Holiday sprinting

 

This is a 15-minute sprint done from the prompt "A holiday surprise" posed by the Christian Indie Writers' Podcast. As per usual, I allowed the prompt to kick-start my brain, but veered away from actually incorporating it in my segment of story. Ah, well, I hope you might enjoy this anyway!

Sam inspected the ornaments on the Christmas tree, enjoying the hand-crafted items. She smiled at a piece of twisted glass hanging from an old bit of twine near the top of the tree, wondering at the story behind it. No one would hang something so old and worn on their tree without it having a story behind it.

David stepped into the room carefully balancing two filled mugs topped with piles of whipped cream. He'd even gone so far as to stick candy canes into the mugs. Sam reached out for her cup, smiling with appreciation. 

"This is lovely!" 

"I invited you out for a drink," he said, lifting his mug in the air in mock salute. "I didn't plan on the road to town being closed, but we can make do."

Sam's tongue darted out to lick the whipped cream off the top of her lip as she swallowed her first sip. "This is more than just making do," she smiled. "I'd almost suggest you engineered that downed tree to be able to pull this off."

David's lifted eyebrow and roguish grin played along. "You caught me out!" He gestured to the tree behind her. "Did you see, I put your ornament on?"

Sam nodded and turned her attention back to the quaintly decorated tree. The ornament she had given him, a small angel made from seashells and bits of dried flowers, hung next to a cardboard house decorated like a gingerbread house. "What's this ornament?" She pointed to the twisted glass.

She turned in time to see a self-deprecating smile on his face. "That used to be a trumpet," he announced, adopting an air of solemnity. "When I was a boy, I pretended to be blowing the trumpet and accidentally bit the end off. My mother insisted we had to keep it. A few years ago the other end broke off when it was put away, so it doesn't look much like a trumpet anymore, but I put it up for her."

(As a little behind the scenes storytelling, I used my husband as the basis for this scene. We still hang his twisted bit of glass on the top of our tree - it's almost 60 years old and no longer looks much like a trumpet, but every year we tell the stories behind the ornaments we hang while we are trimming our tree. This will be the first year without his mother here to comment on it. 💔 )

Review list of books mentioned in 2020 newsletters

Merry Christmas!

In case you missed any of the newsletters sent out this year, I wanted to do a recap of the books I mentioned with links to check them out. Note that you will want to verify that the books are still available at the prices/giveaways as they were when I first put the notification in the newsletter. 

In no particular order, these books received mentions in 2020:

 This is a biblical fiction short story I wrote a number of years ago. Nothing like my Fighting in Shadows series, but available to you for free if you are interested. I hope you enjoy it!

 J F Rogers has all three books of her Ariboslia series available on Amazon in a boxed set!

Meet 17-year-old Fallon in book one, Astray: A mysterious amulet leads Fallon to everything she’s ever wanted… and possibly her death. Book two is Adrift: Fallon returns to Ariboslia to save lives. But the creatures she wants to save want her dead. Book three is Aloft: Fallon and Morrigan face off for the ultimate battle… in their minds.

If you enjoy visiting alternate worlds that feature fast-paced adventure, supernatural creatures, compelling characters, and exciting plot twists, come to Ariboslia. You’ll love J. F. Rogers’s page-turning Christian fantasy series.

 I picked up this book and wanted to give it a shout out - if you enjoy the X-Men, or other "I have super-hero powers I didn't know I had and have to learn how to use them somehow" stories, you might enjoy this book. There is a reverse harem story-line, but the book is clean and I think would be considered "slow burn," in that there are just a few kisses exchanged -- at least in the first book. It's available in KU, too!

 If you are looking for a dystopian read that has nothing to do with viruses or zombies, check out the Jethro Parables by Justin Fillmore, available in ebook or paperback from Amazon. "Jethro must navigate a world where family just means another mouth to feed, and survival depends upon the whims of those who'd trade a life for a trickle of water. " 

 Author Anca Antoci's debut novel, Forget Me Not, offers fantasy fans a new look at some familiar horror creatures, including fairies, hellhounds, demons, and shapeshifters, and a plot that layers in the action and adventure. Forget Me Not is the first of a trilogy set in Alaska. This book is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

 For readers who appreciate dynamic good vs. evil stories, Carla Thorne has Creator, the first in her new Warrior Saints series, available for pre-order today, with a launch date of April 17. Click on the cover to go to the Amazon page to preorder. Not sure if it's for you? Click here to get an exclusive sneak peek of the first few chapters of the book and join her newsletter. The second book, Destroyer, will be out soon!

 If you haven't read your fill of Urban fantasy lately, take a look at L.L.McNeil's Kouzlo Saga 4-book bundle, free to read on Kindle Unlimited or available to purchase, and immerse yourself in the world of phantom Seila and the Kouzlos working to protect London from demons. I think you'll enjoy it!

 For a quick introduction to Timothy Bateson's Shadows over Seattle world, check out this free short story, Under A Hunter's Moon. If you like shifters, be sure to give this one a try!

 Andy, the gypsy's son, has the gift of sight that his mother only pretends to have. Will it help him to win in love? Check out The Gypsy's Son to find out.

 A different shifting story!

I started this story in the afternoon, and was to the half-way point when I had to put it down because my eyes were struggling to stay open any longer. This isn't a werewolf tale, but if you enjoy shifters and adventure, give this one a try!

 Try a new author

Author Austin Baillio's series, the Crystalline Kingdom, pits creatures of light against forces of dark in a world born from the conflict between good and evil. He is offering this short origin story free to readers to entice you into his world.

 

 Sanctuary

This is the YA dystopian story of Mara, who lives inside the dome of Sanctuary. Her technical skills make her the misfit in the man-made paradise, but a perfect explorer to send beyond the barrier. What does she find in the world beyond? Get this free novella to find out for yourself!

 This story of Jace, Kyrin, and Kaden takes place in a fantasy world filled with mythical races and a clash of good and evil. Persecution, faith, loyalty, resistance - they're all here in a clean story that will suck you in and hold you to the last page. Available on Amazon for sale or free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. 

 She's offered the promise of everything she's ever wanted. But is it worth the cost?

Izzy Runar longs to be part of the Order of the Guardians. But, as the daughter of a Core worker, her chances are slim to none. A forbidden vision of the future, however, tells her more may be at stake than her own aspirations.

Visions of the Guardians, is a free young adult dystopian short story.

 Brothers will clash. Faeries will fall. 

Arius must lead the faeries of the Haven and protect them from the evil designs of the dark faeries who seek their destruction. But when he runs into a dark faerie who claims to be his brother, everything could change - or it could be the beginning of a dangerous rivalry.

This story just published in September! Free when you sign up for author's newsletter.

 Some sacrifices cost more than death...

Thirty years ago, dark magicians unleashed power on the earth fueled by demons. Magicians ended up on top of the food chain.

Becca survives these dangerous times by relying on her wits, her fists, and the limited goodwill of her boss, a local crime lord. 

On the hunt for her missing sister, Becca must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save her sister.

On Amazon and Kindle Unlimited

That's a lot of books!

I wish for you a Merry Christmas, the Peace that passes understanding even in a year with a pandemic, and a Happier and Healthier New Year.