Imagine Christmas Through a Looking Glass

This is an appropriate time to “imagine Christmas” through story. As I mentioned in a recent blog, I love Dickens’ Christmas stories, especially “A Christmas Carol.” His Christmas fantasy helps me imagine Christmas through compassionate eyes. I trust the stories in my “Imagine Christmas” anthology of short stories will have a similar impact on you when you read them.

The stories were written, one each Christmas, over the years and published as an anthology prior to Christmas 2014. It has been one of my most popular books. I am not much of a marketer, so I have not sold bunches of books through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I have sold numbers of books via e-mail, author appearances and book signing events. I enjoy author events the most. They give opportunity to interact with people on a personal level and answer their questions. Also, it is encouraging when someone jumps into the conversation and says, “You’ve got to read “Imagine Christmas”! I couldn’t put it down!” One lady told me she was mad at me. My eyebrows rose in question. “I didn’t get any sleep last night! I couldn’t put down that mouse book!” “Imagine Christmas” and “Tales of a Church Mouse” are my best sellers.

The stories in “Imagine Christmas” vary in nature. It is a family oriented anthology with stories for kids and stories for teens—stories for all. Actually, adults tell me they like the kids’ stories as much as the stories geared to adult readers.

A List of the Twenty-one Stories

A BLACK CHRISTMAS
ANNIE’S CHRISTMAS.
A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
A SPECIAL GIFT
CHRISTMAS ANGEL
CHRISTMAS MY WAY
CHRISTMAS SPLENDOR
GIFT OF SILENT WORDS
GROPING IN THE DARK
LITTLE RED SANTA
LITTLE SWAN
MOUNT QUESTION
PEEP LEARNS A LESSON
QUITE A DIFFERENCE
SCROOGE WAS RIGHT
THE CHRISTMAS EVE TREE
THE HOBGOBLIN
THE LAST MOUSE IN THE HOUSE
THE PET STORE MYSTERY
THIS PLACE IS A ZOO
UNTOUCHABLE

An Interesting Variety

“The Pet Store Mystery” was published in a magazine anthology in 2002 and won “Best Short Fiction Story.” It is a fun story about pet store “detective” Finnigan Ferret that the whole family will enjoy. “Little Red Santa” begins at a Christmas tree farm: “Cheeky hated snow. Why did Cheeky hate snow? Because snow reminded him that Christmas was just around the corner.” So begins Cheeky’s Christmas adventure. “Untouchable” is historical fiction, a biblical Christmas story about a leper named Bengari. “Gift of Silent Words,” a heartwarming tearjerker based on a real little boy born with a debilitating disease, has been published in two different periodicals.

The stories were originally written for my kids, shared with nieces and nephews, and many of them with my church family. They were fun to write…and it is fun to see people’s response when they are read. One guy told me in an email (affirmed in a review), “I wish I were a movie producer, because these stories really need to be put to film!” That he enjoyed them that much gives me joy as well.

Available for Purchase

Well, that is “Imagine Christmas” through a looking glass. As noted, it is available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble—e-book and paperback. Enjoy, and do give me your feedback. Thanks much.