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Comfort Food Contest…We Have a Winner!

November 3, 2011 | No Comments

Well, I think I gained 10 lbs just reading all the amazing entries in my fall contest. In exchange for the chance to win an autographed copy of Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible, I asked you to tell me your favorite comfort food. Boy did I get a ton of feedback! In fact, with nearly 350 entries, this was my most popular contest ever. And the entries were so varied. Hands down the most votes overall came in for mac & cheese and there were also plenty of votes for other old standbys like meatloaf with mashed potatoes, fried chicken, and chili. But there were also nods to soups and stews, cakes and brownies, cheesy grits and country fried steak. I heard several cries for “anything chocolate” and “anything pumpkin.” Popcorn and venison each also got a mention. Who knew?

I loved hearing from those of you who wrote in about old family recipes, like Alison, who told me about how her family all knew it was a special night when her Mo-Mo got out the big stock pot and her rolling pin to whip up her famous chicken and dumplings. Terri wrote in about how her grown children still beg her to make “Mawmaw’s Mac and Cheese,” Julie told me about “porcupine meatballs” (a new one on me). I think I need to try Jill’s grouper chowder even though my husband does not run a charter fishing business like hers does. It made my heart glad (and arteries clog) to hear about regional delicacies like Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling, Cajun gumbo, and Eastern Carolina oyster stew.

A special thanks to those of you who actually sent me your recipes too! Like Shirley who sent me her mother’s recipe for stuffed peppers and Sandra for the delish sounding recipe for smoked sausage and white bean soup. When I polish those off I’m gonna try Corinne’s squash soup. There were many more that I will need to print out and keep on file. Oh, boy, does Mr. MKA have some treats in store for him this fall.

Without further ado, the winner is Jessica Dixon from Petoskey, MI who told me all about her grandmother’s cinnamon rolls whose “smells wrapped around us like a warm blanket.” Well, pass ‘em over here! Congrats, Jessica! Miss Paula will send your book out to you in a jiffy. Thanks to all who entered. And thanks, as always, for your support and enthusiasm. Y’all are the best. Love, MKA

Fall Newsletter & Paula Deen Giveaway!

October 26, 2011 | No Comments

Hey. So my fall newsletter just went out. Are you signed up to receive it? If not, enter your e-mail address under “Newlsetter Signup” on the right side of my homepage so you can be sure to get all future issues. I send out about 3 or 4 a year–I’m not an in-box clogger! If you didn’t get the latest issue, you can read it here. Since fall is all about comfort food, I am sharing my son’s favorite dessert recipe with you: “Boomerang Boy’s Apple Crisp.” For my latest contest, I am asking you to tell me about your all-time favorite comfort food. Just shoot us an e-mail at meg@marykayandrews.com with “Paula Deen Giveaway” in the subject field and tell us what down-home, stick-to-your-ribs goodness melts away your stresses and gives you the warm-and-fuzzies. Since my friend Paula Deen is the undisputed queen of comfort food, it makes sense that the prize for this contest comes from her.

win a signed copy!

Paula has generously agreed to send an autographed copy of her brand new book (Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible) to the lucky winner I choose at random. So, speak up. Let me know what you whip up when there’s a chill in the air and you need that no-place-like-home feeling. Good luck! And happy fall, y’all!

My Little Runaway

August 5, 2011 | Comments (1)

Next summer’s book is due. Like, now. But life was closing in on me. So I ran away. This time I went to the mountains of North Carolina, to my friend Richard and Beth’s house. I left home on Sunday. Remember the cruise of the Good Ship Minnow? A three-hour tour? Mapquest said my trip would take five hours, fifty minutes. Hah! They forgot to figure in junkin’ time. I’d been wanting to check out a junk honey hole called , The Depot at Gibson Mill in Concord NC. No matter that it would take me 45 miles out of my route. The depot was fabulous! An old Cannon textile mill given over completely to junk/antiques! I gave myself an hour to shop and only hit a small portion of the building. Still, I managed to drop some bucks–all in the name of my booth at Seaside Sisters. My favorite find was this lovely quilt made of old feed sacks, with a backing of mattress ticking.

