Weekly Notebook: Christmas in July? Yes, Really.

🌿 The Maple Grove Update

Fellow sleuths, it is Memorial Day weekend in Maple Grove, which means the parade happened, the potato salad was contested (as it always is), and Jenna McGregor somehow ended up at the center of something that began as a simple float decoration dispute and ended with Mildred involved in a way nobody had anticipated and Charlene filing a second formal petition.

Details will follow in due course. The important thing is that everyone is fine, the float looked wonderful in the end, and Lisa's energetic pre-screening of the parade route apparently worked, because nothing caught fire.

Progress.

📜The Weekly Tasting Menu

Guest Sleuth picks this week — each one hand-selected because I think you'll love them. Here's the lineup:

🔍 Guest Sleuth Spotlights

🧁 The Main Course

Okay, fellow sleuths. I've been hinting. It's time to actually say something.

Book 5 is a Christmas book.

I know what you're thinking. It's May. Yes. And I'm telling you about a Christmas book in May because it is going to be available this summer — specifically as a Christmas in July release — and I want you to have time to get excited about it.

Here's what I can tell you:

It's Christmas week in Maple Grove. The town does Christmas the way small Midwest towns do Christmas, which is to say completely, almost aggressively, and with great conviction about the correct way to hang lights on the Main Street trees. There will be a candlelight church service. There will be a town square that looks like a snow globe. There will be Jenna's parents, making their another appearance in the series that incudes a call to Jena’s siblings! There will be Lisa, who does something at the aforementioned candlelight service that I promise you will not see coming.

There will also be a disappearance. A mystery that starts with someone Jenna has known her whole life. And there are some new characters arriving in Maple Grove this Christmas who are going to shake things up in ways that will carry through into books to come.

Joe and Jenna's relationship is also... evolving. That's all I'll say about that.

I'm targeting a July release — Christmas in July is a real thing that readers love, and I think this book is going to land beautifully in summer. More details as I get closer to having a title I can actually say out loud.

In the meantime: if you want to make sure you're the first to hear when the pre-order goes live, the best thing to do is make sure you're on my newsletter list. Which, if you're reading this, you probably already are. Welcome, fellow sleuth. You're in the right place.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

I am three-quarters of the way through the first draft and the story is doing that thing where it starts to feel like it was always supposed to exist, like you're discovering it rather than inventing it. That feeling is the whole reason I do this. Charlie is still stealing scones. Some things are constant.

Happy Memorial Day, fellow sleuths. Summer is coming.

Willow 🌿

Meet Willow

Author, School Board member, and gluten-free baker. I write the Jenna McGregor mysteries from my home in Michigan, fueled by coffee and Peloton PRs.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook

Maple Grove Gazette — April 25, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record—Vol. 1 No. 2—Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

This is the second issue of the Gazette, and I am pleased to report that the paper has already acquired its first reliable source.

Gordon—a man this editor considers a model of civic attention — observed a notable disturbance at Maple Grove College early Friday morning and brought it to our attention with admirable brevity. Full report below. The Gazette extends its thanks to Gordon for both the tip and for delivering it in fewer than thirty words, a quality this newspaper considers increasingly rare.

📜POLICE BLOTTER

THE MAPLE GROVE COLLEGE MARQUEE INCIDENT

Sunday, April 19Update—College Entrance Marquee

Sometime between the hours of 11:30 PM Saturday and 6:15 AM Sunday, the letters on the Maple Grove College entrance marquee were rearranged by an unknown party. The original message, placed Monday by the Admissions Office, read SPRING ENROLLMENT OPEN.

By 6:15 AM Sunday, the message read something else.

This editor declines to reprint the replacement message on the grounds that it is both juvenile and, upon careful consideration, anatomically implausible. Gordon, who passes the college on his morning walk and is the only reason the matter was reported before 8 AM, described the scene as "not suitable for children, dogs, or first cups of coffee."

