Don’t worry, if you sign up late, you will still have access to the previous releases as long as you are a Patchwork Posse Workshop Member. The patterns stay in the files. They will always be accessible to you.

Nines Surrounded!

(Approximate Size: 25” X 31”)

Piney Flats!

((Approximate Size: 29” X 29”))

Auntie’s Anvil!

In honor of my Great Auntie Irene!

((Approximate Size: 27” X 27”))

And just for my Readers---Patchwork Posse is giving us a special deal--- When signing up use the discount code marathon to receive a 15% discount off of the workshop! This discount is only good until the 29th of August, so that means you need to sign up before Monday!

This looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun! I hope you’ll join me!

PS – since I’m out of town as this is posting, if you have ANY questions, please contact Becky at Patchwork Posse! I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear from you!

And The Winner Is!!

Drum Roll Please!!

We have a Winner!

It was an exciting moment – we had over 300 comments from people who wanted this book!

And the winner is:

MELINDA!!

She didn’t leave her last name, but her comment was:

Your blog is the only one I return to regularly, and I think that you have kept me going when I have been discouraged in quilting. I'm not a great sew-er, and I have limited time, so I love to just browse through and see your ideas for things that I can do in bits and pieces (I love the Happy Scrappy Houses!!), and dream about things that seem a bit beyond my reach.

Thanks for keeping it up, and for "being there" when I need help on how to do something like make half square triangles or a square within a square. –Melinda

She did leave her email address in her anonymous comment, so Melinda, be watching your inbox for a mail from me! I just need you to send me your snail mail address, and I’ll pass it on to the publisher so they can send you the book direct from them!

Thanks everyone for participating. I had a great time being part of this blog tour…I’m still so pumped that “THE” Nancy Zieman even commented in the post comments! I admit it, she has ME star struck!

And with that, I’m OFF! The bags are packed. Got my passport, got my sunscreen, got probably way too much stuff….I keep telling myself to keep it light, and I KNOW I broke my own rule and packed too many pairs of shoes!

But what’s a girl to do?

I have NO idea if I will have wifi or not on the ship. I’m not willing to pay $20 a day for it, that’s for sure ---and even if I DID have wifi, I’m thinking this is going to be a week for me to be UNPLUGGED. Completely.

I kept in touch as much as I could from Alaska. Writing takes a lot of thought and a lot of time in editing photos, etc. Do I want to be stuck writing blog posts, or do I want to LIVE this cruise?

I’m choosing to LIVE! I am!

And just so you aren’t too disappointed in me, don’t worry, I’ve stacked the blog with posts that will release every morning while I’m gone. Be looking for those posts, and I’ll be looking for your comments when I’m back online!

Happy Sails!

Ask Bonnie!

**Note** I’m drawing the winner for Nancy Zieman’s “Sewing A to Z” book at Noon Eastern! Be sure to check back to find out who our winner is!

I love your questions! Answering them has given me pause to think and ponder and see things from a different perspective. Instead of just saying “I do it this way” I’m considering just WHY I do it this way….is there an explanation, or is that just the way I learned it, or have always done it? Am I the ONLY one doing it this way? Could there be a better way?

If a question comes in a comment, and I can reply by email directly to that commenter, I will….And then sometimes a question will come in the shape & form of an anonymous comment with no way to reply to it. What to do then?

Sometimes I’ll leave my reply in the comments section--- hoping, just hoping that the poster will come back and re-read the comments to find the answer to their question, but how often does that happen? Often when I am blog hopping I can’t even remember WHERE I’ve been or how I got there ;c) That’s the whole purpose of hopping, isn’t it? No blog left unturned?

So I’m considering adding a new feature. I’m not quite sure how to work it, if I want to do it regularly, or just now and then…but if you have a question for me on ANYTHING, just email me, and perhaps I can answer it here on the blog for you. Chances are, if YOU are asking it, someone else is also wanting to ask the same thing.

And then the comments section beneath each question could become a treasure trove of answers from all of YOU about the same topic…I’m anxious to learn how you do things too!

Just today Nell wrote:

Do you have a lot of works in progress? I mean outside of your book quilts/blocks; Do you start something and then lose interest or time or something and just shelve it?

How did you balance your own quilting with your customer quilts when you were long-arm quilting?

These are just my ponderings, no need for a quick response, I know you are getting ready to leave for your cruise.

