Friday, December 13, 2013

Happy Holidays! Holiday Codas

As some of you -- hopefully most of you! -- will recall, I wrote Christmas codas to some of your favorite stories last year as a little present for my readers. I had many, many requests to bundle those stories into a collection, even if it meant charging for them.

So I decided to do that, and I decided to add to the existing codas by writing about ten more. I thought I would also included recipes for cocktails and meals within the original stories -- or recipes that just seemed to say an additional something. :-)

I decided that $2.99 would be a fair price given that I am paying for cover art, editing, and formatting.

But I also decided that since the idea behind the codas is to gift readers in thanks for their support and generosity throughout the year, I would also run the codas (most of them, anyway) on my blog site where they could be read for free.

Starting Monday, I'll begin posting the new codas for your enjoyment. The coda collection will not be out until probably the end of next week or so, but it will be available for $2.99 as promised. And I think maybe we'll make this a tradition and every year I'll write new codas and add them to the collection. Maybe. We'll see what the response is this year.

Anyway, the point is, you can read the codas for free or you can buy the collection -- or both! The codas are a little holiday gift to you, my readers. I hope you enjoy them.

Here's the lovely cover by Johanna Ollila, one of the wonderful moderators of my Goodreads group as well as a gifted talented artist.

See you Monday!



54 comments:

  1. I loved the Christmas codas last year - they really brightened up my December! :) I'm so excited to hear more are on the way (^O^) Having the chance to see how characters are doing is always a treat! Can't wait to read the new codas, and the collection sounds great. Thank you so much! :)

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    1. Thank you, Jana. I hope everyone enjoys them this year as much as last!

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  2. Last year's Christmas codas were a wonderful present, Josh. Having them in a collection with new codas added in is a truly beautifult idea, and an example of your always kind and generous nature toward your readers. Looking forward to catching up with more of my favorite couples. Thank you, Josh.

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    1. Thank you, Susan. I enjoy writing these, I have to admit. :-)

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  3. Dear Josh,

    You are as generous and caring as usual. Thank you for the gift! Of course I'm going to read the codas here *and* buy the collection!

    Be well!

    Antonella

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  4. Oh, thanks so much, Josh! I'm so excited that I can add the Codas to my Lanyon collection. (If I were a dog, my tail would be wagging so hard, it would be knocking things off the coffee table.) Including the recipes for the meals and cocktails is brilliant. I'll have a Stardust to celebrate. BTW, the cover art is just perfect, Johanna!

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    1. Thank you so much, Cynthia. You can't imagine how happy it makes me that you like the mittens. :-)

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    2. I love that cover, Johanna. Your artwork is perfect. Adorable. Perfectly adorable. ;-)

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  5. What a wonderful gift! I loved last year's codas and look forward to having them available in a collection. And more, new codas! It's Christmas a bit early this year! Looking forward to Monday! Thanks so much, Josh. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

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  6. Thanks Josh, wish I could bake you some real old fashioned homemade cookies in thanks. Your generosity is warming. For my part, I could not consider my Lanyon collection complete without at least an e-copy but its the books that warm my old fashioned heart most of all. Best of the Holidays to you and yours.

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  7. Can't wait to read these during the holiday — both old and new ones! Thank you so much, Josh, for making this coda collection. And I think it's a wonderful idea to maybe write a few new codas every year. You really make the best homemade Christmas gifts, don't you Josh... ;-)

    Thank you!

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    1. I'll try this again.. :-D
      Yay for this news! The codas are like receiving Christmas cards from both you and the characters Josh :-) The recipes will be a welcome holiday addition around here and Johanna's art makes for wonderful wrapping. Can't wait!

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    2. YAY for second tries. :-)

      Thank you, Dianne. That's a charming thought.

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  9. Although it's been said many times, many ways, thank you. You spoil us so. I am looking forward to the new and the old codas. Such a nice glimpse into how our old friends are doing.

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    1. Oh! And I meant to say to Johanna. I love the cover! It is just perfect and warm. Good job!

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    2. It's my pleasure to spoil you a little.

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  10. That's a wonderful idea, thank you Josh. I loved last years coda's and I know I will love this years :)

    What a great cover Johanna, congratulations! Very nice with the snowball heart and the mittens.

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    1. Thank you, Sylvia. I love the little men around the bottom of the mittens. Just a lovely, subtle touch.

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  11. Thank you, Josh! Of course I look forward to reading the codas during the week, but I'll be buying too. I have been looking forward to these codas since you first mentioned them, oh so many months ago. :) The cover is perfect. Johanna, you should be proud.

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  12. I'm really excited to see new codas, but I'll be buying the collection as well! Than you, Josh, for thinking of us.

