Southernism of the Week: “I ate so many armadillos when I was young, I still roll up into a ball when I hear a dog bark.” 🐶

Odd mistake of the week: Browsing vacation home rentals, Kris came across one with a "hated pool." What do you suppose the pool did to them? Forced them to shop for a bathing suit? Or perhaps it was an autocorrect error and it was actually a "haunted" pool. Spooky! 👻

Do you review? Book reviews help readers find good books, and they help authors sell books, which we need to do so we can afford to keep writing. c1327king rated Felony Melanie and the Prank War 5 stars: "This was frigging FANTASTIC! I haven't had so much fun following characters through their escapades in a book before! So well written it was like watching a movie in my head! I highly recommend this book!"

We love the enthusiasm! Visit the Amazon series page for Felony Melanie: Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels or find the links to other ebook retailers. Wouldn't they make great gifts for a fans of the movie?

Doug has been enjoying awards season, because he gets to see screenings, sometimes with Q&A sessions. One included Steven Spielberg! He's also gone wine tasting and took a hike in this beautiful California spot.

Southern Treat of the Week: Brunswick Stew: This Southern version of soup or chili has meat (usually chicken and pork), beans, vegetables, and a tomato base. Humorist Roy Blount Jr. quips that “Brunswick stew is what happens when small mammals carrying ears of corn fall into barbecue pits.”

A 25-gallon iron pot sits on a stone base in a park in the coastal town of Brunswick, Georgia. An inscription on the base claims, "In this pot the first Brunswick Stew was made on St. Simon Isle July 2 1898." Yet another pot on another base outside of Brunswick claims, "The first Brunswick stew was made here in the Brunswick - Golden Isles area in early colonial days. It remains an American favorite." Learn more in "The Complicated History of Brunswick Stew" from Southern Living.

Kris was in New York City for a week at a writing meeting and visiting writer friends. The meeting including a headshot session. She's leaning toward one of these two as her favorite. (One will be further touched up once she chooses.) Opinions? FB friends had a clear winner.

Kris's voice recognition mistake of the week, when voice recognition wants to make you sound like a jerk by changing "can" to "can't.": “Yikes, sorry you're having pain issues. I hope they can't figure it out and come up with a solution quickly.”

Don’t worry, Kris didn’t forget the fuzzy ferret foto:

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These Hidden Gems are waiting for YOU! Explore new books in many genres! You might discover a hidden gem. Genres include romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, and science fiction.

Holidays are coming: Browse Christmas and other stories, and vote for your top pick to enter the weekly giveaway for a $50 Amazon egift card plus free books.

If you're giving books for Christmas presents, make sure you order early to give plenty of time for delivery. If you are shopping for someone who loves cats and romance, try Kris's Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series. It features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. You can buy the books individually or five books bound together in one collection. Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

Murder on Milverton Square, by G B Ralph: " When Addison Harper is summoned to Milverton by an abrasive lawyer, he finds a charming small town with eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy… The first in a wonderful new cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery. The Milverton Mysteries features a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course, murder…"

When Stars Collide, by Sara Furlong-Burr: "Mena landed her dream job as an editor in Queens, leaving her life in Virginia behind. Between red carpet events and luxury penthouses, Phineas shows Mena a life she could only imagine before. But just as she’s beginning to move on, her former boyfriend Peter finds his way back to her, and Mena is torn between the life she always wanted and the one she never knew she needed." Readers call this Second Chance Romance sweet, hilarious and emotional.

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