Officer Markle was dispatched at 7:42 AM. Campus Maintenance arrived shortly thereafter with a ladder. Photographs were taken, though this editor is told they will not be preserved.

Professor Smith, Dean of Student Affairs, arrived at approximately 7:55 AM and surveyed the marquee in silence for what witnesses described as "an uncomfortable length of time." When pressed for a statement, he offered: “The replacement message contained an anatomical error. Our biology department has offered to assist with the investigation."

The letters have since been restored. A surveillance camera has been requested. High school seniors and college fraternitieshave been questioned informally. No suspects have been named. The investigation is ongoing, though this editor suspects it will remain ongoing in perpetuity.

Final Disposition: No charges filed. Maintenance noted. A review of the college's overnight security protocol has been added to the next Board agenda.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

BREWED AWAKENINGS—SPRING SUNSHINE SCONES

The new Spring Sunshine Scone, introduced on the café's chalkboard last week, has—per the owner's own report—"outsold every other pastry on the menu by a margin she wasn't prepared for." The recipe features lemon zest and a fluffy lemon icing described by one regular as "dangerously optimistic." This editor has also been told that Charlene was overheard instructing Mabel to purchase four dozen of the scones for the Senior Citizens' Mother's Day Brunch. Grievance, it seems, has its limits. Biscuit has not tasted one but remains emotionally supportive.

CITIZENS ADVISORY

Citizens who frequent Main Street are advised that Lisa has resumed her annual "Clean Sweep" spring ritual, which she performs on the premises every spring without fail whenever a certain recurring patron enters the establishment. The ritual, per Lisa, is intended to redirect "negative busy-body energy" out the front door in a chosen direction. The chosen direction is, apparently, consistent. Jenna has offered no comment on the matter. A broom remains propped near the front door for this purpose. This editor has been asked—formally, by separate correspondence—to ascertain if it is actually working.

FIELD REPORT

Maple Grove's Mommy & Me group held their spring outing at the Keller Farm on Wednesday. The visit proceeded as planned until a goat named Carl took a strong and persistent interest in Rosie Harper's soft pretzel. Carl pursued. Moms and toddlers screamed, startling Carl, who grabbed hold of the pretzel and took off running — Rosie in tow. The toddler was delighted. Emily Harper, the toddler's mother, was less so. Mrs. Keller eventually separated the parties, though Carl watched the group depart with what Mrs. Keller described as "the look of a goat with unfinished business." The pretzel was not recovered.

HISTORICAL NOTE

This is not the first incident of overnight mischief at Maple Grove College. In 1994, a class prank resulted in the main lawn being "redecorated" with approximately three hundred pinwheels, an installation the groundskeeper described as "pretty, actually." In 2008, a marquee incident of a similar nature occurred and was attributed to a rival institution. Authorities at the rival institution denied involvement. They have not been asked again.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

Guest Sleuth picks this week—four cozy authors I think you're going to love. Click through to meet them and grab their books.

🏔️ A Hollowcrest Lodge Murder—Lilly Gibbs A remote mountain lodge, a weekend of guests who don't quite trust each other, and a body where nobody should be. Libby Gibbs delivers the kind of claustrophobic whodunit that makes you check your own locks twice before bed. If you love a closed-circle mystery with atmosphere you can feel, this is your weekend read. 👉 Meet Lilly and grab the book →

🌹 The Poisoned Petal Express—Finley Page A flower delivery, a dead recipient, and a florist who wasn't supposed to be a detective. Finley Page's twisty cozy blends small-town charm with a mystery that unfolds one petal at a time. Perfect for readers who like their whodunits with a garden-scented edge. 👉 Meet Finley and grab the book →

🏡 The Lakehouse Guests—K.Z. Black Everyone has a reason to be at the lakehouse. One of them has a reason to kill. K.Z. Black writes the kind of slow-burn cozy suspense that keeps you flipping pages long past your bedtime. If you've ever side-eyed a vacation rental, this one's for you. 👉 Meet K.Z. and grab the book →

🎀 The Mallory Harper Cozy Mystery Collection — Poppy McQuay A full collection from Poppy McQuay featuring Mallory Harper — amateur sleuth, small-town fixture, trouble magnet. If you love bingeable cozy mysteries where the sleuth feels like an old friend by book two, this box set is built for a long weekend. 👉 Meet Poppy and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

What’s next?

