And – Ta-daaah! – My Book Cover
December. I both love it and dread it. Do you?
A few of the things I love:
- The Phoenix weather. After a fickle November, where the high might be 90 or 60, December settles into long stretches of days hovering around 70 degrees. Just nippy enough for a sweater during the daytime (if you’re reading this in Illinois or Wisconsin, go ahead and laugh your ass off). Cold enough in the evenings and early mornings for real winter coats.
- Cookies. Eating them, yes. But also making them—specifically my sugar cookies, considered legendary in certain circles. About ten years ago, I apprenticed my daughter (a scientist who will tell you she has no artistic ability) and now her cookies, to the untrained eye, are indistinguishable from mine. It’s a labor of love, but mostly I love doing it with her.
- Christmas songs. (That cringey noise you just heard is my sister, who considers holiday music about as pleasant as nails down a blackboard.) If you’ve spent any time with me at all, you know I love to sing. Enough said.
- Holiday lights. My favorite—the starry glow of white-gold lights outlining the crooked trunks and wispy branches of palo verde trees. In general, I prefer white lights. Verbose as I am on the page, I like my decor understated. But yet, there’s something magical about the rainbow of lights blanketing our neighbors’ roof, winking in their hedges and trees—Arizona snow, if you will.
- Kids in the house. One week from today, our daughter flies in from Nashville—for two whole weeks! Which means our younger son (whom we haven’t seen much of this semester) will be hanging out here quite a bit, too. Sadly, our older son and his fiancee will be in Michigan with her family this year. But hey, two outta three ain’t bad. (And we get them for a week in January.)
What I dread (I’ll keep this short):
- Cookies. And my cousin’s Christmas Crack. (Something she calls almond brittle though it’s really more like toffee. Or crack. I dare anyone to stop at one piece.) I love me some sweet treats, but I also love breathing while wearing my jeans. The struggle is real.
- The race with time. Confession here—I came by the nickname Lastminute Lisa honestly. How is it already December 9? I’ve only bought three gifts! The endless December To Do lists are only part of it. For me, there’s something about that big number 12, and the even bigger number looming ahead of us, 2026, that make me feel like a brain-eating zombie has snuck up on me. One more year—gone. I know it’s a delusion. Time moves constantly, steadily forward. It’s impossible to hold. I don’t have any more of it in February than I do at the tail end of November.
That said, I’m resolving to stop grousing about the time behind me—so many things undone—and focus on the joy of the moment. Every conversation, every task, every night up later than I want to be, every sip of wine.
And yes, every cookie.
And here, without further ado…
Isn’t it gorgeous!?!?
Honestly, when I opened the email from the cover designer, I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. (This final version has very few changes from the first draft they sent me.) Not only do I absolutely love it, but having a bonafide cover makes it feel so legitimate. Yes, Virginia, there really will be a book.
In case you’re curious, here’s where I am in the process: Story edits are complete. It’s with the copyeditor now; she’ll finish by January 12 at the latest. Meanwhile, I’ll be working on little things like writing meta-data, buying ISBN numbers, etc. etc. (If you remember from the last post, I’m working off a 273-line spreadsheet.) Looking like late Feb/early March release date, but I should know more by time I send out my January post. At which point I’ll also be enabling preorders.
Stay tuned…
(cover design by Damonza)
What I’m reading: I just finished Releasing the Reins, by Catherine Matthews. This debut, indie published title won all kinds of awards, and once you start reading you’ll see why. Part Western (set in Alaska) part soft-thriller, lots of horses for anyone who’s into that. Definitely a page-turner. I plowed through it in under a week.
Pair with: For my AZ friends, I suggest Los Milics Renato’s red, a blend of Graciano and Montepulciano, available in their Scottsdale tasting room. Spicy and full of big, jammy fruit, it’s perfect for cold winter nights around a fire… eating molasses ginger cookies… While you’re at it, I highly recommend hopping across the street to the Carlson Creek tasting room. Your out-of-town guests will thank you. Not in Arizona? Look for a Montepulciano or Barbara, two Italian wines that hold up well with rich food and holiday desserts.
Cheers, my family & friends. Wishing you all the happiest of holidays and much love and peace in the new year.
Lisa
Lisa Binsfeld author 