Feedsack quilt with backing of mattress ticking from the Depot. Love!

No fancy quilting, it’s a utility quilt made with a fine eye for color and composition. I posted pix on Facebook and a couple of alert readers told me it’s the string pattern. As I pulled away from the depot, I wanted to pull an Arnold Swarzenegger and whisper, “I’ll be back.” Instead, I steered toward my true destination. After a quick grocery stop, I easily found the mountain house. Which is delightful. Tucked away outside a tiny town in the northwest corner of the state, it’s a crazy combination of masculine/mountain with French country. The scenery near the house is lovely. A closed-down country store, an alluring barn/garage, the most adorable carpenter gothic house, nestled into the valley with the green hazy mountains looming behind.

If these walls could talk...carpenter gothic house in NC mtns.

Makes me wish I were a real photographer. Beth is my sister from another mother. We met just as I was moving back to Atlanta after a three-year stay in Raleigh. She loves antiques–of course, she loves the very fine, expensive, French and English real, true antiques, which she sells through her business, Knick-Knack Paddywack. I love that stuff too, I just can’t really afford it. She loves to travel–I love to travel. She loves going to the theatre, I love the theatre. She has an master’s in English lit, I do not, but I’ve been known to write. And most importantly, she drinks Diet Coke for breakfast. She completes me. We’ve done junking trips to Europe and a couple to Brimfield, and I expect we’ll try to fit another trip in sometime soon. After I finish this next friggin’ book. In the meantime, I’ve been puzzling out the big problems of TFB. But today, I needed a break. I told myself I was going to town for groceries. But really, I needed to junk. I found an antique mall with a trio of good ol’ boys settin’ around talking about cars, and cruised into the windy maze of booths.

Closest thing to Wally's Gas Station. Gomer sez' fill 'er up!

The clock was ticking–again, I’d only given myself an hour. As always, I had to wade through a lot of true junk–meaning anything I don’t like or collect or buy or sell. Repro tin gas station signs. Precious Moment figurines. Coins. Weapons. Nascar shite. (It’s North Carolina) ’80s crap-ola. Finally, I found a booth where they were singing my song. A sweet chippy white child’s bentwood chair.

Still life with child's chair, 'mater and rose

A toy stove.

Too hot to cook. Even on this retro toy stove.

An old wood grocery crate turned into a toolbox. I went to pay and found a huge painted white rotary fan at the cash register. Ka-ching! After I got back to the house, I went back to work. I’d had a late lunch, so I only stopped to eat at dusk. And to take pix of my finds for you. Even in the mountains, it’s hot. This house doesn’t have air conditioning, and in the mornings and evenings, it’s cool enough that it doesn’t need it. But in late afternoon, it gets a little toasty. I plugged in my new fan, and it works like a dream.

Too darn hot. Vintage rotary fan to the rescue.

I considered cooking, but it was too hot. Instead, I sliced up an heirloom tomato I bought in town, drizzled it with a little olive oil, sea salt and balsamic vinegar, and washed it down with my favorite wine of the summer, a yummy rose Mr. MKA buys for me. It’s called Angel’s Whisper. Sounds like a book title, yes?

Playing Catch-Up

July 26, 2011 | Comments (1)

Maybe you’ve noticed I haven’t blogged in, oh, I dunno, SEVEN WEEKS? Or maybe you thought I was dead, or perhaps I’d been unjustly incarcerated. None of these is the case. In fact I’ve had a severe case of the busies.

So let’s play catch-up, and hit the high-lights, shall we? Since I last blogged in early June my book SUMMER RENTAL came out. We had a fabulous launch party at Feast Restaurant in Decatur, where we celebrated with old and new friends and sold the most books ever in one night.

Launch night with the FoxTale Bookshop Babes

For me, anyway. (Thanks FoxTales Bookshop of Woodstock!) And then I hauled that overpacked suitcase of mine to a buttload of bookstores in a buttload of states. At Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC., I caught up with the Women of Weymouth, aka my writer’s group, for our celebratory pre-signing dinner. Big shout-outs to the WOWs; Alex Sokoloff, Bren Witchger, Diane Chamberlain, Margaret Maron, Katy Munger and Sarah Shaber, who helped, held my hand, and listened to me whine while I was writing SR.

