A Different Kind of Week

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News Flash: The winners are Barb Nickelsen, Polina, Karen, Chefcondie, and HoldenJ. Congratulations!

Edith here, writing from an appropriately winter-cold day north of Boston.

This week feels like a bit of a mish-mash. Christmas is over, for those who celebrated it – or mostly over. Schools are on break, K though PhD. The roads are mostly quiet, at least if you didn’t hit the malls the day after Christmas (for me, that is the stuff of nightmares – I am SO not a shopper).

In my house, we won’t see my older son and his wife until Thursday, because they were with her family for the holiday. I’m leaving up the decorations, most of which my mom made with her talent with fabrics.

I’m giving myself until next year (that is, next week) to ignore my work-in-progress. I’m going to work on a short story, read a lot, clean out my bedroom closet (ugh, not done since we moved in here in 2012, and which will probably make me sneeze my head off), go for walks, see friends, and try to get caught up – but also refill the well.

I love quiet weeks. That said, I do have a new book coming out in a short two months. I did a cover reveal of my next release, Batter Off Dead, here back in September. Now I realize my next mystery releases on 2-22-22! How felicitous can that be? And it’s the tenth book in the Country Store Mysteries. Stay tuned for a big tenth-birthday celebration.

Plus, I have a stack of advance copies to give away. As Barb said years ago, we never want to get to release day with ARCs still in hand.

In Batter Off Dead, Robbie Jordan and her new husband Abe O’Neill are enjoying a summer evening in the park with fellow townsfolk excited for some Friday night fireworks. But when the lightshow ends, one of the knitters who sat with Lieutenant Bird’ s father Roy is found dead, a puncture wound in her neck. The poor woman’s death echoes that of Buck’s mother— Roy’s wife—as an unsolved homicide. To help find the killer, Robbie’s going to have to untangle knotty relationships deep in the victim’s past as well as those in the present.

Readers: Who wants an ARC to read in this mishmash week, and where will you review it?

Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

110 Thoughts

  2. I use this as a reset week. Reset my brain, reset my scheduling-less heavy than it usually is, and reprioritize as the brain clears! I haven’t done any widely read written reviews but I usually tell a few friends in the book club or in emails. Goodreads is a great spot for a written review so it may be a great time for that.

      1. Would love an ARC! This is one of my favorite series. I leave my reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Good luck with that closet!

  3. I enjoyed reading what is going on with you, Edith. Congrats on your new book and good luck with that closet! Wishing you a wonderful New Year.

  4. Edith, good for you to have a quiet, reset week.

    Me, not so much in terms of cooking. Besides the sweets/baked goods, I made special main dishes for Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner but there are no leftovers! Any stale panettone will be turned into the best french toast (similar to Cleo Coyle’s version on MLK).

    It’s catch-up reading week for me. Since I got my new prescription reading glasses two weeks ago (yay), I hope to plow through a bunch of holiday-themed reads, ARCs and library books.
    I want to read a few more books before posting my Top Reads of 2021 list on FB.

    I’m sure you will find readers who will want an ARC of Batter Off Dead.
    DON’T include me in the draw since 1) I live in Canada and postage is outrageous, and 2) I have a Netgalley ARC. I post my reviews on Netgalley and Goodreads in advance, and then on Amazon after publication day.

  6. I’d love to read your ARC, Edith. My review would appear on TameYourBook dot com. If possible, I’d prefer a MOBI or EPUB copy.

    Like you, I’m decluttering, but I can always make time for a good book!

  7. Yes, Edith, the week that is the “pause button”. Perhaps I read too much into your line about leaving Christmas decorations up (felt to me that you felt you were falling behind what is expected). There are 12 Days of Christmas … so keep those decorations up until January 6!
    My family tradition is barely any decorating before Christmas Eve and no taking down until January 6. So go clean your closet and sneeze away and enjoy the Christmas quilts and candles at the end of each day.

      1. Fresh New Years are good. Our other family reason for January 6: a family owned small town department store at mid-20 century just before malls and box stores. Dad worked six days a week 9 to 8 and collapsed on Sunday. To me (2 yrs old to preteen) he would just disappear from the Friday after Thanksgiving until 5 pm Christmas Eve. December 25 through January 6 was our family Christmas time. So glad you will have family toward the end of the week.

  8. I can’t wait to get back to Robbie and Abe and the gang! Love this series. ( and your others…lol )

  10. This is definitely a clean out spaces week- junk drawers, closets, etc. I’m planning to reorganize my bookshelves so that will be fun! I’d love an ARC of Batter Off Dead, and I’ll review it on Goodreads definitely. I’m also toying with starting some reviews on Instagram to try to build my writer base!

  11. While most will experience a quiet week, I’m back to work in a couple of hours and I’m sure that I’ll be busy. But I do like the idea of taking at least some down time to recharge. Yesterday, I spent a few hours crafting my Top 10 CDs of 2021 list so that I can be done with music writing for the year and get a “fresh” start for 2022.

    Of course, I have my Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers list to work on (and my Fave Raves submission for Mystery Scene as well) so I guess down time is kind of a relative thing.

    Would I love an ARC of BATTER OFF DEAD? Does a bear….well you know. Of course I would. Where would I review it? Well my original review would be posted on Goodreads, but I would copy and paste that to the Barnes & Noble website and I discovered I can post reviews again on Amazon so I would put it up there too.

