Sheltie Gazette: Are you in the mood for murder or cassoulet?
Jan 21, 2026 9:54 pm
Reunited with my Shelties again!
I am on my favorite couch, Inish is pushing his way under my elbow, Adare is on the softest perch in the room keeping and eye on me, and Malin is..... well, the image would be better if he were curled up at my feet. However, there are workmen repairing the hole in the ceiling, so actually Malin is running up and down the stairs telling them how to paint and where they need to park their trucks. We've made it home from Japan, and on to the next adventure!
, I hope you have somewhere cozy to snuggle up, and something pleasant to drink!
Now that I'm home, I'm plunged into working on not one but two books. Big announcement next week! But meanwhile, I'm going to share some time-sensitive anthology news and the second batch of pictures from Japan.
Looking for the story of Saba's library? Get it now!
The publishing team for the Kindness anthology has decided to do two short promotions when the whole anthology is F*R*E*E. That's now through January 22nd, and then again January 27-28th. They're hoping to get more reviews, but what it means for you is that you can dive right into Saba's story!
"The Irish Library in Kilkenny" was previewed in Magical Libraries, and although it isn't essential for the Castle in Kilkenny plot arc, it does answer some questions that readers have. It's also a stand-alone story with some fun characters, so if you've been on the fence about diving into my Irish fairy tales, this is a perfect time to pick up something short and sweet.
Warning: One of these is kind. The other is feisty.
Which one is for you, your mood, and your cozy book nook today?
Or in other words: am I up for murdering husbands, or shall I stick with a cassoulet....
So what about the other anthology...
First of all, *my* story doesn't murder anyone, although let's just say that when one of the authors offered to put together a themed cookbook, I figured that no one would want the recipe my main character uses... 🫣
Feisty Deeds isn't ever going to be free, because all proceeds are donated — we send those couple of dollars to support emerging writers who otherwise couldn't afford conferences, writing supplies, and other basics.
However, in exciting news, the paperback is finally available in all markets, including the US!
Thank you, Angel! Meanwhile, if you want a hint about my next Castle in Kilkenny release, you'll want to read my short story in this anthology.
Actually, never mind. "Escape to Peaceful Valley" basically tells you everything about what adventure is coming up next....
And now, more of our Japan trip
We spent several days in Kanazawa, which is renowned for its arts, artisans, and history. It has one of the "top three most beautiful gardens in Japan." While we were there, it also was very wet and cold!
This is a recreation of a house in the historical Samurai district. (Basically, the merchant and office-worker class.) The front, shown here, is the shop display, and the rooms in back of the house are where the family and their apprentices lived and worked.
I absolutely love displays like this. As a writer, this is the sort of thing that inspires me, because I can imagine how ordinary people lived. This is so much more immediate and human than the palaces and ornate decor!
We visited a number of houses in the historic geisha and samurai districts, and many of them had their tea-rooms still functioning, so you could have tea in the same place that people had been doing for hundreds of years. AMAZING!
Every window was designed a a very particular view into a special place. This is only a few feet of garden, but it was crafted to provide a peaceful feeling for sitting in this exact place and drinking your tea.
The tea and sweet is also always designed to be beautiful.
Historic geisha district from the outside. Very wet
And on the inside. Note the musical instruments, tea table, and scroll and decorations on the wall. The host would have changed these to send a message to their guests; while we were there, we saw many of the ones signifying "good luck in the new year."
They handed me a parasol, sent me to the corner, and commandeered my phone. I obeyed.
This is a tiny part of "one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan." Who decides and where are the other two? I have no idea. It was beautiful, though. Every square foot is carefully planned and tended.
My mother and I had tea in this teahouse overlooking this lake.
Unfortunately, the tea was luke-warm. It was, however, very aesthetic!
We went to a craft center and everyone did one of the traditional crafts of the area. Half our family made sand-blasted glass stamps, and the other half put gold leaf on a lacquerware box. This is my 19-year-old and my 9-year-old, hands only. (I don't share faces, but they can show off their crafts!)
My mother watched the kids for the night, and my husband and I went out to this super chic modern restaurant. Definitely MUCH more enjoyable without five children! They had vegan sushi (that's red pepper, broccoli, and eggplant) which I adored!!! I would go out to sushi way more often if they had vegan options around here.
(I am not a vegan, but I prefer my meat and fish small and subtle, and regular sushi is not subtle about the fish-y-ness.)
That was a lot of pictures! I will have to do the last few days of the trip in the next newsletter — if you are enjoying them, .
Finally, if you need something cozy to read...
Here's a bunch of cozy fantasy stories!
I read several from Ariana Jade last summer, and see she has some new ones listed—these are super sweet, easy reads. Kate Moseman writes clear and totally on-genre. I just picked out a new-to-me author with a story about selkies (I've gotten some suggestions to write about selkies in the Castle in Kilkenny series.... what do you think?) and "Solstice, Spice, and Everything Nice" because it looked fun. If you're looking for pleasant and comforting, I'm sure you can find your next sweet read here!
Oh, and if my Magical Libraries link wasn't working for you...
These computer programs are always doing something! I've tried to fix it, but meanwhile Malin has successfully scared away all the contractors and says he has a moment to fetch you a clean link...
Malin collects books for you.
Now it's back to writing for me! May your January be full of joy! ❤️
