My Writing Career



I began my writing career in 1983, designing original craft projects featured in magazines, such as Better Homes and Gardens, McCall’s, Country Handcrafts, and Crafts, with more than 125 articles accepted for publication. 

 

You can see the list of some of my Clips and Credits on my author website: Gloria Hander Lyons. There are also links to more sample stories on the Writing Credits tab at the top of this blog.

 

In 2006, I started my own publishing company, Blue Sage Press, to write and publish fun how-to books about some of my favorite topics, like decorating your home, crafting, planning theme parties and tea parties, and self-publishing. I've also added many cookbooks and several humorous short story collections to my list of titles. 

 

Most of my books are listed on this blog (see the list at right). You can read more about them on the Blue Sage Press Books Page. Many of my books are also sold on Amazon.com. View the list of e-book versions of my titles on this link: Amazon.com.

 

I've had numerous short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul and other anthologies. You can read a few of the stories on my author website. 

 

Since I'm an avid reader, especially of cozy murder mysteries, I couldn’t resist writing a mystery of my very own. I've published two so far: Murder with a Touch of Spice (available on Amazon.com in print and e-book versions) and Curl Up & Die: A 1950s Vintage Murder Mystery (available on Amazon.com as a e-book). You can read more about them below. I'm now addicted to writing fiction and can't wait to write more! 

 

I also love to write blogs, as you can see by the list of my "other blogs" at right, but my most active one is my Cancer Journey Blog, "A Joyful Life", where I write articles about the fun things I'm doing to try to squeeze the most joy I can out of each day. Feel free to send me suggestions for my "bucket list".

 

If you have questions or comments about any of my books, or about writing and publishing in general, please e-mail me at: gloria@gloriahanderlyons.com

 

Curl Up & Die: A 1950s Vintage Murder Mystery

When Sarah Jane Martin’s crazy Aunt Earline decides to take in beauty shop business from the dearly departed at the local funeral home, she winds up scaring one of her living patrons to death—literally.

 

After Mabel Thompson runs screaming in fright from a surprise encounter with one of Earline’s new clients at the Curl Up & Dye Beauty Parlor in Grandby, Texas, circa 1957, she’s found floating in a nearby lake with a bullet hole in the center of her forehead.

 

Soon bodies start piling up, and an elusive, backwoods wild woman is their only witness. Newspaper reporter, Sarah Jane, is on the hunt for her first big story and a quest to solve the murder.

 

Join the fun in this vintage and mostly humorous tale of murder, mafia, counterfeiting, Secret Service Agents, local lawmen, psychics, and a touch of romance. In the words of Aunt Earline, “It’s a beauty experience to die for!”

 

Buy the E-Book on Amazon.com for $2.99

 

Murder with a Touch of Spice

My first novel, Murder with a Touch of Spice, is now available on Amazon.com in print version. The E-Book version is on this link: Amazon.com. 

Getting a novel published has been on my "bucket list" for a long time, but it took the inspiration of two writing buddies to convince me to pull out that manuscript that had been languishing in my bottom desk drawer for seven years and get it into print. You can read the post about them, titled Partners in Crime, on my Cancer Journey Blog.

Here's the description for Murder with a Touch of Spice:

 

Come along for a spicy ride on a journey filled with murder, kidnapping, car chases, gun battles and explosions. It all begins when socialite, Maybelle Jamison, is stabbed and goes tumbling down the grand staircase at an elegant hotel in Clearwater, TX, picking off wedding consultant, Ginger McCormick, like a spare pin in a bowling alley. Since Ginger is the last person to see Maybelle alive, her husband, Mace, and their four adult daughters, Sage, Cinnamon, Pepper and Curry must find the real killer before Sheriff Jason Winters throws Ginger in jail for murder. It’s Murder with a Touch of Spice—six spices to be exact—a cozy mystery novel that’s sometimes funny and sometimes intense, but spicy through and through.

Buy the print version on Amazon.com for $7.99

E-Book version at this link: Amazon.com for $2.99

Visit the Murder with a Touch of Spice Blog

 

Self-Publishing

I was having so much fun publishing my own books I decided to help others get their books published, too, so I wrote Self-Publishing on a Budget: A Do It-All-Yourself Guide.

 

I also taught classes on self-publishing at my local community college.

 

This book is available in print from Amazon.com for $6.99,  and also as an E-Book on Amazon.com for $2.99. I have posted some of the content on my Self-Publishing Blog to help get you started with publishing.

If you have any questions about how to get your book published, e-mail: gloria@bluesagepress.com. It’s a topic I love to talk about.
 

Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug - Third Edition

The third Edition of Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug has more than 100 single-serving mix recipes that are prepared, cooked and served in a mug in less than 5 minutes, like Chocolate Brownie, Peach Cobbler, Pecan Pie, Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oat Scone and Chai Tea Latte.

You can stir up a mix anytime you want a treat, or make them ahead of time for later use. Each one contains all the ingredients you need to prepare your dessert—all you add is butter or margarine and/or water and microwave for about 2 minutes.

These recipes also make fun cooking projects for kids and unique, inexpensive gifts, like “Birthday Cake in a Mug”. They’re easy, quick and “right-out-of-the-oven” delicious! Book Size: 5.5” X 8.5”, 120 pages, Paperback. ISBN 978-0-9842438-1-5  Price: $9.95

Visit the Easy Microwave Desserts in a Mug Blog to try some of the recipes.

Order Print Version for $9.95 on Amazon.com.

Order 4th Edition (70 Recipes) E-Book for $2.99 on Amazon.com. 

 

Kiss My Grits, Sugar: Southern Humor with a Side of Tasty Fixin's

Since I’m a Southern girl through and through, I figured it was high time I got around to writing a book filled with good old Southern recipes. My mouth is watering just thinking about fried chicken, potato salad, banana pudding and pecan pie. 

This book is chock full of my family’s favorites. And because I’m not the serious type, I like my food served up with some humor on the side. So I tucked in a few tall tales from my childhood about me and my kin to tickle your funny bone.

Inside you’ll find 19 humorous short stories about growing up in the South in the 1950s, plus more than 80 recipes for good old-fashioned Southern cooking. Come on in a sit a spell, sugar. Enjoy a chuckle or two, then whip up some of these tasty fixin’s. Book Size: 6”X9”, 116 pages, ISBN: 978-0-9842438-3-9. Price: $7.95

Visit the Kiss My Grits, Sugar Blog for sample stories and recipes.

Order Print Version for $7.95 on Amazon.com.

Order E-Book for $2.99 on Amazon.com.
 

If Teapots Could Talk: Fun Ideas For Tea Parties

 

This cookbook includes more than 60 recipes for all the treats you’ll need for an afternoon tea party: scrumptious scones, dainty tea sandwiches, savory appetizers, tea time sweets and the perfect pot of tea. If Teapots Could Talk: Fun Ideas for Tea Parties has 15 creative theme party ideas like “Lavender and Lace”, “Mad Hatter”, “Fortune Telling” and everyone’s favorite, “Chocolate”. The book includes suggestions for invitations, games and activities, decorations, menu choices and party favors. Size: 5.5” X 8.5”, Paperback, 108 pages, ISBN: 978-0-9790618-2-0. $8.95.

Visit my Tea Party Blog.

Order the Print Version for $8.95 on Amazon.com.

 Order the E-Book for $3.99 on Amazon.com.