OH gosh yes!! I have some big UFOs! I regret the time they are languishing. Some of them are big ones that I thought I wanted to hand quilt. I still want to hand quilt them. When? How? I don't know! And there they sit with the hand quilting partially started, and sitting. The Pink & Brown Dear Jane thing is one, and this random sampler is another..

I actually went and pulled this out because I couldn’t remember JUST how far I’d gotten on it! Farther than I thought. I’ve gone about 2 rounds of fans from the outside in toward the center…and yes, I can bind the outside edge if I am quilting from the outside in, but you have to be sure to baste really well first! Until then, I hauled this around with all it’s batting hanging out like a slip showing….like this:

I think this is at least 4 years ago? OY!! Those are Joan’s daughters helping me hold it up!

Left Side

Top

Right Side

Bottom!

And I haven’t lived in Irmo, SC for 3.5 years…so we know it’s been at least that long since I finished the top! Doesn’t that make you wonder about all those quilts that you see dates pieced in, or appliqued on to? I think the quilting could have taken a lot longer AFTER that date was in place, don’t you?

The quilting nearly reaches the top of this picture…so I’ve made good progress on it, but it has sat for SO LONG NOW! Can you see the stitches? Click it to Biggie-Size if need be. I am quilting it in blue thread…it’s much more visible in person. Gotta get back to working on this! SERIOUSLY!

So back to the UFOs….

I've cleared out a lot of UFOs "needing to be pieced” in the past several years just BECAUSE I had deadlines! Or someone needed a baby quilt, or there was some “cause”...when making a gift quilt I find myself turning to my untouched and languishing UFOs and seeing if any of them can be completed to fit the bill. Nothing like a deadline and a need to fill to push you into finishing something. So the UFOs worth finishing have really whittled down to not much of anything left in the UFO pile worth mentioning!....

Off the top of my head...In the “Still Needs Piecing” department ---that "Nearly insane" Salinda Rupp Quilt thing is a BIG UFO. It's more than 1/2 pieced, but I have a hard time working on it when I'm more wanting to play with my own designs and ideas. The “Thinking” part of that one has already been thought through by someone else, and that is where I lose interest.

I have a smaller "Rocky Road To Kansas" block with scrappy chrome yellow backgrounds that I would LOVE to finish someday...but it's so similar to "Virginia Bound" (only a much smaller block) that I feel like....Why re-beat THAT horse?

This makes me really want to dig into my stuff and see what is there....I know there is more in the orphan box from things that people have sent me that I am dying to get in and do some funky sampler type quilts with. That would be fun. But no time for it.

There is a “Fungly Challenge” thing that I liked until I sashed it, and I don’t want to have to un-sash it to set it a way that I WILL like. UGH! You know what I mean?

What is the one big UFO that you would like to work on? Or....are you so pulled by more than one you can't decide which one to work on so you start another one? :c)

I honestly think that my time restraint for starting something new that doesn’t have a deadline has helped me from starting too many new things! Could this be good? Hmmmm!

For the burnt out long-arm quilters out there…..got any helpful advice for Nell?

As far as getting my own things quilted when I was quilting for others....that's not easy either. I scheduled 3 quilts a week for customers when I was long-arm quilting for the public. I didn't do a LOT of heavy heavy quilting, and if there was a quilt that needed more time, I'd only schedule 1 quilt that week or 2....but no more than three. I used that as an incentive to get those 3 cranked out because any empty days were MINE to quilt my own.

It's difficult when there are always more quilts waiting to be done...but I had to learn that if I didn't give MYSELF time to quilt for MYSELF...I wasn't going to be a very happy quilter, and my customers would find my creativity lacking in their quilts in the long run....avoid BURNOUT how ever you can. It's important! Even though I am no longer quilting for the public, I completely understand what you are going through!

I've got several tops that are yet to be quilted, but other quilts take the front of the line, so they sit as tops.

More thoughts --

Some of my projects, like Leader/Ender ones seem to stay back burner for a long time until I finally get the push to move on them as a primary project, and not just a between-the-lines thing....but you know, less and less and less am I able to start something just because I want to, and then allow myself to get side tracked by anything else. It seems everything has a deadline. And the hard part is keeping most things private due to an upcoming publication, when I was so used to sharing EVERYTHING in the past. I’m working on a ton of stuff I can’t show. And that is hard.

