Southernism of the Week: “A new broom sweeps clean, but an old one knows where the dirt is.”

We hope you found time to relax this holiday season (maybe with a good book). Our holiday was odd this year – Doug visited Mom in Phoenix, but Kris had an emergency appendectomy on Dec 16. The same day, she and her husband both tested positive for Covid (for the first time ever). They stayed home to rest, relax, and recover. 😴

Southern Eats: Do you have special foods for New Year's Day? Many cultures have foods or other traditions to bring good luck. In the South, it's all about wealth. Avoid chicken or lobster, because chickens scratch backward and lobsters swim backward – pork is better, because pigs root forward. 🤷‍♂️ The Spruce has more info and recipes for “a Traditional Southern New Year's Day Dinner.”

Find the Felony Melanie: Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels at all retailers.

Kris’s voice recognition mistake of the week: “I guess I can get the info from the eel alert ...”

That’s elert, which granted is a newer word (email alert a.k.a. weekly email news). I’m not sure I’d have a use for an eel alert, though it sounds cool. Does it alert you if an eel is coming? Do eels use it? Is it an alarm that shocks you like an electric eel? ⚡🐍 (Yeah, that's a snake – no eel emojis.)

Throwback Pic : Arizona cacti prepared for the cold. “O cactus tree, o cactus tree ... you are so thin and prick-le-y.”

Fun Fact: Saguaro grow exclusively in the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Mexico, southern Arizona, and southeastern California. In New Mexico Kris is in the Chihuahuan Desert, so no saguaro, but plenty of prickly pear and cholla cacti. Art directors don’t always realize this and often try to put saguaro cacti on books set in New Mexico. Since The Accidental Detective humorous mystery series is set in Arizona, it’s okay!

Find New Authors and Books

Lots of fun stuff today – one for sale, and then a bunch free with newsletter signup 🎉 (unsubscribe any time)!

Flygirl, by R. D. Kardon: “Reeling from guilt and grief over a tragic loss, can an ambitious pilot earn the respect she craves? Tris Miles needs to be a Captain—the only way she knows to prove her worth as a pilot and atone for a deadly mistake. Tris accepts a prestigious job with Tetrix, Inc., but as the company’s first woman pilot, she encounters resistance on a daily basis. Then in the skies over Europe, Tris, her passengers, and crew are in real danger. Will Tris lead them to a safe landing? And if this is the end, can she find the strength to forgive herself?” Based on the author's real experiences in the 90s!

Secrets Buried, by Lyssa Lund: “Forty-something real estate Agent Victoria Shepard is thrilled to sell the run-down Bradley estate to a buyer who wants to restore it to its former glory. But it's a little awkward that Victoria had a memorable steamy moment with that buyer years ago. Then competing buyers come out of the woodwork, someone is trying to sabotage the home renovations, and someone wants to keep secrets buried at any cost. Enjoy this introduction to The Cozy Lake Minnetonka Mystery series.” Free with newsletter signup.

Sugar Pine Holiday, by Elysia Strife: “Ava Williams doesn’t want anything to do with winter or the snowy mountains of Colorado after her sister’s death, but when a resort coordinator calls the week before Christmas, requesting her dance classes as part of a holiday retreat for couples, Ava can’t turn down the opportunity. Then Cade, a member of the local search and rescue team, wants one date. But Ava knows if she gives in, it could dismantle everything she’s worked so hard to create. Enjoy this joyful short story to kickstart your holiday season!” Free with newsletter signup.

Dog Gone Troubles, by Karen McSpade: “Sidney Grace, a young journalist living in Boston, is curious about her grandmother’s magic, but Sidney’s mother’s hates all things supernatural. Her dad isn’t bothered by an occasional spell gone wild, which isn’t smoothing the water between these two matriarchs. The family drama and her untapped magic are the least of Sidney’s problems when her new boss asks Sidney to cover the annual Pup Parade and she makes a terrible mistake that could cost her career… or even her life.” This “fun, heartwarming paranormal cozy mystery with quirky and charming characters” is free with newsletter signup!

A Second Chance With The Single Dad Firefighter In Serenity Springs, by Bertie Stein: “My Christmas season escape to Serenity Springs was meant to clear my head so I could focus on writing my next book. Then a man’s voice shouts: There’s a fire at the inn. Billy Tanner, my high school sweetheart, rescues me from the fire that night, but who is going to rescue him from a life of being a single dad?” This is “a sweet, closed-door Christmas romance that will melt your heart.” This is a standalone short story and prequel to the Vacation Romance In Serenity Springs Series. Free with newsletter signup.

Action, Adventure & Thrills Giveaway: Two dozen authors are giving away freebies to entice new readers! Check out these stories, and you might find your next favorite series. (You sign up for author newsletters to get them, but you can unsubscribe absolutely any time.) 

First Book, First Love: Explore over 50 sweet contemporary romance novels, including romantic comedies, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction.

Throwback pic: Young Panda and Bear Bear, because you can never have too many cute animal photos.

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Get the free preview chapters of Doug’s Totally Rad Wormhole here. Check out Kris’s freebies here. They include a free Accidental Detective mystery story, a cat café sweet romance novel, and the “Recipes from the Cat Café” brochure.