Who doesn't love to open the mailbox during the holidays and find a newsletter? Whether it's a juicy missive from a college roommate inadvertently revealing her husband's wandering eye, a self-congratulatory account of a cousin's rise to power at the local fast-food joint, or a mind-numbingly detailed account of a year's medical ailments (including photos) from a coworker, they're always entertaining. Christmas Letters from Hell skewers holiday letters of all shapes and sizes, from the ones that come crammed with cheesy graphics or written from the perspective of the recently neutered family dog to those filled with stories of "perfect" family vacations that were clearly anything but. Here Santa uses his holiday letter to let the elves know that he'll be outsourcing to China effective immediately; a bipolar mom tells two very different versions of the year's events; and Osama bin Laden touches base with his high school host family in Minneapolis. Christmas Letters from Hell serves up a steaming, savory blend of the holiday cheer, humor, and twisted truth in our well-intended attempts to stay in touch gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Careful what you ask for, because Lucifer sees you when you’re sleeping. Spies when you’re awake. Knows if you’ve been nauseatingly good, so try to be bad for the devil’s sake. Merry is determined to make Christmas special for her son. He hasn’t spoken or smiled since his father died, so she writes a letter hoping for a holiday miracle. Dear Satan… Her unfortunate error ensures her wish ends up in the wrong place. Worse? Satan answers her plea—after telling Santa where he can shove a candy cane. The devil knows just what Merry needs, and he has the perfect demon for the job. Marduke’s mission is to deliver a hellhound puppy to a little boy, along with some tips on how to avoid getting eaten. What the devil’s kennel master doesn’t expect on this emasculating mission of kindness is Merry. A happy, optimistic woman despite all the strife in her life. It’s disgusting. Annoying. Tempting? Usually, Marduke is all about destroying hopes and dreams—and letting his dogs pee on people while they’re down—but there’s something about Merry… genre: paranormal romantic comedy, demon romance, shapeshifter romance, holiday romance, satan romance, matchmaking, cozy romance, hell romance

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A debut collection of witty, biting essays laced with a surprising warmth, from Jen Mann, the writer behind the popular blog People I Want to Punch in the Throat People I want to punch in the throat: • anyone who feels the need to bling her washer and dryer • humblebraggers • people who treat their pets like children Jen Mann doesn’t have a filter, which sometimes gets her in trouble with her neighbors, her fellow PTA moms, and that one woman who tried to sell her sex toys at a home shopping party. Known for her hilariously acerbic observations on her blog, People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Mann now brings her sharp wit to bear on suburban life, marriage, and motherhood in this laugh-out-loud collection of essays. From the politics of joining a play group, to the thrill of mothers’ night out at the gun range, to the rewards of your most meaningful relationship (the one you have with your cleaning lady), nothing is sacred or off-limits. So the next time you find yourself wearing fuzzy bunny pajamas in the school carpool line or accidentally stuck at a co-worker’s swingers party, just think, What would Jen Mann do? Or better yet, buy her book. Praise for People I Want to Punch in the Throat “People I Want to Punch in the Throat is so good that it’ll make you want to adopt all the cats in the world. I’m not sure about the correlation, but it’s that good. It should come with a warning.”—Jenny Lawson, author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened “Jen Mann has an amazing way of telling stories that will make you cringe and burst out laughing at the same time. From swinger parties to racist toddlers, she makes the suburbs unbelievably funny.”—Karen Alpert, author of I Heart My Little A-Holes “Jen Mann says the things we’re all too afraid to say. Her honest and hilarious writing style reminds me of David Sedaris and Tina Fey.”—Robin O’Bryant, author of Ketchup Is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves “Jen Mann’s shrewd and unrelenting assault on the absurdity of suburban life is an honest peek into the occasional nightmare that is part of living the American dream. I love Jen. I wish she was my neighbor. It’s so refreshing to know that I’m not the only one who wants to punch almost everyone in the f***ing throat.”—Nicole Knepper, author of Moms Who Drink And Swear

After relocating to a small seaside town in Maine from San Francisco, mystery author Abby Sullivan finds a bundle of letters which had been written in 1954 in the wall of the library after it was torn down as part of the remodel. Intrigued by the secret revealed in the letters, Abby sets out to find the rest of the story.

