03 The Village of Santa's Elves

Here we are again, the end of summer, fall is just around the corner.Before we know it, Christmas will be here.

I have been requested to write a Children's Christmas story.

As I worked on this story, I was reminded of a little girl, with only one wish for Christmas.....
(She wanted an Elf of her own.)

Now being an Elf, working all year long on toys, gifts and goodies for all children of the world, I have decided that this year you will all receive the story as to how we Elves came to live with Santa and Mrs. Clause.

THE VILLAGE OF SANTA'S ELVES

Box 11
1rst Street
North Pole
Canada
H0H 0H0


A wise person once said, “If you need help, just ask and you shall receive”

Well years ago, the world as we know it was not as populated as it is now, there were not as many families with children, as there is now at Christmas time.

Santa and Mrs. Clause, built all the toys themselves, as the years went by , Santa became increasingly busier and busier. Toy making was being started as early as New Years day, just to make sure all the children would have their Christmas wishes come true.

Every year, more and more families had children, making it harder , for Santa to keep up.
Until one Christmas eve, he was so tired. He actually missed a tiny village on his midnight run around the world.

Santa had returned to the North Pole without realizing his mistake, and had directly went for a nap.

Dasher one of his trusted reindeer, Mrs. Clause and Ralph a stable hand were cleaning up the sleigh when they discovered some magic left in the Santa sack.

Well now we will have to wake Santa up, and let him know what has happened.

Comet in all his glory stood up and suggested that they do the delivery, and let poor old Santa sleep.

However try as they might, they could not get the sleigh off the ground without Santa at the reins. Even Mrs. Clause, tried but her hands were to small to hold the reins properly.

Well, this is a fine pickle she announced, I will just go and get Santa up from his nap.

Mrs. Clause went into her kitchen, and began whipping up Santa's favorite foods. There was chocolate cake, Sundays, Gingerbread and four different kinds of Cookies, she knew as soon as he smelled the treats , he would wake instantly, and want to snack on them.

To her surprise he not only woke up , he was so hungry he ate everything she had prepared. While Santa was filling up on goodies, Mrs. Clause hurriedly explained what had happened on his flight around the world. Santa was shocked, how could he completely forget a whole village.

Now in the stables there was a commotion going on......Ralph the stock hand and the reindeer knew Santa was getting way to busy to keep up with all the toy building and a one night flight , to ensure all boys and girls would get their Christmas wish.

The reindeer and the stalk hands reached for the radio, and even though it was the middle of the night and all hope seemed lost, they put out an emergency call that was heard around the world by the ears of all who were awake to hear it.............

SANTA NEEDS HELP!!!!!!PLEASE CALL THE NORTH POLE!!!!!!
464646@SANTA'S VILLAGE, EXT., 9627 (THE STABLES)

Well at the time of the night there are no that many people awake in the world.

The night sky was dark and the wind whipped around the sleigh, making it hard for the reindeer to stay on course, using a little of the magic, to keep them flying straight.

As they were flying a message came across Santas radio. It was Mrs. Clause informing Santa , that a little village just outside the south pole had heard of their request for help.

Now this really upset Santa , for this was the same small village he had forgotten on his first flight of the night.

The winds were up and it was so cold that ice was forming in front of them , making it hard for them to see. Almost there he calls out, as the reindeer, start their decent , veering a little to the right so as not to land on a polar bears head.

The ground was frozen , the reindeer, practically slid down the lane into the village, stopping in front of the town hall.

Santa knew the village well, his gift to them every year was wood and coal to keep their houses and families warm. Jumping out of his sleigh, he realized that he was much to jolly to enter the front door of any of the buildings. He grabbed his sack and with some magic, he was able to go down the chimney, onto a cold bed of ashes.

Once inside, he looked around at all the tiny faces,

Before Santa had a chance to speak, an elderly elf stepped forward, with an outstretched hand , introducing himself as Tony , The Toymaker, Town Mayor. This is my wife Estella he said proudly , and my children, Eva, Elgin, Everett, Ellouise and the twins babies Evelyn & Eliotte. Stepping aside the rest of the villagers came up and introduced themselves and their families.


Now Santa being a bit upset over his own mistake, knowing that this little village was the one he missed on his earlier flight, walked across the town hall to the door.......he needed time to think, and went outside , settling his rump in a snowbank.

Ralph his stable hand, then informed that this tiny village, had been the ones to answer the emergency call.


Santa immediately jumped to his feet, went back into the town hall, as he approached Mr. Toymaker, he said.....Tony there is a way to we can all help each other.

I seem to need more and more help each year,, just getting all the toys built and ready for Christmas. I would like for you and your village to come back to the North Pole with me.

Now Tony did not think this was such a good Idea, for the Elves could only live where it is cold and snowy all year round, and the North pole, well he did not know anything about it.

As elves we have special diets, of candy, cookies, snow cones and sweet sugary syrup. It keeps our energy up and going and we are able to withstand just about any storm the winter can throw at us.

Santa was not discouraged, he assured the Elves , the north pole , covered in snow, would be ideal for their village, as for the sweet and tasty diet you need , that too is not a problem.


All the villagers crowded around Santa, and Tony , wanting to go to the north pole, with a few well placed pleases and excitement on every little elves face............Tony gave in and accepted Santa's offer.

Letting everyone know that this decision cannot be changed, as they rushed from house to house, each packing a suitcase.

Ralph the stable hand stuck his head in the door and announced that the moonlight would soon be gone and the reindeer were worried that the flight back, may not be safe in the daylight, for the brightness of the rising sun could hurt their eyes, which means they may have to alter their flight plan, Taking the long way home would mean they would need more magic for the reindeer to fly the sleigh.

Santa and Ralph lifted every child into the sleigh and created room for all the adults, and were soon on their way, having enough time before the moon started setting. The headed due North.

What a shock for Mrs. Clause when the sleigh pulled up on the snow covered driveway, weaving a bit to the left , and knocking down the snowman she had just finished building.

All the Elves scurried down off the sleigh and set to fixing the snowman, while Santa explained what was happening.

Well then , lets see if we can make room for our guests then , said Mrs. Clause, as she set about producing little beds, linens and preparing dinner for all of them.

As Santa had promised, we found the north pole perfect for us, we built our village and a huge toy factory. We work all year long with Santa, making all the newest and best toys for all the children of the world to enjoy every Christmas.


Critique: First the bad news. Punctuation, spelling, grammar, POV, characters, plot, structure all need a lot of work. But the good news is, I think it has potential. I’ve sent extensive notes to the author and if rewritten, it could be a really cute picture book.

What I liked best: The idea of Santa needing help and the elves coming to the rescue.

Publication ready: No. This needs work before it’s ready to publish, but it has a whole lot of potential!

02: Savanna's Christmas Miracles

by Kasey Eyre

Savanna Clark winced as she flipped through the stack of bills on her desk and compared them with the amount available in her checking account. The numbers didn’t add up. Clicking her mouse a few times, Savanna reluctantly transferred money from their dwindling savings account to cover the bills. After writing the checks and getting everything stamped and ready for the mailbox, Savanna pushed herself up from the desk and then wandered into the kitchen.

Looking at the calendar above the phone in the kitchen, Savanna noticed it was only ten days until Christmas. Usually, Savanna had Christmas planned out months in advance; the gifts were all purchased well before Thanksgiving, hidden away in her closet where her curious boys couldn’t find them. But the past two years had changed all that. It had been difficult with all of the pay cuts her husband had received at work and this year wasn’t looking any better. Last Christmas had been small with simple gifts, but the boys hadn’t seemed to notice, thankfully. Savanna was worried about this year, though. She still hadn’t bought any Christmas gifts because there was no longer extra money at the end of the month. Savanna felt tears of frustration prick her eyes as she thought about her three boys waking up Christmas morning to no gifts under the tree.

