Hey — the Shelties have a catch for you!

This newsletter was supposed to go out last Friday. This newsletter was supposed to say something like:

Yay! Our second collection of women's historical fiction is out in the world! My favorite stories are this and that and this other one. I'm an editor for this collection and we have worked very very hard. Now you can buy the book! Yay!

The essential problem with this news blast is that actually, depending on the "you" and the "book," you may or may not be able to buy the book. Amazon, in its infinite wisdom, decided not to list the paperback—but only in the US store. People in other countries have already received their copies, but the dot-com store cheerfully persists in believing that it doesn't exist.

Here's Kimberly Sullivan with her imaginary book

Do you know who doesn't like things that aren't where they belong?

I mean, all 25 contributors are pretty unhappy about not getting their physical books (except Kimberly, who lives in Italy). But do you who else?

That's right. Shelties want everything that belongs together to BE together.

They say if the book is on the Kobo site, and on the Barnes & Noble site, and on Apple Books, and Amazon has it on Kindle and Canada and Italy and Germany and Australia, then it really by golly ought to be available in the US too.

Here is a real life, bona fide montage of the brave and intrepid Shelties trying to drag Feisty Deeds II into all the places it belongs. Together. For you.

The brave Shelties go to work

Malin, ever brave and determined, enters the fray. He barks! He herds! He grabs! He's caught the book and Amazon will never get it back again!

Grr! Grr! Grr!

But he has to catch his breath! The book goes swooshing back towards Endless Customer Service Loop — but fear not, for in a blur of passion, Inish arrives to save the day.

NB: For the purposes of dramatic re-enactment, Feisty Deeds is masquerading as a green and white rope. In real life, it looks something like this—not that I can tell you for sure, given that I live in the US where it apparently doesn't exist:

Back to the action. The three brave dogs work tirelessly together! When one flags, the next one pounces! There's growling fluff everywhere you look!

Inish darts away with the prize. Ears back and tail high, he will defend the book from the worst that Amazon has to offer!

Malin bounds into position to cut off all routes of escape.

But alas! Customer service sends yet another email! The book goes flying out of their toothy clutches! The intrepid brothers are naught but a blur of fur as they dive to catch it and return it to the flock!

it's hard to get good pictures in the heat of battle

Malin jumps! He scores! He will hold on for dear life! Hold on, Malin, hold on!

You have to imagine the sound effects. Much growling.

But alas and alack, Amazon is much stronger than even the most dedicated Sheltie. After all, they only weight about 17 pounds each, while Amazon is a giant amorphous international blob. As of the moment I write this newsletter, the paperback is still not available in the US, although by the time you open it—WHO KNOWS. Maybe the file magically appears. Maybe the Shelties have been working behind the scenes.

Meanwhile.....

Adare is calmly sitting here wondering what the big deal is about, because he has the book. He says it's a nice book. That is because Adare is representing Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, and everywhere else in the whole entire world.

But these are not hunting dogs, content to point at a book and let their human take it down. Oh no! Inish goes off on an exploratory mission and returns with.....

The e-book! It's wonderful! It's available on your favorite device anywhere! 25 stories from all over the world and all periods of history, yours for the asking.

Thank you, Inish, I do want Feisty Deeds!

What's that, Inish?

He would like to report that he collected the entire book and did not lose a single story. It took a lot of barking. He is very brave.

But we all know that Malin never rests, so what has he been up to?

Malin does not want you to be disappointed, so he collected five other books where you can BOTH read my charming and action-packed writing (his words, not mine) AND wrap them up in delicious crinkly paper by Emerson's birthday.*

Thank you, Malin, I would like some fairy tales

*He means Dec 25th, which some of us would call "Christmas," but he's a herding dog and sees everything through the world lens of his family. He thinks it's a great idea to give your family and friends crinkly books to celebrate Emerson's birthday.

My friends would like a Kindness anthology

"Have a book. Please. They're delicious."

Yours in reading adventures,

Christy & the Shelties

P.S. Oh, did you want to hear about my favorite stories?

I've worked on all the stories in this book, so it's really hard to pick just a few, but here's a couple I think you might particularly enjoy!

If this newsletter has put you in the mood for action and irony, you can grab your e-book copy and go straight into "Chicory Is Not Coffee" (set on '60's commune, light and playful) or "Just Desserts" (set in the Deep South, unexpected and twisty).

To all of you looking for sweet romance, "As a Dove's Wing" has a charming underdog love story. For those of you who thrill to tragic romance, I loved "A Whispered Miracle" — which has plenty of room to become uplifting rather than tragic (I want the whole novel!!).

The five editors are all masterful storytellers in excellent control of their craft, so I always recommend their stories. We have other multi-published authors in this collection, so I invite you to read through and find which styles appeal to you!

Both Feisty Deeds Anthologies

As for my story, you get to go back to 3rd-century Ireland. The Dark Man has stolen the queen, Fionn mac Cumhaill has given up finding his wife, and Ailbe is one very angry lady-in-waiting. But that's before Fionn even makes his announcement at dinner....