Long time, no talk, everyone! I cannot believe that it's December already and I am so, so sorry that this page has been mostly dormant for the past two months. In the interest of transparency, this post will address what's been going on and how I intend to finish out 2025 at Fat Forward Books as we gear up for a new year, new books, and new opportunities.

Where Have You Been?

To be totally frank, the last few months have been really rough on my physical and mental health. Without getting into too many details (I try to keep at least some things private), I've been going through medication changes and dealing with severe pain flares, which has meant missing work, skipping events, modifying beloved traditions, and more.

Additionally, we've had some family emergencies that have diverted all of our attention and finite resources. On top of all of that, I've faced multiple major technology failures, which is stressful in the best of times, let alone when everything else is already so turbulent.

Fat Forward Books and several other projects were put on the back burner as I moved into survival mode. Now that things are stabilizing (which is a huge, huge relief), I can once again turn my attention toward these endeavors.

Fall Reading Challenge EXTENDED

The Fall Reading Challenge has been EXTENDED until Friday, December 19! Fill out your bingo boards and submit for your chance to win $50 toward expanding your personal library!

Content Backlog

Unfortunately, I still have not been able to edit and post video interviews due to the aforementioned issues of the last two months. I am figuring out how to best present these interviews and highlight these authors whose work I adore. Please stay tuned!

New Content

At the end of each December, I like to post about my favorite reads of the year and major milestones of the last 12 months. This year is no different! I plan to post my monthly reading wrap-ups dating back to September (better late than never, right?) as well as my usual year-end content to close out December, then kick off 2026 with a fresh content plan.

It's been snowing in my part of the world and all I want to do is curl up with a mug of hot cocoa, my cats, and a good book. Here are some seasonal recs (and some that just feel wintery or warm to me) if you're in a similar state:

• Patience & Esther: An Edwardian Romance by S.W. Searle

• The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

• Just Our Luck by Denise Williams

• A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

• A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

• A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

• Of Wolves and Stags by Ria Parisi

• A Tale of Mirth & Magic by Kristen Vale

• The Kindred by Alechia Dow

• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

What are you reading this month? Tell me about it below or join the Discord to talk all things books! 💛