Spiral Publishing's December Reads

Convenience Store Christmas by Jason A. Adams

Family Is Where You Make It

Stuart's Stop 'N Shop, always open, even for Christmas.

A single store owner, a once-homeless friend, and a dedicated employee are joined by a gracious southern matron and her grandbabies.

Christmas means family, and family means those who love one another.

Join Stuart, Bobby, and Susie as the Christmas Spirit feeds their souls as well as their bodies.

Originally appeared in Uncommon Holidays: A Different Side of the Season

An excerpt from Convenience Store Christmas:

Susie turned to face him and Bobby, leaning against the wall beside the door, hands in the pockets of her ripped jeans.

“Well?” Stuart said. “Are you going to…what is that?”

Stuart smelled something coming from behind the stockroom door. Something that filled his mouth with water.

“I didn’t do it!” Bobby whined behind him.

Susie put a black-nailed hand on the doorknob and pushed the door open.

“Why don’t you see for yourself, Mr. Michaelson?”

Finding Sanctuary: A Story of Longest Night by Kari Kilgore

A Night of Healing, Recovery, and Joy

June shares a Winter Solstice ritual of grief and letting go.
Seeking to heal herself as much as her congregation.
Ryan celebrates a loved one growing stronger.
Facing his own loss and changes at the same time.
Will June and Ryan's instant spark light the way to new possibilities?

Originally appeared in Sweet Holidays: A Holiday Anthology

Also available in the collection Uncommon Holidays: A Different Side of the Season

An excerpt from Finding Sanctuary:

Unexpected Joy on a Long, Quiet Night
"Thank you all for making your way here for Longest Night. Sometimes it can be hard to reach out at times like this. When you're blue, or grieving, or simply weary. Whatever your reason or what you need tonight, everyone is welcome."

June walked in a circle as she talked, looking at each person in turn. Some gazed steadily back, maybe with red eyes or wiping away tears. Some sat with their eyes closed or stared into space. A few looked at their feet or covered their eyes.

"What we offer tonight is a chance for you to do what you need. Tell your story. Sit silently. Cry. Pray in your own way. No one will judge you here. No one."

When she focused on Ryan's sister, Erin only looked back, eyes clear and steady. Ryan seemed to be concentrating intently until he caught June's gaze. Then he smiled bright as the moonlight outside.

June smiled back and kept walking, pretending her heart didn't flutter again.

A True Family Holiday by Jason A. Adams

Find Your Home for the Holidays

For some of us, Christmas means family.

And for some of us, it means the family we choose.

Carrie, newly arrived in Atlanta and seeking her fortune, longs for someone to appreciate her.

Edward, a loving friend, takes Carrie under his fabulous wing.

Both find a true family to help celebrate the holiday by celebrating each other.

Originally appeared in Winter Holidays: A WMG Holiday Spectacular Anthology

An excerpt from A True Family Holiday:

“Hey, Edward. You already close out Cosmetics?” Carrie finished counting her drawer. The cash went into a bank bag with the count sheet, and she carried it toward the manager’s office.

“Yeah, like half an hour ago,” Edward said walking with her. “The rabble stayed away after seven-thirty or so. The sample spritzers got a little too dedicated this evening. It got so bad I had to toss my contact lenses. I wouldn’t strike a match anywhere near the perfume counter if I was you. You’ve got it lucky up here in teeny-bopper clothing.”

She laid the bank bag on a growing pile in the boss’s office, and walked with Edward through the back to the employee’s door. All she wanted was some greasy fast food, a nice cup of chamomile tea with a bourbon bracer, and bad movies in bed.

Pungent Justice: A Christmas Crime Story by Kari Kilgore

The Worst Day of a Rotten Year

The holiday season looks gloomy to Jennifer after a job loss forces her family to move. Away from friends and high school, into struggle and uncertainty.
Then a heartless theft sends everyone's mood even darker.
Only the comfort of her best friend Lynda makes sense.
Unless they can work out a way to set things right. And deliver their own form of justice.

Originally appeared in WMG Publishing's Holiday Spectacular: Mysterious Christmas.

Also available in the collection Uncommon Holidays: A Different Side of the Season

An excerpt from Pungent Justice:

One Bright Light on a Dark Day

At the thought of walking into Lynda's reassuringly normal living room, with her relatively happy parents who'd been born and raised nearby, and the solidly middle-class peace and quiet, and the pretty little Christmas tree that went up the day after Thanksgiving and came down on New Year's Day like clockwork, Jennifer balked.

That had been her family up until a year ago, and she'd thought it was boring. Dull routine that she couldn't wait to get away from. A world where everything was predictable and no one had their Christmas gifts and everything else stolen from right in their damn driveway.

"Can you… Do you think you could go for a walk? I need to talk to you."

Lynda scowled for a second, but Jennifer's face probably gave the whole game away. At the sight of the one friend she really cared about in this place—more than cared about if she ever had the courage to admit it—Jennifer's hard shield of anger about the robbery slipped.

 If I'm Lyin' I'm Dyin' by Jason A. Adams

If Walt Colley says so, you can take it to the bank.

He knows y'all think Santa Claus ain't real.

One snowy Christmas Eve, Walt learns better.

Will a night of hard work take Walt off Santa's naughty list for good?

Originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine #19

An excerpt from If I'm Lyin' I'm Dyin':

Now maybe I’d had a nip or five, and maybe not. But what happened next is the ever-lovin’ truth as I live and breathe. Hand to God, it is.

That nip I might or might not have had was from a batch I’d made myself. Pure corn, and more kick than a hoss that just got the gelding band. The trees were sorta moving around, and my eyeballs wanted to cross like a Catholic at mass. I figured it might be time to head on back home.

The dang trail kept wanting to get out from under my feet, but I was doing all right until it took a curve without telling me. My left foot came down and just kept on a-goin’. I’d gone and walked right off the side of the mountain!