Savanna shook her head and took a deep breath, determined not to cry. She wasn’t going to let herself get down. Despite their financial troubles, Christmas was still the family’s favorite time of year and she wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed it as much as they could. She knew her and her husband would figure out something for gifts for their boys. In the meantime, Savanna started humming a Christmas carol to try and put herself more in the spirit of the season as she put away clean dishes and tidied up the kitchen. When she heard the front door open a few minutes later Savanna frowned. It wasn’t time for the boys to come home from school yet.

Savanna walked through the kitchen into the living room to find her husband slumped over on the couch, his head resting in his hands. She walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Michael, why are you home so early? Are you sick?”

Michael looked up at Savanna and with pain in his eyes replied, “I got laid off today.”



After dinner that evening Michael and Savanna sat at the kitchen table while the boys were in their bedroom playing a board game. They had papers scattered on the table, a calculator in the center of the mess.

Michael wrote something down on a piece of paper and then punched some numbers into the calculator. “We have enough in savings to pay the mortgage and bills for the next two months, but that’s it. We can’t spend even a penny on anything extra.”

“But what about Christmas?” Savanna’s voice trembled as she tried to hold back the tears.

Michael shook his head. “We can’t afford gifts. We can barely afford groceries. Hopefully I can get some handyman jobs until I can find something permanent. But with the way things are now, I might be out of a job for a while. Let’s just pray the boys understand.”

Savanna felt fear and uncertainty creep into her. She was scared about what was going to happen, but she wanted more than anything to give her boys a good Christmas. They deserved at least a little Christmas joy. But it seemed hopeless. She and Michael didn’t even feel right asking their parents for help. It seemed everyone was struggling this year.

Michael placed his hand over Savanna’s and smiled weakly at her. “We’ll figure out something. We just need to have faith.”

Savanna nodded and smiled back. Faith. With it being Christmastime that should be something that came easily, but it seemed like the more faith she tried to have the worse off they were.

The boys came running into the kitchen then. Savanna wiped her eyes and smiled while Michael picked up the papers and calculator and cleared the table. The boys were hungry and wanted a treat, but Savanna looked through the almost-empty cabinets and couldn’t find anything to give them.

“I need to go grocery shopping,” she admitted, thinking of the small amount she would have to spend on food.

Michael clapped his hands together. “Well, I’ve got something for you. When I was little your grandma would make something that we always thought was a special treat.”

The boys sat at the table while Michael busied himself at the kitchen counter.

“Dad, what are you making?” ten year-old Brad asked, craning his neck trying to see around his father’s large frame.

Michael grinned as he came to the table with three plates. He placed the plates in front of each boy. “Here you go! This is Grandma’s special recipe for sugar cookies.”

The boys looked at the slice of bread on their plates with doubt.

“It’s just bread and butter and sugar,” Will frowned and poked the bread with his finger.

Trent took a bite. “Mmmm. It’s good Dad! Grandma was a good cook.” His wide smile showed off his two missing front teeth.

Everyone laughed. The boys ate their treat while Michael told them stories about growing up on the farm and Savanna made hot chocolate for everyone. After the stories they played a game and then got the kids off to bed. Savanna stood at the doorway to the boys’ room and felt a swelling in her chest. Earlier that day she had felt so dismal, their financial worries taking over. But now, looking at her boys all snuggled in their beds sleeping peacefully, she had joy in her heart. She was going to have faith that things would work out. For these boys she had to.



Savanna was about to leave for the grocery store when Trent came bursting through the front door.

“Mom! I found a dollar!” He waved the green bill in his hand and ran up to her. “I was walking back from the park with Dad and Will and I found a dollar on the street. Dad said I could keep it. Can I go to the store with you and spend it? Please?”

“Calm down,” Savanna said holding up her hands. “Yes, you can go to the store with me. What are you going to buy?”

Trent twisted his mouth as he thought. “Maybe a candy bar or a pack of gum. Then I can share it with Will and Brad.”

“Go get in the car. You can figure it out on the way there.”

When they got to the grocery store, Trent skipped through the parking lot chattering on and on about what he wanted to buy. He stopped suddenly when he saw a man dressed as Santa standing outside the entrance to the store ringing a bell.

“What is that Santa doing, Mom?” Trent asked.

Savanna pointed. “See that bucket? People put money in there and Santa gives the money to people who need it so they can buy food for Christmas dinner.”

“You mean some people don’t have money to buy food?”

Savanna nodded, feeling a knot in her throat. “Some people don’t.”

Trent took the dollar bill out of his pocked and looked at it carefully in his hand. Then, he marched up to Santa and put the bill in the bucket. Savanna felt her eyes fill with tears as she watched her son give up something he wanted to help someone else. Savanna reached into her purse. She didn’t have very much money for groceries that day, but she knew she had more then some people. Pulling out a few bills, Savanna placed them in the bucket as well.

Santa rang his bell and smiled. “Thank you and Merry Christmas!”



Five days before Christmas Savanna was in the kitchen making dinner when Brad came in from outside.

“Did you finish pulling weeds in Mr. McGill’s yard?” she asked her son.

Brad nodded grabbing a clean cup from the dishwasher and filling it with water from the tap. “Dad is still over there. He had a leaky pipe or something so Dad’s fixing it.”

Michael got home just as Brad was setting the table for dinner. Savanna pulled a casserole dish of macaroni and cheese out of the oven.

“Brad, go tell your brothers that dinner is ready.” Savanna placed the casserole dish onto the table.

Michael was washing his hands when the boys ran into the kitchen and tumbled into their seats. Michael sat down, but before saying a blessing over the food he turned to Brad.

“What did Mr. McGill say to you when you went in the house to get a trash bag?”
Brad shrugged. “Just that is was nice to have some company.”

Michael shook his head. “I think he’s been awfully lonely since his wife died. He talked non-stop while I fixed that pipe.”

Brad jumped up from the table. “We should take him some dinner. We should all go over there and eat with him.”

Savanna started to protest. The macaroni and cheese, frozen peas and canned peaches wasn’t much of a meal to share with someone. But the determination on Brad’s face stopped her. “Let’s get this food packed up and head over.”

The boys shouted and laughed as they put foil over the food and grabbed something to carry. As they walked down the street to Mr. McGill’s house they were full of cheerful chatter. They reached the old man’s house and Brad proudly knocked on the door. When Mr. McGill answered there was a surprised look on his face as he saw the entire Clark family on his porch holding dishes of food.

“We wanted to bring you dinner and thought we could all eat together,” Brad said.

Mr. McGill gasped, his hand covering his mouth. “What a wonderful surprise,” he replied. Opening the door wide, Mr. McGill ushered the family in.

After dinner that evening, Mr. McGill pulled Savanna aside as the boys and Michael cleared the table. “Thank you. This is the first home cooked meal I’ve had in a long time. You were an answer to my prayers.”

Savanna reached up to give Mr. McGill a hug. “You are welcome for dinner any time,” she whispered and Mr. McGill could only nod his reply.


On Christmas Eve, Savanna stood in the living room and stared at the blank space under the Christmas tree that was usually full of gifts. What surprised her most of all was that her three sons had not once asked why there were no gifts under the tree this year. She wondered if they would be disappointed the next morning. She wished there was something she could do to give them at least one gift to open.

Savanna’s thoughts were interrupted when she saw Will rummaging around in the hall closet.

“What are you looking for?” Savanna asked.

Will stuck his head out of the closet. “Where is that Christmas wrapping paper from last year?”

Savanna’s heart leaped. “What do you need it for?” she asked carefully.

“I was over at Jake’s playing and he told that for Christmas this year their family was taking gifts to the kids at the women’s shelter tonight. I thought I could give some of my toys.”

Savanna walked over to the closet and found the paper high on a shelf. “What are you going to give?”

Will shrugged his shoulders. “I have lots of toys. I was thinking maybe I could give my baseball and mitt or one of my board games.”

Savanna gave her son a hug. “I think that’s a good idea.” She handed Will the wrapping paper and watched him run off to his room. Savanna went into her own room and closed the door. She knelt down beside her bed and started to pray. Even though her boys seemed to be fine, she was still the one running low on faith.


