New Year’s Greetings, Reader!

We are 15 days into 2026 and I’ve totally changed up how I’m bingo-ing my way through the year—and it’s making me ridiculously happy.

Instead of one big annual bingo card, I’m doing monthly bingos: a mix of things I have to do, get to do, and want to do—aspiration meets inspiration meets deadline-ation.

I’ve already decorated six squares with my red felt pen, and if the next few days go as planned, I’ll be heart-marking a big work project, a cool Cathedral light show, and—fingers crossed—the first draft of a Super Sekrit Project (keep reading; you know I’m going to spill the beans).

If gamifying your to-do list sounds like fun, here's a PDF of blank bingo sheets you can download. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!

How I Became a Collector of Camels 🐫🐫🐫

If you download the bingo sheets, you’ll notice the center square each month contains a camel. If you haven’t met him yet, this is Camuel, star (in his eyes at least) of The One That I Want—but really, think more “best stuffed camel in an emotional-support role” energy.

He’s cool.
He’s based on a real stuffed camel.
​He is not my first camel.

The first camel entered my life when a former boss brought back a carved wooden one from the Middle East. I put it on my desk. Then a coworker did the same. I placed it beside the first because camels like company (I assume). Then… you guessed it. A third trip, a third camel.

Three camels, as we all know, makes it a collection. It’s a law or something.

The real turning point though came at Marshall’s, when a white porcelain kneeling camel teapot leapt into my cart and declared himself mine.

Thus ended my teapot hoarding days. Thus began my Camel Era. 🐪✨😎

Name That Camel

Flash forward to Christmas 2025. My mom and her partner discovered this pretty girl and immediately decided (quite rightly) that she should come live with me.

Isn’t she awesome? Look at those eyelashes! Gorgeous enough to enter a beauty pageant, in my honest opinion. (Yes, camel beauty pageants are a thing.)

Even the plant she’s cultivating on her humps is in on the beauty action—it’s called String of Pearls (which, okay, confession time, pearls are yet another thing I kinda-sorta collect).

Only problem? This cutie-pie doesn't have a name. Gasp!

You're going to help me fix that.

Super Sekrit Project — and The Naming Poll!

But first—drumroll, please—Connor and Keira—the *actual* protagonists of The One That I Want—are getting a bonus short story inspired by The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, a tale from the legends of King Arthur and his crew of derring-doers.

Titled The One That I Ask, it takes place about a year after Want and will appear in Once & Nevermore: A Camelot Anthology. I’ll share more details once I’m allowed.

Now—finally—it’s time to name my newest camelly (rhymes with family) member:

I can't wait to see the results!

Our First Bonus Book of 2026

Save the Date for a Cowboy by Jennie Marts What happens when a reluctant cowboy agrees to get set up at a wedding, but then he and his dog fall for the wrong bridesmaid? Second confession: on Monday night I, ahem, stayed up too late reading this sweet and sassy prequel novella that kicks off Jennie Marts’ Lassiter Ranch series. Swooning! If you like cowboys, weddings, dogs and the shenanigans that follow when those collide, you are in luck—Save The Date for A Cowboy is yours, free, to download and stay up too late with. Get my FREE book!

What's Next?

For the rest of January, I’m focused on finishing The One That I Ask before switching back to drafting The One That I Crave (Felix and Romy’s book). I’m also looking forward to a three-day writing retreat over the MLK weekend, a book club outing, a big work convention—and the traditional “we survived it” staff celebration that follows.

I hope you and yours are well—and that your bookshelves overfloweth.

Ciao for now,

Keely

J. KEELY THRALL
​Enthralling Romance