Earlier today, the doorbell rang downstairs about a million times. We never have to sign for packages, but that’s what the ringing was all about. Maybe the letter carrier knew what I was shortly to find out and felt it only safe to get a signature — because in that package was Kate Sutherland’s sizzling new book of short stories, All in Together Girls.

I’ve only had time to look at one story, but it was a great one: Making Love While the Kettle Boils. Lovely writing, terrific characters and a sense of a real place where the drama plays out. And, besides, I’m a sucker for stories that celebrate words (in this story cross-words) and give you some insight into sex.

It’s a happy day when a good new book like this one rings down your house. It’s a thrill when it comes from someone whose blog you’ve been reading for the last year.

Wonderfully enough, there are other books from bloggers and friends coming out (or already out) and I’ll be talking about those in the next couple of weeks — Kate’s really impressive new collection of stories heralds what looks like a great season of fine books.