Nobody talks about what the week after a launch actually feels like. Everyone talks about the countdown, the prep, the big day. And then it goes live, and it's incredible and terrifying and everything—and then it's Sunday, and you have to figure out what comes next.

Here's what I know after the first week of Ghosts being in the world:

The reviews are starting to come in. Early readers are sharing things that are making me press my hand to my mouth in the best possible way. One person they really enjoyed this story and I was glad to see that there may be more high school adventures ahead. Another said they would definitely love to see more of these Maple Grove High adventures. Someone even emailed me to tell me they loved getting to know young Jenna, Lisa, Joe, Dan and Winston too.

I'm also already well in to Book 5. I’ve actually been wroking on it since November, but pivoted to write Ghosts first. Christmas in Maple Grove is already whispering. I'm not ready to say much yet—but I will tell you that there will be a candlelight church service incident, a disappearance, and something involving Jenna and a certain someone that I think you're going to love.

More on that as the summer grows closer. For now—if you haven't grabbed Ghosts yet, it's waiting for you.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints.

And if you've already read it—please help others find it by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. To everyone who has left a review on Ghosts—on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, anywhere—please know I read every single one, and each one matters more than I can say.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

I started my Peloton routine back up this week after a long break. Twenty minutes. My legs have filed a formal complaint. Charlie watched from her perch with the expression of someone who has never been physically challenged and intends to keep it that way.

Willow 🌿

Meet Willow

Author, School Board member, and gluten-free baker. I write the Jenna McGregor mysteries from my home in Michigan, fueled by coffee and Peloton PRs.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook

The Maple Grove Gazette - April 18, 2026

Maple Grove's Only Newspaper of Record—Est. This Week—Edited by Mr. Ellison, Town Archivist & Historian

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

It has come to my attention that Maple Grove lacks a proper newspaper. For a town with this much history —and, frankly, this many incidents—the absence of a written record is nothing short of a civic failure. I intend to correct that, starting today. Expect thorough reporting, editorial restraint, and absolutely no gossip.

(Mildred has already submitted three corrections to this paragraph. I have ignored all of them.)

📜POLICE BLOTTER — EASTER EGG-STRAVAGANZA INCIDENT

Saturday, April 12 Update—Town Square Event April 5

The Maple Grove Ladies Group Easter Egg-stravaganza proceeded without incident for approximately eleven minutes.

At 12:14 PM, volunteer coordinator Charlene announced the start of the Golden Egg Hunt, in which one gold-painted egg—containing a gift certificate to the Calamity Jane’s Toys and Trinkets—was hidden somewhere in the town square. Participants were instructed to search "calmly and in an orderly fashion." This instruction was optimistic.

At 12:17 PM, Lisa—who this editor will note was not an official participant—announced that she had "a feeling" about the Golden Egg's location. She proceeded toward the Ladies Group refreshment table with what witnesses described as "a very determined walk." Several children followed.

At 12:18 PM, Lisa's determined walk became a determined reach across the refreshment table for a decorative basket she was certain contained the egg. It did not contain the egg. It contained two dozen deviled eggs prepared by Charlene herself, which were launched from the table when Lisa lost her balance and caught the edge of the tablecloth.

The resulting chain of events was as follows: deviled eggs became airborne. Children screamed—some in horror, most in delight. Charlene, who had been standing directly behind the table adjusting a centerpiece, received the majority of the impact. One deviled egg landed in her hair. Two more found her Easter cardigan. The decorative bunny centerpiece toppled into the lemonade pitcher.

Charlene demanded an immediate investigation. Officer Markle responded and, after surveying the scene, reportedly said, "There's no crime here, ma'am, just egg salad."

