Happy Holidays

Plus a discount code!

Happy December, everyone! I’m writing this just a few days before Christmas. My kids and I have been off work and out of school for almost a week now, and I have been relishing a slower pace and cozy, low-key vibes. (I’m definitely not relishing the cold that cropped up, but am managing with some tried and true remedies).

I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who loves to do some end-of-year reflection and New Year’s goal setting. To be clear, sometimes that goal setting is extremely low key (make one pie a month!), and sometimes it’s more intense (finish writing a novel!). It’s a natural time for reflection and transition and trying something new, and in a very small (practically miniscule, really) ways, I’m going to try tweaking a few things around here. 1. Author interviews once a quarter, maybe every other month. 2. Making some adjustments with issue titles and the general visual aesthetics. And really, that’s it for now! Otherwise, you can still expect monthly thoughts about what I’m reading and watching and enjoying.

All that said, in lieu of my usual reading roundup this month, I thought I’d let you know about the discount code my publisher, Black Rose Writing, is running now until December 26. You can head to their website: www.blackrosewriting.com, and use the code JOLLY_35 for 35 percent off the entire catalog. Below I’m listing a few of my favorite books by my fellow BRW writers, as well as a few books I haven’t read yet, but that I’ll probably use that promo code for myself!

Everything Here Belongs to You by Saborna Roychowdhury. A multi-cultural novel about family, friendship, belonging, and class divides, set in India.

This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin. A sweet, feel-good story told from the perspective of a young boy who develops an unexpected friendship with a new neighbor. It’s about community, assumptions, and acceptance.

Outside of Grace by Anna Daugherty. A beautifully written coming-of-age faith story.

Reckonings by Karen E. Osborne. Dramatic family story about starting over, reconciliation, and coming to terms with the past.

False Summit by Cam Torrens. A fast-paced mystery set in the Colorado Rockies.

Miranda Writes by Gail Ward Olmstead. A relateable heroine solving an intriguing mystery surrounded by a tight-knit community. A little funny, a little spunky.

Books I haven’t read, but really want to:

The Delaney Bennets by Desiree R. Kannel. A Pride and Prejudice retelling set at a Historically Black University? Yes, please!

The Butterfly Cafe by Diane Hawley Nagatomo. You had me at “cafe full of cats.”

Scrapped: Justice and a Teen Informant by Lisa Peebles and John O’Brien. I’ve never read a true crime book before, but after meeting these two authors at an event in September, I can’t wait to read their book. The story sounds fascinating, as does the authors’ commitment to justice and making sure the truth comes to light.

That’s it for now! Check out these books and a whole lot more at www.blackrosewriting.com and use the code JOLLY_35 for 35 percent off!

Wishing everyone exactly the kind of Christmas and New Year that your heart needs. May you know the peace and joy of Jesus