Fairhope, Alabama and Page and Palette Books was wonderful as always, especially since an alert fan at the signing told me about an estate sale which I was able to hit on the way back to my hotel afterwards.

My Mobile estate sale find--antique quilt top

Selling buttloads of books + junk = happy author.

The next day, in Houston, I had a great signing at Blue Willow Books and got to have dinner afterwards with my cousin Art and his family, which was a great treat. I hope Art’s kids (he has about a dozen) never have to find out that he was the wheel-man on our illicit teenage liquor-buying capers. And I hope my kids (and grandkids!) never find out my part in said capers.

In Chicago, I had a morning off and took the Chicago Architectural Foundation’s boat tour, something I’ve wanted to do ever since watching Julia Roberts do the same thing in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Can’t hear the song The Way You Look Tonight without thinking of that movie, one of my favorite chick flicks ever. And the real boat tour, by the way, was wonderful. After my signing that night, I was dining at a swanky Italian restaurant (Thanks, St. Martin’s Press!) when I spotted an elegant gentleman winding his way through the dining room. At a table nearby I spotted a trio of earpiece-wearing security-types. My waiter confirmed my hunch, it was indeed, Chicago’s new Mayor, Rahm Emanuel. Who, btw, is one fine-lookin’ dude.

One of the biggest moments of the past seven weeks happened, serendipitously at my signing at Island Books, in the Outer Banks, where Summer Rental is set. I was chatting with fans when my cellphone rang and I saw that the caller was my editor, the amazing Jennifer Enderlin. Here’s how the call went. Jen: “Are you sitting down?” Me: “Yeeesss. What’s wrong?” Jen: Summer Rental is NUMBER FIVE ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST!” Me: SQUEEEEEEEE!” Seriously, I think everybody in the place thought I’d seen a mouse cuz I screamed like a banshee. Huge, wonderful, surprising thrill. My first time to make the list that high.

Cryin' and Signin' at Island Books

Then I called Mr. MKA and cried like a baby. And when I got back to my hotel that night, there was a bucket of iced-down champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries waiting for me. (Thanks, St. Jenderlin!)

The party continued the next night in Fairhaven, N.J., on the Jersey Shore, where the world’s best agent, Stuart Krichevsky, showed up for my signing with a huge cooler-full of ice cream, an armload of gorgeous roses, and a magnum of equally-gorgeous champagne, the last a gift from Mr. MKA. (Thanks, Honey! I think I could get used to this.) Also on hand for our gala was mega marketing maven Meg Walker, who single-handedly managed to corral nearly a hundred ladies to attend the booksigning that night. Even better—the  next day Stuart, Meg and I breakfasted on that Jersey delicacy Pork Roll.

Then I motored down to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for a fun signing at Browseabout Books. Love that store.

After a round of signings in Atlanta, I flew off to the American Library Association conference in New Orleans. Loved seeing all the librarians and my St. Martin’s and HarperCollins peeps there, but more importantly, I got to have dinner with my brother and sister-in-law at their bar, Parasol’s, a local landmark in the Irish Channel. Experienced the wonders of their roast beef po-boy. Wowsers! You gotta go. The next morning I had another treat—hanging out with New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award winning, self-admitted showtune singer and shoe slut Laura Lippman. Good times.

The last week of June was RWA time—that is, Romance Writer’s of America conference, in New York. Picture 2,500 romance writers milling around the Marriott Marquis slap-dab in the middle of Times Square. So much fun it shoulda been illegal.

