Happy New Year! What We're Writing - Jenn McKinlay

 HAPPY NEW YEAR, READERS!!!

We wish you all good things in the coming year! 

JENN McKINLAY: I love starting a new year. It's a clean slate, a new beginning, a fresh calendar. I love, love, love it! Of course, January always seems to send me spinning on my ear as soon as it starts and nothing ever goes quite right and by the end of the month, I usually ask the Hub if we can bump it out and  celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year instead. Incidentally, it's on February 10th and it's the year of the dragon for those of you who, like me, will need a do over.

But this is what we're writing week at the Jungle Reds, so I have to tell you that I am madly finishing a book that is due tomorrow. It's a Library Lover's mystery (#15) called A MERRY LITTLE MURDER PLOT and will be released in October of 2024. Here is a snippet of the victim being found: 

     “And here I thought we were going to have a quiet holiday season,” Emma muttered. She unclipped the Maglite from her belt and illuminated the scene. It was much more powerful than Lindsey’s puny phone flashlight and the entire gazebo was bathed in light.

     Emma ran the light over Jackie’s body, pausing on her bare hands. She jumped back and grabbed Helen by the arm and shoved her toward the steps and then did the same thing to Lindsey. “Get out of the gazebo. Now!”

     “Why? What’s happening?” Helen asked.

     “Go!” Emma shooed them down the steps. The urgency in her voice did not invite dawdling.

     They dashed down the steps, only stopping when Emma did. They were thirty feet from the bandstand and Emma was pulling her phone out of her jacket pocket. 

     “What is it, Emma?” Lindsey asked. “What’s wrong?”
     “I’m not positive but I think our victim up there was electrocuted,” Emma said. “If the current is still live one of you could have been next.”

That is all I can share with you at the moment because I am a sleep deprived zombie and barely coherent. The 14th Library Lover's mystery FATAL FIRST EDITION is out on February 13th (next month!) and the trade paperback edition of THE PLOT AND THE PENDULUM (which came out in 2022) will be released tomorrow! 

To celebrate, I am giving away FIVE signed copies of the trade paperback but the giveaway is happening on our new private Facebook group Reds and Readers. You can join by clicking on the name and get yourself in the drawing. To kick off this new venture, we're having giveaways every day! So head on over there and check it out. With giveaways, live chats, and our community of awesome readers, it is sure to be a good time!

So, what will I be writing after I finish this book? I have two romcom proposals to write as my publisher is looking for my next book after May's upcoming LOVE AT FIRST BOOK and then I have a brand new venture that I can't talk about yet. Suffice to say, I am pivoting into the fantasy genre with the plan of adding it to my mystery and romcom books - SO EXCITING!!! - with more details to follow!

Needless to say, 2024 looks to be full of mystery, romance, and fantasy for me. 

How about you, Reds and Readers, what are you looking forward to in the coming year? 

Intentions, Aspirations, Resolutions

LUCY BURDETTE: Are you superstitious about New Year’s Day? Did you have lucky black-eyed peas? Did you make sure you were doing the things that you wanted to keep doing over the year? (I completely believe that if you forgot to do any of this yesterday, you can do it today or another day this week and all will be well!) I’m pretty sure we’ve discussed this topic in the past: that you should spend part of the day/days in the new year doing things that you hope you’ll be doing a lot of all across the year.

I would consider this a kind of intention-setting with action. In sports, psychologists and trainers talk about spelling out your goals and then repeating them enough to develop a strong habit. To be specific, here’s what I did. I wrote, because I want to have a year full of writing, good writing, good stories! I also practiced my ukulele, because I’m determined to get good enough to be able to play with a group in public. And I practiced some French because that’s another goal for this year. Finally, I started out the day with a yoga class that I love on Zoom. If I can keep up with all of those aspirations, it will be a miracle!


How about you Reds? Are you superstitious? Did you set any intentions for the new year?


