Mug Shot: Vintage Fish Mug

So, last week I posted about a vintage looking mug. Here's an actually vintage mug. I purchased a version of this mug back in the 1970s. I'm a Pisces, so I liked the fish. And the taupe and dark brown color scheme is one I particularly favored back in my earth toned era. In fact, this was the first mug I ever bought for myself--following in my mother's and my grandmother's and my great aunt, and my...first cousin twice removed (I think?) footsteps. We all are (or were) dishware obsessed. 

I actually gave that mug away in 1994. I was moving and leaving behind several good friends and decided to gift them each with mugs that I treasured and which reminded me of them. 

I won't say I regretted that decision, but I did miss this one more than I thought I would. And when I stumbled across THIS ONE online, I had to buy it. 

It makes me insanely happy. 

What I'm Reading: I Could Write a Book ( Andie Elliott)

Well, this was a pleasant surprise. And I admit I was pulled in by the cover. Sooo cute! So this is a story about a house swap--very much a la The Holiday...for those of you old enough to remember 20 yr old movies. I had some issues with the movie--it was fun but parts of the plot never made sense to me. This book, however, deals with it all brilliantly. I love the ideas of two people trading lives with each other. Having then have them fall in love with each other's lives--and each other!--it was like the whole Country Mouse/City Mouse done RIGHT. Also, having lived in NYC and vacationed extensively in Vermont (MANY years ago, but still) I was very excited for the locations, as well. 

And I think those were handled well enough. I find it hard to imagine anyone routinely walking a mile into small town Vermont in December without encountering a daunting amount of snow. And I think that if you drive your truck into Manhattan--for a stay of several weeks, mind you--then a large portion of your day (EVERY day) will be taken up with moving said truck from one parking spot to another. 

But these are small matters and this book was very enjoyable. 

I Could Write a Book
Andie Elliott

https://www.amazon.com/Could-Write-Book-MM-Romance-ebook/dp/B0G7XPJ8G

It's hard to stop thinking about someone when you're sleeping in his bed.

Bestselling spy novelist George Knight has an ex-boyfriend's wedding he'd rather avoid, a deadline closing in, and a blank page that's starting to feel personal.

Owen Wilde has a quiet life he loves in small-town Vermont, crafting handmade wooden pieces in his workshop. It would be perfect if his ex's parting words didn't still sting.

Enter Owen's cousin and George's best friend, Zoe, who comes up with the perfect solution to both their problems: a housing swap for the holidays! George gets a quiet cabin. Owen gets a New York apartment and a vacation he didn’t ask for. (It's very, very hard to say no to Zoe.)

Except George and Owen can't seem to leave each other alone. One email turns into many. Texts pile up. And somewhere between late-night conversations and living in each other's spaces, they each start to feel more seen than they have in a long time, even though they've never actually met.

I Could Write a Book is a slow burn MM romance with witty banter, cozy winter vibes, surprise connection, and a slightly meddling found family. A queer Christmas rom com for fans of feel-good, low angst romance.

Happy Year of the Fire Horse! Free Gift!

Happy Lunar New Year 2026! 

May this Fire Horse year ignite your dreams and fuel your passions. 

https://jlcards.com/so7Rw9

I'd like to offer a small gift on this holiday. And yes, it's the wrong year, but what can you do?

It was the year of the rabbit, and someone had the brilliant idea to get a bunch of authors together and have them write rabbit-themed short stories in celebration of  the event. Everyone who signed up to participate received a randomly generated set of three characters; three adjectives with which to describe said characters; a setting; an opening line; and a line of dialogue that had to be worked into the story somewhere. 

​My characters were Doc, a drunk veterinarian; Jim, an anxious bounty hunter; and Candy, a picky stripper. My setting was a Hollywood Premier party. And my line of dialogue was, “Why don’t you take off your shirt?”