Foolin' around with Fabio at RWA

I had drinks with my editor and publisher, and after dropping heavy hints that I was dying to see the only Broadway show whose ticket was literally impossible, the impossible happened. Phone calls were made, texts were exchanged, and that Wednesday night I went to see Tony-award winning The Book of Mormon. Hilarious, totally original, wonderful. Also Wednesday, I got to have coffee with NYT bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who so kindly provided a blurb for Summer Rental. Thursday night was party night, and my date for the night was the aforementioned Meg the Marketer, who’d proven her partying style at last year’s RWA, where she managed to party like a pro at three functions in one night—and on crutches with a cast. This year we toned it down a little—even though I did buy myself a pretty fabulous pair of vaguely hookerish gold high-heeled sandals. We got to chat with lots of my publishing peeps—and see the amazing sunset view at the St. Martin’s Press party held in their landmark Flatiron Building.

Sunset in the point of the Flatiron building with Meg Walker at the St. Martin's party

After that we tagged along with writer buddy Kayla Perrin to the Waldorf-Astoria where Harlequin was holding their famous annual Black and White Ball. Which we crashed. I will never forget the sensation of dancing in a sea of black and white-clad romance writing wenches—to Lady GaGa’s Bad Romance.

Crashing the Black and White Ball in style

When we finally hobbled out of the Harlequin soiree we decided we were hungry, so we went back to the hotel, changed out of our party finery, then walked up to Fifth Avenue, where Meg introduced me to the concept of The Happy Waitress, which is a post-midnight diner dinner of grilled cheese with bacon & tomato. Delish.

When I finally arrived home, it was time for the most eagerly-awaited event of the year: the arrival of our second grandchild, John Griffin Abel, who was born here in Atlanta on July 8. Now that was truly a highlight. Mr. Mary Kay and I were out in the waiting room when he was born, and got to hold him shortly afterwards.

Love at First Sight!

Griff is the most adorable baby since…well, since his big sister Molly was born almost exactly two years earlier. He is long and skinny, with a quizzical expression in his deep blue eyes, and he sleeps and eats like a champ. Molly is adjusting nicely to sisterhood.

Last week, we managed to tear ourselves away from the new kid on the block with a short trip down to Tybee Island and Savannah. Susan and the girls at Seaside Sisters threw me a big ol’ Sign n’ Sip Party and Junk-a-Thon, where we totally sold out of Summer Rental. On Friday night, we drove down to St. Simon’s Island, where we managed to fit in dinners with two sets of old friends in between signings at The Cloister and G.J. Ford Bookshop.

It’s been a whirlwind summer, for sure. Thanks to you wonderful readers, and all the fabulous booksellers who hosted me for signings, and the amazing folks at Team MKA, Summer Rental has managed to stay on the NYT bestseller list for six weeks now—a first for me. I managed to spend some time with family and old friends while out on the road, fit in a little junking, and to meet new and old fans. Most importantly, we got to welcome a healthy, precious lil’ guy to our family. I am so blessed!

Which brings me right back home again, where I shall stay, at least for a week, before running away somewhere to dig in and get back to work at my real job, which is working on TFB. (The Friggin’ Book.) It is due right this very minute. Did I tell you the title? No? How ‘bout HIDEAWAY LAKE?

Summer Rental Book Tour…Starting Now

June 8, 2011 | Comments (8)

All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go, standing here, outside your door…Shades of Peter, Paul and Mary! I’m off for the big Summer Rental book tour any minute now. Just one problem, severe over-package, and I’m not talking about the Anthony Weiner situation. Over the weekend, daughter Katie, my personal shopper, in-house fashion expert and event coordinator, came over and selected my tour wardrobe. But only after rejecting most of my beloved clothing staples. Those faded denim capris? “Mom jeans,” she said with a sneer. The black linen top I love? “Not summery.” The Anthropologie necklace I bought to wear with my new silk top? “Cute but no match.”

Sigh. And she wrested my favorite faded black yoga pants away from me and took them to her house–just in case I got any ideas about fishing them out of the trash! I tell you, the kid is relentless. She put accessories with outfits, and even photographed them with my cell phone just in case I have any accessorization dilemmas. Read More »

Getting Set for Summer Rental

May 9, 2011 | Comments (12)

Things are ramping up around the MKA ranch these days. My latest book, SUMMER RENTAL, comes out June 7. Yay! It’s been a two-year stretch between novels (THE FIXER-UPPER came out in 2009) and that’s a loooong time in the life of a person who writes commercial fiction. We are busily planning a fun launch party to be held at our favorite local restaurant, Feast, in Decatur, GA. on June 6, as a benefit for the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. You can buy tickets here.

