We said it last month, and it's still true. Autumn is our favorite time of year here at Spiral Publishing!
Besides the promise of month-end gluttony (here in the U.S. at least), there’s a promising nip in the air. The trees have shucked their duds for their long winter sleep. Those of us with day jobs finally have to turn on our headlights for the drive home from work.
And the cool nights are perfect for snuggling up with your favorite person or critters or both, pointing your tootsies at the first fires of the season, and enjoying a good story or two. Or three. Or many.
When it comes to our special bundle of November Reads, we hope you find as many reasons to enjoy the stories as we do to love this time of year. We’ve certainly got a nice variety of tales picked out for you, at a special discount for this month only.
Jason's story Andrew and Shichi-Go-San visits a traditional Japanese celebration of three-year-olds, five-year-olds, and seven-year-olds from the non-traditional point of view of an American kid.
What seems like a difficult transition to a new country and new school turns into a heartwarming tale full of joy.
In Kari's romance Happily Ever After in KrampusLand, Thom's job at a family-owned amusement park means he's busy getting ready for Krampusnacht a few weeks early.
But the shift in his relationship with his best friend Julie is right on time.
Jason's Bald Ain't So Bad heads a bit deeper into fantasy fun, as Steve takes a chance on dealing with a premature sign of aging.
The solution might turn out to be worse than the original problem, unless he figures out a way to accentuate the positive.
Sometimes shifts in our family lives can be positive, even if they feel downright strange at first. Kari's Traditions Worth Keeping visits the first Thanksgiving for a newly blended family.
And Lucy discovers even more to be thankful from an unexpected source.
In Jason's found-family story Bestest Friends, Alice lands deep in the birth-family struggles too many of us face this time of year.
As is thankfully often the case, a close-knit group of friends decides to rescue her from a holiday obligation whether she'll admit she needs it or not.
For another tale that shifts time and attention based on a real-life event, Kari brings us to the Appalachian Mountains for a much-beloved tradition. For decades, November has brought the Santa Train rolling through small towns in Virginia and Tennessee. The early visit was originally meant to help desperately poor folks have gifts for Christmas.
In The Real Gift of the Santa Train, a modern-day visit brings the gifts of community while romantic sparks fly.
We hope you enjoy this collection of Novermber tales! And we wish you plenty of cozy reading days to come!
