March: Mug Month

I decided to declare March as Mug Month.

I have two reasons. 

Reason #1: This month is the one-year anniversary of the release of Libby’s Cuppa Joe. Libby’s is a coffee shop in Door County, Wisconsin. No, it isn’t a real place even though I’ve had several readers report they looked for it when visiting the small town of Fish Creek.

When the new proprietor of Libby’s Cuppa Joe arrives on the scene, she cleans everything out of the store’s kitchen. Including a random collection of mugs from area businesses and such. 

Reason #2: In my first novel, Breathing on Her Own, there is a scene where the main character, Molly, is moving the contents of her daughter’s closet to a new room. She remembers her daughter as a toddler clomping around in Molly’s high-heeled shoes. She thinks of her daughter growing up and the way shoes mark time. There’s a line in the book that reads –“Shoes tell the story of our lives.”

I always liked that scene…and the line. 

Recently however, I hosted some friends for breakfast. I pulled three of my favorite mugs from the cabinet for our coffee. I told them the significance of each mug. 

Mugs Tell the Story of My Life. Interesting. I had never made that connection before. Sure, I have the random souvenir mug from my travels or the one someone gave me as a gift. I have mugs that bring back wonderful memories and a few that simply feel good in my hands. 

After my friends left, I pulled a few more mugs from the cabinet and lined them up. Each mug has a story of its own. For the next few weeks I am sharing a few of my “mug stories.” I know I’m not alone in this.

Your turn. What is your favorite mug? What do you drink in it? Where did you get it? Why do you like it so much? Please send me a picture of your mug…with or without you in it. Include a brief description of your connection to the mug. A few sentences is all I require.

Let’s have fun with this. 

My final post in the series will feature your stories. Illustrated with your pictures.  

And did I mention I have a $10 Amazon Gift Card for one lucky reader who sends me their mug story?