Also, we’ve got what I think is an especially sweet deal for all you moms (and others) who got ereaders (like a Nook, Kindle, Sony or iPad) for Mother’s Day. How’s this? For the four weeks leading up to publication of SUMMER RENTAL, you’ll be able to download one of my favorite earlier novels, HISSY FIT, for only $1.99! (It’s usually priced at $9.99)That’s less than a Big Gulp from the Toot n’ Tote, right? Let’s see, what else? Oh yes, plans are moving along for the Summer Rental book tour, which kicks off here in Atlanta on June 7, taking me to places like Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Raleigh, Fairhope, AL, Houston,Chicago, Cape Cod, the Outer Banks of North Carolina–where the book is set, the Jersey Shore (do you think Snooki reads?) Rehoboth Beach, DE, New Orleans, and finally, New York and the Romance Writers of America national conference. When I come home from the road, I’ll do a round of signings in Atlanta and Savannah. In between, I have to finish writing the next friggin’ book and turn it in so that it can be published next summer.Doesn’t sound like I’ll have much time to spend at our own Summer Rental on Tybee Island, does it?
Read More »

Easter Tybee Style

April 24, 2011 | Comments (2)

By the time I got everybody in the family to agree we should spend Easter on Tybee this year it was too late to book The Breeze Inn! Undaunted, I just emailed my peeps at Mermaid Cottages and booked a house I knew would be just right for our gang-Southern Cross Cottage. As an official house voyeur, I’d toured Southern Cross last year when Diane at Mermaid began managing it. I think my family would agree it was a great decision.

Southern Cross is a classic 1930s-era Tybee raised cottage, and was completely restored a few years ago by the owners, who kept the distinctive knotty pine walls and floors, but updated everything–including baths and a kitchen. As great as the interiors were, our favorite feature of the house were the porches–the perfect people-watching perch to look out over a towering live oak–or to take an after-dinner nap.

Last year, we worked like crazy getting our house ready for the Tybee Tour of Homes. This year, Diane tells me, Southern Cross will be one of the featured homes on the tour, which takes place Saturday, June 4. The website still features our house from last year’s tour–but I promise you–we are NOT on the house tour this year. My new book,SUMMER RENTAL publishes June 7, plus next summer’s book is due to my editor in July. Yikes!

This year we had a crowd for Easter, including Katie and Mark, 21-month-old Molly, Andy, aka Boomerang Boy and his friend Laura, and our niece Sarah and her friend John. Since the house has four bedrooms, I knew it would easily accomodate all of us. We loved the fact that it has wrap-around porches on the second floor, and an outdoor spa, firepit and grill area, not to mention the fact that the younger kids could hang out on the first floor–playing cards and watching movies until late while some of us turned in earlier. We checked in Friday and started the weekend with Mr. Mary Kay’s famous crabcakes for dinner. After dinner, the family continued their favorite beach tradition of strolling over to Seaside Sweets on nearby Tybrisa, for our friend Jimmy’s yummy gelato. On Saturday, Mr. MKA and BB went fishing, while everybody else but me hit the beach. What was I busy doing? Oh, just a little fluffing over at The Breeze Inn, which only had a 24-hour vacancy over the long holiday weekend. I found a fabulous set of 1920s reed furniture at an Atlanta estate sale a couple months ago, and it was truly a fixer upper. The set had been left out in the weather, and at least four different coats of paint were flaking off it like a bad case of dandruff.

It took a couple weeks of diligent wire-brush scraping, plus a power wash to rid the settee and two armchairs of all that flakey old paint. Then Mr. MKA went to work, re-wrapping and nailing some of the rattan strapping. Andy then gave it a couple coats of glossy white paint. And in the meantime, I had some spiffy new lime green, pink and white striped covers made for the cushions.

