HAPPY DECEMBER
Oh dear, oh dear, you’re going to be getting a newsletter very soon after the last one because I am leaving on the 15th for Greece. We’re going to Corfu to take care of a puppy, and since I have made a pact to write a monthly newsletter I’m going to write you one at the beginning of the month.
At first I thought what do I have to say? The world, or rather Broadstone books came to my rescue! I am more than delighted to announce that Broadstone is publishing our second book, Carnivores and Other Lovers. Coming summer, 2026.
I did some illustrations for the inside, and maybe we will use one of my colour pieces for the cover.
Three members of my poetry gang , the southern California members, gave a poetry workshop in the Monterey library.
YOU CAN BUY OUR FIRST BOOK, AN ILLEGAL FEAST, here. And we all wish you would.
Our play Hand to God was very successful and so much fun! Rehearsals for Virginia Woolf continue.
As I was hiking in the mountains with friends, I made the most amazing discovery! There are Genets all over the mountains of Spain, Portugal, and parts of France.
The common genet prefers to live in areas with dense vegetation, such as bushes, thickets, and evergreen oak forests. The genet was brought to the Mediterranean region from North Africa as a semi-domestic animal about 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. Genets are solitary. Adults are nocturnal and crepuscular, which is why you never see them. But they are all around us when we hike! No one seems to know they are here. I only discovered them because I kept seeing what looked like racoon scat, but I know that Europe doesn’t have racoons. Proving that sometimes the coolest shit is the shit!
And now the part of the newsletter you’ve been waiting for: CATALONIAN CUSTOMS.
El Arrastre (The Drag) is held on January 5th, the day before the Three Wise Kings arrive.
Children string empty cans on a piece of rope and drag the cans around, making a ton of noise to remind the Kings to leave the children gifts that night. Kings have notoriously bad memories when it comes to gift-giving, but they are apparently quite susceptible to noise.
The racket also scares away the mythical giant who tries to cover the sky in a cloud of smoke to stop the Kings from delivering the presents! The Beast hates presents, but has very sensitive ears and is easily scared. Size doesn’t always matter.
Roscón de Reyes is a favourite Spanish Christmas food. It’s eaten on the Epiphany, January 6th, to celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Kings in Bethlehem. Roscón de Reyes is a sweet bread-like cake, filled with whipped cream and topped with candied fruits and crushed almonds. A fava bean and a small figurine are hidden inside the cake. Whoever finds the figurine in their slice will be blessed with good luck for the whole year. My first year here I found the figurine. So, maybe it’s true! If you get the fava bean, you have to pay for next year’s cake.
You might think it’s time to relax after Christmas, but in Spain, it’s time to watch your back! Dia de los Santos Inocentes is the Spanish version of April Fool’s Day, held on December 28. Once you prank someone, you shout “Inocente, inocente!” which is certain to divert suspicion away from you. After all, what guilty person ever proclaimed their innocence?
One of the most popular and sophisticated pranks is to tape a drawing of a stick figure on someone’s back. HaHa.
And don’t forget… El Gordo – The Fat Lottery. Almost everyone takes parts in the Spanish National Lottery at Christmas time, making it the biggest lottery in the world. It’s so big, it’s called ‘El Gordo’ or ‘the Fat One’, because of the huge cash prizes of more than 2 billion euros.
It’s been held every year since 1812. The winning numbers to be announced live on TV on the morning of December 22nd. The winning numbers are sung out by a choir of school children, if the suspense doesn’t kill you, the harmonies might. It’s common for friends and co-workers to buy a share of a single ticket together and split the winnings. In 2011, an entire town shared a single ticket and won, splitting the share of 950 million euros!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS – HAPPY NEW YEAR-
and don’t forget to support your local (ish) author
Buy GODS & MONSTERS HERE, or listen to GODS & MONSTERS here
Weaving together Greek mythology, San Francisco history, and supernatural romance, “Gods and Monsters” is a haunting tale of eternal love, devastating choices, and the price of immortality.
This sweeping urban fantasy explores what it means to be human in a world where humanity itself may be optional. It’s a tale of impossible choices, undying love, and the eternal question of whether we control our destiny.
And just for fun, I share with you some photos of my favorite twitchers (birdwatchers.)
