I want to write a Christmas story.
Naturally, because I *want* to write, my brain is like, “Nah, that’s no fun, here, have a blue screen of doom instead.” Because that’s usually what happens when I try to write a story that isn’t a direct part of one of my series. (And sometimes even when I try to write a story that *is* a direct part of one of my series…)
Meanwhile, I do actually have four Christmas stories, sort of…
One, “Tofurkey and Yams,” is only available as bonus material at the end of Veggie Burgers to Go (book 2 of my Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series). Tofurkey was originally available as a separate novella, but it has a heavy effect on the overall series plotline and not enough people were reading it when it was separate, leading to some confusion (and complaints) if people went from book 2 to book 3 of the series. So it made more sense to include Tofurkey *in* Veggie Burgers.
The second is my only non-werewolf Christmas story currently. Snow on Christmas Eve is about Tag, who’s estranged from his family but has a wonderful partner, Damion…who insists that snow on Christmas Eve is magical. When Tag gets an unexpected phone call after a walk through the snow with Damion, he wonders if Damion might be right. This story takes place in Nova Scotia, though the setting doesn’t really have much to do with the story.
The other two aren’t intended as Christmas stories, but they are novels that take place at Christmas.
Sorry about the Seitan (Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat 8 ) begins a few days before Christmas and shows the Christmas holiday, including a special gift that main character Tobias Rogan gives to his mate, vegan werewolf Kyle Slidell. The story continues for a few days *after* Christmas…and is not exactly filled with the joy of the season, other than on actual Christmas Day. I released Sorry about the Seitan in July.
Storm and Shelter (Ebb & Flow 3) overlaps with Sorry about the Seitan, and begins *on* Christmas Day with 22-year-old werewolf Quinn Boucher getting a surprise visit from his fated mate, 130-year-old Malachi Powers, who had sworn never to leave Canada but gives in to the request from Tobias Rogan, Quinn’s employer, to come to Massachusetts to see Quinn. This story continues for a week or so after Christmas, with Quinn bringing Malachi home to Nova Scotia after the visit (and after the most upsetting events of Sorry about the Seitan, which are mentioned in this book but not detailed) so the two can spend time alone in Malachi’s cottage and decide whether it’s time to finally live together instead of continuing their long-distance relationship. I released Storm and Shelter in October.
I’ve never been great about following rules, so of course I released my Christmas-related novels this year in July and October respectively. But I would also like to write a short Christmas story and challenge myself to get it ready to release before the end of this month. If my brain will stop blue-screening at me and give me an idea.