Happy Leon Day! (A day late - sorry about that...) Today I share a couple of Christmas book recommendations, and read you a cozy Christmas story called Christmas in the Alley by Olive Thorne Miller. Ann is a poor old washer woman with a heart of gold. Her husband is curmudgeon who just wants his tea and pipe. Like many people during the early 1900s…

Happy June everyone! In today's episode I share a few quick life updates on why I've been gone so long, and then we get right into the Christmas goodness. In today's episode I explore a little bit of my Norwegian heritage by talking about some of my favorite Christmas coffee, some treats and cookies you might get at a Norwegian Christmas Party, and…

In today's episode I read a shorter short story by humorist Robert Benchley entitled "Christmas Afternoon (Done in the Manner, if not the Spirit, of Dickens)". It's a funny little vignette describing a chaotic Christmas Afternoon in the style of Charles Dickens. I hope you enjoy the story today! Cozy Christmas Bookclub: https://www.facebook.com/gro…

Welcome to the start of Season 5! Today I kick off the new season by reading Christmas traditions and memories from one of my listeners who lives in Australia. I really enjoyed what Shelly sent me, so I thought this would be a great thing to share with all of you. She talks about her families traditions, Christmas foods, how they maintain the spiri…

Merry Christmas! This is my Christmas episode, out a few days late I know - but Christmas is a season, not just a day, right? Today I wrap up season 4 and Christmas 2023 with the kindness guru himself - Robert Peterpaul, host of the Art of Kindness Podcast, returns to talk about Christmas, the importance of showing kindness (love over fear for the …

It's Christmas Eve! The best day of the year. To help you celebrate, here is the final parts to our story this month, "Christmas at Thompson Hall" by Anthony Trollope. I rearranged my publication schedule a little bit and decided to combine the last two parts into one episode. I've had a lot of episodes come out this week, and didn't want to clog u…

In today's episode I interview Katie Wilbert. She is the screenwriter of the new Christmas movie "A Vineyard Christmas". According to imdb: "Heather, host of 'Read Between the Vines', is determined to create the perfect Christmas episode by featuring a unique winery from her hometown. The only thing standing in her way? Rudy, the attractive, stubbo…

Christmas is practically here! To help you get in the mood, we're going to continue out story today, Christmas at Thompson Hall, by Anthony Trollope. Will Mrs. Brown be able to get out of the mess she finds herself in? Will Mr. Brown ever stop complaining about being sick? Will they get to Thompson Hall in time for Christmas? Take a listen today an…

I have so much content coming out this week, try to keep up... Welcome back! Today I have returning guest Mark Shanahan - he's the playwright and director of "A Sherlock Carol".Today Mark returns to talk about the play, where you can see it performed, the importance of live theater - and more! "A Sherlock Carol follows a grown-up Tiny Tim asking Sh…

Today my guest is singer-songwriter Rehya Stevens. And in case you haven't noticed, Christmas is Near! So please Don't Be Late to listen to this episode, because Santa will be taking over the town in just a week. In today's episode, Rehya and I have a great time getting philosophical about Christmas, talking music, and our favorite Christmas treats…

Can you believe Christmas will be here in only two weeks!!?? To help you celebrate the season, this month I will be reading the story "Christmas at Thompson Hall" by Anthony Trollope. It was first published in the magazine 'The Graphic' in their Christmas issue in 1876. In the first part of the story, Mrs. Brown and a reluctant Mr. Brown are travel…

My guest today is Kyle Poehls. He is a Marine Corps veteran whose life took a dramatic turn after surviving two comas during his military service. Born in 1985, he found his passion for writing in the final years of his service, and despite facing numerous seizures and another coma just before his planned exit, he persevered. In March of 2017, he b…

Hello everyone! Happy December - we made it to the Christmas month! Today, I have a special guest on the show. His name is Tyler Mitchell, and he wrote a new children's book called "Double Trouble and the Upside Down Christmas Tree". The book is based on a true story: "This is a Christmas story about a young family with three children, two of whom …

Can a scraggly, forgotten tree named Needles ever realize his dream of becoming a beautiful Christmas tree? Find out in Richard Wagner's new children's story - "Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree"! Today I interview author Richard Wagner about his new children's book, the timeless message of Christmas, and how this story helps kids learn about t…

Happy Thanksgiving! In today's episode, we have a super-sized Thanksgiving episode for you today. My guest today is cozy mystery writer Liz Ireland, author of the Mrs. Claus Mystery Series. We talk about her new Thanksgiving-set mystery, "Mrs. Claus and Trouble with Turkeys" and what's coming up for the series. We then talk about Thanksgiving tradi…

I've got a fun one today - I'm talking about my favorite holiday drink, eggnog! My guest today is Trisha Barton, the A&E Dairy Marketing Manager and Egg Nog enthusiast. In my opinion, they make the absolute best eggnog, so I reached out to see if I could find out all about their product, history, and magic of NOG. We talk about A&E's history, how t…

