New Year's Resolutions from Owl's Flower

A new year — and a new decade! — starts next week. And with new beginnings on the calendar come an attempt at new beginnings for each of us. You don't have to wait until January 1 to make resolutions, but something about the feeling of a fresh start makes it easier to set your mind to it.

With that, Owl's Flower is making its own sets of resolutions! Here's how the characters are hoping to kick off the 2020s in a good way:

Herne

"I've never made resolutions myself until this year, but I've had time to see what works and what doesn't. It seems like big changes don't do as well as clear, personal ones. So in my case, I'm going to try and improve communication. Say things before they need to be said, so they're easier to talk about. That's a lot of ground to cover when I've had 400 years of life, but I can make a start."

Iris

"Better business! I've been researching trends to improve the company, and I'm making two major changes. For one, I'm going with American-made coffee. I've found a great company that I'm hoping to work with exclusively. And I'm trying to be more sustainable and eco-friendly, so look for us to use 100% recycled cups. (I swear that isn't because I'm dating a nature god. I came by it honestly.)"

Stormy

"New year's resolutions don't work. But if they did, I'd resolve to cut my spending on Domo Octi GachaGacha Matsuri. Not entirely. I'd still drop real money for major events and collabs, but not weekly deals."

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Speaking of the new year, both Ginger and Kara have good things coming... including the next Owl's Flower book! Keep your eyes on our blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and sneak peeks of what's to come!

RECIPES: Hot Cocoa a la Owl's Flower

It is really cold right now.

Kara's in Virginia, Ginger's in Illinois, and neither is warm. While we have our own preferences when it comes to warm-up drinks (Ginger prefers coffee, Kara prefers tea), we do agree on one thing: hot cocoa. As Ginger pointed out, it's sort of the happy medium between the two.

So while we're trying to regain some body heat, here are a few suggestions for hot cocoa variants you might find at Owl's Flower on cold days.

Herne's Honey Hot Cocoa

We already know from the first book that Herne loves Owl's Flower's specialty honey cookies. Mix in a spoonful of honey and a few drops of vanilla for a sweet variant. Bonus points if you use local honey: save a little for spring to help fight off allergies when the flowers start blooming again!

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

After baking up sheets of gingerbread cookies for the shop, Iris gets a bit of a craving. There are a couple ways to go about this, the easiest being to use store-bought gingerbread spice. Mix a tablespoon per cup into your favorite hot cocoa mix. Alternatively, you can mix up equal parts cinnamon, ginger, and allspice for a do-it-yourself version. A little maple syrup or molasses really makes it work.

Peppermint Mocha

For the nights when you want something seasonal but also want to stay awake a little longer. Instead of water or milk, mix your cocoa of choice with coffee and a dash of milk. Then drop in a mini candy cane and let it melt for an extra dose of Christmas flavor.

Will you be trying any of these? What's your favorite stay-warm drink? You can always chat with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Herne and Iris's Guide to the Perfect Christmas

Christmas is just a couple weeks away! We're all scrambling to be prepared, find gifts for family and friends, and be good to ourselves in between errands. So how does William's Grove's favorite paranormal romantic couple keep their heads on straight during the holidays? Here are a few tips from Herne and Iris... they may not be applicable for more standard families, but you'll probably find some points of commonality in there somewhere.

1. Always defrost your nature god in the morning. If you're in a region where winters are especially cold, don't fret if your local nature-connected deity is a little chilly first thing. Blankets, heating pads, and a hot beverage of their choice will help thaw them out.

2. You don't have to make Every Cookie. It feels good to bring variety to the table, and baking is super fun. But if you're going to a cookie party, regular party, or just having a friend over, it's okay to stick to one or two types if you're already short on time. Iris has some sweet honey cookies that go over really well with Herne — the recipe is in our first book!

3. Consumable gifts are great gifts. It's nice to give things that last a lifetime, but things you can use up are just as appreciated! Consider gifting a favorite coffee or tea blend, a gift card to their favorite restaurant or shop, or tickets to a show they'd like. (Have we mentioned how great cookies are?)

4. Start a new tradition. Are you accustomed to taking trips out of town on the holidays, but currently dating an immortal demigod who needs to stay close to home to ensure the smooth change of seasons? Try a festive event closer to home! As fun as traditions are, times and people change; and integrating new festivities in with the usual can be just as fun.

5. Take time for yourself. And your loved ones, of course. If getting everything Absolutely Perfect is cutting into the time you actually get to spend with family and friends, it might be time to take a few hours off. Watch some movies, eat some cookies. Eat a lot of cookies.

6. Ghost stories are totally festive. No, really. It used to be much more of a thing. When you're looking for something to do on a dark and chilly evening, share your favorite scary stories with a friend!

7. Remember what comes first. You don't want to be exhausted, angry, or stressed when the big day rolls around; you want to be able to enjoy it. If that means sitting at home with your SO watching Hallmark movies and drinking hot cocoa instead of having an elaborately decorated tree, so be it. If that means buying ready-made dinners instead of working in the kitchen, go for it. What matters is being together in the darkest part of winter and making it a happy time!

An old Christmas story... and things to come?

When we were first kicking off Owl's Flower, we wanted to give readers a little extra something between the first and second book. Christmas was incoming, so over the course of that December, we did a three-part story about Herne and Iris's first Christmas together.

If you missed it, no worries! You can still read it here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

As we move toward Book 3 (and there will be more news on that soon — follow our Twitter for potential sneak peeks!), we're also looking at the future of the site, the shop, and how we do things in general. The first book will always be free to download, and future ebooks will always be at pay-what-you-want pricing (albeit more conveniently before long!).

Eventually we'd like to do more in-between short stories (as in short-short, like what you see above). If that's the kind of thing you'd like to see on our blog for special occasions, be sure to let us know! In the meantime, we're looking forward to Christmas and hope all of you are, too. Stay warm and toasty!