Christmas Eve dinner was usually ham and scalloped potatoes, green beans, homemade rolls with cranberry jam, Will’s favorite Jell-o and pumpkin pie for dessert. This year Savanna made rolls and placed them on the table along with fixings for ham sandwiches made with cold cuts she found on sale at the deli. She did have a pumpkin pie, even if it was store bought. It was cheaper to buy an already made pie then get everything she needed to bake one herself. She hesitated calling the boys for dinner, but was surprised when they came to the table excited at the prospect of making their own sandwiches.

“Can we eat on the floor in the living room with just the Christmas lights on?” Trent asked.

The family settled on a blanket, their sandwiches on napkins and cups of water sitting on the coffee table that had been pushed aside. As they ate they told stories of past Christmases, the boys reminiscing about their favorite gifts. It was next that Trent finally told the secret he and his brothers had been keeping for the past two weeks.

“We didn’t write letters to Santa this year,” he blurted out, getting dirty looks from Will and Brad.

“You weren’t supposed to tell!” Brad shouted.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked. He looked from Brad to Will to Trent. Brad, the oldest of the three spoke up.

“We heard you talking one night about not having money for gifts. So we decided we wouldn’t ask for anything, even from Santa.” He shot a look at Trent who started to frown.

“We thought because Christmas was for Jesus’ birthday we’d do nice things for other people, instead of being sad about not getting new toys,” Will added.

This time Savanna didn’t stop the tears from falling. She grabbed her sons and pulled them into a hug. “You’re my three little miracles this year.”

Michael stood up from the floor and clapped his hands. “Let’s go caroling!”

“What?” Trent asked raising his eyebrows.

Savanna laughed, “You hate singing,” she teased.

“Well, these boys have put me in the Christmas spirit. Everyone grab your coats and shoes. We’ll make our way down the street and then stop by Mr. McGill’s and invite him over for pie.”

When everyone was bundled in their coats the Clark family walked outside and started singing Christmas carols. They walked to their neighbors on either side of them and then across the street. At one house they were handed a plate of homemade goodies as a thank you for the caroling. At another home, the neighbor handed Savanna a bag of old toys she had been meaning to bring over for the boys. Her kids no longer played with them and she thought the Clark boys would like them. By the time they made it to Mr. McGill’s house Savanna’s arms were full of things from their neighbors.

Michael knocked on Mr. McGill’s door and the boys started to rambunctiously sing “Jingle Bells”. When Mr. McGill came to the door he was laughing.

“I could hear you when you were all the way down the street,” he chuckled.

Savanna invited him over for pie and Mr. McGill happily accepted their invitation.

They stayed up late that Christmas Eve, eating pie and the treats from their neighbor, drinking hot cocoa, singing songs and telling stories. Before Mr. McGill left for the evening and the boys went to bed. Michael read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. As she drifted off to sleep that night, Savanna felt peace for the first time that Christmas season. Her three boys, her Christmas miracles, had reminded her that Christmas was more than having a pile of gifts under the tree; it was about giving.

The next morning Savanna woke up to the excited whispers of her boys. She shook Michael and together they stumbled into the living room to see why their boys were up so early. Michael and Savanna found their three boys sitting in front of the Christmas tree, the lights casting a warm glow on their faces. Under the tree was a small stack of gifts. Savanna gasped and turned to Michael. He just shrugged.

“I have no idea where those gifts came from,” he whispered to his wife.

Savanna knelt down in front of the Christmas tree to examine the boxes. There was one for each of member of the family.

“I guess Santa brought gifts, after all,” Savanna said.

Trent reached for the gift with his name on it and shook his head. “I think this year our gifts came from Jesus.”


Critique: Watch out for passive voice. Give us a little more personality in the family and for Savanna, deeper characterizations. Both of those issues could be helped with a little more dialog. Needs more sensory imagery. A couple of plot issues but has potential.

What I liked best: The sweet Christmas feeling. The children being so willing to give to others and to go with the spirit of the holiday and the family bringing their elderly neighbor into their celebrations.

Publication ready: Not quite yet. There are some characterization issues that need to be worked out and it needs to be tightened up. But overall, it's close.

01: Waiting for Grandfather Frost

Snow had been falling for two days, transforming the dark and gloomy December streets to a dazzling whiteness. Wrapped up in thick winter coats and scarves, men and women shuffled passed glowing shop windows, while children slid along icy patches on the pavement and threw snowballs at the slow moving cars and busses.

In early afternoon the snow stopped falling and the sky cleared to a cobalt blue, revealing a bright star that burned from the east. Those who stopped in the street and raised their heads to admire the Magi’s legacy all saw flash by what looked like a silhouetted sleigh.

“It’s him,” said a small boy, his forehead a fierce frown. “It’s Father Christmas. Look.”

His pal, who had been too busy compacting a snowball round a stone, squinted upwards.

“No it isn’t,” the taller boy said. His body seemed longer than his legs, and his head too small for his body. “There’s no such thing as Father Christmas.”

A third boy, younger than the two pals, who’d been left outside the entrance to the town church a long time ago, in his hands a sheet of paper rolled up to make a kind of begging cup, stared hard into the darkening sky. “Father Christmas,” he whispered, and he tried to smile. But the freezing weather had chilled him beyond chillness and it felt as though his cheeks cracked. He brought his numbed hand to his face. But just then a snowball slammed into the side of his head.

The beggar boy slumped forward into the snow, which turned slowly pink in a halo about his head. Next to him, the unrolled paper cup danced like a leaf on the wind, and the spilled coins given him by passers-by burrowed into the soft snow.

The first two boys, who, strangely, had only now noticed the beggar boy, looked at each other and then around the streets. Nobody had seen what had happened.

“Quick,” the taller boy said. “Get his money.”

The smaller boy hesitated, but his pal pushed him forward. The two scrabbled in the snow, working their dirty fingernails beneath the coins. Before dashing off, the older one heaved the beggar boy over onto his back and searched the boy’s trousers’ pockets. Apart from a curious looking pen made from a feather, they were empty.

In the tiny church garden behind the beggar boy, there perched a robin redbreast atop a single holly tree. Helpless, the little bird watched the child lying in the snow. From its throat came a trembling, high-pitched, warbling lament. And into its breast bled a deep crimson.

Another bird had also witnessed the scene in the street. On a white-capped gargoyle that sprouted from a flying buttress, a raven cawed his deep-base caw after the two boys melting into the distance.

Slate-grey now was the sky and the snow had begun again to fall. Like a billion sheerie, those tiny, evil fairy spirits of dead, unbaptised children, the snowflakes whirled and chased each other round the street lamps.

Spiralling upwards, though, through the blizzard, was a giant snowflake, the white page used by the beggar boy as a cup, which might have been a goblin disguised, intent on causing misfortune or fatality to the living.

The robin and the raven watched the corpse-coloured snowflake climbing skyward until it disappeared into the blackness.

Unseen by mortal eyes, the sheet of paper transformed first into a snowy owl and flew on silent wings until it could go no higher. It then took on the shape of an eagle, its plumage blacker than black, until it too reached its flying limitations and contorted into a thunderbird, powering on towards its destination.

When the thunderbird could make out in the farthest distance what it had been seeking, the sleigh moving across the night sky, it revealed itself as that creature of seasonal peace and calm, the halcyon bird.

Too late, however, did the halcyon bird realise its mistake. The sleigh did not belong to the genial one known to many as Father Christmas, and to others as Grandfather Frost. And the sleigh was a chariot, its owner the Goddess of Winter, the Snow Queen.

The Winter hag, the Snow Queen, her hair a blizzard and her blue eyes colder than an iceberg, reached out of her chariot and grasped the halcyon bird by the neck. At the Snow Queen’s petrified touch, the bird became what it had been in the beggar boy’s hands, a sheet of paper.

