I’m probably going to cross-post this one, because it’s chock full of news!
First of all– woo woo! I finished my Nano Project. Not just reached the word limit, but finished the project–and that’s exciting. The book is called Bolt Hole, and I tackled an African American protagonist in this one, and I love him dearly, but God, I hope readers see that love. Race is such a fragile truce in this country–and I wanted us to see that truce in action. Anyway, the story is written, it is submitted, and the worry is all in the accepting. *please please please* But I got the little badge, just to brag:-)
Second of all– woo woo! On Saturday, all of the Evergreen Christmas Advent Calendar will be available for individual sale, (although you may want to check it out now, because it is available at a very good price!) and that includes my Christmas story, Turkey in the Snow. For Turkey, I started with that moment that I know well. It’s the moment when I’m exhausted and the kids need me and I’m tired from my job and my responsibilities, and oh. God, they all need a piece of me and I’m not sure if there’s anything left to give.
And suddenly? There’s help.
Now, for me, my help is Mate, but there were times when he was, by necessity, not there. That has made me appreciate all of his help, whether it’s the kind I had anticipated or not. That is the dynamic that starts between Hank and Justin, and (like Bolt Hole, actually) it’s one of my more personal, smaller stories. I wanted authentic, and I wanted real, and I wanted to show that authentic and real can also end happy.
Here is the blurb for Turkey in the Snow:
Turkey in the Snow $3.99
By Amy Lane
Since Hank Calder’s four-year-old niece, Josie, came to live with him, his life has been plenty dramatic, thank you, and the last thing he needs is a swishy, flaming twinkie to complicate things. But when Justin, the daycare worker at his gym, offers to do something incredibly nice for Hank—and for Josie—Hank is forced to reconsider. Justin may be flamboyant in his speech and gestures, but his heart and kindness are as rock steady and dependable as anyone, even Hank, could ask for. Can Hank trust in his dramatic “turkey in the snow” to offer his heart the joy he and Josie have never known?
So I hope you enjoy this– How to Raise an Honest Rabbit and Knitter in His Natural Habitat were both serendipitous in timing. I wrote them when I wrote them, they were set in the holidays, and, holy cow, that’s when they were released! It was awesome. But Turkey in the Snow was written especially for Christmas, and it’s tight and small and I hope you love it.
And speaking of How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, (and how mad people were about what happened to a certain someone at the end of Knitter in his Natural Habitat) I have a special treat for Jeremy’s fans. On I’ve posted a free Jeremy fic called Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night for those of you who finished Knitter in his Natural Habitat and wanted to see some more Jeremy. (Warning– there are SPOILERS IN THIS! It happens AFTER Stanley’s story and that plot thing we shall not mention!!!)
Oh yes– and one more thing.
I will be at the Dreamspinner Press page on Facebook on Saturday, December 1st, if you want to log on and (GENTLY) yell at me for what I did there. I’ll be on from 1p.m. PST, and I look forward to seeing you there!
I shall go on to chat! No yelling. I don't read your books without the knowledge epic shit could go down at any moment!
I will come by just to chat! No yelling, I always read your books knowing epic sh*t could go down at any moment!
I will come by to chat! No yelling! I knew sh*t could go down!
You're amazing!! When do you find the time to breathe?
I totally read that when I should have been doing actual work. This is the allure a story by you has! Absolutely wonderful, btw.
I loved Stanley's story, even what happened to Jeremy. Made his journey to being an "honest rabbit" more solid, paying back, in a way, the good deed Johnny had done for him. It sucked, it was rough to read, but it made Jeremy a stronger person to know that he could stand up to people like the man who killed his dad.