The bells of waiting Advent ring,

The Tortoise stove is lit again

And lamp-oil light across the night

Has caught the streaks of winter rain

In many a stained-glass window sheen

From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

-- from "Christmas" by Robert Frost

My Christmas playlist includes the Christmas with Bing Crosby album (with Dean Martin and Nat King Cole), some Manneheim Steamroller, a little Dan Fogelberg, a dab of Eric Montbel, three different versions of Minuit Chretien, and of course, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. I haven't listened to the playlist yet this year, but I will before Christmas - probably this week.

Note: If you're receiving this newsletter for the first time, it's because you signed up and received a free copy of In Death Bedrenched.

Speaking of music, here's a little music to accompany Accidental Pirates. This is entertaining: A guy at church asked me if I liked the Pirate Hymn. Naturally, I had no idea what that was. Sure enough, one of our hymns has the same tune as "A Life on the Ocean Waves" - A comedian has pointed this out in a humorous way.

As of yesterday, Accidental Pirates was the number 1 new release in the category of Teen and Young Adult Pirate Action & Adventure. It has been number one in a couple other categories - but I've probably previously mentioned them, and I can't remember what they were.

I'm on chapter 24 (out of a planned 30) of the sequel and I'm looking forward to getting started on a couple short stories I want to submit. I wrote almost nothing but short stories during the previous year until editing on Accidental Pirates and another novel a publisher may or may not be considering; having heard nothing about the latter, I don't know what's going on. At this point, I don't expect to hear until after the new year.

I've started reading Ardneh's Sword to finish Saberhagen's Empire of the East series.

I finished Carthage Conspiracy by Dallin H. Oaks and Marvin S. Hill. I was also able to find the transcript from the trial online. I enjoyed the book. It seemed to deal fairly, recognizing the handicaps faced by the prosecution, including the almost complete lack of participation and cooperation from the church and its members, as well as the likely impossibility of a guilty verdict regardless of the evidence. Of all those prominently involved, it seemed like only the judge and the prosecutor did not go on to even greater success, and the defense attorneys appeared to have the most robust of careers after the trial.

I also spent time Saturday learning this one:

In place of the frequent history bite let me direct you to the greatest defeat inflicted by the American Indians against forces of the United States. It's not The Little Bighorn, and it's not one we hear much about.

Start a new series for free.

Long Live the Queen - amazing women in sci-fi and fantasy.

Fast Paced Fantasy - good link this time.

Free Fantasy and Sci-fi for Christmas

"One of the biggest rules of success is to never overstay your welcome." -- Read Your Mind by Oz Pearlman

Merry Christmas!