RHYS BOWEN: I do always start the new year with intentions. I have a pretty note book that was given me years ago and every New Year’s Day I read what I wrote for last year, my hopes, plans and see which came to fruition and which did not. Then I do the same for the upcoming year.

We go for a walk if the weather is fine–which we plan to do every day all year. And I may try to get a little writing in as deadline is looming.


HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Lucy, that is SO impressive! And Rhys, I love that notebook idea. Love to hear more! I completely believe in affirmations, and learned that from Sue Grafton, of all people, who I still think of all the time. Yes, I am affirming my intentions like mad. But only out loud to myself.. And I’ve never heard of “spending the day doing the thing” but I love that, and that’s certainly what I’m planning to do. (The line between “plenty of time” and “OH NO THE DEADLINE” has just passed.

Secretly, I have a great idea, and next year at this time, we shall see. (See? I almost changed that to “I think I have a great idea” then decided to stay confident.


HALLIE EPHRON: I am not superstitious about New Year’s day. Once upon a time I made resolutions but then I’d lose them. I so admire anyone who makes resolutions and hangs onto them. A new notebook! Ukulele and French!! Wow. Boy would I welcome a “great idea”...


Last year my goal was just to get through the year. Be there for my kids and grands and friends. Don’t need a “resolution” for that. And I’ve emerged in pretty fine fettle… whatever fettle is.

Next year I would like to get back to writing fiction. Walk longer and more regularly. And I’m looking forward to teaching. I’ve got several gigs lined up, including a week for the Guppies. My favorite.‘


LUCY: I don’t see how you could have had resolutions with the year you had Hallie! We are all grateful you’re feeling better. I like to think of mine as more like intentions than resolutions. Somehow that hairsplitting takes the pressure off:). I’m very suggestible!


JENN McKINLAY: I can never seem to get my act together by New Year’s day. I have taken to celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, which is on January 22, 2023 (year of the rabbit) for those of us who need the extra 22 days to get sorted. I do like having intentions and resolutions but next year I have decided to embrace the empty nest we’ve got going and make 2023 the year of me. It becomes a habit when you’re a wife and mom, I think, of putting your wants and needs after everyone else’s. I am determined that next year, I’m going to move myself up a little higher in the queue. I think it’s time. So, instead of putting off the things I want (new kitchen) because someone else needs a new car or whatever, I’m holding my ground and the kitchen comes first. At least, that’s the plan. We’ll see if I stick to it!


JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m like Jenn this year - I’m still catching up from the last minute rush of Christmas (and sitting Samantha’s cat and Youngest’s dog) that I haven’t taken the time to set my goals for the new year! I have a work book I’m making my way through titled YOUR BEST YEAR, and I hope to come out the other end with some clear goals and the strategies to put them in place.

Does that mean my intention is to eventually set intentions?

As for superstition, just one: the first visitor of the New Year must be a dark haired man, and I’m getting that this year, as Guest Son (you will remember him living with me during most of 2020) is staying over that evening, and he is, you guessed it, tall, dark and handsome. A perfect first-footer!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I like "intentions" better than "resolutions", too, Lucy, but I hadn't heard of "doing the thing," although I suppose starting as you mean to go on makes sense! I've given myself until today, though, as the 1st was for black-eyed pea soup and taking down the Christmas tree and decorations.

I don't have a special journal for yearly goals, but I do try to jot some things down in whatever journal I'm currently using. And one of my intentions for 2023 is to do those regular affirmations. I believe in the power of affirmations, but they are a habit that is easy to let slip.

Julia is going to have to give us all tips!

How about you Reds? Intentions? Aspirations? Resolutions?

Oh, Kaye! and Neil Gaiman wish you all a Happy New Year

After a computer hard drive crash and attempts to migrate to a new laptop while hoping and praying for a retrieval of data (successful! well, mostly successful . . .), I was having all the issues you might expect.

What I didn't expect was for Blogger to get mad at me and refuse to cooperate.

