I hope your new year is off to a great start!

The days are longer, even though it's minute-by-minute. Extra daylight makes a huge difference on my mood and attitude. It seems to make a difference on my pack, too, especially when it's too cold for them to play outdoors. For Grace, new toys help with being cooped up. She's added to her hedgehog collection, but still likes the small ones. The Westies enjoy window watching and barking. It's become sort of like their interactive TV.

So, what about your household? Are there certain activities that help get you through the winter? Do you read more? Play video games? Binge watch whole TV series? I've been enjoying jigsaw puzzles and—wait for it—Deal or No Deal Island. I know, it surprises me, too.

I don't watch "Survivor-type" shows, but I have always liked game shows. And no, I don't watch true crime or thrillers. It's too much like coming home from work and still thinking about work. After a day of writing, I look forward to something entirely different like comedy, the Food Network and right now, this game show turned reality show.

Whatever your winter activities include, I hope you're finding ways to relax and enjoy.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW CREED'S WORLD?

I'm always impressed that so many of you know my books and my characters so well. Just for fun, here are a few trivia questions with multiple choice answers. How many can you get right. (The answers can be found at the end of the newsletter…don't peek.)

Brodie Creed has a cat that was found with her. What did Brodie name it?

a) Calico

b) Midnight

c) Kitten

d) Scooter

Before starting his own scent detection business, Ryder Creed was a K9 handler in the military. In which branch did he serve?

a) the Army

b) the Marines

c) the Navy

d) the Coast Guard

Jason's black Labrador is named after this literary character from his favorite book.

a) Marley

b) Hamlet

c) Gollum

d) Scout

Which character most likely said the following, "I'm much more comfortable working with dead people."

a) Hannah Washington

b) Ryder Creed

c) Maggie O'Dell

d) Dr. Avelyn Parker

Where is Ryder Creed's training facility located?

a) Alabama

b) Florida

c) Nebraska

d) Georgia

Again, you can find how many correct answers you got at the end of this newsletter.

A READER TREAT OR A VALENTINE GIFT

I know I've said this before, but I really do love this new ceramic mug. It holds 16 ounces of your favorite beverage. And it's red! It was a hit for Christmas, but it turns out it's perfect for Valentine's Day too! So, we ordered more.

You'll also receive a 4oz. package of delicious award-winning chocolates from Nebraska's Baker's Candies.

Treat yourself or get one as a gift for someone special. By the way, JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER is a phrase all us readers agree on. CHECK IT OUT OR ORDER HERE.

ALEX AND DEB RECOMMEND

If you're staying inside and reading more, this is probably a good time to share some books Deb and I enjoyed.

Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen

This debut is the beginning of a series. Two others follow: "Hard Rain" and "Next of Kin."

FROM THE JACKET: A small-town mystery about an unlikely private investigator searching for a missing waitress, this mesmerizing debut was awarded the 2019 Tony Hillerman Prize.

Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau

FROM THE JACKET: The Statue of Liberty is the target of a terrorist attack, the first in a possible series of attacks, in this thrilling series from A.J. Landau, featuring Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service.

The Guide by Peter Heller

FROM THE JACKET: A heart-racing thriller about a young man who is hired by an elitte fishing lodge in Colorado, where he uncovers a plot of shocking menace amid the natural beauty of sun-drenched streams and forests.

This Girls's A Killer by Emma C. Wells

This cover grabbed our attention, and the book (a debut thriller) lives up to that.

FROM THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: Ask Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be the same. "He had it coming." By day, Cordelia is an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and a designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Lousinana of unscrupulous men, monsters who think they've evaded justice. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around the phase, "serial killer." But Cordelia knows that's absurb. She's not a killer. She's karma.

ENTER TO WIN THIS MONTH'S CONTEST

The winner from the last eNewsletter giveaway is: Cathy Goldie from South Carolina.

This time we're giving away one of our new mugs. The winner will also receive a 4 oz package of Baker's chocolates and signed paperbacks of the first three Ryder Creeds. (Breaking Creed, Silent Creed, and Reckless Creed).

To enter, send an email to contests@alexkava.com and share with us one of your favorite winter activities, hobbies or guilty pleasures. (One of mine is putting together puzzles! )

ONE LAST UPDATE

Around Thanksgiving my sweet Huck tore his other ACL/CCL. For those of you who have been through this, you know it's not unusual for the other leg to follow. Still, it broke my heart. It hadn't even been a year since the first tear in the other leg. This time we started shockwave (soundwave) therapy immediately. I'm happy to report that last week his veterinarian, Dr. Jen Hebel of 5 Elements Veterinary Alternatives gave him the green light. She told Huck he could, "GO be a dog!" Those were the best four words I've heard in a year. ❤️