M Shelf Year in Review

It's almost time for 2013 to make her grande entrance. 2012 was an exciting year for these authors of the M Shelf. We look forward to making 2013 even better! Here's a pictorial journey through the events that made this year a great one. =)

In March there were the tiaras we bought as part of a workshop. It has to do with learning about a stronger Big Black Moment. It fits in, I swear. Totally not just an excuse to wear tiaras. Nuh uh!

In April we were hanging out along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway with fellow Badgirl, Jeanette Gray. Note the guardrail? These pieces of wood are veeeery important! (This is also the photo that inspired our M Shelf "We need to eat healthier" plan for the remainder of the year and for the rest of our lives.) ;-)

It's May and EMichels got an agent!!! We went out with all the Badgirlz to celebrate the great news!

Girlz Night!

In August we hit Atlanta for some Moonlight & Magnolias shopping. We needed a snack break and there was something on the menu called a Cotton Candy Cosmo. Who am I to say no? (No, this is not a part of the M Shelf "We need to eat healthier" plan, but when shopping it's okay to make exceptions.)

Obligatory visit and photo op at the Mall of Georgia B&N M Shelf.

It's October and time for Moonlight & Magnolias! The eating healthier has paid off too. =)

The Conferencemobile! You'd think it's game day with how excited we are. Note the bracelet on the back left side of the bumper? This was my "OMG Congrats on your book deal!" gift to EMichels. It fell victim to a drive off after she left it on the bumper in an excited rush towards Atlanta. Luckily, it was found in the yard by my mother later that day.  It was spared injury and now makes appearances at many writer events. I point this out because it's little moments like this we'll never forget. Why be normal and never have jewelry drama?!

Packed to the gills with vital things like foot numbing spray and water.

At dinner that first night. Too giddy to sleep.

The fabulous Darcy Drake and her Tom Collins.

Dar Photobomb level: Boss

My favorite pic from the conference: Silver Spoons! Yeah, so there may have been wine consumed by this point.

At the CRW Flower Ceremony, celebrating everyone's accomplishments. Two roses for the books we sold this year! Yay!

Celebrating a fabulous year with the Badgirlz and wishing for many more to come!

So long 2012!!!

A Merry McGovern Christmas (Part 2)

I am not known for my cooking skills. Don’t get me wrong, I can cook, I just don’t derive an enormous amount of joy from it. I cook because I have to and I love to eat. The only exception to my food prep feelings of “meh” are cookies and adult beverages. I love to play baker and bartender for others. The holiday season is one of the few times I have spare moments to indulge in baking and drink making and I have a few traditional items I’d like to share.

First, the nommies:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The only cookie The Irishman likes. Fortunately, Li’l Man and I agree.  A batch only lasts 48 hours in our house, so I don’t make them too often.  I use the recipe on the Quaker Oats container and add extra raisins. Mmmmm.

Sugar Cookies with frosting. NO SPRINKLES!  I’m anti-sprinkle on any deserts. They’re hard and annoying, with no additional flavor explosion. Instead I decorate my sugar cookies with a few different colors. They pull off festive fine sans sprinkle.

Finally, a new recipe I’m going to try: Orange Snowballs. Someone brought these little balls of delicious jubilation to our office party.  I think I ate six or seven. I would’ve had more, but they were devoured. Scruuuuuumptilicious and easy!  My kind of baking.

1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice, thawed
1 (12 oz.) box vanilla wafers-crushed
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar
1 stick butter

Crush vanilla wafers fine or in food processor. Mix in sugar. Add small can O.J. and pour in melted butter. Mix together with hands and form into 1-inch balls and roll additional powdered sugar if desired. Refrigerate. Serve cool next day.

Now for the Yummy Sips:

A drink that my mom started as a Christmas tradition when I was of age. Ish. The Frozen Brandy Alexander.

1 oz Brandy

1 oz Crème de Cacao

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

Blend until smoothed together

It’s like a grown up Frosty!

