The Annual Creekbank Christmas Catalog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas from the Creek!

This Creekbank Christmas Story Letter contains:Foreword to Christmas Jelly

  • The best and shortest chapter in the book.
  • Super sale on Christmas Jelly for unique Holiday gifts.
  • One day sale on our latest novel, As the Crow Flies.
  • What is the Westport Trilogy?
  • Louisiana Maneuvers Set
  • A gift they won’t forget: the entire autographed set of our 13 books.
  • Only 20 copies left of our classic Creekbank Collection Box Set.
  • Room for four more people on the Dry Creek/Creekbank weekend on Feb. 23-24

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Below is the foreword from Christmas Jelly, our eleventh book written in 2012 just prior to our leaving for our three-year African sojourn.

 

 

 

 

 

FOREWORD

Most of these stories are true.

Others are the sheer invention of my imagination.

They’re all from my journals or laptop.

Most of all, they’re from my heart.

I hope they move you.

Go ahead and laugh.

Cry.

Celebrate.

Believe.

Ponder.

Enjoy.

My wish is that Christmas Jelly makes this holiday season the deepest and most meaningful ever for you and your family.  In fact, I encourage you to use the stories as part of a family time each night in December.

There are thirty-two chapters. One for each day in December, and a lagniappe chapter for New Year’s Day.

Take your time. Like a jar of homemade jelly, these stories are best digested a few spoonfuls at a time. Enjoy every bite.

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Below is my favorite (and shortest story) from Christmas Jelly

No Room at the Inn

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

It was natural—every child in the church Christmas program wanted to be either Joseph or Mary.

Tom was a ten-year-old and wanted the Joseph role in the worst way. Not only did he fail to get the coveted role of Joseph, it went to a rival of his.

Making matters worse, “Mary” went to the love of his life.

As a consolation prize, Tom was cast as the innkeeper. At least it was better than being a sheep or camel. He only had one line. “Sorry, there’s no room in here, but you can stay out in the barn.”

He gritted his teeth through the rehearsals, chafing at the unfairness of his role. He carefully plotted his plan for revenge.

The night of the Christmas program arrived. Proud parents and eager grandparents crammed the sanctuary. Innkeeper Tom, dressed in his bathrobe with a towel and belt headdress, stood behind his cardboard door, ready for his thirty-second role.

“Joseph” arrived with great-with-child Mary, and knocked loudly.

The innkeeper opened the door.

“Sir, my wife is great with child and we need a room to stay for the night.”

But instead of turning them away to the manger, Innkeeper Tom stepped from the door. “Welcome, come on in. We’ve plenty of room.”

His revenge was complete. He’d disrupted the entire play.

Except for one fact: Joseph thought well on his feet.

“All right, let me come inside and look around.”

After ten seconds behind the cardboard door, Joseph rejoined Mary and announced loudly to the innkeeper. “There’s no way I’d let my wife stay in an inn this dirty! We’ll just stay out back in the barn.”

As they say in France, Touché.

 

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Note on our weekly Christmas stories posts:

We’ll be posting a blog and links to read five days of stories at a time.  Here is the link to Dec. 1-5.

We’ll post the second set on December 6 and continue through Christmas. Lastly, I’ll post stories for “Bah Humbug Week,” the letdown week after the big day.

The final story will be posted on January 1 with encouragement for your new year in 2018.

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Because we believe in our Creekbank books, we encourage our friends and readers (like you) to give books as Christmas presents. There’s something about a personalized autographed book that tells your loved one you gave thought to their gift.

Whether wrapped under the tree or used as stocking stuffers, here are various ways to share our thirteen books:

 

Christmas Jelly

You can purchase copies through our website (Amazon excluded) of Christmas Jelly for $5 each until Christmas. Shipping is $5 per book. Click here to order.  The book fits perfect in a large stocking and the autograph makes for a memorable personal gift. Click here to order.

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As the Crow Flies

 

For today only (until midnight December 1)  we are selling As the Crow Flies with no shipping cost. We are receiving positive feedback on this story that takes place in Westport and Sugartown. Order here.

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The Westport Trilogy

Although As the Crow Flies is written as a stand-alone novel, it is the third book in the series with Joe and Eliza Moore as the central characters.  It includes our first novel, The Wayfaring Stranger and it’s sequel, A Good Place. All take place in the Ten Mile area west of the Calcasieu River. The Westport Store was named by my great-great-great grandfather, Joe Moore, after his hometown of Westport, County Mayo, Ireland.   Get the set here for $35.

The Westport Trilogy covers from 1849 to 1882.

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The 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers Set features the novel A Spent Bullet and its companion children’s book, Uncle Sam: A Horse’s TaleOrder your set here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Whole Enchilada

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many readers have chosen to purchase the entire set of our 13 books. Learn more here.

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The Creekbank Collection   $50

After we published our first four short story collections, we placed them in an attractive box set. We now have the last twenty of these for sale. They’ll be autographed and have special notes and inserts in each copy, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

You must contact me by email to buy a copy.

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Dry Creek Weekend

We still have four spots open for our Creekbank Weekend on Feb. 23-24. Guests will stay in Dry Creek Camp’s Adult Center and we’ll spend the weekend going to the locations of many of our stories, including a visit to Westport and The Old House.  Click here to learn more.

 

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