My guest today is mystery author Clara McKenna. She's just published "Murder on Mistletoe Lane", book 5 in the Stella and Lyndy Mystery Series. We talk about her latest Christmas mystery, and how a life-long love of England led her to write her mystery series; our mutual (possibly obsessive) love of eggnog; some of our favorite Christmas foods, che…

In today's episode, I read Jerome K. Jerome's hilarious collection of ghost stories called "Told After Supper". Find out what happens when the narrator and his family and friends stay up late on Christmas Eve enjoying the "spirits" of the holiday... 00:00 Introduction to the Story 04:00 Told After Supper 04:01 Introductory 15:26 How The Stories Cam…

Hello! Happy Christmas Podcast Day everyone! As all of us at the Christmas Podcast Network are talking about some of our favorite versions of A Christmas Carol, today I am going to look at a stage version - specifically I want to talk about how Charles Dickens performed a one man version of the novel, and how that carries on today through his Great…

In today's episode, my guest is Ken Smith from the North Pole News Dispatch! He's made his way down from Santa's village to talk to us about his Christmas memories and stories, his podcast, Christmas PJs (No pictures available, sorry! LOL!), and of course - the weather! While Ken was reflecting on how Christmas has changed for him over the years, I…

In this heartwarming episode of "The Cozy Christmas Podcast," we invite you to gather 'round and experience the magic of a classic Victorian Christmas tale. Join us as we delve into Elizabeth Gaskell's enchanting story, "Christmas Storms and Sunshine," where we explore the true spirit of the season. Set in a quaint English village, we follow the jo…

Hello everyone, Happy October! In today's episode I sit down with my daughter Grace and we catch up on life. Find out what she's been up to this past year and how school is going for her now that she is in 9th grade. But of course, we do talk about Christmas - I find out she has some hot takes on gingerbread and which Grinch movie she prefers; we t…

On today's episode I talk about Mrs. Claus, share some of my favorite portrayals, and I read the first Christmas story that she's mentioned in: "A Christmas Legend" by James Rees. Also, you can totally hear my pet parakeet Pickwick in the background of my recording. It's not too distracting I hope! He was in the holiday spirit and wanted to join me…

Hello and Happy Christmas in July! In today's episode I read you a charming Christmas story called "Mr. Kris Kringle". In this classic story, it's Christmas Eve, and two children and their single mother are facing having to leave their home soon and move to the city. They are also poor so Kris Kringle - aka Santa Claus - won't be able to visit them…

Happy Christmas in July! Today, it's the Cozy Christmas Mystery Extravaganza - My guests today are three best-selling and talented cozy mystery authors, Lee Hollis, Lynn Cahoon, and Maddie Day. They are here to talk about their new collection coming out this fall entitled "Christmas Mittens Murder". We talk about how they all became writers, their …

Happy Christmas in July Eve every one! In today's episode I share some fun news about a Christmas Carol play at the Old Vic, get distracted by Doctor Who, and then read you the final chapter of The Chimes by Charles Dickens. Articles quoted: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/christopher-eccleston-a-christmas-carol-newsupdate/ https://en.wikipedia…

In today's episode, I'm joined by listener Anni Huch, and Glen Warren from The Seasons Eatings Podcast, to talk about one of our books for the Cozy Christmas Book Club: Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by friend of the show Liz Ireland. Of course we'd encourage you to read the book and take a listen to our thoughts about it, but we mostly avoi…

In today's episode, I read chapter 3 of The Chimes! Ways to support the show: Buy me a coffee? www.ko-fi.com/cozychristmas Ornaments, Mugs, and Notebooks: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CozyChristmasPodcast Logo shirt designs: http://tee.pub/lic/edygC_h4D1c Contact Me: facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cozychristmaspodcast instagram: https://www.instag…

In today's episode, Christmas is going to the dogs... and a few cats! My guest is cozy mystery author and professional cat rescuer M. R. Dimond. She writes the Black Orchids Enterprises mystery series, and the first two books take place at Christmas time. We chat about her writing process, her time as a cat rescuer, and the joy of writing Christmas…

Hello everyone, in today's episode we take a break from The Chimes, and I invited Scott Leopold from the Holly Jolly X'masu podcast to help me talk about one of the greatest adaptations of A Christmas Carol - the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim! Find out about our favorite characters, quotes, and the powerful message that the film has that compl…

In today's episode I share just a little bit of book club news, then we get into chapter 2 of The Chimes by Charles Dickens. Things get a little spooky in this chapter, as Trotty helps a stranger and his young neice. Then while reading the news one evening he comes across a tragic story... and begins to hear the ghostly call of The Chimes. Find out…

Hello! Today's episode is pretty straightforward - we finally have the Cozy Christmas Book Club up and running, so I share all the book club news. If you're interested in joining please head over the Cozy Christmas Book Club Page on facebook! Then I finish reading chapter 1 of the Christmas novella The Chimes by Charles Dickens. In the story today,…

Hello and welcome to the start of season 4! In today's episode I give a few updates and share some news about our new Cozy Christmas Book Club. You can find details on my social media accounts. The main portion of the episode today, I begin reading Charles Dickens' novella The Chimes. It was released at Christmas time the year after A Christmas Car…

