The Nightstand Phone or Not?

JENN McKINLAY: I was soundly scolded the other evening and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Why was I lectured? I’m so glad you asked.

Hub and I do not keep our cell phones in our bedrooms and we do not have a landline. Subsequently, if someone calls late at night, we have to stumble to the kitchen and check to see who it is and why would they be calling after 9 PM?! Seriously, the audacity! As I was complaining about this to a Hooligan, it suddenly turned into a lecture on how I’m old and should keep my phone nearby. (Picture Jenn glowering here). I was assured that this stance was for safety reasons, but it just felt rude to me. 

So, how about it, Reds? Do you keep your cell phone on your nightstand or do you keep it elsewhere to ensure a good night’s sleep?

HALLIE EPHRON: My kids say the same thing, but I’ve got more than a few years on you, Jenn. So I’m just glad they’re looking out for me.  

No land line here, either, and overnight I keep my cell on my night stand with the sound muted. You can designate “emergency callers” and (I think) if they call the phone’s supposed to ring. Or that’s how I think it works. Have not tested it. Yet. And I think it’s sweet and adorable that your son worries about being able to reach you if he’s worried about what you’ve gotten up to.

HANK PHILLIPI RYAN: Totally keep my phone on the nightstand. Cannot imagine not doing that. 

We still do have a landline, since if you call 911 from a cellphone, it does NOT know where you are, but the landline does. (That’s why dispatchers now say “911–Where’s your emergency” instead of “what’s your emergency.”)

Oh, in every way I think it’s important to have the phone nearby.

LUCY BURDETTE: Yes phone on the nightstand, set up as Hallie described. I use it for my bedtime stories–like THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, or lately, listening to a Jenny Colgan book that I’ve already read. That way I don’t have to pay attention too much or worry about what I’ll miss. 

PS we don’t have a landline either

PPS sometimes I do get in trouble by doomscrolling because it’s so convenient, but I lecture myself sternly about that…

RHYS BOWEN: my phone lies charging beside the bed every night and the first thing I do when I wake in the morning is pick it up! I confess to addiction. We still have a land line that John insists on keeping. And if I forget to take off my Apple Watch before bed it shakes me to remind me to get up and move at 3 am 

Lucy, I also listen to Calm bedtime stories when I can’t sleep. 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Absolutely plugged in on the nightstand! I have to put ointment in my eyes at night so listen to audiobooks to go to sleep. I do not give in to the temptation to doomscroll. I silence the ringer. We do still have a “landline” number, but it’s actually VOIP (internet phone) so I don’t know if it identifies us to 911. I guess I should ask my techie/ex-dispatcher husband.

And, like Rhys, I confess to checking the phone first thing in the morning instead of doing something positive like meditating. In my defense, I usually check the weather and read the blog!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m midway between the yes phone and no phone positions. I do keep my phone on my nightstand (I don’t listen to anything except ambient noise on my Alexa, but I do like to unwind with a few rounds of Ultimate Jewels.) However, I always turn it off, unless I’ve got reason to think one of my kids might need to get in touch with me - for instance, when Virginia is traveling back and forth from Europe. When it’s on, it’s on Do Not Disturb with the select callers feature; as you might imagine, the select callers are my three children.

I used to have it on more frequently, but to be perfectly blunt, all the older relatives I might need to know about in an emergency have already died! My sister and brother might want to tell me about an issue in their families, but they wouldn’t need me in the middle of the night - and honestly, neither do my adult offspring. And I REALLY value my sleep!

We dropped the landline back in, I don’t know, 2010? Out here in the heavily forested countryside, the phone lines would go out as frequently as the electricity. My cell is more reliable, especially since I have a constantly-charged battery pack.

JENN: Maybe it's because I'm a child of the eighties, where we were punted outside and told not to return until we heard my dad whistle but I frequently leave the house without my phone, too. Shocking, I know!!! I just don't feel like I need to be in touch with everyone all the time. Is it just me?

Your turn, Readers! Cell phone on the nightstand, yeah or nay?

Wedding Belles

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I have to admit, I always had fantasies about one of my kids' weddings being in the New York Times wedding section, but with the way print readership is plummeting today, this may get just as much attention as a column there. Plus, I don't have to take a picture where the couple's eyebrows are in a line. (Yes, that's a real requirement for the engagement photos!) So:

Mrs. Ross Hugo-Vidal

is pleased to announce

 

the blessing of the marriage of her daughter

Victoria Hugo-Vidal

and

Emilia Hugo-Vidal

August 30th, 2025 

 

This announcement is the most formal thing about the ceremony, which combined the Episcopal church recognizing their union, a baby shower, and an afternoon grilling outdoors at a Maine lake house. You can't get much more efficient than combining a wedding, a shower, and a Labor Day weekend BBQ!

The setting was courtesy of the great generosity of our own Celia Wakefield. Interestingly, this isn't the first nuptials to take place in this lovely setting; she hosted her daughter's first wedding here.  

 

The weather was fine; partly sunny, but cool enough so no one was in danger of heat exhaustion. (Sounds unlikely, but I've been to some summer weddings... )

 

Victoria's brother and sister were both there, from Norfolk and Den Haag, respectively.

 

Beautiful flowers and a delicious cook out. This was the table before getting covered with enough hamburgers, sausages, corn on the cob and pasta salad to feed a small village.

 

My sister Barb can always be counted upon to lend a hand. The brides had the most delicious cupcakes from a small local bakery.

