Ho Ho Hold on! A Christmas Novella in July?

Last night, I hosted a new group of readers (I'm calling them my Bonus Book Club) for a discussion about my to-be-released-in-November novella, The One You're With. This one ties in so very much with Like A Flip Turn (because you've got the magic of Ruby's flowers), Kick It One More Time (because that's where you really get the details regarding Doc, Jack, and Amelia), and Just Whistle (because Jasper's got a house with rooms that shift around, you know?).

Here's the synopsis of The One You're With, so you can get yourself all geared up to purchase it in November:

Everyone lives a day differently… and sometimes the lives of the people living that day intersect.

As Doc Delaney prepares for his annual party on Christmas Eve in Lake Caywood, so do Jack and Amelia Porter, Ruby Gallagher, and Jasper Lane. The season is one that should be full of wonder and merriment, but a specific box on the page of a calendar doesn’t necessarily eliminate the secrets that exist in a town, nor does it prevent unexpected truths from being shared. Over the course of twenty-four hours, the lives of several locals are changed for both the better and the worse—just in time for the holidays.

Just so you know in advance, the size of this novella is smaller than my other books, making it convenient for stuffing stockings. *wink wink*

Anyway, because my Regular Rae Readers have read all of the aforementioned books, I wanted to hear from folks who didn't already have the backgrounds of Jack, Ruby, Jasper, Amelia, and Doc... which proved to be a really smart move because this particular group of readers gave me some phenomenal suggestions! Here's who was involved:

Concert Husband Phil, who typically reads nonfiction but has now read two of my books... and will be reading a third for another discussion next month! He had some really insightful things to contribute too -- I'm so glad he was able to come!

Trivia Darren, who has now also read two of my books and is planning to listen to Like A Flip Turn while traveling in the weeks to come. (He's going to love it.) Darren provided some good commentary about Doc and the placement of information. Like, he posed this really interesting question that involved the ordering of the stories and it made me think a lot. I liked that.

BFF Kathy, who has read many of my things, but not all of them (yet!) and who feels that as a third-grade teacher, she can't contribute to book discussions as well as those of us who teach English... but she's very wrong because she made a comment about Jack last night that really resonated with me and I'm still chuckling about it today.

Co-worker Kathy, who has read three of my books and is embarking on a Hannah Rae Reading Excursion because The One You're With left her wanting more. (That comment pretty much made my night because ultimately I just want people to want to read my stuff!)

High School Erin, who's actually a member of my Regular Rae Readers, but who (probably) can't be there for that discussion about The One You're With which will meet later this month. Erin ACED the wine-bottle-label competition and took home an original piece of art that connects to the text. When it comes to making deep connections between wine and texts, that girl knows what she's doing!

Sister Erin, who's the sister of Co-worker Kathy and was in town and so she read my book and came along! Erin talked about her reading ability in much the same way BFF Kathy talked about hers, but she too had some hilarious stuff to say about Jack. Especially the underpants scene!

#1 Fan Nicole, who recently read Running Through the Words (the longest novel she's ever read, I believe) and LOVED it. That title gave her a lot of insight to Doc, and some to Jack as well, so she was coming at The One You're With from a different perspective and that was super fun to hear! She also came this close (my fingers are almost touching) to taking home the wine-bottle-label prize... but then Erin took the lead with her picture of the wine's description. It was a tight competition!

Marketing Manager Mary, who is also a member of my Regular Rae Readers, but who attends both meetings because I need her wisdom and insight and mental notes so that we can dissect everything at Bantam Coffee Roasters on Thursday. That girl's an absolute gem and I need everyone to start buying and reading/listening my books so I can pay her properly for all her hard work.

Before I sign off, wanna hear about the menu? Okay. First of all, I got out my Christmas tablecloth and cocktail napkins. And the menu consisted of:

• red peppers and cucumbers with dip (because they're Christmas colors!)

• little baguettes with spreadable cheese and smoked salmon (they were a hit)

• quiche (red onion, spinach, mushroom, and four cheese)

• fancy cheeses, blackberries, grapes, and salt-and-vinegar almonds

• caprese bites, made with little tomatoes from Twin Springs

• shrimp and cocktail sauce (which has resulted in my garbage disposal now being clogged, so I'm writing this as I wait for the plumber to arrive)

• and bite-sized peanut butter cookies that were shaped like snowflakes

Alright. I'm off to work on a new book I'm writing. Later, gators!