GET READY FOR NATIONAL DONUT DAY! Welcome Back Ginger Bolton with a Giveaway!

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Carol K is the winner of BLAME THE BEIGNETS! Watch for an email from Ginger!

Sherry — how is it already November?

I’m delighted to welcome back Ginger Bolton to celebrate the release of Blame the Beignets which comes out on November 26th — cue the impatient waiting!

Ginger: So, Halloween’s over, and the witches and hobgoblins have hobbled away to gobble their goodies.

            And we could have shelled out all of our Halloween treats . . .

            Or maybe not.

            Some of us carefully curate our Halloween purchases, buying candies and snacks that we like, just in case there might be leftovers. And some of us buy so much that it’s nearly impossible to run out, like, we could buy twice as much as we did last year because you never know—twice as many kids might show up at the door this year.

            Well, in our case, the kids help themselves at the front porch. Our rescue dog Sam led a mysterious (to us) life and is terrified of witches and hobgoblins.

            Okay, now that you’ve admired our extremely cute doggie, let’s get back to treats.

            What if, despite having bought twice as many goodies this year as we did last year, we still don’t have enough to last the week? What if we finish them on November fourth?

            We’re in luck! November fifth is National Donut Day!

            It’s not too early to start planning for National Donut Day. Search the Internet for “Best Donut Shops in” and add the name of your town. Read the reviews, study the maps, and plan your donut-buying route so that early on the fifth you can race to the most appealing donut shops and stock up on donuts.

            I know, I know—donuts don’t keep well. So, enjoy them while they’re fresh. It is, after all, National Donut Day, and there are only two (!) of them each year.

            Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to find beignets. It’s the French word for donuts, but in the U.S., beignets refers to a special, pillowy deep-fried pastry nearly drowning in powdered sugar. New Orleans is famous for them, especially the Café du Monde. I have never been to New Orleans or to the Café du Monde. I want to go there! I want to taste those beignets and drink that chicory coffee!

            Yes, well, want to . . .

            However, one of the many fun things about being a writer is being able to create one’s own worlds, and in my latest Deputy Donut Mystery, BLAME THE BEIGNETS, I brought beignets to Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. My characters get to eat them while solving a murder. Even the dead guy has some before he succumbs. And the murderer?

            I’m not saying.

            Also, I had to try making beignets, and you’ll find a recipe for them in the back of the book. I couldn’t quite bring myself to dump powdered sugar all over them as they do in Café du Monde and Deputy Donut, but I didn’t exactly skimp, either.

GIVEAWAY

I’ll send a print copy of BLAME THE BEIGNETS to a reader who answers one of these questions:  What was the most original Halloween costume that appeared at your door last night? OR What’s your favorite Halloween treat? OR Tell us about taking someone trick or treating. OR Do you remember the first time you tasted a donut, and what did you think about it? OR Have you been to Café du Monde and New Orleans? OR Just say hello! The winner will be chosen at random on November 3. U.S. and Canada only, please.

ABOUT BLAME THE BEIGNETS

As the weather cools down, business heats up at Deputy Donut Café for owner Emily Westhill. But is a stubborn tabby cat, a mysterious new employee, and a murder case with a baker’s dozen worth of suspects too much to manage?

            With mouthwatering treats selling fast in October, Emily is delighted to welcome her assistant’s younger sister, Hannah, to help at the donut shop while taking a semester off from college. But Hannah’s talent for dishing powdered pastries without dropping a crumb attracts some unusual customers, as two admirers with opposite personalities begin to show up during her shifts—much to her older sister’s disappointment . . .

            Real trouble comes after hours in the dark forest surrounding Emily’s lakeside house. Emily follows a trail of her freshly-made beignets—just like those purchased by the two admirers—to a dead body. And while the victim may have burned a few bridges, there’s no way to sugarcoat the discovery of Hannah’s hairclip at the crime scene. Now, as suspicions fall on her own employee and unsavory rumors swirl around town, it will take far more than a sprinkle of good luck for Emily to learn the truth and expose a killer with a very deadly craving . . .

