A Powerful Word
Sisu is a Finnish word that I have known all my life. It’s a four-letter word that means courage, determination, stubbornness, resolve, perseverance, never-give-up attitude and so on, all in one little word. What one short word in the English language can even come close to having such a powerful meaning?
Growing up, when I was worried or afraid about something my mom would remind me that as a Finn (99.9% according to Ancestry DNA and 23-and-me), I automatically had ‘sisu’ and just had to use it. Of course, I had to put in the work required to get whatever results I hoped for—sisu doesn’t guarantee results.
I wasn’t consciously thinking about sisu when I was searching for Cheddar for those 4 weeks. It’s simply an attitude that I keep in my back pocket. I suppose it’s something like people with their glasses half-full versus half-empty or optimists versus pessimists. I am quite aware that I am in the camp of people with a glass half-full and, while I consider the possibility of failure or loss, it’s only because there is always that remote possibility.
As the weeks ticked by, I began to wonder if someone had decided that my loveable cat was worthy of keeping for himself without checking to see if it was a lost kitty. I worried that he might have come to a sad ending. I wondered if he was hungry and cold and thirsty and all those things. I kicked myself a thousand times for not putting his collar back on—he’d snagged it off a couple of weeks earlier and ran off every time he saw it in my hands. I had put off getting him microchipped—never made the time–although his “sibling” was chipped when she had her girlie surgery. The cats hate cat carriers so we have let them be free in the SUV on the way to the beach, but not anymore.
But, I’m not one to give up—I’m a Finn after all—and I held out hope that someone, somewhere would reach out somehow and he would be found again. One of my dear friends told me early on that she was sure he would be home by Christmas. But how could she know? As it turns out, he officially was home 2.5 hours before midnight, so he was back by Christmas. Angela was right.
Sisu is also what I lean on when I’m trying to finish a novel and get it to my editor by a deadline. If I don’t, I’ll have to wait another long 6-12 weeks before she can work on it. That’s motivation! In fact, as I write this newsletter for you to read in January, I’m about 5000 words short of finishing Killer Ghost, the fourth book in my Christie’s Flower Shopped cozy mystery series. I will get it done.
Whether you live in snow country and love it, or winter in the warm sunny climates instead, or stay put year around like I do (more or less—vacations don’t count), I wish you lots of reading time! Meanwhile, I’ll be finishing my novel with Sisu Power!!
Until next time, happy reading!
Subscribe | Website | Facebook | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon | Audible
Want updates in your inbox? Subscribe here.
Did you miss a newsletter? View past issues here.
Killer Anniversary, the third cozy mystery novel
in the Christie’s Flower Shoppe series.
A little girl learns about bunnies and love in this heartwarming story
suitable for children aged 3-8 years old.
Rembrandt Rides a Bike, the second murder mystery novel
in the Julia Fairchild series, got a brand new look!
Vi Resoudre already has enough on her plate with her upcoming insurance broker exam, a worried teenage daughter, and a Grim Reaper who only she can see. But when her friend Rosamund becomes the police’s top suspect after a body is found wrapped in a quilt at the local funeral home, Vi can’t ignore the threads pulling her into the investigation.
Between snarky gossip at the Cluck Café, nervous shop owners with too much to hide, and a mysterious floral binder that refuses to stay buried, Vi discovers that every quilt tells a story… and some of them are stitched with secrets.
Between Cat’s teenage antics, Boo’s cryptic hints, and the Grim’s constant interruptions, Vi’s in for more than just a puzzle this fall—she’s in for a revelation that could change everything.
In Autumn Heights, even the coziest places can hide the darkest truths.
When Graisseville needs leaders, Jen Guidry answers the call—
armed with hope, heart, and a knack for getting things done.
The quaint Louisiana village is short on council members and even shorter on volunteers. With a salary barely enough for a gas station snack, the job isn’t exactly glamorous—but Jen knows that service is about something deeper. As she rolls up her sleeves to help rebuild her community, other challenges unfold around her.
The Fontenot family is at a crossroads, trying to mend wounds tied to old grudges and unspoken heartaches. Can Walt Guidry forgive their silence about his parents’ marriage? And what about Acadian Fontenot and Gracie St. Clair—two hearts that seem made for each other, if only the past would let them try again?
Through it all, Jen continues to navigate marriage, motherhood, and friendship with her signature blend of humor and heartfelt faith. Because in Graisseville, healing comes in layers—sometimes with pie, sometimes with prayer.
A body smothered by blueberry jam. A festival in chaos.
A killer hiding among the crowd.
When Rosalind Harper-Cross arrives at Sunset Cove’s Annual Blueberry Festival, she’s expecting pie contests, small-town charm, and her mischievous Maine Coon cat, Perry, getting into trouble. What she doesn’t expect is finding the Blueberry Muffin Queen dead behind her display tent—smothered in her own prize-winning jam.
With gossip spreading faster than butter on warm biscuits, Rosalind teams up with her detective husband Caleb and best friend Megan to sift through the festival’s secrets. But when three of her closest friends land on the suspect list — ice cream supplier Lori Adams, cherry vendor Bill Williams, and Megan herself, who may actually own the Queen’s Muffin shop and recipes—Rosalind realizes this case hits closer to home than she bargained for.
As festival lights twinkle and the last pies await judging, Rosalind must catch the killer before Sunset Cove’s sweetest tradition turns permanently sour. With Perry’s help and Rosalind’s knack for solving puzzles, they’ll need to solve this sticky situation before one of Rosalind’s closest friends gets jammed up with murder.
Subscribe | Website | Facebook | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon | Audible