Finally, a simple favorite - the coffee with Baileys Irish Cream. It's not just for Christmas!  Pour coffee, add Baileys, and a dash of Splenda. Mmmmmwake-up happy!

That's it from Villa de la McGovern. We at the M Shelf hope you all have a Safe & Merry Christmas!  We'll be back after the 25th with the M Shelf year in review and goals for 2013.

Cheers!

&

A Merry E.Michels Christmas to You

5 days, 5 hours and 55 minutes from now my house will be a tattered mess of wrapping paper shrapnel—if my Snoopy countdown clock can be trusted.  So, I thought I would welcome you to my home today while the candy canes remain uneaten and the cinnamon scented candles haven’t burned down to charred wax.  Pull up a chair, have some coffee with your Baileys and I’ll give you the nickel tour. 

My tree is decorated in ornaments inspired by the Victorian Era, red beads, poinsettia blossoms and a few hand painted and poorly glued ornaments that were made with love and match nothing.  *grins* Like the rest of my house my tree is very traditional.  I like the old world, eclectic look of antiques mixed with clean lines of cottage décor…Oh dear, someone stop me before I start calling rooms spaces and referring to the hand and twist of carpet. 

Meet my little member of the Queen’s Guard.  He keeps order on my tree and never laughs even if you do silly things right in front of him.  I bought him in a gift shop in London when I was 18 and he still makes me smile.

These are my cookie ornaments.  I collect gingerbread men, ladies, houses and pretty much anything else gingerbread.  Similar yummy decorations can be seen in every room of my house. 

It was a childhood dream of mine to have a tree decorated in candy with popcorn garland.  I added this tree to my décor last year.  My candy tree makes me ridiculously happy, especially with the chef’s hat on top.  I mean, seriously, how cute is that? Love it!

Mr. Alpha Male and I started collecting Dept. 56 Dickens Village years ago.  Every year we get a new piece to add to our collection.  This year we got a bookstore!  Fitting right?  Our collection is starting to go from small hamlet to village now.  One day I hope it fills a room!  

Thanks for stopping by to visit for Christmas.  I hope you and yours have a peaceful and joyous holiday.

xx – E. Michels

A Merry McGovern Christmas (Part 1)

Here on the M Shelf we've decided to share some seasonal cheer through pics and a few words. It's been a long, quiet autumn 'round these parts, but with these holiday posts we hope to start down a fun, fresh avenue on the M Shelf Blog.  More to come on that, but for now, let's warm up with a big cup of hot chocolate (extra marshmallows of course, maybe a smidge of Bailey's) and flip through some pics of McGovy's Christmas Cottage.

First, my tree. I can't do a real tree (though I love them) because of alleries. My favorite are the tinsel trees of the 1970s. COVET THEM! But have you seen the price on the vintage ones?! I shall save up and invest in one later on. Last year, I saw the next best thing. A silver pre-lit tree. The spotlight shone, the cherubs sang, and I walked out of Garden Ridge with my very own "disco tree."  I also have a predisposition toward anything that glitters or sparkles, frogs, the color red, and nerdy sci-fi/fantasy stuff. And hence, my tree:

Yes, that'd be the Millenium Falcon and Vader's TIE fighter on my tree. I hang them proudly. I also have the orginal Star Trek Shuttlecraft from Hallmark w/ Leonard Nimoy voice over.

My son also likes to add his touch here and there. Ere go, Thomas & Friends make guest appearances on the lower branches.

My other Christmas weaknesses are gingerbread/sugarland themed items and snowmen. Oh, and my balls. I love my balls!

My Mitford Snowmen collection. Tried a little Instagram imaging on them. Nice, eh? That's about as artsy as I get.

I hope you've enjoyed a peak into my odd Christmas collection. If you know me, it makes perfect sense. Stay tuned this week for an EMichels Christmas and part 2 of my pics - Cookies & Booze: The extent of my holiday recipes.