The Snow Queen read the header written in black at the top of the page: ‘NAUGHTY AND NICE’. And in small print: ‘Final Report by Alabaster Snowball December, 2010.’

“Hah!” the snow queen said, the death rattle of her icicle necklace sounding like a million souls gurgling and fluttering for release from imprisonment in her throat. “Grandfather Frost and his elves have saved me time.”

She dragged her frozen fingers down the page until she came to the last names and addresses on the list. Quicker than a lightening crack, her winter-chariot twisted in the night-sky and sped towards the earth and the street where two ragged boys, one crying the other laughing, rounded a corner.

She brought her chariot to a halt before the boys so suddenly, the two slid and slipped into the gutter.

The snow queen recognised at once the one destined to be hers.

“You,” she said to the taller boy. “Come with me.”

Mesmerised, the boy obeyed the snow queen’s order and beckoning finger, and climbed into the carriage. The smaller boy backed away and shook his head. The woman, to him, appeared the way a perfect mother should: striking, tall and scary. Never having met his mother, he decided then that the strange woman in the carriage was how she would have looked – beautiful and terrifying. Her skin, whiter than the freshly fallen snow, seemed to glow in contrast to her mouth as red as the berries on the holly tree in the church garden. But for him her eyes showed no interest. As blue and uncaring as the sky he awoke to that midwinter morning where he’d slept the night in a doorway, her eyes were filled with indifferent cruelty.

A jingle jangling in the sky turned the heads of the two boys and the snow queen upwards.

“Father Christmas,” a voice called from up the street.

The small boy turned round. Running in his direction from the church he recognised the beggar boy. But he ran in strange short steps, as though his legs were shorter than other boys’ legs, and his clothes were different. On the beggar boy’s shoulders perched a robin. Then over their heads and into the carriage flapped a bird darker than a moonless night. The raven.

“Away,” the snow queen commanded, and her chariot carved from ice took off and sparkled as it rocketed through the sky.

The beggar boy and the small boy watched from the street the snow queen’s chariot shrinking among the stars. But just as it shrunk to a dot, it appeared to grow again and was zooming back to earth. But was it?

The jangling and jingling of reindeer bells peeled through the night sky before the boys in the street saw the silhouetted reindeer, behind the animals’ splayed antlers the bulky figure seated in his sleigh.

Quicker than a streaking comet, Father Christmas reached the earth and brought to a halt his sleigh in the same place the snow queen had parked her chariot.

“Whoa there Dasher, Prancer, Vixen,” he called to his reindeer team.

The reindeer, excited after their long journey, pawed the snow with their hooves, lifted and raised their heads, plumes of steam snorting from their nostrils.

“Alabaster,” Father Christmas addressed the beggar boy. For that is who he was, Alabaster Snowball, in charge of Father Christmas’s Naughty and Nice list. “Your work here is almost done, my little friend. Take the boy home.” And over them he sprinkled stardust. Within seconds the small boy was in a single-roomed house with an old woman shivering in a tatty armchair.

“Grandmother,” the boy said.

“Oh,” the old woman said, tears streaming from her swollen eyes. “You’ve come back.”

There blew through the room a gust of wind as the elf departed through the chimney, and in the empty hearth blazed a fire that would burn till springtime.

At that very moment, far away in the Land of Permafrost, the Snow Queen’s chariot had arrived. Out of her palace of snow and ice rushed her goblins. They seized the tall boy and brought him to join the countless others that had gone missing that Christmas Eve, destined to suffer forever the unbearable misery of perpetual winter.


Critique: You mix too many myths into one story—Magi, elves, Santa with modern reindeer, Grandfather Christmas, Snow Queen. I'd recommend you drop all but the Snow Queen and keep the tone eerie and gothic for a truly luscious and dark holiday story. It wouldn't work for this collection, but I bet you could find a home for it somewhere.

Watch out for sentence structure. Deepen the characterizations. Use your extra word count to give us smoother transitions, a more satisfying ending, and more of that wonderfully creepy imagery.

What I liked best: The gothic tone.

Publication ready: No. Needs reworking and tightening up, but it has potential.

Christmas Story Posts Starting Today

I'll start posting the Christmas stories for this year's contest in just a minute. I'll post them two a day—in the order they were received—or more frequently as submissions increase. So far, I have 6 submissions but if this contest follows the course of the others, I'll get more throughout the week. Keep them coming!

A few quick reminders:

DO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE CONTEST! There is still time for them to submit their stories—and we want lots of readers.

DON'T TELL PEOPLE WHICH STORY IS YOURS! We want the stories to win based on merit, not on personal popularity.

VOTING STARTS SEPTEMBER 26th. Feel free to leave comments any time, but comments made before 9/26 will not be part of the voting tally.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 24. That means you still have plenty of time to get your story in. See Submission Guidelines here.

Okay, here we go...


P.S. I've been re-sending the 2010 Christmas Story Evals, as requested. The Book of Mormon evals will have to wait because they're on a computer that I won't have access to until October 1st. Sorry.

Send In Your Stories!

Next week, the plan is to post all the Christmas story submissions...

So far, I only have TWO.

I guess that's what happens when you take an extended hiatus from your blog and then jump right into a new contest.

Please, please please—help me spread the word. And get those stories submitted!

There's still time to submit your Christmas short story to the 5th Annual LDS Publisher Christmas Short Story Contest!

Deadline is September 24, 2011.

I'll start posting submissions on Monday, September 19th.

Details here.

Mea Culpa

Will the submissions from 2010 ever learn if they were good enough for your compilation or get the promised critique? It's hard to want to participate again when we're still all in limbo from B of M and last year's Christmas contest.

I thought I'd tied up all the loose ends for the last two contests, but it looks like I didn't. I sincerely apologize.

1. Book of Mormon Anthology: I did an update post here and I remember posting about it since then and saying "no anthology" but now I can't find the post where I said it. That was a very messy time in my personal life—starting a new job, being overwhelmed with family issues. I confess, I let some things slide back then. I am sorry.
   
   The official status is: No Book of Mormon Anthology to be published at this time.
   
   There is a very slim possibility I may reconsider it in the future, but don't count on it until I contact you (the authors) directly.
   
   If you did not receive the critique on your BofM story, please e-mail me.
   
   
2. 2010 Christmas Stories: All authors should have been notified by email with their critiques. I clearly remember sending those out because I was so proud of myself when I finished the last of them.
   
   If you did not receive the critique your 2010 Christmas story, please e-mail me.

Again, I'm very sorry for dropping the ball and I am promising I will do better this time.

But. Even if I do flake out (which I'm not intending to do but who knows—my house may be taken out by an earthquake at any second and if that happens, critiquing your stories will fall to the bottom of my to do list), you STILL get some valuable feedback from readers.

So please, please, please—send in your stories.

What Is 'Sweet'?

Stolen from Pub Rants, a blog by literary agent Kristen Nelson.

Late on Friday (July 29) I found out that Jamie Ford was going to be a literature question on that night's TV show of Jeopardy!

Surely you've arrived if you are ubiquitous enough to be a question on a popular game show, right?


Not a single contestant got the answer. LOL!

Yep, take it down a notch Kristin. It still makes me smile though.

— • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • —

It makes me smile too because Jamie Ford is LDS and his book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was a 2009 Whitney Finalist.

Battle of the Sexes

I'm curious if you have any information, even an educated guess, as to how many (non-General Authority) LDS authors are male vs. female. I'd also be interested in your take as to why you think there are more men than women, or vice versa (depending on what your answer to the first question is).

Uhmmm, I have no idea...

But a quick check of my 2011 published fiction list (published thus far this year, including both LDS and national publishers) turns up 90 female authors and 36 male authors.

My guess is non-fiction would be opposite this, but I don't know for sure.

As to why there are more women writing fiction then men?

• Women need something to do when the kids and housework make them crazy?
  
  
• Women are better multi-taskers?
  
  
• Men are busy working themselves silly at their day job?
  
  
• Men are less willing to accept the usually paltry financial payoff of writing?