In The Christmas Letters, three generations of women reveal their stories of love and marriage in the letters they write to family and friends during the holidays. It's a down-home Christmas story about tradition, family, and the shared experiences of women. Here, in a letter of her own, Lee Smith explains how she was inspired to write this celebrated epistolary novel: Dear Friends, Like me, you probably get Christmas letters every year. I read every word and save every letter. Because every Christmas letter is the story of a life, and what story can be more interesting than the story of our lives? Often, it is the story of an entire family. But you also have to read between the lines with Christmas letters. Sometimes, what is not said is even more important than what is on the page. In The Christmas Letters, I have used this familiar format to illumine the lives, hopes, dreams, and disappointments of three generations of American women. Much of the story of The Christmas Letters is also told through shared recipes. As Mary, my favorite character, says, "I feel as if I have written out my life story in recipes! The Cool Whip and mushroom soup years, the hibachi and fondue period, then the quiche and crepes phase, and now it's these salsa years." I wrote this little book for the same reason I write to my friends and relatives every holiday--Christmas letters give us a chance to remember and celebrate who we are. With warmest greetings, Lee Smith

Rediscover Christmas on Blossom Street in this classic holiday romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber. Katherine O’Connor adores her five-year-old twin nieces—and objects to her sister’s plans to dispense with Christmas. While Katherine spends her days at a cozy café, writing Christmas letters for other people, her sister is following the theories of child psychologist and author Wynn Jeffries, who is also, as it happens, Katherine’s neighbor. She is particularly horrified by his edict to “bury Santa under the sleigh,” and she’s out to prove that Wynn and his ideas are full of…snow. He’s not going to ruin her nieces’ Christmas! Too bad the guy’s so darned attractive… As the days—and nights—move closer to Christmas, Katherine and Wynn both discover that love means accepting your differences. And Christmas is about the things you share… Originally published in 2006 Plus, enjoy this FREE fan-favorite bonus story from bestselling author Sheila Roberts about three friends, three wishes and one special Christmas! When three friends visit a shopping-mall Santa on a lark, he’s full of mysterious predictions about the thing they’re all wishing for: the perfect man. Riley Erickson’s fiancé turned out to be a dud, but Santa says that she’s soon going to meet her ideal man in a memorable way. And he predicts that a new man is about to come into Jo’s life. What on earth does that mean? She’s pregnant and already has her hands full with the perfectly stubborn husband she’s got. Meanwhile Noel has given up completely on ever finding her perfect match. But apparently, she’s going to get a good man to go with that house she’s trying desperately to buy. These friends are about to discover that Christmas wishes can come true, because in spite of romantic setbacks and derailed dreams, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Originally published in 2016

A prisoner on death row in Indiana, Donald Ray Wallace, Jr undergoes a spiritual journey from crime to redemption. But Wallace is slated for death. Whether Wallace had an unidentified accomplice in the murders that condemned him remains an unsolved question. In any case, four people died as a result of the robbery Wallace was attempting to commit.

Eight young people, caught in the dreary circumstances war has handed them, seek to find a trace of joy in the holiday season. Their stories unfold with the exchange of letters. Forces of Love compelled Captain Jack Johnson to fall for his pen pal. Her letters helped him survive his time behind enemy lines and now prompt him to locate her in Boston. If he finds her, will he be welcomed? Lieutenant Joyce Aldergate penned an impulsive letter home, cutting ties with her childhood sweetheart. Now, a startling discovery in a battlefield hospital tent makes her question her actions and motivations. Where can she find The Missing Peace for which her heart hungers? A letter tells Kenshin Takano that his brother was unfaithful to his fiancee. Now, with news that his brother is dead, Kenshin travels to the camp where the fiancee is interned. Hoping to offer comfort, he is drawn into the trying circumstances that surround her life. Can he help her believe the promise that Christmas Always Comes? Betsy Anderson corresponds with enlisted men. Her kindness brings trouble, though, when one soldier, before his death in battle, claims her as his fiancee. When the man's sergeant tries to give Betsy a packet of letters, will she be able to correct the confusion without missing a real Engagement of the Heart? Relive the tragedies and triumphs of World War II ... see how God's steadfast presence brings His people through each trial ... and rejoice in His greatest "love letter," celebrated each Christmas - even in wartime.

A wide-ranging, first-of-its-kind selection of Berryman’s correspondence with friends, loved ones, writers, and editors, showcasing the turbulent, fascinating life and mind of one of America’s major poets. The Selected Letters of John Berryman assembles for the first time the poet’s voluminous correspondence. Beginning with a letter to his parents in 1925 and concluding with a letter sent a few weeks before his death in 1972, Berryman tells his story in his own words. Included are more than 600 letters to almost 200 people—editors, family members, students, colleagues, and friends. The exchanges reveal the scope of Berryman’s ambitions, as well as the challenges of practicing his art within the confines of the publishing industry and contemporary critical expectations. Correspondence with Ezra Pound, Robert Lowell, Delmore Schwartz, Adrienne Rich, Saul Bellow, and other writers demonstrates Berryman’s sustained involvement in the development of literary culture in the postwar United States. We also see Berryman responding in detail to the work of writers such as Carolyn Kizer and William Meredith and encouraging the next generation—Edward Hoagland, Valerie Trueblood, and others. The letters show Berryman to be an energetic and generous interlocutor, but they also make plain his struggles with personal and familial trauma, at every stage of his career. An introduction by editors Philip Coleman and Calista McRae explains the careful selection of letters and contextualizes the materials within Berryman’s career. Reinforcing the critical and creative interconnectedness of Berryman’s work and personal life, The Selected Letters confirms his place as one of the most original voices of his generation and opens new horizons for appreciating and interpreting his poems.