The Golden Egg was later found by a six-year-old named Oliver, lodged beneath the park bench nearest to the gazebo. Lisa maintains she was "very close."

Chief Carter declined to comment, though witnesses noted he was trying hard not to smile.

No charges were filed. The tablecloth has not been recovered.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

LOST & FOUND: One Easter bonnet, pale yellow, with deviled egg staining. Found near the gazebo. Owner may claim at the front counter of Brewed Awakenings. Please bring proof of ownership. (Charlene, we know it's yours. Just come get it.)

BREWED AWAKENINGS SPRING MENU: Jenna McGregor's café has introduced its spring menu, featuring lavender honey lattes and a gluten-free lemon scone that this editor can personally confirm is excellent. The chalkboard outside has been restabilized after last week's wind incident. Biscuit remains on greeting duty.

HISTORICAL NOTE: This is not the first Easter-related disruption in Maple Grove. In 1987, the egg hunt was suspended after a raccoon was discovered nesting inside the prize basket. In 1994, a disagreement over hiding locations resulted in three eggs placed on the roof of the post office, where they remained until July. We are, if nothing else, consistent.

🔍 Fellow Sleuths Worth Following

Guest Sleuth picks this week—four authors I think you'll love. Click through to meet them and grab their books.

🎻 The Great Nashville Bake Off Mishap — Greta Sinclair

Hattie Leiper never imagined her baking could earn a handshake from a famous TV judge — especially one followed by his sudden collapse. Between competitive bakers, sugary secrets, and her opinionated furbabies (Moose the Chow, Mini Pearl the Yorkie, and Cecil the crime-magnet cat), Hattie pieces together clues that nobody else sees coming. A 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal winner — and for good reason.

👉 Meet Greta and grab the book →

🐕 Dead in the Wool — Etta True

A summer fiber festival in the small town of Seven Springs should be all about fleece and folk music. But when the Saturday Spinners find a body in the fleece tent, fiber artist Adri Foster and her Border Collie, Snooper, are on the case. Gossip spreads fast, suspects multiply, and Snooper notices what everyone else overlooks. 4.9 stars — readers are obsessed.

👉 Meet Etta and grab the book →

🐉 Wildergrove Whispers — Blossom SeaFarrer

A little something different this week — a dragon on a sacred quest gets trapped by a spell cast by a quiet girl with secrets of her own. When his counterspell binds her right back, neither can escape without the other. Fantasy romance with heart, danger, and a bond that was never part of the plan.

👉 Meet Blossom and grab the book →

🌶️ Spiced to Death — Susana Sage

When Tilly Martin trades city life for a needlepoint shop in small-town Texas, she doesn't expect a murdered chef at the food festival. Secret ingredients, stolen recipes, family rivalries — and a mischievous gray cat named Stitches — pull her into a whodunit that simmers with Hill Country charm.

👉 Meet Susana and grab the book →

🧁 The Main Course

GHOSTS DON'T USE BLUEPRINTS IS LIVE!

I'm sitting here with my coffee going cold because I keep refreshing the page to see the buy button and every time I see it I feel a very specific kind of dizzy that I think is just what it feels like to have put something genuinely personal into the world.

Here is what you need to know about this book:

It starts with Jenna McGregor as a teen, in a town that doesn't quite know what to do with her yet. It ends with the beginning of everything you already know — the friendships, the café, the particular gift for finding trouble that has defined her adult life.

In between, there is a ghost story (sort of), a mystery (definitely), a hallway disaster (not Jenna's fault, mostly), and a moment between Jenna and Lisa that made me laugh when I wrote it and still makes me a little giggly when I re-read it.

It's $3.99 now — but the story is exactly what I hoped it would be.

Get your copy of Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints.