ABOUT GINGER BOLTON

Ginger Bolton writes the Deputy Donut mystery series—coffee, donuts, cops, danger, and one curious cat. The ninth Deputy Donut Mystery, BLAME THE BEIGNETS, will arrive on store shelves on November 26. The tenth Deputy Donut Mystery will be released near the end of August, 2025. Watch for it on bookselling websites!

https://gingerbolton.com

https://www.instagram.com/ginger.bolton

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGingerBolton

BUY LINK

https://gingerbolton.com/where-to-buy

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Published by Sherry Harris

Sherry Harris is the author of the Agatha Award nominated Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Mystery series.

55 Thoughts

  1. My favorite Halloween treat are KitKats. I get them to give out but we didn’t have any Trick or Treaters again this year. More for me. Thank you for this chance at your giveaway.

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  2. We live out in the country so sadly we never have any trick or treaters. Halloween always brings to mind Mary Jane peanut butter kisses, which could only be bought at Halloween in my childhood. They were my Mom’s favorite. Plus there were the black jelly beans, which were my Dad’s favorite. As for me, I loved them both!

    Halloween also brings to mind donuts! My mom was famous for her doughnuts and she made them for our school Halloween carnival every year. They helped raise money for the school and no matter how many she brought they sold out fast. I can remember one time at Easter we took a silver dollar and were suppose to raise enough money to bring back 30 silver dollars by Easter. Well, my brother and I went up and instead of getting one, we got one for each of our family members. Mom made enough doughs at 50 cents a dozen to make that $120 for Easter Sunday. Needless to say, brother and I got a little talk about not doing that again. Mom had people calling afterwards begging her to continue to sell them.

    Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of BLAME THE BEIGNETS! Would love the opportunity to read and review it.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  3. I think your beignets look delish! I’ve never tried one, were they good? I’ve only made baked doughnuts at home, they were okay…basically just little round cakes with a hole in the middle lol!

    We had 126 trick-or-treaters last night with lots of very original costumes. One little boy had his own homemade forklift costume, another was a big tube of Smarties! Lots of vampires, princesses, zombies, and Deadpools. Still lots of Harry Potters. My favorite was a young couple with a little boy in a wolf onesie, the mom was Little Red Riding Hood and her husband was the Huntsman.

    And I most definitely buy my favorite candy, “just in case”!

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    1. What a fun Halloween you had! I hope that, despite all those trick-or-treaters, you have some candy left over. Baked donuts are easier to make! You won’t need a deep fryer for the beignet recipe in the back of BLAME THE BEIGNETS.

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  4. no trick or treaters at the door so no report there. but the dogs and i did enjoy taking in the kids out running around and getting there treats. Some houses really did it up!

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  6. I tried a beignet for the first time three years ago when wintering near Charleston. Delicious!
    As far as costumes, when I took my mother for an eye appointment yesterday, Dr. Hall and his staff were all dressed as bumble bees. The area was decorated and a sign said ,” Welcome to the hive.” The doctor is someone who has a more serious nature generally. In costume, he was much more outgoing. The Hive was a cute idea.

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  7. “Do you remember the first time you tasted a donut, and what did you think about it?” Great question! My first donut was from a shop we had in town when I was little call, Dixie Cream Donuts. My favorites were the donut holes and blueberry glazed cake donut served with a small chocolate milk ( I thought the blueberry cake donuts were SO grown up). It was the best taste and I miss DC Donuts so much. Their recipe and glazes were the best.

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    1. Congratulations in advance on the new book, Ginger! I’ve been to New Orleans twice and have enjoyed beignets at Cafe du Monde. They were really good, but I preferred the ones at Cafe Beignet. Spending my vacation trying out beignets at different places. Not a bad way to pass the time!

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  8. Not last night, we live in the country and trick or treaters don’t venture this far, but in 1993 I was celebrating my first Halloween in my new house when a young (three years old I’d say) cowboy knocked at my door-his dad was watched carefully at the bottom of my walkway. With nary a word, the cowboy thrust his goodie bag at me. I knew and did my part. Satisfied and still silent, the young cowboy turned and marched toward his dad who said, “Aren’t you going to say thank you to the nice lady.” Clearly this was intended as a mannerly teaching moment so I waited in the open doorway. The young cowboy looked at his dad, looked at me, looked at his dad, and burst into tears. Between the snivels, he managed to force out, “You told me not to talk to strangers.”

