Dear ,

Temperatures are already soaring across the US, and one tip that's made the rounds and is coming back again is the idea that you can drink something hot to force your body to cool down.

This is true given a very specific set of circumstances.

If sweat is able to evaporate from your skin, then drinking something hot can lead to more sweating, more evaporation and a cooler body.

Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of reasons that might not work. If you're in a very humid environment, if you've packed on too many layers that are trapping your body heat, or if your sweat isn't evaporating already, raising your body temperature will just make you hotter.

Before you drink a cup of hot tea to make you cooler, ask yourself, "Am I already sweaty?" If so, grab something cold to drink.

You can learn more about that process and the associated research through The Smithsonian.

I've been writing a new series with my husband that is a little rougher around the edges than the ladies of Sparrowford would allow. However, I continue to run across excellent new work. If you're looking for more cozy mystery books, be sure to check out this free short...

Dog Gone Troubles

by Karen McSpace

Meet Sidney Grace: Quirky Journalist. Curious Witch. Professional Butterfingers.

Sidney Grace, a young journalist living in Boston, isn’t ready for all the troubles heading her way. For starters, she’s curious about her grandmother’s magic even though her spellcasting is a bit rusty. Sidney finds herself caught between her curiosity to learn more and her mother’s hatred for all things supernatural. After all, her mom has a Tupperware business to run and magic isn’t part of her business plan! The fact that her dad doesn’t seem to be bothered by an occasional spell gone wild, isn’t smoothing the water between these two matriarchs.

But the family drama and her untapped magic are the least of Sidney’s problems. Things turn worse when her new boss asks Sidney to cover the annual Pup Parade and she makes a terrible mistake that could cost her career…and ultimately her life. Can her grandmother cast a spell that works right the first time and save Sidney? Or will her troubles finally get the best of this new witch?

Until next time,

Katie O'Keene ☆