 

 Friends and family were so generous in getting this new little family on its way...

 

 And my daughter was a beautiful bride! 

 

Dear readers, share some of your wedding stories with us in the comments! 

Fighting Series Fatigue

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Someone asked an interesting question at our last Reds & Readers livestream (and again, please do join us!) about series fatigue. We didn't have the chance to get into the issue too much, but it’s something almost all of us have dealt with.

 

I’m tackling the issue head on right now by writing a non-series book! Yes, after twenty years, I’m leaving Millers Kill for a summer vacation in New England. We’ll see if it goes anywhere (or if anyone wants to read my work when it’s not about Clare and Russ) but it’s like eating a lemon ice after a heavy pasta dish - just cuts through all the taste buds and resets at zero. 

 

Previously, I’ve helped stave off, well, boredom with the social issues I have running through my plots. They always involve something I’m extremely interested and enjoy learning about, so they keep things fresh for me, despite staying with the same characters and setting. 

 

It’s an issue because none of us ever want to get to the point where we feel like we’re churning out the same ol’ same ol’ just because we have a contract and a deadline. I’ve read later series books where the author seemed to be going through the paces without any passion; it’s not great. It helps me understand why poor old Arthur Conan Doyle sent Holmes over the Reichenbach falls.

 

So, Reds, how have you dealt with series fatigue in the past? And if not, can you recognize the signs in other books you’ve read?

 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, great question! And yes, remember how Agatha Christie said she grew to hate Poirot?

 

 Ah…hmm. I just talked with Nita Prose about why she’s ending her marvelous The MAID series..and she was lovely and wise about it. She said–things just run their course. And everyone always demands to start with book one, so newer books may suffer as a result.  She’s an extremely experienced publishing insider, and an incredibly successful editor as well as author. And did not want to stay too long at the party.

 

In writing my TIME series, and the Jane Ryland series, I always had a million more ideas. Still do.  But frankly, basically the public likes NEW. Publishers like  NEW.  And attention spans are growing shorter every second. Been-there done-that is the death knell.

 

Having a long-running series is a treasure and an honor and a massive massive challenge. 

 

RHYS BOWEN:  I made a vow to myself that if ever I thought Oh God, I’ve got to do another Molly/Georgie book I’d quit the series right then. Because if I’m not enjoying writing these books, then my readers are not enjoying reading them. I’m up to book 22 with Molly and book 19 with Georgie, so definitely long running series. I think I’m lucky with both as the settings are so rich and varied. The number of stories in New York City in the early 1900s is endless.  And Lady Georgie travels, has a rich ensemble cast to focus on, and also makes me laugh when I write the books.

 

I have to confess I am glad that Clare has taken over the major burden of the Molly books, doing all the research and coming up with the details of the story after we’ve thought out a broad storyline and theme. As you know I put Molly on hold when I couldn’t tackle three books a year.  I did try that once and it was overwhelmingly stressful. 

 

But the Royal Spyness books can continue for a while yet, although I’m not sure how I would come up with fun but relevant stories once we reach WWII. Life wasn’t exactly a hoot then!

 

And I’m lucky to have my stand-alone novels that present a quite different challenge each year.  So we may be up to Royal Spyness book 50 one day!

 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Here I am on book #20 and I have to say I have never felt tired of my series. I love my characters, I love London and my other UK settings as much as ever, and if I’ve been slow, it’s not because I’m bored. I always have ideas for the next book nagging me as I write!

 

JULIA: Although, Debs, your main characters have grown and changed (and grown a family) so much over the years it's kind of like writing new stories all the time! 

 

HALLIE EPHRON: I wrote a series with a co-author, a friend who’s a neuropsychologist who loves to read mysteries and never thought he’d write one. The partnership was fun, with books named after various neuropsychological afflictions (AMNESIA, ADDICTION, DELUSION….) and featuring a sleuth based on my co-author. When it stopped being fun, we stopped doing it and I went on to write my standalones. 

 

It’s hard enough to write a compelling, believable character arc across a single book, harder still to write one that spans multiple books. I admire anyone who can.

 

LUCY BURDETTE: I loved those books Hallie! Love all these Red long series. Maybe that’s because I prefer reading series to standalones (if I love the characters and setting, that is.) I am about to send in book 16 of the Key West series, which I find astonishing! I had actually written book 15 so it could have been the end, but then the publisher asked for more and I’m delighted to continue. I did request some extra time in this current contract so I could try something different, and then go back to book 17.

 

In the publishing world, there are pros and cons. I have devoted fans who consider my characters to be family and can’t wait to read more. Other readers, as Hank pointed out, want something different. I think the author has to feel enthused about writing the series, and it has to be selling for the publisher to continue. 

 

JENN McKINLAY: Series fatigue is real. While I love my long running mystery series Cupcake Bakery (16) and Library Lover’s (16), I’m ready for a hiatus. I have plots for the next in series for both but I want to pursue writing something new (cozy fantasy) for a season or two while also writing the summer romcoms, which are single titles and allow me to travel (research!). If I get the chance to revisit the mysteries I will, but for now I need to recharge the murder battery. LOL. 

 

JULIA: Lots to think on here, but the common threads seem to be a combination of the author still feeling that zing and the publisher still feeling enthused. What's your take, dear readers? Do you enjoy the long-running serial, or, do you, as Hank points out, crave the new? Can you tell when an author's gotten tired, and does that matter to you?