This was the result…

https://tinyurl.com/Yr-of-the-Rabbit

Mug Shot: Good Human

This mug is new, but it's giving 1960s/1970s peace and love idealism. And I think we need a resurgence of that. I don't really have a lot more to say about that. We're living through interesting times and I really don't like it. 

What I'm Reading: Second Act Romance (Julie Soto)

So you know I had to read something Valentine's Day related--although it took me awhile to find something that didn't bore me. But this was such a cute story! It's set in a theater during a performance of Oklahoma! I love theater stories, and Oklahoma! is one of my favorite classical musicals. AND it's a low angst, second chance romance. Where's the bad? 

Second Act Romance
Julie Soto

https://www.amazon.com/Second-Act-Romance-Improbable-Meet-Cute-ebook/dp/B0FVY6J9Y6

Two musical theater costars, separated by fate, reunite for a showmance to remember in a sizzling and banter-filled short story about second chances by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto.

When food poisoning takes out the lead in their Valentine’s Day production of Oklahoma!, TV sensation Colby J. Turner swoops in to save the show. But for leading lady Bex Hardgrave, this last-minute casting is more drama than she bargained for. Eight years ago, their onstage chemistry sparked real-life fireworks—until a misunderstanding brought down the curtain on their budding romance. Now they’re sharing the spotlight again, and their old connection is threatening to steal the show. As showtime approaches, Bex and Colby will have to decide if their second-chance romance deserves its own standing ovation.

Julie Soto’s Second Act Romance is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances, stories for star-crossed lovers and hopeless romantics. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s do it again.

Mug Shot: Pink Depression Glass

 

So. Also not a mug. But I guess it's obvious that I'm not THAT particular. I actually have an entire set of these cups (along with saucers, dessert plates, and footed ice cream dishes. I love pink depression glass. It reminds me of my grandmother. 

She lived with us when I was growing up and I think I mentioned that I have the fondest memories of having afternoon tea with her. I even gave Allegra a version of my memories in Que Será, Syrah. 

Anyway, I bought this set probably a decade ago with the idea that I would someday host pink tea parties for the grandchildren I didn't yet have. Now I have a grandson, and a grand nephew and it's very possible that that's all the grands I'll ever have and only one of them lives near me or is old enough for tea parties, so an entire set of dishes seems like overkill. 

But I can dream.  And I can create menus. And I can definitely write a pink tea party into a book--which I fully intend to do in the very near future! 

What I'm Reading: Cards on the Table (Josh Lanyon)

Okay, first thing I want to comment on is this cover--which I absolutely LOVE. I'd buy a print. And I rarely buy or display art that's not by someone I know. This is another NOT NEW book. Although not as old as last week's Heyer, obvs. It's a not-so-cozy, quasi-noir detective story. Sort of. Think Gregory Dunne's True Confessions only gay. And with less gore and more sex. Which is absolutely NOT a criticism. It's a well-crafted mystery. Even upon re-reading it, it took me awhile to remember who the murderer was because all the suspects were so plausible. 

Once again, if you're looking for something to take your mind off of current events (and you happen to love not-so-cozy, quasi-noir, gay detective stories) I'd recommend it.

Pro tip: One of the protagonists originally had the last name "North". I know this to be so because when the "find and replace all" feature was (obviously) used to change it, it changed ALL the norths--even the ones pertaining to direction and orientation. I think there were three (?) instances where sections were rendered incomprehensible unless that fact was kept in mind. It's like finding unintentional Easter eggs. Alternately, you could make it a drinking game. 

CARD ON THE TABLE
Josh Lanyon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0071FNXWY


Your future lies in the Cards...

Fifty years ago, a glamorous Hollywood party ended in murder—the only clue a bloody Tarot card. Timothy McShay is not the first journalist to dig into the details of what really happened that long-ago summer's night, and he's not deterred by the grim fate of his predecessor. Tim has a book to write.

But when a Tarot card turns up pinned to his front door, Tim recognizes the warning for what it is. He needs help—and the only person he can turn to is his ex-lover, Detective Jack Brady.