It was enough to send a girl right over the edge.


Almost.


But, as usual, the Jungle Red women were there to lend a helping hand in posting this for me in case I wasn't able to sort out the issues, which I think I've now done (keeping those fingers crossed!).

That little act of friendship is indicative of all that I love about being a small part of this Jungle Red community.

With that in mind, I want to share, once again, as I have in the past, these words from one of the most magical authors on God's green's earth.

Everyone is familiar with Neil Gaiman's famous words that many of us post and repost every year to bring in the New Year.  And with good reason.  

They're perfect and they're timeless.  

Many of us have come to hope for new words of wisdom from Mr. Gaiman in the same vein each and every New Year's Eve.

It doesn't always happen, but this year it did.

Hooray!

So without further ado, enjoy, once again,  the magic of Mr. Gaiman, lifted in part and without apology, directly from his post at his on-line journal -  http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2014/12/new-years-wishes-and-gifts.html


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2014

New Year's Wishes and Gifts

POSTED BY NEIL GAIMAN AT 4:14 PM


An old year ends, and takes with it people and sorrows and joys and memories, and a new one is on it way.

A New Year's Gift, for anyone who missed it:



Fifteen Years ago, I wrote:

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.


And almost a decade ago I said,

...I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream
dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.


Half a decade ago, I wrote:
And for this year, my wish for each of us is small and very simple.

And it's this.

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself.

Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make
mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.


And here, from 2012 the last wish I posted, terrified but trying to be brave, from backstage at a concert:

It's a New Year and with it comes a fresh opportunity to shape our world.

So this is my wish, a wish for me as much as it is a wish for you: in the world to come, let us be brave – let us walk into the dark without fear, and step into the unknown with smiles on our faces, even if we're faking them.

And whatever happens to us, whatever we make, whatever we learn, let us take joy in it. We can find joy in the world if it's joy we're looking for, we can take joy in the act of creation.

So that is my wish for you, and for me. Bravery and joy.

...

I meant, and mean them all. I wasn't going to write a new one this year. But...

Be kind to yourself in the year ahead.

Remember to forgive yourself, and to forgive others. It's too easy to be outraged these days, so much harder to change things, to reach out, to understand.

Try to make your time matter: minutes and hours and days and weeks can blow away like dead leaves, with nothing to show but time you spent not quite ever doing things, or time you spent waiting to begin.

Meet new people and talk to them. Make new things and show them to people who might enjoy them.

Hug too much. Smile too much. And, when you can, love."


All that from Neil Gaiman.

And from me?  Ditto what he said.

Happy New Year, Reds!!!!!!

Be kind to yourselves.

Reliving the Best of 2014: Who Let the Dogs Out? @LucyBurdette

Happy New Year's Eve day, Reds. As you've heard, we've decided to relive our favorite posts from 2014 this week. I have to say, the timing is perfect, because while you're reading, I will be marching in the dachshund parade with Tonka! I'll post new pictures on Facebook, but here's how it went last year--too much fun!

LUCY BURDETTE: There are lots of unusual events that take place on the island of Key West, but perhaps none so silly and fun as the dachshund parade. 



This has been occurring on New Year's Eve day for the past eight years, much to the chagrin of the Key West police, who have plenty on their hands already, getting prepared for New Year's Eve on Duval Street. 

John and I and Tonka attended in 2012, and ended up falling in with the dachshunds and the dachshund wannabes. After seeing the sights, I vowed that we would come in costume next time around. 



I was planning to sew a costume like this for Tonka. But then I checked on ebay as time grew short--and became the winning bidder on this costume. 





And then I found hats for me and John--a hamburger and a hot dog. Weren't they such good sports about dressing up as lunch meat? We marched from the Courthouse, up Southard Street to Duval, then right on Duval to Appleruth Lane. (Dachshunds have short legs so it was a short route:). 

 There were dogs dressed as lobsters....

 and dogs with their mothers in funny hats...