Readers? What think ye?

To Outline or Not To Outline by Rebecca Talley

Writers are not only passionate about their writing, but many are just as passionate about whether or not to outline.

There are as many reasons to outline as to not outline. And, there are as many outlining techniques as there are writers. You have to ask yourself if you are an outline writer or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer. No one can tell you what kind of writer you are, you have to make that decision yourself.

Some writers feel that using an outline curtails their creativity and boxes them into writing the story a certain way. Other writers feel that an outline allows them to be more creative because they’ve already made sure the storyline fits together. Then there are the writers who do a bit of both, they have a general outline but allow themselves freedom to explore other plot lines as they write.

It doesn’t matter what kind of writer you are, only that you use a system that allows you to make the most of your creativity.

Perhaps, the word outline conjures up memories of high school or college classes that required the Roman Numeral way of outlining. While that is certainly one way to outline, it’s definitely not the only way.

One way to outline is to write a narrative synopsis of the story and then write a few sentences for each chapter. You can then see your story as a whole as well as picture what will be included in each chapter.

Another way is to outline each scene within the chapter. You can write down the scene goal, the obstacles faced in the scene, and the ending disaster for that particular scene.

You can use notecards and write a synopsis on each card for each scene. This allows you the ability to move around scenes and chapters.

Some writers use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft’s Excel and write a sentence for each scene on each row. You can also include what characters are in that particular scene. This method allows you to not only move scenes around, but you can also save your original outline if you need to go back.

Another way to outline is to use a notebook and dedicate each page in the notebook to each chapter. You can write a few sentences to describe what happens in that chapter, which characters are involved, notes about the scenes, questions you need to answer, and specific details you want to include.

Something that’s been useful to me is writing a one-sentence description of my story. I keep that sentence close by to keep me on target as I write. I go back to that sentence over and over again.

The most important aspect is to use what works best for you. You can even combine some of these suggestions to create your own outlining system. Don’t feel like you have to stick with one system throughout your writing. Experiment to find what works best.

Rebecca Talley grew up in Santa Barbara, CA. She now lives in rural CO on a small ranch with a dog, a spoiled horse, too many cats, and a herd of goats. She and her husband, Del, are the proud parents of ten multi-talented and wildly-creative children. Rebecca is the author of a children's picture book "Grasshopper Pie" (WindRiver 2003), three novels, "Heaven Scent" (CFI 2008), "Altared Plans" (CFI 2009), and "The Upside of Down" (CFI 2011), and numerous magazine stories and articles. You can visit her blog at www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com.

Publishing Artwork

I have a photograph I would like to get published of the Sacred Grove. Do you have any suggestions on how to publish art? Who is the best publishing company? Is Deseret Publishing the best route?

I am not an art publisher. At one time I worked for a company that distributed artwork, but later decided to drop the art and focus on books.

There are some companies that specialize in publishing LDS artwork. I did a post showing some of them from the 2010 LDSBA convention. You could try contacting them.

You might also Google "lds art distributor" and go from there.

Readers, any suggestions?

Need a Writing Prompt?

Why not write a Christmas short story and submit it to the 5th Annual LDS Publisher Christmas Short Story Contest!

I know some of you have been working on your stories all year because you've asked me about the contest.

Well, it's time!

Details here.

I'm Really Not Sure How to Answer This...

I got this email in April:

I found your blog on bookcovers and I'm submitting a book this week to Deseret Books and am now completing the second book of the trilogy. There are no LDS perspective book out like these. My first book has taken me fourteen years, and now I will produce the second and thied in the next three months and they are bestsellers. What can we do for each other? I have cover illustrations in mind for books two and three and have a sketch for book one. If I don't hear from you in the next 24 hours, Deseret will get first crack at an unprecedented experiential trilogy. Thank you in advance for indulging me.

And this one in May:

Hello, I was just turned down by deseret publishing on my first book of this project. I'm 75% done with the second book and will then immediately complete the third of the trilogy. There has never been books like these as they are unique and experientially based. Can you help me?

Both were from the same person.

Where do I even begin? Clearly, you need to do more research on how to query and how to submit.

1. I don't do a blog on book covers. I do a blog on helping authors get published. I did a contest for book covers awhile back...?
   
   
2. If it took 14 years to write the first book, I have absolutely no confidence in your ability to write two more books in only three months.
   
   
3. Until they are published, you have no idea whether they will be bestsellers or not.
   
   
4. If you are going to publish traditionally, cover illustrations are not your responsibility. The publisher designs the cover, not you.
   
   
5. If you want control over the covers, you'll need to self-publish, in which case, you won't be contacting publishers.
   
   
6. You never, ever, ever tell a publisher they only have 24 hours to decide to look at your manuscript.
   
   
7. I'm not a publisher. I write an advice blog for authors.
   
   
8. If I were a publisher and this was a real submission to me, I would not indulge someone who so clearly does not know what they are doing. I would not even respond. I'd click "delete"—end of story.
   
   
9. You do not know what other authors are submitting. You cannot claim that your manuscript is "unprecedented." The publisher may have rejected many manuscripts similar to yours or they may have something just like it in the process of being published.
   
   
10. If you sent Deseret Book an email similar to the one you sent me, I'm not at all surprised they turned you down—for all the reasons I listed previously.

Can I help you? Yes. An author's first job is to write a very good manuscript. Their second job is to research industry standards and learn how to submit a query and/or manuscript properly.

1. Go to your local public library and check out some books on how to query and submit manuscripts to publishers.
   
   
2. Read them.
   
   
3. Follow their advice.
   

And lest anyone think this is an unusual query, let me just say that during my summer vacation, I received no less than four very similar emails. (Which causes me to wonder if I am being punked.) This one, however, offered the most teaching moments.

Move Over, Seventeen?

Hi, I'm thinking of starting my own LDS magazine for the young women. In this recession, would it be feasible to start something like this on my own?

I'm not an authority on magazines but there are similarities between a small niche magazine and a small niche book publisher.

In my opinion, launching a new print magazine is going to be difficult, expensive and very risky for one person to try to do (unless you're independently wealthy with lots of money to burn).

In any economic climate, a print magazine in a niche market is risky business. A magazine targeted at LDS teen girls is even more risky because you not only have to convince the girls that your magazine is cool enough for them to read and discuss with their friends, but you also have to convince their parents that you're safe and aren't promoting anything contrary to LDS standards.

Like launching a small publishing company, you'll face issues of promotion and marketing (letting your potential readers/subscribers know you exist), distribution (getting the product to market), and advertising (it's hard to sell ads for an untried magazine).

You're also going to have to answer questions in the minds of the subscribers:

1. Are you competing with the New Era?
   
   
2. How is this different from the New Era?
   
   
3. If I read the New Era, why do I need anything else?

I'd suggest you look into creating an e-zine, or website. You won't make any money from subscriptions, but it's less investment up front and if you can prove your traffic, it'll be easier to get ads.

If the website is a success, then you might want to consider a print magazine.

Any readers out there that have experience with launching a magazine? I'd love it if you'd chime in.

A Guide to Signing at Costco by Tristi Pinkston

I was very blessed to have my sixth novel, Dearly Departed, picked up by Costco. I signed there regularly from the end of June to the end of August, and had a fantastic time. I'd like to share with you some of the things I learned during those two months in hopes that they'll be helpful to other authors who will also be given that opportunity. Keep in mind that these are things that worked for me, and as you go into the stores, you may find your own ways of attracting customers. There are many ways to skin a cat, as the saying goes—although I never have understood why anyone would want to skin a cat.

Preparation:

There are a few things you can do at home before you ever go to the store that will help ensure your success. Eat a good meal with a lot of protein. Dress in nice, but comfortable, clothing. Wear supportive shoes. Yes, ladies, it's tempting to wear your cute new high heels, but I really advise against it—your feet, ankles, knees, and hips will pay the price. I also found that I became very warm in the store, so after my first few visits, I started wearing my hair up in a clip rather than down. That helped me not overheat. You know what your body needs—honor it and prepare to take care of it.

