Solidly into 2026

And all I can say is, at least we have books. At least we have books. (I'm in the US and things here are weird and not good. I feel like where I stand on things is obvious in my fiction, but in case it isn't, I'm anti-authoritarian, can't stand the current administration here, and believe in science. Also, PROTECT THE DOLLS. Spend your money wisely.)

Anyway, let's talk about books and take a little respite. This month is all about The Café at KatSimonsBooks. The Café stories continue. Those are free to read for two weeks, so for anyone who's feeling the pinch of higher costs this year, you can read and enjoy each Café story. Be sure to check back in on those on the 1st and 15th of the month, so you don't miss anything you want to read. The Café is a nice place to escape to for an hour or two.

Currently, the resident familiar, Nina's Maine Coon Boo, has a story from his perspective up. A day in the life of Boo. Don't miss it!

Boo at the Café is free to read until February 1st!

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In addition to the free stories, all of the different 2025 stories have been put into two collections now! And STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME TWO is out everywhere today.

This collection has all the Café stories from July through December 2025. If you missed anything in the last six months or just want to have the stories for yourself so you can enjoy them whenever you like, pick up this collection. It's available at KatSimonsBooks as well as everywhere in eBook, Trade paperback, Large Print paperback, and Hardcover editions, to suit your reading needs.

Just a little heads up, if the print editions haven't populated out to your favorite vendors yet, they will be there soon!

STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME TWO

A Cafe Collection

Out Everywhere Now

Welcome back to the Café…

Return to the cozy, mysterious, and magical world of the Café at KatSimonsBooks, where anything can happen. And often does!

Heart-thumping romance. Dangerous mysteries. Otherworldly creatures. Magic and mayhem. Where ordinary humans sip coffee alongside paranormal creatures. Gods hang out reading paperbacks and meddling where they please. The rich scent of coffee blends with the yummy smells of fresh pastries and brand new books.

And at the center of it all, the witch proprietress Nina and her familiar Boo keep everything running smoothly. At least, as smoothly as a magical café can run.

Enter the Café and settle in for a while. Meet old friends and new. And maybe, just maybe, witness a bit of magic. Don’t miss this latest collection of Stories from The Café at KatSimonsBook!

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And of course, if you've missed any of the stories from the first half of 2025 and would like your own personal copy of those, STORIES FROM THE CAFE: VOLUME ONE is also available everywhere in eBook, Trade, Large Print, and Hardback editions.

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As a little look ahead to next month, February is supposed to be Romance month. And as long time readers will know, I'm not crazy about Valentine's Day as a holiday. BUT I do have the next Dragon Thief story coming out! Which is exciting and a little overdue. And also qualifies as a romance so I'm not shunning the holiday all together! 

Myra and Christopher have to deal with the revelations from THE GOLDEN CHALICE JOB, and that's really fun. And of course, they have things to steal and damsels in distress to rescue. If you're a bit behind on the series, now's the time to catch up!

Meanwhile, over at the Café, I'll have one of my angry FMCs making an appearance to meet another very angry FMC in the first story of the month. I love angry women characters. They're so cathartic. *grin* Be sure to swing by on the 1st of February so you don't miss them!

And if you're feeling the need for a little angry women doing stuff right now, check out ANGER MANAGEMENT.

Be sure to check back next month for details about the next Dragon Thief book, and more about the goings on at the Café (though be sure to hop over there on the 1st of February if you don't want to wait for reminders!) And I should also have some news about my next Kickstarter by then. Because I have a new Cary Redmond novel coming soon! That needs to be celebrated. The world needs more Protectors.

Until February, I hope the world is treating you kindly, or at least as well as can be expected, and I hope you find respite and joy where you can. And as always, I hope you find some really good reading for the month!

~Kat