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.

Mug Shot: Possum/Groundhog Day

 

So this mug is pure chaos. Today is Groundhog Day but this is not a groundhog. It's a possum...which is still the closest I can come to a groundhog mug. Sorry about that!

This is a very standard mug. Nothing special. But then it's got this wacky possum on it and my favorite shade of teal, and stars and stuff. And on the back it says "Living the Scheme" which...I dunno, are possums associated with scheming somehow? So, all in all, it's got this insane quirky edge to it. I feel like I'm going to give this mug to one of my characters. I'm thinking one of my tattoo artists from the Inked in Oaktown series that I STILL haven't written, damn it. Anyway, Groundhog Day...also very incomprehensible. We all know that Spring won't come early. And yet, every year we have this odd little ritual where we pretend that maybe it will. The date coincides with Imbolg, so I'm sure there was some connection there originally. In Sound of a Voice That is Still, Marsha performs an Imbolg ceremony that I think goes all sorts of wrong, before it goes right. Which, is what too many people have been predicting for 2026. I'm sort of over it. 

Here's a link to download a free copy of the book. It's only available today through Friday. 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/31ak2dihnn

Sound of a Voice That is Still (Oberon, Book 3)

Some wounds take a long time to heal, others never do.  Four months after being wounded in the line of duty, Ryan Henderson is beginning to fear that his is of the latter variety.  He's a patient man, but a poor patient.  As winter drags interminably on, he's growing desperate for distraction—anything that might take his mind off his injury, before he goes insane.

​Siobhan Quinn could give the injured officer a lesson or two in living with pain.  It's been ten years since her life was changed and her heart critically wounded as a result of the tragic accident that robbed her of her family.  She knows firsthand how grief can cripple a soul and drive a sane mind over the edge. 

Sometimes it seems like Spring will never come again.  Sometimes, the only alternative to living in inner darkness, is death.  Your own, or someone else's.  In the depths of winter, Ryan and Siobhan will have to make a choice: to help each other heal, or die trying.

What I'm Reading: The Reluctant Widow (Georgette Heyer)

Obviously, this is not a new book. Nor is this the first time I've read it. But sometimes, one wants stability, familiarity, a nostalgic return to yesteryear... Okay, that might be overdoing it, but the world's a shitshow at the moment (more so than usual, or so it seems) and I just didn't feel like thinking too hard. Georgette Heyer was an early favorite of mine, and it's interesting because now I find her stories very hit or miss. I don't think we'd get on AT ALL politically. Her books really haven't aged that well. But this one is fairly benign. It's not MUCH of a romance--the hero barely shows up on the page. But it's quirky and farfetched and the heroine's exasperation is very relatable. 

I was looking for something to take my mind off the current world situation, and this answered nicely. 

The Reluctant Widow

Georgette Heyer

https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Widow-Regency-Romances-Book-ebook/dp/B0024CEZS0

A fateful mistake...

When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer's home but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.

A momentous decision...

His cousin, Mr Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr Carlyon won't let her leave ...

Mug Shot: Pine Cone Mug

 

This is the last of this year's winter themed mugs. Although, technically, I guess a pinecone could actually be an any time of year mug. Take that up with Starbucks (which, yes, I know, I shouldn't be enriching anyway).

I love the shape and the handle--it's not at all awkward to hold or drink from. Which is not nothing, in the world of mugs. 

It actually puts me in mind of the opening chapters of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek which I used to re-read every January. 

I especially love the color of this mug. It's a very soothing green. And that reminds me of my Winter Playlist. Which is also very soothing. 

And I guess, if I'm venturing even further back, it also reminds me of the winter ski vacations my family used to take to Vermont. Although it's best known for its maple trees...mmm, syrup...Vermont is also home to a lot of pine trees. 

All in all, I suppose I'm saying that this would be the perfect mug to curl up with on a cold winter's day in front of a fire (preferably in a ski lodge) with a good book and some good music... 

What I'm Reading: Tend & Befriend (Chelsea Forte)

So, this is my daughter's book. It's not fiction. It's a self-help guide to dealing with grief and loss and I am soooo very proud. She's also leading a grief retreat in March. You can find details here: 

https://www.embodiedsoul.art/exhale-2026

Tend & Befriend

A heart opening exploration of the liminal 

Chelsea Forte

https://books2read.com/TendBefriend

A compassionate guide for those navigating sacred territory. the liminal space, the subtle space, the place between what is no longer and what is not yet.