Supplies:

I recommend that you prepare a bag or a box with the following things—

• A cute tablecloth. Costco does provide one, but sometimes they are dusty or a little bedraggled, and if you bring your own, you can be sure that it's in good condition and goes well with your book.
  
  
• A table decoration of some kind. I was given a cute statue of a bookworm, and I sat him on my table at every signing. Not only did he give a little more visual interest to the table, but the little kids just loved him and would often stop to pat his head, which made their parents pause for a moment, which gave me the opportunity to speak with them.
  
  
• A water bottle. You'll be talking a lot, you'll get thirsty, and you will want to keep yourself hydrated. [LDSP: and breath mints]
  
  
• A handout. This may be one of the most important things you can bring. I'll discuss this in more detail below.

At the Store:

Try to arrive fifteen minutes early. When you let the manager know you're there, they will ask an employee to help you set up, and that usually takes a few minutes. You want to start your signing on time to fit in as many actual sales opportunities as possible, so by showing up a little early and getting set up, you can begin when you're supposed to.

Put plenty of books on your table. It sometimes feels easiest just to grab one small stack from the table, but you want your table to look abundant. This also gives you, and your customers, a subliminal message: "I expect to sell a lot of books today." That will create an atmosphere that is very conducive to sales.

Have everything you need out on the table. Signing pen, bookmarks, newsletter sign-up sheet—have it all accessible so that when you need it, you don't have to stop and dig for it.

The Actual Signing:

Now that you're all set up and ready to go, it's time to have some fun!

Personal interaction is the best way to bring people over to your table. Some authors have already created such a name for themselves that they can sit quietly behind their table and they will get mobbed by scores of rabid fans. Other authors, though, are still working on building up their name recognition, and they do that by interacting with the public. Stand, rather than sit. When you stand, you are many times over more likely to attract attention. Smile and say hello to everyone who passes. And ... here's where handouts come into play.

Think of something you can bring with you to give people as they go past. I did bookmarks at first, and handed out hundreds per signing. But that wasn't the best use of marketing money. Even though I did get a number of sales, the bookmarks were around six cents each, and if I handed out two hundred at a signing, it was adding up to $12.00 per signing for bookmarks. I was also afraid that the customers would just toss the bookmark at their earliest opportunity, and that would be a waste. So I came up with an idea that was unique to my books. I made up a black-and-white flyer on a half sheet of paper that showed the cover of my book and a catchy blurb, and then at the bottom was a recipe. This tied in with my book because at the end of the Secret Sisters Mysteries series, we're releasing a cookbook that will feature the foods mentioned in all the books.

Then, as people went past, I would say, "Hi! Would you like a free recipe?" If they said yes, I would hand it to them and say, "There's also some information on there about my new novel." In this way, I got my information into their hands, called their attention to the fact that there was more on the sheet than just a recipe, and opened up the door for a conversation. Coming in at two for a penny, the fliers were more cost effective, and because people love to keep recipes, I decreased the likelihood that it would just be thrown away.

When They Say No ...

Customers in Costco are very busy. I know that when I shop in there, I put myself in battle mode. I have a list, I know where I'm going, and I walk fast. My mom has often complained that she doesn't like to go there with me because I walk so fast, she can't keep up. That's just the mentality of the Costco shopper. We know we need to have a firm objective or we'll get lost in the hustle and bustle.

As people pass your table, they are very often in this mindset, and they will often say "no" before they even know what you want. This isn't an uncommon exchange:

Me: Hi there! Would you like—

Them: No!

This isn't something to take personally. To quote the Madagascar penguins, just smile and wave. (You don't really need to wave, though.) Just turn to the next passing person. Most customers will be very appreciative of the thing you're giving them, and will be polite in their refusals, if they aren't interested.

After the Hand-off:

I believe that in any book signing situation, there are three steps the author should take in feeling out the customer and introducing their product. It has a lot to do with feeling out the customer's interest level and showing respect by not being pushy. If you offer your information in a non-pushy way, that customer is likely to remember you kindly, and they may purchase from you down the road, even if they don't today. If you're pushy and in their face, they will remember it, and they will tell their friends, and you'll build a reputation opposite to what you want.

The first step is what I think of as the introductory step. At Costco, I'll greet people with an invitation to accept a recipe. As I hand over the recipe, I tell them there's also a blurb on there about my new book. If they take the recipe and keep walking, I leave it at that. However, if they pause, we go into the second step.

This is to give them my quickest pitch about the book. In the case of Dearly Departed, it's: "My main characters are three little old ladies who infiltrate a nursing home to solve a murder." If they are still engaged, I then say, "It's a lighthearted mystery comedy, a ton of humor all the way through, without any language or graphic violence." At this point, they generally either thank me and keep walking, or they start to ask me questions.

It's important to break up your pitch into sections like this so you can give just the right amount of information to meet the interest level of the person. I can't tell you how many times I've:

• been at a store and had an author or salesman give me a much longer pitch than I wanted to hear
  
  
• been at a store and wanted to know more, but the author or salesman had prepared a pitch that was so short, I was left wanting, and they didn't seem to know what to say after that

Be respectful of your customer's time and don't try to make them listen to more than they want to hear, but be prepared to have long conversations as well.

When Not to Approach:

To go along with our discussion of being respectful, I'd like to suggest that you not approach the following groups of people—

• People on the phone
  
  
• Mothers who are currently wrestling with screaming children
  
  
• People who are visibly upset

In each of these instances, step back and give them space. They're dealing with something bigger than their decision whether or not to buy a book, and to intrude would be rude and thoughtless.

Taking Note of Your Target Audience:

My book is about an elderly Relief Society presidency, so generally speaking, the people who buy my books are middle-aged ladies. When I am approaching people, I tend to naturally gravitate toward those ladies in my marketing efforts, and find myself more rewarded. However, this is not to say that we should ignore everyone else—it's just saying that we need to be aware of which demographics are more likely to buy. I had a great conversation with a guy studying film making at UVU with an emphasis on horror. That may be about as different from what I do as you can get (except erotica) but we had a great conversation. He didn't buy a book, but he took my information, and I was able to share some things with him that he found helpful. I also sold a book each to two Goth girls wearing plastic bras. It surprised the daylights out of me that they were interested because I hadn't pegged them as people who would want what I had to offer, but they came up to me and asked me to sign two copies. This shows the importance of smiling and greeting everyone who passes, even if you think they aren't likely to purchase.

Sometimes It's Not about Sales:

During my two months at Costco, I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Several of them were aspiring authors who needed some guidance in how to take the next step. Some of them just needed someone to talk to at that moment, like the lady who was planning her husband's funeral. To me, a successful signing isn't measured by books sold. It's measured by lives touched, both me being helpful to someone else, and the things I learn from the people I talk to.

Taking Care of Yourself:

We've talked about standing up, but now I want to talk about sitting down. It's important that you not push your body further than it can go. If you're not used to standing on hard floors for long periods of time, work up to it gradually. Sit down during slow times. Stay hydrated. Make sure that you're not hurting yourself. It's wonderful to have this Costco opportunity—it's something only a small percentage of authors get to do—but approach it wisely and make sure you're not hurting yourself. Know your limits and honor them.

Bringing Helpers:

You might find it helpful to bring someone along to help you, especially if you're in one of the larger stores. I did several signings alone, and at other times brought my mom, my son, or my husband along, and in each case, found that having a helper was a good idea. They could hand out fliers to people while I talked to prospective customers. They held down the fort while I ran to the bathroom. They could refill my water bottle. Having a helper there can increase your productivity. It's something for you to feel out for yourself, but I found it to be a good thing. And when it came to my son, it seems no one could resist his cute little face. Nearly every person he approached took a flier.

Most Importantly ...