A

 And dogs in disguise

 And dogs in blue tutus just like their owners

And this is my good friend, Officer Steve Torrence, who is also a character in the Key West mysteries. (He's a good sport even though he isn't a fan of this parade:). 

And here is a family portrait

Leading off the parade were three mounted police and a small van with great speakers that played classics like "Who Let the dogs out?" and "Ain't Nothing like a hound dog." A truly amazing way to end 2013...or any year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uaPs8sxqB0

And if you think this is material I can't use, you haven't read the fifth Key West mystery, DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS!

Happy New Year Reds! Hope you're out there doing something silly!  xoxo Lucy

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year readers, writers, and friends of Jungle Red! We look forward to sharing another year with you at the old home blog. Thank you for buying and reading our books--that's what keeps a smile on our faces and our computer keys clacking!

We have a great week lined up to kick off January--the secrets of the men of Jungle Red, the inside scoop on Lucy's new book, Scott Haas on the psychology of chefs, Julie Hyzy on a tour of the White House kitchen and more...come early and often!

Happy 2011!

Good mornin', good mor-or-r-nin', we've danced the whole night through...

It's 1/1/11!! Happy New Year, and Cheerio from all of us at Jungle Red!

If you hear a drum roll in the distance, it's exciting changes ahead. No hints for now, but stay tuned in the days to come.

Happy New Year!

HANK: With apologies and appreciation to Clement Moore...and maybe Dr. Seuss. And here's a little almost-instant replay (although with some tiny updates) from last year..just for Auld Lang Syne.


Twas the week before New Years'
And all through this site
Not a blogger was working
Not even to write.

Our books are all saved on our thumb drives with care
In hopes that bestseller lists soon would be there.
Our new novels were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of royalties danced in our heads.

The Jungle Red sisters, five east and one west
Had just settled our brains for a well-deserved rest.

When in magazine pages--There arose such a clatter
We opened the things to see what was the matter!

To the mags review pages we turned in a flash
To see Hallie and Hank both praised with panache!

The bookstores were loving “A for M’ by our Ro
And Rosemary’s gardener continued to grow!

And what to our wondering eyes should appear
Rhys and Jan doing new ones?—Hope for early next year!

But what makes us the happiest—keeps every day new?
We knew in a moment—it’s our blogging crew!

You listen, you chatter, you join in the game
We cheer you, we love you, we call you by name!

Thanks, Laura! Thanks Edith! Thanks Becky and Lee!
Thanks Karen, Susannah and S. Con-no-lly!

We love Deb, oh, and Rhonda, and Silver and Clare
We hope Brenda and Pat will always be there

To June and to Karen, to Marianne, too
Love to Tiger. And Mo. And to Peter. (He’s new.)

Our guest bloggers were stellar
Mary Jane! La Barnes?!
To the Paulas, and Maddee, and the fab Cathy Cairns.

To Jane, Gin and Charlaine (queen of the LIST!)
To the Femmes and to Lipstick--consider you're kissed.

Christina! Ramona! Julia! Michelle!
Hail “Anonymous” too—your comments are swell.

We had memories, recipes, tales of our youth
We’ve had jokes, and disasters, and telling the truth.
To the top of the lists! To the top of them all!
We’re revising, and writing, and sharing our call!

As dry words before our reviser’s pen fly
When they meet with cliché, and we fix them (we try):

We’re almost at New Years, and our thoughts go to you
May you write perfect books, may your wishes come true!

May you waste not a word, may you write fresh and new
And fill all your stories with mysteries and clues

And remember: on days that things don’t turn out right
And you wonder if this was a fraud and a fright

You have sisters on line—there are six of us here!
And each one is wishing you all-the-year cheer.

And we all say—we love you! ‘Fore you click from our site--
Happy New Year to All
—and long may you Write!

*******************************************

And we do have some fantastic surprises in store...watch this space! New Reds on the horizon--and we are thrilled!!