Hi dear friend,
We hope this note finds you well—with a cup of tea or coffee in hand and a good book nearby.
Lately, life has been wonderfully full. We've spent countless hours at our desks (still sitting across from each other after all these years), happily debating plot twists, polishing chapters, and occasionally insisting that our version of a scene is the better one. Thankfully, we've learned that the best stories usually come from somewhere in the middle.
Before anything else, we simply want to say thank you.
A little while ago, we made the decision to limit the number of subscribers to this newsletter. It may seem like an unusual choice in a world where everyone is chasing bigger numbers, but for us, this has never been about the size of the list. It's about the people on it. We'd much rather have a smaller community of readers who truly love stories and enjoy sharing this journey with us than a huge mailing list where those connections are lost. Your emails, your reviews, your kind words, and the moments when you tell us that one of our characters felt like family...those are gifts we never take for granted. You are the reason we keep writing, and we hope you know just how much we treasure this little corner we've built together.
Many of you have also followed our family's journey over the past few years, and we wanted to share a small personal update. As most of you know, Nikoo continues to live with metastatic breast cancer. August brings another stent replacement, scans and doctor appointments—a reminder that life with metastatic disease comes with its share of challenges. But we've learned that while cancer takes away many things, it doesn't get to decide how we spend our days. The love of family and friends, your encouragement, and the opportunity to give back through volunteering have become some of life's greatest blessings.
Here’s a favorite quote is from Winston Churchill: "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."
That has become something of a guiding principle for us. Whether it's mentoring another patient, volunteering with cancer organizations, or simply being there for someone having a difficult day, we've discovered that giving has a remarkable way of bringing hope right back to the giver. It keeps us all moving forward.
On the home front, we're looking forward to a house full of family over the next couple of months. There is something wonderfully healing about hearing grandchildren laugh, sharing long meals that last well past dessert, and ending the day with conversations in the backyard—or watching the sunset at the beach. Those moments remind us what matters most.
Then, in September, we'll be traveling back to Connecticut to volunteer once again with Little Pink Houses of Hope, an organization that's especially close to our hearts. They provide week-long retreats for families living with cancer, giving them time to simply breathe, reconnect, and make beautiful memories together. It's one of the highlights of our year, and we're honored to be part of it.
NOW FOR SOME BOOK NEWS!
We're delighted to tell you that Second Street, the next novel in our Harbor View Cozy Fantasy series, will be available to order on Wednesday, August 12—which also happens to be our younger son's birthday. We can't imagine a better day to send another story into the world. We cannot wait for you to return to Harbor View and spend more time with Skye, Ocean, Arthur, and all the wonderfully quirky residents of our favorite little seaside town.
Until then, we'd love to share a sneak peek at the next chapter….Here’s the link
And if you're in the mood for something completely different, we've also temporarily lowered the price of our Scottish Starter Box Set to just $1.99. It includes the first novels from three of our Scottish series and is a wonderful place to begin or revisit—or perhaps introduce a friend to our Highland adventures. No pressure whatsoever; we simply wanted to let you know while the sale is running.
And finally (not book news!), our newest obsession...
Every Friday has somehow turned into an unofficial Sourdough Bake-Off at our house (see picture of our dinner rolls above!). We're experimenting with starters, comparing crumb, arguing over hydration percentages (yes, really!), and discovering that baking bread is surprisingly addictive. We suspect many of you have fallen down the same rabbit hole. If you're a sourdough enthusiast, we'd love to hear your favorite tips—or even see a picture of your latest loaf or rolls!
As always, thank you for inviting our stories into your lives and for letting us be a small part of that. We never take your friendship, your encouragement, or your readership for granted.
Until next time, take good care of yourselves—and keep turning the pages.