Through somatic practices, reflective prompts, and frameworks rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, Tend & Befriend invites you to befriend your shadow, cultivate loving awareness and expand your capacity to stand between grief and joy and be stretched wide by them. Return home to yourself better supported to navigate these tender places with presence, resilience, and compassion while opening to what wants to emerge.

Whether you're navigating loss, life transitions, or simply the exquisite ache of being human, this zine offers permission to feel fully, grieve deeply, savor small joys, and begin again with compassion.

A tender companion for anyone standing in the liminal.

"All changes, however longed for, have their melancholy, for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we begin another." - Anatole France

Mug Shot: Cardinal Mug #2

 

Well, it's January. The holidays are over but it's still winter and this is definitely a winter mug. As far as mugs themselves go, I still really like last year's cardinal mug, but this (which, okay, is really more of a cup than a mug) does have the cute little teapot topper.  And I do LOVE cute. But it's more a breakfast in bed cup or an afternoon tea cup rather than a working at my desk mug...which, let's face it, is where I spend most of my time and drink most of my tea. 

It is cute though. And practical, in its own way. 

What I'm Reading: Game Changers (Rachel Reid)

So EVERYBODY I know has been raving about this series for months. I mean, they mostly mean the TV series, but I have a healthy amount of Demand Avoidance... 

By which I mean a much MORE than healthy amount, to be honest. And also I was busy. And I don't have time for TV anyway. And so, it took awhile for me to pick up this book. But eventually I did, and now of course I'm reading the entire series. It's good. It's set in NYC and the author is Canadian and I never once found myself muttering about how something was NOT RIGHT! in the book. So kudos to the author.  

I would recommend it. Still haven't watched the TV series, but I suppose I'll get around to that one of these days. 

Game Changer (Game Changers, Book One)

RachelReid

https://www.rachelreidwrites.com/

New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pre-game rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

Mug Shot: Hamsa Hand

 

So, it's still the beginning of the year, so here's a Hamsa for protection during the coming months. Hamsa hands always remind me of mudras that you see used in yoga and meditation, and those are good too--especially at this time of year. 

It's a good sized mug, with a two-toned, satin finish that I really like. It's got a modern, minimalist feel that should be at odds with the slightly Boho vibe you generally associate with hamsas and yet...I dunno. It seems to work. It feels very zen to drink my morning tea from this mug. 

What I'm Reading: Wayward Gods (Devon Monk)

Well, this was a lovely Christmas surprise!  Devon Monk has three connected series--Ordinary Magic, Mystic Crossroads and Souls of the Road. The characters move between the series in a way that I just love so much. 

Wayward Gods is the 5th book in the Souls of the Road series, and it made me so happy when Cardamom (from Mystic Crossroads) turned up! 

As I read this book, I was mostly convinced it would be the last book in the series--Monk has a way of making you think she's wrapping things up. I should know this by now--but I was happy to find out that I was wrong, and that there is one more book to go. AS WELL AS two more Mystic Crossroads book to come AND a short series of mysteries set in Ordinary, OR. 

Also, I love these covers. 

Wayward Gods (Souls of the Road Book 5)
Devon Monk

https://www.devonmonk.com/souls-of-the-road/

It’s ancient, it’s dangerous, and it’s the only weapon they have…

Lula and Brogan Gauge made a deal with the god Cupid to find the spell book of the gods—but finding it put a target on their backs. 

Now they’re on the run across New Mexico with powerful gods on their heels. One who wants to kill them. One who wants to enslave them. One who wants to use them to destroy the world.

With nowhere left to go, they turn to a family of monster hunters and a rogue wizard for help. But only they can make the deadliest decision of their lives: flee to Oregon to hide the book, or wield the book’s magic to kill the monster they’ve been hunting for a hundred years.

They can’t trust the gods, they shouldn’t trust the magic, but can they trust each other enough to cast a spell no mortal can survive…

Mug Shot: Adventure Begins

 

Well, it's the start of another year, so this seemed like an appropriate mug to post. I wish you all a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2026. 

Good luck to us all!