One of the ways I’ve been dealing with ... everything right now ... is curling up under a big ol’ thick blanket and losing myself in shows where the stories are sweet, the stakes are low, and nothing really bad ever happens.
 
All Creatures Great and Small

This lovely show just returned for its fifth season and I am torn between binging it all at once or savoring it slowly. (The entire new season is available through PBS Passport.) My husband calls this my “crying show” because every episode makes me tear up with happy tears. I have become very invested in the characters over the years and just finished a complete rewatch of all previous seasons during the holidays.

For those unfamiliar, this show follows veterinarian James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) and other residents of Yorkshire and is loosely based on his books (which I devoured as a child). The latest season takes place in 1941, when the characters must not only deal with the difficulties of farm life, but World War II, as well.

I’m drawn to this show not only because I’m attached to the characters, but because each episode features wonderful shots of the gorgeous, sprawling English countryside. Wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, and one of my must-watches.
 
Shrinking

I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve watched on AppleTV, but this one is really sticking with me. I didn’t think a show about therapists would affect me so deeply (yes, this is another “crying show” for me) – and season two, in my opinion, has upped both the humor and drama.

Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) is a therapist and single dad raising a teenage daughter in Los Angeles. Early on, we learn his wife was tragically killed fairly recently. The show follows him, his daughter, and a close circle of co-workers and friends who are all trying to navigate their grief. Sounds like a downer, I know—and there are scenes that do make me sob—but, just as it happens in real life—the characters go on living and find joy while dealing with pain.

The writing and performances have really hooked me, and I really hope we get a third season.
 
Somebody Somewhere

I began this show not knowing what to expect and am so, so glad I took a chance on it because it’s one of those shows I can’t not binge.

Advertised as a comedy, but actually more of a dramedy, I was taken in by the realness of the characters, who make me both laugh and cry. While main character Sam (Bridget Everett) initially comes off as a care-free goofball, we learn she, like a lot of us, uses humor to mask intense pain.

The show takes place in Manhattan, Kansas, which in and of itself stood out to me, since the Plains aren’t often a setting for shows that aren’t Westerns. (I did in fact live in Kansas as a very young child but have very few memories of the place.) We follow Sam after she returns to her hometown following a family tragedy. It is both a treat and sometimes upsetting to watch her forge new relationships and reestablish old ones, because Sam, like a lot of Millennials, is kind of a mess.
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I also really appreciate the queer rep, especially when it comes to showing queer folks in church and having faith. This is something I haven’t seen a lot of on TV and it really struck a chord with me (though I am of no particular denomination or organized religion myself). I’m sad HBO canceled this show, but I’m happy we got three full seasons of this.

I’m back. I’m here. And I’m ready for the new year!

2024 was…difficult to say the least. Unexpected challenges in both my day job and personal lives left little time for me to write, and sometimes just getting through the day was a slog. But the year did come to its inevitable end, so it’s time to start anew.

I’m happy to report that this past December was my best month for sales yet! As you might have seen on my social accounts, all three of my romance novels were discounted to $0.99, which was apparently appealing to a lot of folks. I am certainly going to keep this in mind for the future (wink, nudge). I do have plans to participate in more indie author sale events in 2025, so make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter if you’re not already to get the latest info on that front.

I’m also excited to share that Book Three is coming along. I have plans to finish the fourth chapter of my first draft this week. My progress is going slower than I’d like, but I am determined to be patient and kind to myself this year while sticking to a loose schedule that should hopefully get this behemoth into the hands of my editor later this year.

That being said, I’m shifting my focus when it comes to reading for fun. Y’all know I have been an avid supporter of indie books for years now. While this is not going to change, I’ve found lately that I want to read more non-fiction, and I’ve been finding comfort in exploring the physical books my local library has to offer. So, I am not giving up reading and reviewing indie books – I could never do that! I’m an indie author myself! But you might see more traditionally published books pop up in my currently reading social posts. The mind wants what it wants. And I’ve learned to listen to my brain…most of the time.

I think I’ve typed enough for now. It’s snowy and cold here in the DC-area today and I’m planning to head outside as little as possible. From the Serrulata Saga desk, this is Bennett, signing off for now!