The thing that makes me feel left behind? When I post a leader/ender challenge, like for the cheddar bow ties...and people take off and run with it and are doing 100 of them a day...and I haven't been able to sit at them for weeks because they didn't work with the kind of piecing I was doing....I get all excited to play, and get left in the dust! LOL!

But it's not a race....set your own happy pace. Reward yourself for a job well done. Be sure to leave you some YOU time to feed your soul and your passion, and find balance!

Aren't we all perpetually in the search of balance? I know I am!

So how do YOU deal with your UFOs?Do you have any advice or comments for Nell? Are you a Long-arm quilter that has some advice for her on how to get some of her own quilts done?

Be sure to leave your comments in the comments section below! And if you have a question for me, perhaps I can answer it for you! Just email me!

Evening Edition! Free Kindle Pre-Order!

I had a great day today! Busy busy busy, and it took much longer than I thought it would ,but I decided that running all my errands today, instead of doing half today and half on my way out of town tomorrow was preferable!

My packing for the cruise has commenced! I am SO excited about the “little black dress” that I bought in Minnesota while thrift shopping with mom, Auntie Joy and Cousin Janean --- I NEVER dress up! Well hardly ever any more. I was trying to think of the last time that I actually wore HEELS – and I can’t. Do I need to practice with them? Are my feet going to rebel?

Do women even WEAR pantyhose anymore?! I’m opting for some strappy black sandals to go with the dress and calling it good, even if I’m not very tan…

I’ve pulled out the fresh water pearl set that DH gave me many years ago for Christmas. Gosh, I think I’ve only worn those a couple of times….I’m just a shorts and tee shirt girl! And that’s what I’ll be for most of the cruise. If we are running around in class…what’s to dress fancy for? It’s all about comfort, right?

But there is ONE fancy night. And I’m going all out! Just wait til you see this dress!

So today….I did a “Pamper Me” ! Time for my Cruise Toes!

Aren’t these fun?! I think pedicures are my biggest pamper delight. And since I’ve been getting them…no ingrown toe nails! So..I’m calling it a medical necessity ;c)

So with all this planning to dress up coming into play…..where does this free book pre order come in??

For a limited time, the first book in New York Times bestselling author Anna Godbersen’s epic new series Bright Young Things is available as a free pre-order today from the Amazon Kindle store---which means if you place your pre-order today, Amazon will deliver it to your Kindle (for free) on its release date of September 6. It also includes an excerpt from the forthcoming sequel Beautiful Days and fashion tips on how to achieve the perfect flapper look.

((Not that I am dressing like a flapper….but wouldn’t that have been fun in the day?!))

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is ¬Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ¬illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

I’m not sure how long the free pre-order will be available, but double check to be it’s still free when you purchase it.

And with that..I’m off to finish packing!

Where is my PASSPORT?!?

Remember that Sun Room?

It’s been at a standstill for a while….we’ve been traveling and busy, but it is coming along!

And I feel almost guilty that I have really not done much of the work on this one. I didn’t even lift a paint brush ---

It all seemed to miraculously paint itself! No---I take that back. It happened one weekend when Lisa was over and we were working hard in the basement, and DH was working hard upstairs.

I remembered hearing shuffling, pounding, shuffling, sliding-- a strange sequence of noises….and the next thing I knew?

I was upstairs and the walls were painted and the carpet was gone!

Boy..was THIS a huge improvement!

And last night…low and behold ((or should that be LOWES and BEHOLD?!?)) We had light! And a ceiling fan!

The other evening we made a trip to Lowes to find the fan. Who knew that finding the right fan would be so hard! It just needed to be a FAN, you know? But we settled on this one because even though I like the pendant style lights, the one dish kind…they just don’t down shoot as much light as these ones with 3 bulbs in 3 shades do.

This is the doorway heading into the dining room….all that remains now is FLOORING!!!

I wandered through the flooring department….what will it be? Laminate? If so, I want to put the same laminate in the dining room as well as the kitchen, the 3 rooms connect to each other and I’d like some kind of “flow” there. Try explaining to a man why we don’t necessarily want each room to have different flooring when the rooms are small!!

And then I see THIS display!

HEXAGONS!!

Okay, I know the hexagons are samples only, but think with me here….what fun could we have if the base was velcro, and we could rearrange hexagon carpet tiles to make our floor whatever pattern we want it to be that day? LOL!!

