Hey there! When I wrote my Christmas message last year I was hanging out in a converted cow barn in the middle of the English countryside anticipating a Christmas Day lunch that was going to be organized chaos. I was also looking forward to the panto and an evening church service I was attending later that day, especially the warm mince pies and punch that would be served afterward.
This year the plan I set out in January was to replicate last year's Christmas exactly. Well, we all know what happened to those 2020 plans, don't we?
Instead of heading off to church in the damp and cold to return later to a snug and cosy barn and mince pies, I am writing to you from my desk. To my left is our Christmas tree while outside it is sunny California weather. I do have mince pies, however.
We will be at home like most of you, no visitors. There will be calls to my English family, several of whom are now spending the day alone, and a movie after lunch. It will be fab, because we are warm, healthy, and our tummies will be full. Next year we can do the things we had planned to do this year. No sweat. It has been a year of seemingly endless loss and mounting stress, but hope is the horizon and in the meantime we have books.
This year in lieu of some gifts, I bought shares in llamas and chickens and donated to food banks to support those who are struggling. I adopted a hive of bees. In this way my books keep on giving and giving and giving, so thank you for being a reader.
It only remains for me and mine to wish you a wonderful holiday. I'll be raising a glass of mulled wine in your honor. May your day be merry and bright.
(Take a look at my holiday card below. Spot the cat, the teapot, and “the girl.”)
Give the gift of books at Christmas
Do you know anyone who would enjoy meeting Annabelle, or Inspector Graham or Roxy or Diana?
Are you looking for a digital stocking filler? Did you know that Amazon makes it easy to gift Kindle books?
Go to a book's page on Amazon, click the BUY FOR OTHERS button and enter your recipient's email address. They'll be sent a code that can then be redeemed for the book you've suggested.
Of course, it makes sense to start with the first book in any series…
Here are quick link to the first books in my series:
Annabelle: Death at the Cafe ➜ click here
Inspector Graham: The Case of the Screaming Beauty ➜ click here
Roxy: Mardi Gras Madness ➜ click here
Diana: Hunted and Snatched ➜ click here and here
Or buy the box sets:
The Reverend Annabelle Dixon Cozy Mysteries Books 1-4 ➜ click here
The Inspector Graham Mysteries Books 1-4 ➜ click here
The Inspector Graham Mysteries Books 5-7 ➜ click here
The Roxy Reinhardt Mysteries Books 1-3 ➜ click here
The Diana Hunter Mysteries Books 1-4 ➜ click here
Or a sampler of the first books in all my series:
Alison Golden Mystery Sampler ➜ click here
Just click the link, find the BUY FOR OTHERS button and you'll be good to go. Personal recommendation is the best way to encourage new readers to get stuck into the series. I'm grateful for every single one.
