Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Giveaway and Spotlight - Holidays and Homicides: A Short Story Collection

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Holidays & Homicides: A Short Story Collection

by Rosalie Spielman, Catherine Bruns, Gin Jones, Annie McEwen, Lena Gregory, Jennifer Fischetto, Anne Marie Stoddard, Kelly Rey, Misty Simon, Christine Knapp, Jamie L. Adams, Erica Wynters

ABOUT HOLIDAYS AND HOMICIDE


Holidays & Homicides: A Short Story Collection
Holiday Cozy Mysteries
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2025
Print length ‏ : ‎ 419 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FSNH17GM

From twelve USA Today bestselling and award winning authors, comes a short story collection stuffed full of mirthful mysteries, clever criminals, and holiday cheer! These short holiday bites are perfect for enjoying between rounds of wrapping or binge-reading over a cup of cocoa!

STORIES INCLUDE:

A Hometown Christmas Caper (Hometown Mysteries)
by Rosalie Spielman

Gossip, Guilt & Gingerbread (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)
by Lena Gregory

Larceny & Twinkle Lights (Jamie Winters Mysteries)
by Kelly Rey

Holidays & Heists (Aloha Lagoon Mysteries)
by Anne Marie Stoddard

Ornaments, Surprise & Dead Guys (Gianna Mancini Mysteries)
by Jennifer Fischetto

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Mischief (Northwoods Mysteries)
by Annie McEwen

You Can’t see the Forest for the Christmas Trees (Modern Midwife Mysteries)
by Christine Knapp

Jingle Bell Rocker (Sunny Side Up Mysteries)
by Misty Simon

Holly, Handcuffs, and Hearsay (Camelot Flowers Mysteries)
by Erica Wynters

Search for the Silent Santa (Ghost Town Mysteries)
by Jamie L. Adams

Nothing But Truffle (Cookies & Chance Mysteries)
by Catherine Bruns

A Heartland Homicide (Bourbon B&B Mysteries)
by Gin Jones
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Catherine Bruns is the USA Today bestselling author of the Cookies & Chance mysteries. She lives in New York with her very patient husband, three sons, and several spoiled pets. Catherine has a B.A. in English and is a former newspaper reporter and press release writer. She also writes the Italian Chef mysteries, Cindy York real estate and Carrie Jorgenson (Aloha Lagoon) culinary series. Her book, For Sale by Killer, won the 2019 Daphne du Maurier award for Mainstream Mystery/Suspense.

Get a free ebook when you sign up for Catherine's newsletter at https://www.catherinebruns.net/contact

Please feel free to connect with her on social media as well:
facebook.com/Catherine-Bruns-Books-218522341685434

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, and the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

To learn more about Lena and her latest writing endeavors, visit her  

Sign Up for her Newsletter:
https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/492177/95264614748521780/share

Rosalie Spielman is a mother, veteran, and retired military spouse. She was thrilled to discover that she could make other people laugh with her writing and finds joy in giving people a humorous escape from the real world. Her cozy mystery novels are set in locales that have chickens—such as sunny Kauai and rural Idaho—writing for the multi-author Aloha Lagoon mystery series and her own Hometown Mystery series.

She currently lives in Maryland with her husband in a rapidly emptying nest. For more information on her books or to subscribe to her newsletter, go to www.rosalie-spielman-author.com, follow her Facebook page (Rosalie Spielman author), or join her Facebook group (You Know The Spiel). Rosalie strives to provide you a cozy escape...one page at a time.

Gin Jones is a retired lawyer who specialized in ghost-writing for other lawyers. She prefers to write her own books, though, since she doesn't have to worry that her sense of humor might get her thrown into jail for contempt of court. In her spare time, Gin makes quilts, grows garlic, and advocates for patients with rare disorders.


 
Jamie L. Adams fell in love with books at an early age. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott opened her imagination and sparked a dream to be a writer. She wrote her first book as a school project in 6th grade.

A graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature as well as member of American Christian Fiction Writers, The Writing Desk and several critique groups, she spends most of her time writing, reading or learning more about the craft near to her heart.

The parents of three very active children, she and her husband live in the Ozarks surrounded by forest and wildlife.

