Hello to winter! (At least in New England, where I am.) Time to curl up on the couch with a good book? Winter’s Charms is a collection of three seasonal novellas that centre around the winter holidays.
I’d known since I wrote Eclipse that I wanted to spend more time both with Seth and Golshan and Dilly, and exploring some of the further mysteries of Schola. Several readers had also said they were very interested in these things. Add in a bit of Kate and Giles and their glorious banter, and you have a collection!
Casting Nasturtiums is about how Seth finds his best friend Golshan after the Great War. (MMF polyamorous romance, mentioned briefly in Eclipse).
This is the novella that came bursting out of my head from the opening scene, and the three of them continue to delight me. Seth’s fierceness, Golshan’s bafflement, and Dilly’s resolute good humour just make me smile (and sometimes cry) every time.
Country Manners finds Kate and Giles (from Wards of the Roses) visiting his grandmother and his family for the winter holidays in 1921. It’s a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, they also discover a small mystery.
I love Kate and Giles, and their comfort with each other here. (They have a great line in banter, sometimes.) This also answers the question of “How did Kate get that Pleasing Token she’s wearing in Outcrossing, and what is a Pleasing Token, anyway?”
Chasing Legends explores some of the deeper magics of Schola, when a mysterious knock on the door of the great hall during a holiday feast leads to challenges and opportunities. This one features Thesan, Isembard from Eclipse and Pross and Ibis from Magician’s Hoard, along with other familiar faces.
What’s not to love about exploring the history of Schola and some of its particular enchantments? It’s also about claiming who you are, what you’ve done, and what you’re willing to do.
Get your copy from the usual places…
(If you think the seasonal collection is fun, let me know. I’m contemplating a summer one, centred around the Summer Solstice faire, for 2023.)