In today's episode, we wrap up the 2022 Christmas Season with a cozy Christmas conversation with mystery author Peggy Ehrhart. She is the author of the Knit and Nibble mysteries, and has written several Christmas books for the series. In this episode we talk about her journey to becoming a published author, which includes being a former English pro…

It's almost Christmas, and today I want to give you a story and a message for Christmas. I've had a few listeners wondering if I could address some of my thoughts about the religious significance of Christmas. So in today's episode I want to talk about what Christmas means to me, what my faith means to me, and how the two are connected. I also read…

Today, we're celebrating the 100th episode of A Cozy Christmas podcast. I have a Q&A section where I answer questions and share Christmas memories from the audience. Then singer/songwriter Rehya Stevens and I sit down and catch up on life, and we talk about our favorite Christmas albums and the memories we have of them. Rehya then gives us some gre…

The worlds of Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens collide! In today's episode I talk to writer/director Mark Shanahan - who's back on the show to talk more about his play A Sherlock Carol. Along for the ride is his partner in this endeavor, Drew McVety - he stars as Sherlock Holmes and is also one of the producers. After we catch up with Mark an…

Hello! My guest today is cozy mystery writer Carol J. Perry. She is the author of the Haunted Haven series and the Witch City Mystery series. We have a fun conversation talking about her books. I'd especially recommend her most recent one called "High Spirits", as it takes place at Christmas. Later on, the conversation turns to Christmas and we tal…

Hello! Since I've been talking to a lot of mystery writers lately, I thought I should read a classic crime story to you today - "Stuffing" by Edgar Wallace. It's basically a story of a heist gone wrong, and Wallace skillfully weaves together the stories of a poor newly married couple about to leave for Canada to start a new job, a couple of crooks,…

Hello friends, today's episode brings much joy... Sarah Joy Kane is our guest! I catch up with her and find out about the musical she's in, Scrooge No More, currently showing at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. If you're able to see her in the performance, tell her I said hello! Then we talk about her life as a military wife and what we can do to help s…

Dead bodies keep turning up at the North Pole. Good thing that Mrs. Claus is on the case! That's right, I have Liz Ireland, author of the Mrs. Claus Cozy Mystery Series. She's here to talk about her new book "Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves" and we have a wonderful chat about her book, Christmas, and of course Charles Dickens and a Christmas Carol. C…

For my youtube viewers, today's episode is going to look a little bit different... it's a video version!If you'd like to watch this episode instead of listening, you can head over to the youtube channel at A Cozy Christmas Podcast! In today's episode, I had a lot of fun talking to Tiffany, the host of the youtube channel The Beachbum Bookworm. We t…

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Today, we're talking turkey... In today's episode I take a brief look at where the tradition of eating turkey comes from, and discover a few traditional Christmas meals from around the world. Then I read Louisa May Alcott's short story, "A Christmas Turkey, and How It Came". Does this old story still have a relevant mes…

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Since Thanksgiving is coming, I know a lot of us are thinking about one thing: food. So on today's episode, I'll be talking to Author Jessica Thompson about her culinary cozy mystery series, A Caterer's Guide to Crime. Book 2 in the series is set at Christmas and is on sale now. Jessica and I talk about her books, and discu…

Hello everyone - today we are talking poetry. I have the amazing North Pole Poet Laureate with me today, Amy Marschak. She was named by Santa himself to spread Christmas cheer throughout the world by her improv poetry. That's right - improv! So in today's episode I talk to her about life as Santa's poet, and then she kindly demonstrates her talent …

In today's episode I interview the author of "Twas The Night - The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem". This book by Pamela McColl is what I consider to be the definitive work on the poem. I also talk with my daughter Gracie about what she's been up to at school, and we learn about the school musical she will be in this year that has a v…

Welcome to the Cozy Christmas Podcast Halloween Spooktacular! In today's episode I am in the Halloween and Christmas spirit as I have Kristin Seering, the host of the Holidays After Dark podcast, on to talk about one of our favorite films, "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"! Kristin and I talk about the film and the fantastic music, our …

In this episode, I hope to help you get in the Halloween mood, as I have a delightful Christmas story for you today... one that is perfect for Halloween! Today I read for you The Signal Man by Charles Dickens. It was a story published in the collection called "Mugby Junction" that was published for Christmas 1866. Charles Dickens edited the collect…

Happy October! Today's episode is pretty special - it was mostly written by you, my listeners! A few days ago I posted a question on my social medias, "Is Santa real?" and you all responded en masse... in today's episode I read many of your responses and talk about them, and then end the episode with an original true story that inspired this entire…

Derick McDuff from the Underrated movie podcast joins me today to talk about 5 Christmas movies he thinks are underrated. Do you agree with him? Take a listen and find out. #1 will surprise you... We also take a few moments to talk about our favorite Christmas memories and gifts, as well as discuss the best on screen portrayal of Santa! Do you agre…