Erica Wynters started as most authors do - as an avid reader. Cozy mysteries and romantic suspense offered her just the escape she was looking for! The combination of great love and great danger keeps her turning pages late into the night. Now they keep her writing pages late into the night. Her goal is always two-fold: help you fall in love with love all over again and take you on an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Falling in love has never been so fun...or so dangerous!
 
Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time. Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania, where she is hard at work on her next novel or three.
 
Christine Knapp practiced as a nurse-midwife for many years. A writer of texts and journal articles, she is now thrilled to combine her love of midwifery and mysteries as a fiction author. Christine currently narrates books for the visually impaired. A dog lover, she lives near Boston. Visit thoughtfulmidwife.com
Annie McEwen is the author of the Northwoods Mysteries Series, set amongst the tall pines and sparkling lakes of northern Wisconsin where she spent vacations as a kid. Because of a sweet love story between her youngest sister and a local Wisconsin boy (storyline idea!), she’s still been able to keep on visiting the beautiful place that means so much to her.

Annie and her husband are empty nesters—their son is married to his high school sweetheart, and their daughter is married with two adorable toddler boys. Being grandparents is definitely the best gig ever! They also have four fur babies who just might make some special appearances in Annie's books.

When Annie isn’t writing, playing with her grandsons, or tackling trash-to-treasure projects, she works as a radiological technologist, aka, she takes pictures of bones...you can’t hide much from her! Writing, though, is her first love.
 
Jennifer Fischetto is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the Gianna Mancini paranormal cozy mystery series, as well as a dozen other titles. She writes family-centric murder mysteries and things that go bump in the night.

A lover of rainstorms and snow, she prefers fiction over reality and longs to live in a world where French fries grow on trees, chocolate appears whenever desired, and every day is October. She watches too much television and movies, which fuel her never-ending supply of plot ideas, and is a rabid fan of suspense, horror, and everything supernatural.

You can learn about her next book by subscribing to her newsletter at  https://jenniferfischetto.com/newsletter/

Visit Jennifer at:
Anne Marie Stoddard is a USA TODAY bestselling author and former Amazon Mover & Shaker. She writes supernatural suspense and humorous cozy mysteries with an edge. Her Amelia Grace Mystery series, inspired by her years working in radio, and concert venues and music festivals across the U.S., has won several awards, including the 2012 AJC Decatur Book Festival Writing Contest, the 2013 Book Junkie's Choice Award for Best Debut Fiction Novel, and nominations for the 2014 & 2016 RONE Awards Best Mystery/Thriller Category.

Aside from writing, Anne Marie loves her husband and their dog, college football, hula hoops, music, coffee, and anything pumpkin-flavored.

For more details about Anne Marie's upcoming projects, giveaways, and more, visit her online and subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.amstoddardbooks.com/.

Connect with Anne Marie on social media!


From her first discovery of Nancy Drew, USA Today bestselling author Kelly Rey has had a lifelong love for mystery and tales of things that go bump in the night, especially those with a twist of humor. Through many years of working in the court reporting and closed captioning fields, writing has remained a constant. If she's not in front of a keyboard, she can be found reading, working out or avoiding housework. She's a member of Sisters in Crime and lives in the Northeast with her husband and a menagerie of very spoiled pets.

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Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Golden Gratitude - O is for Older Movies

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.


O is for older movies! I'm specifically talking about Hallmark movies because that's where my headspace resides. I love when they air the older movies so I can record them and catch up on them when I have time. My goal is to watch every Hallmark movie that has ever aired on the channel. Don't worry, I'm making use of the Hallmark Checklist app so I can keep track. The channel launched in 2001and I started watching it in 2021, so I have a ways to go. :)

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Monday, December 8, 2025

Golden Gratitude - N is for No Place to Go!

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

N is for no place to go! I'm grateful that I had no place to go to today. I miss the days when this was the norm!

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Sunday, December 7, 2025

Golden Gratitude - M is for Market

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

I know I'm stretching this out way longer than I usually do, but such is life. I just haven't been turning on my computer everyday. Besides, gratitude should be a year-long attitude anyway.

M is for Market. Although it was small and a bit tight to move around, I enjoyed visiting a Christmas market today. I came home with nothing Christmas-related - a pack of bookish stickers. I'll put them on my water bottle (they are water-proof stickers) and on my Bullet Journal.

I'm looking forward to visiting another Christmas market next Saturday. Hopefully this one will have gnomes for sale!