    Both dad and I dissolved into fits of laughter.

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  9. So few trick or treaters last night one would think I’d remember the costumes, but the only one I recall was the only real little one that knocked. He was the sweetest little dinosaur who finally “roared” as he walked back down the drive to his dad! Have been to Cafe du Monde a few times to enjoy the coffee and beignets always wearing a bit of powdered sugar when done!
    Congrats on the new release!

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  11. Halloween is always enjoyable and fun. We give out treats and goodies. The kinds are amazing and special in their costumes. The best one by far was Anne of Green Gables. Loved it.
    I haven’t been to N.O. but donuts are a wonderful treat.

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  12. Hi! I don’t remember exactly how old I was the first time I tasted a donut, but know that I was a child. I frequently spent time with my grandparents and my grandfather would buy a box of Entenmann’s chocolate covered donuts. He’d enjoy one with his coffee for dessert and would share. I can still recall biting into the sweet, chocolatey goodness and seeing the smile on his face knowing that he made his grandkids happy. In some respects, the memories are even sweeter.

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  13. After much thought, I have decided that my favorite Halloween treat is a Snickers bar. I don’t recall the first time that I ever tasted a donut. All I know for certain is that it happened when my parents were driving us all home from visiting my uncle’s house. We always stopped at Bess Eaton donuts and picked up a dozen donuts to bring home, but, of course, we ate some of them well before we ever got home!

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  14. Yes, I have been to Cafe du Monde. And, yes, the beignets are worth the cost of an airplane ticket. Looking forward to a great read!

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  15. I have never been to Café du Monde and New Orleans BUT we are going in a couple weeks and are super excited !!

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  16. We never have trick or treaters out here in the country. We never had children so there’s no one to take trick or treating. We’ve been to New Orleans but not to Cafe du Monde. If we ever go back, we’ll have to go there. I’ve always wanted to try beingnets.
    The book sounds amazing. Congratulations on it’s upcoming release. November 23 is my birthday and if I’m lucky enough to win the book, it could be a wonderful present. Thanks for the chance.

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  18. I have been to Cafe du Monde and New Orleans a couple of times and their beignets are fabulous! New Orleans is a great city and it’s worth going there for the the food!

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  20. We live out in the country and unfortunately we never get trick or treaters here. My son dressed up as Bob Ross one year. His costume was pretty clever! Kitkat and Snickers are my favorite candy!

    Thank you for the chance!

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  21. No trick or treaters last night. I love Snickers or Reese’s in any form! Congratulations on the new book. Can’t wait to read this one!

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  22. Congratulations on the new book! I love the cover so much. My favorite treat is Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  23. We don’t get trick or treaters anymore. My favorite Halloween treat is Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins. We were in New Orleans during the summer which did include a trip to Cafe Du Monde.

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    1. A lot of us love those Reese’s peanut butter treats. I’ve been treating myself to leftover peanut butter pumpkins and ghosts. Chocolate to stay awake and write, of course . . . Lucky you, visiting Cafe Du Monde!

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  24. Hello. I love your cover. My favorite Halloween treat is the Reeses Peanut butter Pumpkins. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.

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  25. Every Halloween until three years ago, I dressed up as a witch to give out candy in our neighborhood and one of my dogs through the years was either Devil Dog or a Lion–like the Lion, the Witch and where is the Wardrobe? I have great photos. One parent asked me ten years later, will you still be the Witch? That made my Halloween. We used to go to NOLA and visit the Cafe du Monde every year for 6 years in the late 1970s and early 1980s with an added couple each year and then for Thanksgiving for 6 years/October until Covid hit. But the best thing is that my mother was a stewardess for Pan AMerican Airline during the war from Brownsville, Texas to NOLA and she sent home postcards of Cafe du Monde along with The Court of Two Sisters. So, it is in my genes. For some reason, we did not have photos from our youth during Halloween that I can find, but when I started teaching, we dressed up every year. Life is good. Halloween is a special time for me.

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  26. Congratulations on your new baby book, Ginger!!! How exciting! Just the title entices, and the cover even more! I have been to Cafe du Monde in NOLA, and have fond memories. Happy Holidays to you and to all my Wicked friends! Joy! Luis at ole dot travel

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