Happy Holidays!
McGovy

Under Construction

We will soon be revamping our content & a few pages on our blog. In the meantime, we'll have a few Christmas-y posts & pics. Happy Holidays Y'all!

How to Survive a Writers' Conference in Style: Vol. 6

We've had a week to sleep off the craziness of Moonlight and Magnolias Writers' Conference.  So, now that we're settled back into real life, let's glam it up for a few minutes! These were some of our favorite shoes of the conference...

Darcy Drake and Jenna Patrick added a splash of color to the day Friday with their eye-catching shoes.

Tamera LeBlanc rocked these studded heels, showing off her awesome ink in the process.

Hillary Raymer had some bling; and we do love the bling here on the M shelf!

And more sparkles with Tanya Michaels!  (Also shown are my toes along with McGovy's peacock sparkle shoes.  Are we surprised at this much bling?  Not really.)

Even more sparkles with Anna DeStefano!  

And now I get to show off the M shelf boots.  Yeah, they're pretty fabulous, aren't they? *dreamy sighs*

And more dreamy sighs...

We had a great time at the conference! Stay tuned for more conference style pictures.  Do you have a favorite?  Right now my favorite shoes are the comfy Uggs I have on--with no heel. :) 

How To Survive A Writers' Conference in Style - Volume 5

We are now down to the week OF Moonlight & Magnolias and the giddy sleeplessness has already begun.  For this last volume of How to Survive, we’re going to focus on the packing list. We’re even breaking it down for you in list form so it’s easy to reference. Believe us when we say we used everything on this list last year OR wish we had it. We may have forgotten a few things, so feel free to add in comments. J

The first part of this list could really serve you well at any conference or extended hotel stay, so use at your leisure…

The Conference packing list:

1.    A full sized Coffee pot – because you may get stuck with a teeny tiny 2 cup job in the hotel room and that’s just enough to make you mad.

2.    Filters for the coffee pot – because you don’t want to chew your coffee.

3.    Coffee & fixins – because what the hotel offers usually leaves something to be desired and they probably won’t have Splenda.

4.    Travel coffee mug – you may want your yummy java To Go.

5.    Mints – for coffee breath. Avoid gum. No one looks good chomping gum, no matter how discreet they try to be.

6.    Snacks (ie. Trail mix, Lara bars) – because you’ll get hungry and may not want vending machine crackers

7.    Bottled waters – Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

8.    Champagne – Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!

9.    Hairspray – medium to mega hold. You don’t want to fight your hair. Fix your ‘do so you can focus on the pitches and workshops.

10.  Bobby pins – for up ‘dos and the like.

11.  Safety pins – because you never know.

12.  Cute, publicly acceptable pajamas– because sometimes you need to make a run to the ice machine in your loungewear.

13.  Clothes – because you’ll get arrested if you don’t wear any.

14.  Shoes – because they’re awesome, but also because it’s gross to go without except on the beach or your home.

15.  Foot numbing spray – you’ll need it if you follow the advice of the previous post.

16.  Band-Aids or blister covers – ditto.

17.  Eye drops -

18.  Physician’s Formula yellow & green highlighter –

19.  Make-up – We all wear it in different ways and amounts, but it’s good to at least wear some.

20.  Make-up Remover and Toiletries –Don’t sleep in your game face and a long hot shower in the morning is heeeeaven!

21.  CASH – because hotel bars may not take plastic and taxis rarely do.

Now for the strictly writer stuff…

22.  Business cards – take them with you EVERYWHERE. We mean this literally.

23.  Post it note – to write your pitch appointments on and stick to the back of your conference badge for easy reference.

24.  Your pitch on a note card – in case you draw a blank during your appointment.

25.  Notebook & pen – for the awesome workshops and other info you pick up at everything from Q&As to waiting in the Starbuck’s line.

26.  Shoulder bag – to carry all your writer gear.

That should cover it. Good luck and Fun Vibes to everyone attending! See you in a few days!