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Sunday, November 23, 2025

Golden Gratitude - L is for Libraries

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

L is for libraries. I use my library for so many things. In fact, I am a member of three different library systems. They each provide a different selection of books I can borrow. I use my local library for borrowing movies and physical books, but I use all three libraries for borrowing audiobooks. (Most e-books I read are ARCs, so I rarely borrow those from any library.)

I also love that my local library hosts a variety of events that I can attend in person or virtually. The library is where my friend and I practice speed puzzling. They have a glass-enclosed room where we can sit, puzzle, and chat. The next speed puzzling event that will be at the library will be in February, so we've been practicing for that. The library also has an eating area. You can buy from the vending machines or sit down at one of the tables and eat your own food that you bring. It's perfect if you plan on spending a long time at the library.

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Saturday, November 22, 2025

Sunday Post 119

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

I'm back for a second week in a row! I didn't do too much this past week, apart from the usual appointments. I'm trying to finish a 1000 piece fall-themed jigsaw puzzle by the end of Thanksgiving weekend, but I'm not sure I'll meet my goal.

Here's where I'm at right now:


A lot of the pieces that are left look similar. There are a lot of oranges and yellows. If I had time to work on it every day, I could probably finish it. But I just don't have the time to do that with everything else I need and want to do. I guess if I finish by the official end of fall in December, then I'll be happy.

IN THE BOOKS
As many of you know, I usually have multiple books going at once. I don't read all of them every week, so from now on, I will only list the ones I made progress with the previous week.

RECENTLY FINISHED
🍄🍄🍄🍄
I listened to Death Checked Out, (Larkspur Library Mystery 1), written by Leah Dobrinska and narrated by Eliza Summers. I figured out the whodunit fairly early in the book. It was a pretty straightforward mystery. I loved the setting, and the characters were okay. I probably will continue the series next fall when book two takes place

IN PROGRESS
I started listening to Thanksgiving Turkey Tragedy, a novella written by Leighann Dobbs and narrated by Hollis McCarthy. I was looking for something to listen to on Hoopla leading up to Thanksgiving and I sure did find something fun! So far I'm enjoying it. 

I'm still enjoying an ARC of Poison and Prejudice (Rare Books Mystery 3), by Daphne Silver. This book releases on Tuesday. I will do my best to finish it by then, but I may not be able to publish my review until the following week.
UP NEXT
I don't know what's next, but I'll be sure to let you know! I have several ideas running through my mind.

ON THE SCREEN
  • Cheers - I have six more episodes left to watch in season 1. It's so interesting seeing Shelley Long on this show. I always think of her as Mrs. Brady (from the Brady Bunch parody movies).
  • The Golden Girls - I hadn't been in the mood to watch this for a while, but I started watching it again. I'm only about halfway through season 1. I love the show. It's just that for a while I started watching a lot of YouTube videos when I wanted something quick.
  • Jingle Bell Princess - I was looking for something to watch on Princess Day. I had recorded this 2021 movie when it re-aired on Great American Family recently. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. It's a recycled premise, but the execution was cozy and fun.
  • Love, Fall, and Order - This is a 2019 Hallmark movie that I have seen a few times. This was another one that I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the first time I watched it. It really leans into the fall feels, which I loved.
  • The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker - I watched this 2024 cozy mystery adaptation when it first aired on GAF last year and I watched it again last week. I really enjoyed it and I'm so glad there will be more in the series. You can read my full review here.
  • The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Yarn Maker - This one recently premiered on GAF. I loved it even more than the first one. 
  • A Gingerbread Romance - I've had this on my watchlist for a while. It's a 2018 Hallmark movie. I watched it on National Gingerbread Cookie Day. It's one of the few Christmas movies I watched before Thanksgiving. The chemistry and writing were not great, but I enjoyed the execution of the plot (as unbelievable as it was).
ON THE BLOG
Have a great week! And Happy Thanksgiving week to my friends in the U.S.A.!
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Golden Gratitude - K is for Kitchen

To see an explanation of how Golden Gratitude works, click here. To see a list of all Golden Gratitude posts, click on the label on the right sidebar or click here.

K is for kitchen. I love that my kitchen is fairly easy to navigate. There's plenty of counter space. There are cabinets up high out of my reach, but there are also several cabinets and drawers lower down that I can easily access.  Unfortunately, so can Bell. Hence the need for childproof locks!

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