The happiest of holidays to all of you who celebrate! I hope you’re having/have had the best of times with those you love.

Hubby and I are about to celebrate another anniversary, yay, and I finally made Christmas dinner today (long story). While my cheesy cornbread can’t touch my daughter’s, it was fluffy, sweet, cheesy, and warm; I offset the sweetness with a bit of hot sauce and, of course, the cheese. It really worked. (Though what I wouldn’t have given for Mia to have made her version for us; alas, over the holidays she was traveling home from a business trip.) (I’d offer you the recipe for mine, but I have to admit that it was an upscale box mix I was gifted, and I just added cheddar cheese, corn kernels, and sugar to it.)

I’ve been proofreading and polishing my second novel, Southern-Fried Woolf, coming out January 23, 2023. I am on my fifth read through of it since I received my advance reader copies. It may not end up perfect, but I’m determined to get it in the best shape possible. I will, as Lily Briscoe says, have my vision.

I’m finding plenty of last-minute bits to omit, clarify, and improve. And I’m getting excited to share it with you all!

What became SFW began almost 16 years ago. How is that possible? It has grown up alongside other novels and short stories, a few poems. It started as a bit of prose which wanted to be a poem, became a short story, then a novella, and this final form, which is (mostly) a novel.

While I continue honing this for just a couple more rounds, I also wanted to share this podcast I was on recently, Pages & Platforms, where I talk about my experience in Goal Getter School.  

Sorry if there is nothing sparkling to this post, but I spent most of the day proofreading, and as happy as I am to have done so, my eyes are plenty tired.

I really want to share with you the books I received for Christmas, but I want to do it after I take a photo of them. Give me a few days…

Did you receive any special books or gifts over the holidays? Please share your favorites here!

Happy Reading,

Drēma

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