    Either way, I can’t wait to read the book.

  12. Would love an arc. Regular work week for me. With many on vacation, we will have some shoppers. Next week will be my reset week. I review on goodreads and Amazon

  14. I would dearly LOVE an ARC of ” Batter Off Dead”! Love your books and enjoy leaving reviews everywhere. I post reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookbub, and Kobo, as well as Books-A-Million and ChristianBook when possible as well as sharing those reviews on social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

    Not a shopper either. When younger I would try to hit the sales to save money and find presents for those close to me. Now that I’m more “mature” and not as agile on my feet to fight the crowds, I stay as far away as possible.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  15. It is a quiet week for me, except for Tuesday — my only day to work this week. I can’t wait for the further adventures of Robbie and Friends! I would love an ARC of Batter Off Dead, and would review it on Goodreads.

  16. My daughter will turn 35 tomorrow, Tuesday, and that is the big event of my week. To have an opportunity to read Batter Off Dead would only help to make my week even better. I would be glad to post reviews to Goodreads and Facebook.

  18. Absolutely would love one. I review regularly on Goodreads, Amazon, Book Bub and Facebook

  20. I would love to receive an ARC of Batter Off Dead. I would review it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.

  21. Love your Christmas decorations – and the blue leather couch!

    This is a busy week for me and a calm one – it’s the week I take stock and set goals. I would love to share Robbie’s adventures in book 10, and would review of Amazon and Goodreads.

    All the best for 2022! May the new year be merry and bright.

    1. And to you, Kait! (Don’t look too closely at the couch – it’s seriously cat-scratched. But very comfortable and has served as overflow guest bed for short people.

  22. Edith, I’d be delighted to read it and review it on Goodreads. Let me know if you need me!!

  23. Alas, I only review on Goodreads, but do share my opinions with a select group of reader friends. It is always nice to read one of your books. Best of luck with the new ones!

  24. Hi, I would love a copy of your book. I would review on Amazon and Good Reads as well as a couple of cozy Facebook groups.

  25. I leave reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Would love a new book to review!

  26. Thank you for sharing your cozy Christmas 2021!!! My wife and I had a quiet and somewhat sad Christmas alone, because we had to turn around and come home last Wednesday as we were caroling in the car on our way to my son’s home…2 of my grandkids (11 and 7) tested positive, and are in quarantine for 14 days…We feel blessed that we were not infected…We would love to be able to read an ARC of BATTER OFF DEAD, and if selected, will review it on Amazon. May you be blessed in abundance in 2022 and beyond. Luis at ole dot travel Many thanks.

  27. Good morning Edith!
    I’d love to read your ARC book Batter of Dead! I would do a review on Goodreads, Bookbub and Amazon. 🥰 Have a wonderful day!!!

  29. I would love an ARC to read. I would review it on Amazon and Goodreads. I would also tell my friends about it and recommend it because I’m sure I’ll like it. I haven’t read one of your books that I didn’t like to date.

  30. I would love to read, review, and make/bake any recipe from the book! I would share on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and my book review blog. Looking forward to Robbie’s next adventure, aside from being a newlywed.

  32. I’m technically off work this week, although I will have to work on Thursday. Accounting never truly takes so much time off. Still up visiting my family in Nor Cal. Won’t start heading south until Wednesday. Watching the weather to determine how I want to drive south.

  33. Enjoy your quiet week, Edith! I always take the week between Christmas and New Year’s off. But this year I have two piles – stuff I need to do and stuff I’m doing (read: nothing). With the weather being decidedly un-holiday like (gray, rainy, and cold), I’m not feeling motivation to do anything except curl up with a big mug of tea and read.

  35. Look at everyone who’d love one of your ARC’s (me included)! Exciting!! I’d be reading it right here in my recliner, watching the snow fall, cup of tea right next to me!

  38. Hi Edith. I always love reading all of your books. I would leave reviews on Bookbulk and Goodreads.

  39. What a fun giveaway for this quiet week. I work, but you could tell not as many cars were put this morning! I would leave my review at good reads, librarything, bookbub, Amazon and BN.com. Thanks for the chance to win!

  41. Happy New Year Maddie!
    I’m so excited to read this next installment! You are one of my top 3 cozy mystery authors and wait with baited breath to read more of Robbie’s adventures. I’d post a review on Goodreads and paperbackswap.com.

  43. I would love to have an ARC of the Country Store mysteries – one of my all time favorites to read!

  44. I would love an ARC! I would review it on Amazon, Goodreads and B&N. Like you, I need to declutter my closet! Thanks for the chance!

  45. I would love an ARC. I would be thrilled to review it. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I review in Goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon, as well as Barnes and Noble. Have a wonderful week.

  46. I would love an arc. Im on good reads. I hope my new years has one day of no cleaning.

  47. I would love to receive an ARC of Butter Off Dead! I love Robbie’s adventures, and am currently rereading the Country Store series while waiting for the new book to release. I also enjoy her recipes!

  49. I review on Am., B&N, Goodreads, and NetGalley — I’ll review early if I have an ARC, later if I must wait for a “real” copy. As for pretty winter decor, we’re only on the 3rd day of Christmas. I used to pack things away before returning to teaching six classes a day, but now they stay ’til spring . . . accenting the red with hearts in Feb., and the green in March.
    I love that your book launches on 2/Tues/day 😉

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