by Barb, in frigid Portland, Maine
What’s new with me, you ask?
Been a bit busy as a matter of fact.
Yule Log Murder, the collection of three novellas my story, “Logged On,” is in, along with stories by Leslie Meier and Lee Hollis, came out three weeks ago.
Realizing she can’t make a decent Bûche de Noël to save her life, Julia Snowden enlists the help of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. St. Onge, in hopes of mastering the dessert for Christmas. With everyone in the old woman’s circle missing or deceased, however, it’s up to Julia to stop the deadly tidings before she’s the next Busman’s Harbor resident to meet a not-so-jolly fate.
And Steamed Open, the seventh Maine Clambake Mystery, comes out three weeks from now. I’ve written about all of the eleventy-seven guest blog posts for that happy day.
It’s summertime in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and the clamming is easy—or it was until a mysterious new neighbor blocks access to the beach, cutting off the Snowden Family Clambake’s supply. Julia Snowden is just one of many townspeople angered by Bartholomew Frick’s decision. But which one of them was angry enough to kill?
Meanwhile, I turned in the copy-edits for Jane Darrowfield, Professional Busybody on Monday. It came up for pre-order this week as well.
After Jane helps a friend with a sticky personal problem, word starts to spread around her bridge club—and then around all of West Cambridge, Massachusetts—that she’s the go-to girl for situations that need discreet fixing. Soon
she has her first paid assignment—the director of a 55-and-over condo community needs her to de-escalate hostilities among the residents. As Jane discovers after moving in for her undercover assignment, the mature set can be as immature as any high schoolers, and war is breaking out between cliques.
And, last but certainly not least, both a novella, “Hallowed Out,” for Haunted House Murder, and Sealed Off, Maine Clambake eight, are due to my editor February 1.
Meanwhile, of course, Christmas, which is my favorite holiday and therefore cannot be short-changed. Wish me luck!
Kait Carson
Charlene D’Avanzo 
Barb, love the novella, although I think all three novellas in the book make too much of making a buche. May make one for Christmas this year-much easier than a cookie house! Loaned my copy to my neighbor who joined us for Thanksgiving, with a strong emphasis that it was a loan.
Vida–I’m so glad you liked the book. My niece makes a buche every year and she would probably agree with you. However, you’ve always been a better baker than me, and I’m particularly weak on the presentation elements that are so important with a buche, so I stand by Julia, who’s never cooked in any of the books being daunted.
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!