Well, a Quilty Girl CAN dream, can’t she??

And I’m still watching updates on Hurricane Irene. She’s gonna be dancing in my kitchen! But I haven’t heard anything on any cruise changes yet. Things are still on schedule as far as I know.

I’m declaring today a Girly Day! I’ve been working so hard in the basement, it’s time to break loose! On today’s list:

Lunch with Lisa! Meeting up at Sew Original in Winston Salem at Noon-ish!

Pedicure! ((Necessary cruise attire, don’tcha know?!))

Eyebrows Waxed! ((Well, okay, and can you please remove that one long curly hair that keeps growing out of the mole on my neck? What is WITH that?!?))

Last minute shopping --- I swear, I was trying to pack light. DO I need a new swimsuit? Why did I put off really shopping and thinking about it until I have one day left before my journey starts?

I might throw a carwash in there too…can’t have Lori seeing Shamu all in a mess. But then, if it rains, what does it matter? ((I’m thinking a vacuum job inside might be enough!))

And then, maybe then….I’ll sew!

Evening Edition! Free Kindle Book!

Wow..I’m finding so much cool stuff that I don’t know how I’ll get a chance to read it all! Seriously. I think I’ve become a book COLLECTOR! So many I want to read, and it’s nice to know that since I did “purchase” these freebies, they’ll stay on my bookshelf on Amazon. Forever. Supposedly anyway!

No, I did NOT download any books about HURRICANES!

But this one starts with a different kind of disaster, a collapse of a dam…and the conspiracy behind it---

Vindicator by Denney Clements is free today from the Amazon Kindle store.

Book Description:

Wichita’s struggling newspaper, the Examiner, sends veteran reporter Joe Emery to Colorado. The dam at the Herman Gunderson Reservoir, 60 miles west of the state line, has collapsed, sending billions of gallons of water coursing downstream into Kansas and killing three people. What at first seems a gut-wrenching natural disaster story, however, quickly becomes something far more sinister.
First, the Kansas governor, Mabel Hodge, bullies her way into a press conference aimed at explaining the disaster. She tells reporters that the collapse of the dam is a blessing for water-starved Kansas farmers and ranchers. These tasteless remarks are apparently intended to shore up Hodge’s candidacy for re-election. Election Day is two weeks away and her Republican challenger is ahead in the polls.

Then, a rival reporter for an upstart Internet news service reveals upstages Hodge. He suggests that the FBI’s official cover story for the disaster, that it is an ‘act of God,’ is a sham. He asserts that the dam was sabotaged and demands that the lead investigator for the FBI confirm it. Instead, the investigator shuts the press conference down.

Thrust into what could be the best story of his life, Emery, an old-school ink-stained wretch, learns that the feds not only lied about the cause of the disaster but also have detained three terrorism suspects – members of a radical environmentalist group. With the help of Carol, the lovely embattled sister of one of the detainees, Emery learns that the feds have the wrong people in custody – and know it.

Emery’s story on their deception quickly goes viral, humiliating the FBI. He’s ready to dig deeper for the truth but the Examiner orders him back to Wichita. During the trip home, he survives an attempt on his life. Two days later, the newspaper lays him off, citing declining profits as the reason. Off the story and stripped of his hard-earned identity, he sinks into despondency.

But with Carol’s encouragement, Emery shakes off his funk and starts The Vindicator, a public-affairs blog. He’s back on the story, navigating a treacherous political environment, uncertain who he can trust, trying to fend off goons sent to stop him. He soon learns that telling the story could carry a terrible cost to the people he loves, and that it may already be too late to back off.

I like to read farther down the amazon page too, to see what actual readers think:

Denney Clements, a newspaperman with a long, ink-stained career, has written an intriguing romp across the Kansas heartland, full of double-dealing, cold-blooded murder and political conspiracies -- all evoked with the inside knowledge of a real journalist. Sunny Kansas has never known true noir, but fictional newsman Joe Emery is a classic hard-boiled sleuth on the trail of a story that might cost him his life. If you enjoy mysteries with newspaperman heroes you'll love "Vindicator."

‘Nuff said! Downloaded! I’m picturing Denney Clements as a Robert Redford type

Or maybe…Matthew McConaughey! Now you’re talking!

As always, double check to make sure it’s still free before clicking. No affiliation, yada yada, etc ---