Gingerbread, Grandbabies, and a Lot of Grace

Two new mysteries, a grandson on the way, and a lesson I learned by watching people die

New Books in the Works

Right now, I’m working on two projects. The first is Gingerbread, Dead, Man (Kiki #22), a full-length book and one of the most emotional ones I’ve written. Kiki and Detweiler are forced to consider whether they can “do right” by Erik. It’s gut-wrenching, and there’s no right answer. The action takes place over the holiday season, which makes it all the more poignant. Honestly, I find myself pausing now and again just to calm down while I write it.

More light-hearted is a short book I’m writing concurrently. It’s tentatively called I’ll Be Bone for the Holidays. It will be packaged with a novella by my friend CB Wilson, featuring Glimmer, the diamond-hunting dachshund. This set will be part of the Doggone Good Mystery series, and I think it’s going to be cute as all get-out.

Both books are set against the backdrop of Christmas Traditions in St. Charles, Missouri, just twenty minutes from St. Louis — one of the nation’s largest annual holiday festivals, where more than thirty costumed Legends of Christmas stroll the streets and interact with guests.

Of course, Kiki finds herself smack dab in the middle of the action, thanks to a promise she made to her BFF Clancy. You won’t be surprised to learn a body shows up. Well, we are way past lumps of coal, people.

Baby Watch

Happy news! We’re officially on Baby Watch. My daughter-in-law Chelsea is due to deliver our newest grandson any day now. His name is Conrad David Slan, and from what we’ve been told, this kid likes to kick and squirm. Landon, who is now four, has been practicing his helper skills, like fetching diapers for his mother. He was a little shocked to learn his new baby brother won’t be able to hold his own bottle! Ah, yes — babies really are helpless.

In the Garden

These are rain lilies, transplanted from my aunt’s house. They’re also called fairy lilies or zephyr flowers. The green foliage is pretty enough on its own, but after a good soaking rain, the little sprouts burst into glorious blossoms. When I dug up these bulbs, I had no idea what color the flowers would be, so this was a wonderful surprise!

Health Update

Health-wise, I’ve turned a corner. I go to cardiac rehab three times a week. At first, I looked for excuses not to go. But then I had a revelation. (Do you get those? I’m curious.) I realized that neither my father-in-law nor my dad ever went to cardiac rehab after their heart attacks. They didn’t want to, so they didn’t. Both died not long after their surgeries.

I am not going to repeat their behavior. I’m not going to whine about an hour, three times a week, when I’ve been given the gift of life. That’s the power of having choices — but choices only matter if you consciously look at them and decide what to do next.

In the meantime, thank you all for your best wishes. They’ve meant the world to me.

Much love, Joanna