Winter is Here

Boy is it ever! Philly has been dusted with snow several times already. And temps have dropped into the 20s but there's something about Winter that I find appealing. Maybe it's just that it gives me an opportunity to head for a warmer climate for a while.

This issue has some wonderful stories, interviews, articles, and reviews. We continue several series and have some special features which should please you.

On the home front, there are several pieces of mine in recently released books. Two of them are:

HEAT OF THE MOMENT

One is a project to help victims of the fires in California; not everyone is rich nor does everyone have adequate insurance. So the wonderful Karen Syed at Echelon Press decided that she had to do something to help.

The resut is The Heat of the Moment (you can see more about it in Chris Verstraete's column in this issue. There are some great stories -- from many different genres -- all of them about fire and survival. Echelon Press has pledged that all proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County.

THE POT THICKENS

Something else of mine appears in The Pot Thickens -- a cookbook with recipes by writers. More than a collection of recipes, each one of them has a story or enlightening comment that comes with it. I've got two recipes in this collection -- this is a first for me. While I love to cook, I've not published one of my recipes until now. The book is edited by Victor Banis, who has appeared in our pages before.

Whatever holiday you celebrate... have a great, safe, and sane time.