Heap on more wood! the wind is chill;

But let it whistle as it will,

We'll keep our Christmas merry still.

Each age has deem'd the new-born year

The fittest time for festal cheer:

Even, heathen yet, the savage Dane

At Iol more deep the mead did drain;

High on the beach his galleys drew,

And feasted all his pirate crew;

--Marmion: A Christmas Poem -- Sir Walter Scott

I know it's not Christmas yet -- yet -- yet, but where else can you find a poetic comparison of the joys of Odin's hall with a Christian Christmas celebration? Plus, it mentions pirates. Not only that, Accidental Pirates is now available for pre-order. It's a great gift for boys (and girls) with a desire for an adventure tale with life and limb at risk. There's no shortage of action amid the peril of pirates, cannibals, and dragons.

Writing has been a pleasure this past week. I'm ten or eleven chapters deep into the sequel to Accidental Pirates. The story takes our young adventurers to the a land of kings, knights, wizards, and strange beasties, where they're drafted into the cause against a potent enemy--but complications arise. If magic, swordplay, intrigue, and danger sound like a good time to you or your youth, you'll want to reserve your spot on this express to adventure.

This from the Amazon page:

Did you see that? Right above? #1 New Release in a third category (it was also number 1 in childrens time travel and in pirate action adventure - is that fabulous, or what? The preorder is for ebooks, but paperback format will be available on the 26th.

Notable music this week brought me Willie Nelson's "Blue Eye's Cryin' in the Rain" through a chance encounter with part of The Redheaded Stranger movie, starring Willie Nelson, and which is also the name of Nelson's 1975 album which features the song. I didn't know it was first recorded in 1946 and made popular by Roy Acuff in 1947. I have no firsthand memories of that period. My parents were only little children at that time. I find Nelson's version sweetly melancholy, a simple tune cleanly performed, unmarred and unburdened by the over production that characterizes much of modern music.

Susan, our alternate winner of the drawing selected Power to Hurt for her autographed paperback - Congratulations, Susan! Both prizes have been mailed to the winners.

Speaking of music, here's a treat: What happens when you mix 70's music and Middle English? I'm going to name a character Sliven Quike - it's going in the book I'm writing now.

I've added Fred Saberhagen's Empire of the East and Oz Pearlman's Read Your Mind to my reading selection. I'm through Book I of EotE, and a few chapters into RYM - and loving them both.

More Free Fantasy and Sci-fi for your reading pleasure

Worlds of Wonder are still available here