As we reach the end of a rather long year, we're sure we're not the only ones craving escapes from routine. For everyone at Spiral Publishing, that means quiet time to read.
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, that often means curling up by the fire with something warm to drink, so the stories in this special December bundle all have wintery overtones.
That's reflected in the main image for the bundle. I was lucky enough to spot two swans in the middle of a frozen lake during a New Year's Eve run in Michigan. Yes, I was delighted by that photographic gift, and I still am.
But the quick escapes from a hectic holiday season you'll find in Spiral Publishing's December Reads still work on the edge of Southern Hemisphere summer!
The order for these tales is as simple as could be, because who wants anything complicated with so much going on? You'll find the stories take you through the celebratory calendar, from before Christmas swings into motion all the way to New Year's Eve.
All for a special discounted price of $5.99 (normally $17.94) that will disappear when the calendar turns over to 2025.
Enjoy these tales in order, on the dates mentioned in the stories themselves, or skip around to your heart's content!
Found family and romance run throughout, with detours into crime and madcap adventure. In other words, a typical bundle from two authors who love to mix and match genres.
Jason A. Adams kicks things off with "Convenience Store Christmas" and a visit to Atlanta, where the weather is a bit warmer, even in December.
But the realities of people taking care of each other, and learning to let others take care of them, still strike a universal chord.
In "Finding Sanctuary," Kari Kilgore takes us to the far colder climate of Southern Illinois, and into a warm community gathering on the longest night of the year.
Taking time and space to look both back and ahead leads to a romantic spark in the midst of recovery from a challenging year.
"A True Family Holiday" brings us back to Atlanta for Jason's story of outsiders finding a warm welcome in a new kind of family.
And even for those of us fortunate enough to have strong family connections, the relationships we choose for ourselves can form the foundations of our lives.
Kari's crime tale "Pungent Justice" returns to the chilly Midwest, and an even colder robbery on the cusp of Christmas Eve.
By turning to her best friend for comfort, the heroine of the story sets a satisfying form of revenge into motion, while drawing closer to her heart's desire.
Our next change of location and genre lands in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, with Jason's tall tale about Christmas Eve adventures.
"If I'm Lyin' I'm Dyin'" brings you along for the hilarious results of putting one foot wrong after having one too many. And perhaps confirmation of the existence of a certain jolly old elf along the way.
And finally, Kari takes us on a trip back in history to December 31, 1999, when we all stood on the dawn of changes we couldn't begin to imagine.
In "Sometimes Strange Magic Casts the Best Spell," a romantic visit to the always welcoming Magic Cats of the Hidden Springs Inn and Spa is the perfect way to turn the page and walk into the future.
Be sure to grab your copy of the December edition of Spiral Publishing's Monthly Reads before the special price of $5.99 goes away along with 2024.
And remember to check back in the new year for our January Reads to kick off 2025!
Happy Reading, and Happiest of Holidays from all of us at Spiral Publishing!
