• Nikki Laxar | Rev. Diane Sullivan

Lists of breezy summer beach reads get all the publicity. But in Vermont, we know that the best time of year to dive into a good book or 12 is during our nine months of winter.

OK, maybe winter in the Green Mountains only seems that long. Nonetheless, is there anything more decadent than curling up under a heavy blanket by a fire when it's whatever-below outside and losing yourself in a great story? We think not.

That's why we publish our annual Winter Reading Issue when temps are low. In the following pages, you'll find expert recommendations for books to put on your nightstand, along with stories about authors and beloved booksellers.

You might start with "Solstice," a new short story by Middlebury's Janice Obuchowski, author of the recent collection The Woods. Set at a remote Vermont lake house in the winter, it's a chilling ghost story probably best read with extra lights on.

Need suggestions for what to read next? Margot Harrison surveyed local librarians on their favorite books of 2022. As one might expect from librarians, their responses are helpful and insightful — and even include a few books by local authors.

Chances are, you could pick up a few of their recs at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center. The stalwart indie shop is under new ownership but retains its family-friendly vibe.

To the north, Scotia Jordan is changing careers after 25 years of working at Barnes & Noble. The beloved bookseller built a devoted clientele and was a key force in curating the local author section at the national retailer's South Burlington store.

Thanks to Jordan, you might find Norwich author Peter Orner's latest, Still No Word From You: Notes in the Margin, on those shelves. In his book of essays, Orner "portrays reading as a devotion," our reviewer writes.

If all that reading makes you hungry, pick up a recipe by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel, a Vermont author who writes cookbooks based on food in sci-fi and fantasy sagas such as Star Wars, "Star Trek" and A Song of Ice and Fire — aka TV's "Game of Thrones." If the ingredients call for mushrooms, check out our interview with Melany Kahn, author of Mason Goes Mushrooming.

Finally, take a quiet moment for reflection with a new poem from Saint Michael's College professor Greg Delanty.

Thanks for reading.