Have fun! You're there to celebrate this awesome accomplishment—you are a published author and you have landed a spot in one of the most coveted sales venues in the nation. Enjoy it. Enjoy the people. Enjoy the chance to share what you love to do. If you find that nothing else I've said strikes a chord with you, I hope this does—leave the stress behind and just appreciate the moment. Your talents are being given a showcase. Your name recognition is about to skyrocket. Your opportunity for future sales is going to increase exponentially. You are planting seeds for a bounteous harvest later on. The expression "joy in the journey" is completely applicable here—even if you have a slow day, you are paving a path for your future as your information gets into people's hands. I did a signing at Swiss Days in Midway and was told over and over, "I saw your book in Costco." You become recognized, and in this industry, that's a good thing.

My book is no longer being carried in Costco—you need to hit a certain sales bracket in order to remain in the store over an extended period of time, and because my book is a little more specialized, that didn't happen. But I know my experiences there are going to help me in a ton of other ways, and I'm so happy for the chance I had to be a Costco author.


Tristi Pinkston is the author of eight published books, including the Secret Sisters mystery series. In addition to being a prolific author, Tristi also provides a variety of author services, including editing, coordinating blog tours, and online writing instruction. You can visit her at www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com or her website at www.tristipinkston.com.

You Need a Distributor to Get Your Books Into the Stores

I am self publishing a new book [an LDS non-fiction book], how can I get my book into Deseret Bookstores????

That is the $24,000 question! And the biggest challenge for self-publishers. How do you get your book into the store and on the shelves.

My #1 suggestion is that before you spend a lot of money printing a garage full of books, you find a distributor. In addition to DB, a good distributor will have accounts and relationships with all the smaller independent LDS bookstores, will represent your book at the LDS trade shows, and may even be able to get your book into Costco and Walmart.

Deseret Book and most other bookstores are usually unwilling to work directly with an author. It just takes too much time and costs too much money for them to have accounts with every individual author. They use distributors—who represent hundreds of books/items and make ordering more cost effective. Distributors also act as a bit of a screening agent because they won't take a book they don't think they can sell.

There aren't a lot of distributors that focus on the LDS market. I have a few listed HERE. Like small presses, distributors can come and go quickly, so do your research to make sure you're dealing with a legit business.

One caveat: Simply having a distributor doesn't mean they can get you into Deseret Book, or any other store, for that matter. As an author, you need to help drive the customers into the stores to request your book. If a store is getting frequent request for a title, they'll stock it.

LDSP 2011 Christmas Short Story Contest

It's that time again! Announcing the 5th Annual LDS Publisher Christmas Short Story Contest.

I know I said this would post on Monday, but I just realized I'll be out of town then. So here we go!

And, YES, we've done five of these contests. I can't believe it.

The best stories of the first two years were compiled into a collection, Stolen Christmas and Other Stories of the Season.

I'm hoping we'll have enough great stories this year to add to those from 2009 and 2010 to produce a second collection.

Submission Rules:

• FOLLOW rules carefully! I hate it when I have to reject a story because the submission rules were ignored.

• Write a short Christmas story in any genre. Stories should be positive and family friendly. I reserve the right to refuse any story I deem inappropriate for this blog/book.

• Maximum word count: 3,000; no minimum.

• Story must be previously unpublished. Stories published anywhere other than your personal website or blog are ineligible. (That includes books, magazines, e-zines or other contests.)

• Stories submitted for previous years' contests are also ineligible for this contest. (But may be selected for publication in the book.)
  

• Paste entire story into an e-mail. NO ATTACHMENTS, please.
  
  —Put "Contest: Title of Story" in the subject line of your e-mail. (Example: Contest: A Christmas Gift for Mary)
  
  —At the top of the body of your e-mail, type your name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, word count and whether you are a published or unpublished author (defined below). (Example:
  
  LDS Publisher
  123 My Street
  My Town, ST 00000
  123)456-7890
  ldspublisher@gmail.com
  word count: 1990
  published author
  
  —Skip a line, then put the title of your story
  
  —Skip a line, then paste in your story.
  
  

• "Published"—as in published author—is defined as someone paid you money or comp copies (in the case of magazines) for any story or book written by you. (So either a publisher paid you, or you self-published and people bought your book.)

• If you are a published and/or agented author, check with your publisher and/or agent before submitting. They will want to know the information listed under "Book Details".
  

• You may submit more than one story. Send each submission in a separate e-mail. Include all your info, as outlined above, with each e-mail/story.
  

• SUBMIT your story any time between NOW and Saturday, September 24, 2011.

• I will post the stories beginning on September 19th, in the order that they arrived. Comments will be turned off on these posts until time to vote.
  

• We will have Reader Voting for the best stories, as we have done in previous contests. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the book. Voting will take place September 26–30th. I will post voting rules then.

• You may tell your friends that you've submitted a story and to please go vote, but DO NOT tell them which story is yours. We want the stories to win on merit, not personal popularity.
  

PRIZE: Publication in the next LDSP Christmas Anthology

• There will be four winners:
  Readers' Choice/Published Author
  Readers' Choice/Unpublished Author
  Editor's Choice/Published Author
  Editor's Choice/Unpublished Author
  
  These four winners are guaranteed a spot in the anthology.

• As usual, I reserve the right to not award one of the Editor's Choice awards if I feel none of the stories deserve it.

• Other stories in the anthology will include my choices from this and previous Christmas contests held on this blog, selected based on providing a variety of stories and book size.

• Anthology will probably be published for Christmas 2012, depending on the number of quality submissions received. All authors to be included in the book will be notified before publication.

Book Details (Read Carefully):

• By submitting a story to this contest, you are agreeing to all the conditions below.

• Authors shall give LDS Publisher One-Time Publishing Rights for inclusion of story in the as yet untitled Christmas story compilation. This is the non-exclusive right to publish your story in this compilation, in various formats, and to retain your story in the compilation until LDS Publisher takes the compilation out of print.
  

• Authors shall retain all other rights and copyrights to their stories and may sell this story to any other party with a publication date after release of the compilation.

• Compensation for use of story in this compilation shall be: one free e-book copy of the published book sent to author upon publication; author's name listed in the Table of Contents and on the first page of the story; and rights to use this compilation as a publishing credit. No royalties, advances or other monetary compensation will be given to any author. Author may not print or sell the e-book files.
  

• Compensation exception: If sales of the book exceed costs to produce it, LDS Publisher shall notify authors and arrange an equal royalty split between all authors, illustrator and typesetter. Conditions and terms of royalty and payment shall be determined at that time.
  

• LDS Publisher shall assume no rights to any future works by author.

• LDS Publisher shall have full editorial rights to the stories included in the compilation, including, but not limited to, title changes, editing for space and content, design and layout of book, title of book, and book cover.

• The compilation will be available for purchase online in both print and e-book formats at a TBA future date.

• The compilation may or may not be made available to bookstores at discounted pricing, but in any case, no marketing will be done by LDS Publisher to guarantee placement in any bookstore.

• Authors agree to help spread the word about the contest and the book by any or all of the following methods:
  
  —Word of mouth to friends and family
  
  —Website/blog buttons, links, posts, etc
  
  —Facebook, My Space, Twitter, or other networking sites or forums
  

Help spread the word! Post about the contest on your blog, in your forums, and e-mail all your friends.


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I'm Back—and Accepting Submissions!

It's been a nice long summer and I really needed the break. Did a lot of reading and sleeping and thinking. A lot of thinking. Especially about this blog and whether or not it has a future.

See, the issue here is, I've already said a lot of what needs to be said about publishing. Like many authors, I sit here looking at a blank screen with no idea of what to talk about that would be fresh and new and worth your time to read.

However, based on the emails I get (even when I'm on hiatus and forget to post the "best ofs" as promised), there still seems to be a need/interest/desire for a blog like this.

Also, the industry is changing. With more and more authors going indie and the huge upsurge in ebooks, a lot of tried and true principles have now been turned on their heads. I'm interested in these trends but as I'm no longer directly involved in the daily operations of a publishing company, I'm not quite the rabid info-hound I was when I started this blog.