And if you've already read it and want to make my entire month — a review on Amazon or Goodreads means more than I can say. Even one line. Even just the stars.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

My granddaughter HayHay (nickname) and I set out to make rice crispy treats with our leftover Peeps this week. We got about two minutes in before she announced she was going to "film it." She narrated the entire process in segments like a tiny cooking show host—filming the entire time—complete with dramatic pauses and commentary on the melting marshmallows. I haven't laughed that hard in weeks. Charlie supervised from a barstool and looked deeply unimpressed.

Thank you for being here, fellow sleuths. Truly.

Willow 🌿

Meet Willow

Author, School Board member, and gluten-free baker. I write the Jenna McGregor mysteries from my home in Michigan, fueled by coffee and Peloton PRs.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Maple Grove Gazette

Weekly Notebook: One Week Away — and the Clock Is Ticking

🌿 The Maple Grove Update

Spring is fully committed in Maple Grove now—no more teasing. The lilac bushes along Birchwood Lane have gone from bare sticks to something that smells like a promise, and Brewed Awakenings has officially moved the patio chairs outside, which Mildred interpreted as a personal invitation. She showed up with her own cushion and a thermos of something she refused to identify.

Jenna has been distracted this week in ways she can't quite explain. Restless, maybe—the way you get when you know something is coming and you can't decide if you're excited or terrified or some particularly inconvenient combination of both. Lisa says Mercury is in something. Joe says it's just the weather changing. Mildred just keeps watching the treeline like she always does, sipping whatever is in that thermos, not looking worried at all.

My daffodils are a sea of yellow in my front border. Tulips are starting to pop up now, deep red and butter yellow, standing at attention in the front border like they have somewhere important to be. I feel the same way this week. Seven days, fellow sleuths. Seven days.

📜The Weekly Tasting Menu

Three Guest Sleuth picks this week—each one hand-selected because I think you'll love them. Here's the lineup:

🔍 Guest Sleuth Spotlights

🐎 Snowfall at Silver Run—Ellis Thorne When divorced horse-rescue owner Sable Jones's Labrador comes home with a mysterious scarf, a death ruled an accident starts to feel like anything but. A cozy mystery set in an equestrian community—warm, character-driven, and completely hard to put down. Find it on Amazon

🐾 Murder on the Morning Route— Daisy Stone Former corporate burnout Megan traded the city for a seaside town and a dog-walking business—until she finds a body near the lighthouse and her marketing brain starts noticing patterns nobody else does. Cozy, charming, and anchored by the best beagle-corgi sidekick in the genre. Get your free copy

🤠 Confessions of a Wanna-Be Cowgirl—Sylvia Grant A little something different this week — a feel-good small-town romance with dry humor and emotional heart for when you want laughs without a body count. Find it here

🧁 The Main Course

Fellow sleuths — seven days from right now, Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints will be officially in the world.

And seven days from right now, the price goes from $0.99 to $3.99.

I've been watching the pre-order numbers tick up all week, and every single one of them makes me a little teary in a way I'm blaming entirely on spring allergies. This book is different from anything else I've written—it's smaller and quieter in some ways, but louder in all the ways that matter. Teen-aged Jenna doesn't know yet what she's capable of. She's still figuring out who she is, who she can trust, and whether a girl who sees the worst in people can still choose to believe in them anyway.

I think a lot of us have been that girl.

If you've been waiting—this is the week. One dollar and ninety-nine cents for a few more days. After April 18th, the window closes and the price goes up to stay.

Get Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints on Amazon — $0.99 this week only

And if you've already pre-ordered — thank you. Genuinely. You have no idea what it means to have you waiting on the other side of launch day.

✍️ Behind the Scenes

have been stress-cleaning my office under the guise of "preparing for launch week," which mostly means I moved three piles of things from one surface to another. Charlie has decided that the new arrangement of said piles makes an excellent napping platform, and honestly, I can't argue with her logic. Seven days. We've got this.

Until next week, fellow sleuths —

Willow 🌿

Meet Willow

Author, School Board member, and gluten-free baker. I write the Jenna McGregor mysteries from my home in Michigan, fueled by coffee and Peloton PRs.

Want to stay in the know? Get the Weekly Notebook