The Trajectory of Today’s Topics

• Getting kids into reading

• It’s not LitRPG, but maybe RPGlit?

• New products in the works

Hot Off The Press

UK Gets Another National Year of Reading

Are you surviving the snowpocalypse? 2026 is barely a full month in, and January has been hitting us like Anthony Joshua on Jake Paul. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got the white towel in my hand and my arm is cocked back, ready to chuck it into the ring. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! For 2026 is the National Year of Reading. Okay, that might have been a little dramatic, but I had to hook you in, right? 

So now that you’re scratching your head and wondering if I’ve lost my mind, hang in there for just a few more seconds. The last time there was a National Year of Reading was 18 years ago! While I don’t know why it takes almost 20 years between them, it’s a significant step to help kids jump into reading. My only complaint is that it’s only centered in the UK. We need that here in the US as well, especially when you see that nearly 40% of fourth grade kids are reading below the “basic” level. 

Okay, I’ve thrown enough numbers and statistics at you, what is the significance of the National Year of Reading, you ask? The movement encourages parents to help get their kids into reading for fun. The NTR suggests that parents start reading to their kids at an early age, and trying to foster a love of books. They encourage parents to restrict screen time and find ways to get kids interested in reading for pleasure. Also, the National Literacy Trust plans to give away 72,000 books to kids all around the United Kingdom.

In researching all of this, a deep, hidden memory surfaced like a shining beacon in the night. 

One of the reasons I got into reading as a kid were the fun kids magazines that were so prevalent in my time. Do any of you remember Highlights, Ranger Rick, Zoobooks, Nat Geo Kids, and Sports Illustrated Kids?? These were so much fun, and when I actually had a subscription to one or two of them, I could not wait for the next issue! Not only was I reading, but I was learning. It’s probably one of the reasons I can spout strange, random facts all the time, but I can’t remember where I put my coffee three minutes ago… What do kids have now to help get them excited about reading?

I found out that some of these magazines are still in print!! Highlights, Nat Geo Kids, Ranger Rick, Cricket, and more are still available. My inner child is doing a happy dance. I have grandkids that might get some subscriptions when they get a little older 😁 If you have kids, nieces, nephews, grands, or others you’d like to help get into reading, check out these magazine subscriptions that might help to ignite their passion for reading. Great magazines for kids. I don’t earn anything off this link, and I have personally checked to make sure it’s safe, I’m just using it to share with others. 

The TBR Files

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter

Does this book win the award for longest title? The title itself is enough to throw most people off. I’m sure there’s a law against two full colons in a single sentence. Maybe it’s even a warcrime, I wouldn’t be surprised. Anywho… If you watched the movie with Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, and Michelle Rodriguez, and if you are one of us who enjoyed it, and if you’re looking for more, (I know, there’s a lot of ‘ifs’ here) you’ll enjoy this book. 

You don’t have to be an official member of that elite club to enjoy DDHATTRTN. I’m not spelling out that extraneous title again. 😵 If you enjoy fantasy, fun, short reads, or just wanted to get more out of the movie, go ahead and check out the book. It’s not a retelling of the movie, so you won’t be disappointed there. It’s actually a kind of prequel to the movie. You know how you see a quick montage of the characters getting together, pulling off heists, and having a good time, but then it’s over in a few minutes? That’s where the book shines. 

You get to see how all the characters came together, and you get a deeper understanding of the heists and shenanigans they get into. Unlike most epic fantasy books, this one isn’t the size of a cinder block, you could actually get through it in a few days at a moderate reading pace. 

The story is fun, and I found the book after watching the movie, which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I am slightly biased. It won’t win any Hugo, or Nobel prizes for literature, but I find most of those books a little boring (and if we’re being honest, sometimes preachy and pretentious) anyway. This one gets a solid ☕☕☕☕. It kept me glued to the pages, I actually laughed a time or two, and I wouldn’t mind going back and reading it again. For a fun read, or even a gateway drug into the fantasy genre, dive into DDHAT… that book title at the beginning, or find it here. 

…And Then This Happened

Say Hello to my Little Friends

There’s a lot happening behind the scenes in preparation for this coming year. We love vending different events, meeting new people, and trying out new concepts. Starting in March, we have about one craft/fair event each month. We’ve found that this is about all we can handle, otherwise we’d be visiting many more. The time and the energy it requires for just a one day event can knock us on our tails for a few days. And that’s not including the preparation required before we even step out the door. 

If you’ve come by our booth, you’ve probably noticed not just books, but other crafts, and the stickers shown above. Those are our Fu Ba’ars. We started off with stickers, and then started creating magnets. We’ve done a few keychains as well, just to see if they get any attention. So far, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. It seems many of you can relate to the “grown up care bears.” 😆 Since I want to do everything, and I’m working to become not just an author but an entrepreneur, and eventually create a massive empire (Cue maniacal laugh, lightning strike, and rumbling thunder) there are new products in development. 

We are hoping to get shirts and possibly stuffed bears to go along with the stickers and magnets. In the next newsletter, I’ll supply the upcoming events and locations you can find us, and hopefully, we’ll have some new products for everyone to check out. Some have asked us if we have these items available on Etsy or online elsewhere. So far, that’s an unfortunate “No.” The stickers were on Etsy for a while, but they got absolutely no traction, despite our best marketing efforts. I have looked into doing my own website and selling them directly, but again, more startup costs, time (the most precious commodity), and traffic concerns are the obstacles to overcome yet. 

In the meantime, we hope to see you soon at some of our upcoming events. Come by just to say hi! You don’t have to buy anything, we love visits and meeting new and returning peeps. If you haven’t picked up some of my books, grab them while you’re there, and I’ll be glad to sign them! 

And finally… All of my books are on Goodreads, including Night of the Familiar. So, if you have read any of them, I beg you to please go and visit either Amazon and/or Goodreads and leave a review of the books. It only takes a few minutes, but they mean so much to small authors. Whenever you go to purchase something new, you often check the reviews before committing, right? The same goes for books. Your review might be the deciding factor to get the book into another’s hands, and all it took was a few sentences. And for those of you who have left reviews, THANK YOU! You are greatly appreciated!