So I'm back, but with some changes.


Magazine Style Format
I'll still continue to answer questions sent to me by readers, but I'm also moving toward creating a "magazine" type blog, with articles from other writers and bloggers. If you blog about writing, publishing, or industry trends and you want me to take a look at a particular post for re-posting here, send me an e-mail with the URL link to that specific post. I'll also do my own searching of other blogs for good info and then re-posting those blog posts here (with permission, of course).

Like any submission process, some posts will be accepted and others will be rejected. I'm looking for good writing and keen insights that I think will appeal to my readers here. "Payment" for submissions is a byline, photo, short bio and link to your blog. (See example here.)


Short Story Contests
Second, I'll continue to host Short Story Contests but with less feedback than previously promised. Submissions to these contests will get a review sheet on their story, but not a line edit. And yes, I'll still publish collections (like this one), once I get enough good stories to fill one.

As a follow-up on previous contests, there were not enough Book of Mormon stories to print a collection, so that has been tabled (at least, for now). The second Christmas collection is still being collected. It will not be available this year, but probably in 2012.

(And speaking of Christmas collections, this year's Christmas Short Story Contest will be announced on Monday, September 5th, 2011!)


Sponsors/Ads/Link Swap & Etc
Still doing the "Win These Books" monthly comment contests much the same as before. For updated information, read Win a Book and Sponsor the Contest.

You can also still purchase an ad on the sidebar. No more tradesies (sorry). Your ad button must be square. See Ad Space Info for details.

I've added some link lists (see far right sidebar). "Blogs for Writers" and "Author Resources" are blogs/websites that I think contain useful info for writers. I'm also willing to swap links with any LDS author. See Link Swap for details.

Lastly, I've added my recommendations of Essential Books for Writers. This is an Amazon store and every book in the store has been personally read and vetted by me. Not all the books will appeal to all writers, but these are ones that I think have enough useful info to be worth the price. I'll be adding books on a semi-regular basis.


The Other Blogs
The LDS Fiction blog will remain the same. I'd sure appreciate help finding LDS fiction authors—especially with all the indies out there now. If you are—or know of—an LDS author with a new release, please send me an e-mail. Read Your Book on This Site to see the info I need.

LDS Author Network needs help, too. I may be revamping this in the near future. If you're a published LDS author, LDS publisher, LDS service provider, LDS association or forum, read Getting Your Post on This Site for a description of the info I need to create your post.

LDS Author Events & Contests will be going by the wayside soon, unless someone wants to volunteer to be the Admin for it. It's just too hard for me to keep on top of that info.


That's it for now! Thanks for stopping by.

September 2011 Prize Sponsors

It's September and we're back to the blog! A new month, a new group of great sponsors!

Please take a moment to learn more about our wonderfully generous sponsors.

Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys

As a young widow, all Elaina Bryant wants is a fresh start. Determined to put ten painful years behind her, she returns to her hometown and moves in with her sister, Natalie. Elaina soon accepts a job working at a small bookstore owned by the handsome Ryan Hill and his mother. Despite her reluctance to become romantically involved with anyone, she is drawn to Ryan and finds herself falling in love.

But someone isn't happy with Elaina s new life and is watching her every move. Elaina's plans for a new start are crashing down around her. She knows she will have to find the answers on her own before she can ever overcome the past and enjoy love and happiness again. But how can she protect those she loves when she doesn't know whom to trust?


Stephanie Humphreys was born in Utah, to an American mother and Canadian father. The family moved often when she was young and by the time she celebrated her thirtieth birthday, she had moved thirty times. All those different locations gave her ample opportunity to observe people and discover interesting characters for her stories. At an early age, Stephanie discovered the joy of the written word. Her biggest dream was to be a novelist.

She and her husband Rick have a combined family of six children. She still stays involved with the theatre by serving on her community’s cultural arts board, and she supports literacy by serving on the public library board. She has always used books to escape the pressures of life, explore far-away places, and learn new things. When she isn't writing she loves to spend time with her family, sew, embroidery and read. Stephanie lives in Alberta, Canada.



Hang 'Em High by Tristi Pinkston

Book #3 in the Secret Sisters Cozy Mystery series!

When Ida Mae Babbitt receives an invitation to visit her son Keith's dude ranch in Montana, she's excited to mend their broken relationship, but not so excited about spending time with cows. Arlette and Tansy go along with her, ready to take a vacation that does not involve dead bodies or mysteries of any sort—one must have a break from time to time.

But it seems a no-good scoundrel has moseyed into Dodge City and is bent on causing all sorts of trouble for the ranch. Unable to keep her curiosity in check—especially when it seems her own son is the most likely culprit—Ida Mae decides to investigate.

Can she lasso the varmint and get him to the sheriff in time?



With her crisp writing style and attention to detail, Tristi Pinkston pulls her readers into the pages of history and helps them feel the emotions that fueled the events of that time. She has been hailed as one of the most talented historical fiction writers currently on the market.

Jeff Needle's review for AML, said, "This kind of writing can only come about when the author has thoroughly researched her subject and worked very hard to put herself in the place of her protagonist."

Hang 'Em High is Tristi's seventh book.




Pumpkin Roll by Josi S. Kilpack

Book #6 in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series!

Sadie Hoffmiller is in Boston, Massachusetts, with her favorite leading man, Pete Cunningham, as they babysit his three young grandsons. When the boys insist that Mrs. Wapple, the woman who lives across the street, is a witch, Sadie and Pete are anxious to distract the boys from such Halloween-induced ideas. However, it gets harder and harder to explain the strange things that keep happening, particularly after Sadie learns the eccentric Mrs. Wapple has been attacked in her home.

As the unexplained occurrences escalate, Sadie finds herself embroiled in yet another mystery with life-or-death consequences. Can Sadie discover whoever—or whatever—is behind the mystery before anyone else gets hurt? Or will this be Sadie’s last case?



Josi S. Kilpack loves to read and write, is the author of fourteen novels, the baker of many a delicious confection, and the hobby farmer of a varying number of unfortunate chickens. In her spare time she likes to overwhelm herself a multitude of projects and then complain that she never has any spare time; in this way she is rather masochistic. She also enjoys traveling, cheering on her children, and sleeping in when the occasion presents itself.

Josi and her publisher, Shadow Mountain, are giving away an iPad2 as part of the launch of Pumpkin Roll. For details on how to enter to win, visit Josi's website, www.josiskilpack.com. Entry deadline is November 1, 2011.



Ribbon of Darkness by Julie Coulter Bellon

A split-second decision could change the world’s darkest hour to one of triumph—but who is willing to pay the price?

Kennedy Campbell has been running away for a long time, using her position as an international journalist to escape the ghosts of her family's past. She finds some solace working in an Afghan refugee camp, until the Taliban attacks them and Kennedy is forced to flee. She is pulled into a terrorist's realm of darkness as she fights to save those around her, but will it come at the expense of her own life?

Ethan Barak leads a double life, helping MI-6 bring down arms dealers all over the world until his father is murdered by an old associate. Ethan makes his next mission a personal vendetta by tracking down the killer to Indonesia. While there, he finds himself in a position to either avenge his father or stop a terrorist attack on the Malacca Strait that will jeopardize innocent lives across the world. Can he look past his father's murder to save others?


Julie Coulter Bellon loves to write international romantic suspense novels because she gets to travel to distant lands to do research and add an authentic feel to all of her books. Her favorite cities so far are Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She’s learning to play the bagpipes and though she has yet to master the instrument, she's working on it.

Julie earned a Secondary Education, English teaching degree from Brigham Young University and she currently teaches a journalism course, which keeps her on the cutting edge of current events and world news. You can follow Julie's acclaimed writing, her moose-like bagpiping and her take on everything from family to world-shaping events at her website www.juliebellon.com or her blog http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com.





CLICK HERE for details on how to win these books.

CLICK HERE for details on sponsoring the contest.