On Saturday, we installed the new furniture on the Breeze Inn porch, then trucked the old wicker, still serviceable, over to Seaside Sisters–where the whole set sold in less than two hours! Last night we had ribs on the grill here at

Southern Cross, and then the gang–including Molly, hit the spa. We were all up early today for a true Easter miracle–we got all eight of us dressed and sitting in church at St. Michael’s here on Tybee with minutes to spare. Of course, Molly only made it seven minutes before her daddy took her on home for the beauty sleep she insists upon. But she looked adorable in her easter finery for those seven minutes. Because the kids needed to head back to Atlanta early, we had Easter lunch instead of dinner–balsamic cherry glazed lamb chops, herbed new potatoes, poached asparagus, fruit salad, dinner rolls and Tacky Jacky’s delish pineapple casserole. Of course, no Southern Sunday dinner is complete without devilled eggs, and we discovered that Molly adores them.


Now that the kids have taken off, Mr. Mary Kay and I are enjoying a lazy afternoon, and yes, a nap. I’m thinking a dip in the spa will be just the thing for our last evening at Southern Cross.

Junk Overdose

April 9, 2011 | Comments (11)

I’ve been a very bad blogger, I know. But there are reasons. I was writing. I was junking. I was baby-sitting Molly. I took a trip. But I’m back now, and I’ve missed you and hope you missed me. To make it up to you, I’ll tell you about my very junky weekend.

Extended weekend, really. We went out to Scott’s Antique Market Thursday, roamed around and had a jolly old time. I picked up a wicker-wrapped bottle for my booth at Seaside Sisters on Tybee–or maybe for me. Also a trio of vintage German seashell prints. And some sea fans–again for me. I am changing out my living room for a spring/summer beachy feel.

On Friday, after writing a little, off I went again, this time with junk posse member Jinxie, for a couple of estate sales. The first one was in Buckhead, and run by one of our favorite dealers, Vicki. I scored a great shabby chic aqua painted potting table–which will go to Seaside Sisters. Also a funky little upholstered loveseat, for $20, which will probably stay here until I figure out where she is headed. And I scored a pink Pyrex casserole dish, sans lid, but it’ll be perfect for the booth. At the next sale, run by another favorite dealer, Myrtice, I found a sweet pinwheel quilt in decent condition, and a funky vintage turquoise bowling shirt–it has “Gloria” embroidered over the breast pocket. I’d keep it for myself, except Gloria was apparently a six four, the little bee-yatch.

And then, I met two more friends and we journeyed back down to Scott’s. Again. I know, it was a junk overdose. We had a splendid time catching up, and I snagged some more excellent treasures for the booth, including a vintage flamingo-painted mirror with mirrored frame–those always sell in a snap, and a pair of funky porcelain parrots, which would make adorable lamps. And a pair of beachy pastel lime green and pink needlepoint pillows. Am a sucker for needlepoint.

That should be enough junk for any normal being–but I never claimed to be normal. Back out again I went this morning, with Katie, for a neighborhood-wide sale a couple miles away. Small wicker table, cute wooden Paris bistro set–the chairs are rickety, but I think Mr. MKA can fix. And then–I spotted a Sanford & Son look-alike truck cruising slowly down the street–its bed piled high with junk scavenged from the streetwide clean-up campaign. I flagged down the elderly driver and asked if he’d like to sell the two AWESOME red, chippy vintage wrought iron armchairs perched perilously on the top of his towering stack. “Sure,” he said. “I was just taking them to the scrapyard.” For $10 they were mine–and now they belong to posse member Susie, who was looking for the very thing.

Ah, spring. Doncha just love it?

P.S. As I was starting to leave home to head off to North Carolina for my writer’s retreat, Katie pulled up and mentioned that she’d spied a yard sale just down the block. I went, I saw, I found a great antique wicker desk and a pair of cute boudoir lamps. And then, on the way to Southern Pines, I stopped in at Old Tyme Market antiques outside Charlotte. And I snagged a great beachy aqua quilt and a vintage tin litho sandpail. See? It was just that kind of weekend.