Technically, it's a little less than two weeks to launch date of Not a Creature Was Stirring (January 22), the first in my new series featuring Merry Winters, a crafter who specializes in all things Christmas and gift related. Merry came to me at a time where I was having trouble getting my other crafting heroine, Faith Hunter, to speak to me. Faith was at a stage in her life (engaged, planning a wedding, dreaming of children) while I was going through the beginning of the empty nest syndrome and having problems connecting with her. Instead of fighting with Faith on the page, I decided to start a new story with a new character just for fun...and Merry Winters came to life along with her side kick Ebenezer, featured on the cover.
I hope readers love Merry and Ebenezer as much as I do.
"Merry? Abraham? What's going on?" Grace, Abraham's mother, stood on the threshold of the RV.
Relief flooded through me. I pulled her aside and
whispered furiously what I discovered in the seat storage area as I kept an eye
on Abraham. He was still standing in front of the dinette with his hands tucked
into his back pockets. The tilt of his head suggested he was struggling with my
"don't touch" order.
"Abraham, where's Ebenezer?" I threw out the
only idea that might get him away from the bench.
“He’s outside near the trees. You screamed. If someone
screams that means they’re in trouble. I came to help.”
Grace took her son’s hand and pulled him away from the
dinette area, avoiding looking at Samuel’s body. “I am so proud of you for
protecting Merry. I thought something was wrong, so I called the police. Can
you wait near our trailer and point out Merry’s to them?”
Abraham
nodded. “I’ll bring Ebenezer with me, so he doesn’t have to stay out in the
cold.”
“Thank you,” I
said. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
“We should wait outside.” With a steadying grip on my
elbow, Grace led me out.
I shivered. She unwrapped one end of her shawl from
her shoulders and draped it over me, pulling me to her side. We stood there,
side-by-side, staring at my dream that had now become my nightmare. The stars
twinkled overhead. I gazed up, wishing with all my might this was a horrible
dream. The cold penetrating through the shawl, and into my body, told me this
was reality. A horrible reality I’d have to explain to the police. But how?
Why was Samuel—a dead Samuel—in my RV? The RV that his
daughter had sold me. Was that why she was desperate to sell? My stomach
clenched. I placed a hand on my stomach and drew in small puffs of air.
“What happened?” Grace tightened the shawl around us.
“The RV smelled horrendous. I was looking for what was rotting. I didn’t know
it would be my ex-husband.” My body quaked. Bile rose in my throat. I sucked in
breaths through my nose, hoping to settle the sick feeling.
This was supposed to be a fantastic weekend. The
beginning of my dreams coming true. I could expand Merry and Bright Handcrafted
Christmas and make it my only full-time job. No more seasonal jobs. Focus on
Christmas crafting year-round. There was travel in my future. The RV allowed me
to visit the places in the United States I had read and dreamt about.
Sirens filled the air. Red lights swirled near the
entrance of the recreational vehicle parking. I shivered harder. Grace slipped
out from the shawl and wrapped the other end around me.
“Do you want me to call Scot—”
“No!” I didn’t know much right now, but I knew I
didn’t want my son here. Scotland hadn’t been on the police force long and I
didn’t want him running down here to help me out of this legal kerfuffle. Being
a police officer was his dream and I didn’t want this complicating his life.
This was my problem.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” I moaned and
planted my face into my hands.
“It’ll be okay.” Grace squeezed my shoulder. “You did
nothing wrong.”