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  13. I so agree with everyone that Josh shamelessly, generously spoils us with his codas!!! ;-)

    And thank you so much for being so extremely nice about the mittens + heart shaped snowball + tiny men couples. :-) You guys are so kind! However, I want to point out that I didn't make the layout of the cover, only the painting. Anyway, I think the layout is great. And I want to thank the person who made it. Thank you! :-)

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    1. And of course Josh was very brave to ask me to do the cover picture in the first place! I'm extremely honored to be able to participate in his Christmas preparations this way. ;-) So... a big, HUGE, THANK YOU for that, Josh.

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    2. That would be KB Smith, my webguy. :-) He does a very nice job with covers, yes. But he has to have something to work with! And you supplied the original art, Johanna. That is a cover that makes me smile.

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    3. Not brave at all! I've had many glimpses of your beautiful art. I knew you would come up with something perfect.

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  14. Wonderful news! I'm so looking forward to read the Christmas codas. Last year they played a big part in getting me into the right Christmas-y mood. It feels good to know that our heroes are well and love each other.

    I'm so excited to finally see the Christmas Coda Cover! So beautiful, Johanna! I can practically feel the warmth and wooly softness of the mittens and I can imagin the sheepish smile of the one giving his heart and the totally smitten look on the face of the one receiving it. Love it!

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    1. @Johanna: Can you tell me how you made the picture? Is it watercolours or something else? I'm wondering how it is possible that I can see every stich of the knitted mittens. :-)

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    2. Hello, dear Calathea! Sheepish smile and smitten look... That's wonderful — I love that image! :-) And I'm so glad you feel like the picture goes well with Josh's lovely codas.

      Everything else is painted with watercolors, but those stitches and the men pattern are made with color pencils. And on the back ground I threw some salt on the wet watercolor to make it look frosty.

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  15. This is so awesome. I really luv your Christmas Codas from last year and am looking forward to it being in book form this year. Best Christmas present ever to your fans.

    I know you're going to write 10 new codas. I was wondering if there is any chance to do one for Mexican Heat. I would luv to know how they are doing today.

    Also, thanks for having the Irregulars on sale for $1.99. Best book ever and 2nd best Christmas present ever. I luv the book and it concept. Plus it was so long and all the stories were just awesome which is a rarity when written by 4 different authors, but they all gel so well. Thanks so much.

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    1. Thank you very much! Weightless Books and Blind Eye Books get credit for the sale -- but I agree that was a fantastic sale.

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    2. I'm very happy that the codas have been so well-received.

      Probably no Mexican Heat this year, although...I shall take it under advisement. :-)

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  16. I am excited about the recipes, and of course the codas, but definitely the recipes.

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  17. Lovely Christmas present. And, not only because I'm a knitter, I love the cover :)

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    1. I love that cover. Johanna submitted several wonderful possibilities for the cover, but when I saw that one I instantly thought, That's it!

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  18. Christmas codas coming soon! It's our perfect Advent calendar. Thanks for our gifts, Josh, and of course I can't resist adding the book to my collection. Johanna's cover art is whimsical, while not a bit overly sweet. The little details are so lovely. I love that you incorporated the salted WC. The art teacher at our school was introducing this to our kiddos a couple of weeks ago. HB's graphic design is a perfect fit.

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  19. Those kiddos must have been thrilled — that salt trick is like magic. ;-) Oh, and if you want to have bigger, more distinct frost flowers, use sea salt. I used table salt for Josh's cover to have just slight frost effect — a Californian frost effect. LOL.

    Thank you, Karen. I learned a new-to-me word today: whimsical. :-)

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  20. Oh I can't wait for the holiday treat on Monday. I actually didn't read most of the codas until the Spring when I found them - took me a few months to catch on to your site:-) and by then I was a third of the way thru your collection. You really are very generous to your readers -Thank you!

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    1. I have the best readers in all the realm. ;-) Seriously, though. It is my pleasure to share a little holiday warmth and cheer.

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  21. That your are going to.put together these stories is awesome.I have all your books and audio books so it will be a great addition.Make very happy also sharing the Marrige law in Utah ,although I don,t think it will last,was hoping that my son would be able to marriage his partner here ,buy first we are in the process of bringing him from Colombia to Utah with a fiance visa to do it, and then have my family together again.Well I could only hope.Thks again
    Taty Noriega

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    1. I'm sure this will happen in your lifetime, Maria. Progress is slow, but there IS progress.

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  23. Now that's a nice Christmas gift idea... I can think of a few busy Fanyons who might have missed the codas.

    Great job, Johanna!

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