I love stories set during Christmas! However, it can be difficult to settle into a cozy holiday novel when you're looking at a seemingly endless Christmas to-do list. With this in mind, I'm offering a list of highly recommended Christmas novellas, three of...
To round out this year of fiction by early twentieth century English women, I offer a holiday mystery! The Santa Klaus Murder, by Mavis Doriel Hay -- Synopsis from the publisher: Aunt Mildred declared that no good could come of the Melbury family Christmas gatherings...
One of the few positive things about this terrible pandemic is that it's forced us all to spend more time with ourselves. In our own heads. Dreaming, reading, planning, growing. I'll confess that I love being alone. I inherited this trait from my mother, and many of...
Last week Steve had a conference at the Arizona Biltmore, and I was happy to tag along. The Biltmore is famous for its architecture, beautiful grounds, celebrity guests, and . . . afternoon tea! The hotel has a fascinating history and offers cozy elegance along with...
Does it seem like the holidays are rushing right past you? One way to slow time and enjoy this festive season is to sit down to a holiday-themed afternoon tea. Today I'm sharing a tea I hosted at home just last week, and in particular I'd like to highlight some of the...
I come to you with tidings of tea and holiday reads! For young (and young-at-heart) readers: Christmas with the Savages, by Mary Clive: Seen through the eyes of a prim little eight-year-old, and based on real events and people, this novel perfectly recaptures a...
It's that time of year when I crave cozy holiday stories! Here are three I enjoyed recently: For young (and young-at-heart) readers: Eleven-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed “Christmas”—has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a turnip. But he’s happy with...
The following is my first stab at an exhaustive list of December holiday-themed fiction for adults and kids. Books that I have read and recommend are indicated with an asterisk (*). I've linked each title to Goodreads so that you can see reviews and click through to...
You know me -- during this season I love to listen to Christmas music, watch Hallmark Christmas movies, and read Christmas-themed fiction. I have four books to recommend, two of which were intended for children (tho they certainly have appeal for adults, as well). The...
