Small Gifts

Six JEWELS OF THE QUILL Authors offer exciting holiday stories-each featuring a gift, possibly small, but straight from the heart! -WHEN RUDOLPH WAS KIDNAPPED by Christine DeSmet  romantic mystery When her pet reindeer, Rudolph, is stolen from the live animal holiday display in her small town on the shores of Lake Superior,first-grade teacher Crystal Hagan has a big problem on her hands: her students fear that Christmas will be canceled. Ironically, the primesuspect is the old man Henri LeBarron who played Santa long ago before he became a recluse. Crystal marches to his mansion known as the "North Pole" and is shocked to meet Henri's mysterious son, Peter, who acts even more curmudgeonly and secretive than his father. - - SPECIAL DELIVERY by Carrie S. Masek  ghost story An elderly woman's empty life takes an unexpected turn after she accepts a ride from a stranger on Christmas Eve. One sad Christmas Eve, Margaret Parkhurst is tending the grave of her daughter and unborn grandchild and misses the bus back to the "home" where she now lives. She accepts a ride from a stranger, a swarthy but kind-looking man named Nicholas Myrna. On the way home, she hears the cries of an infant and insists he stop the car. -A KISS UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Julie Skerven  romantic suspenseFive days before Christmas, Joanna Barnes finds herself breaking into Nick Maxwell's lakeside cabin to look for clues to her brother's disappearance. The last thing she expects to find is not at all what she bargained for when she meets the man of her dreams. -WINTER ENCHANTMENT by Jane Toombs  regency romanceThe Earl of Malden, cynical and embittered, is not planning to celebrate Christmas at the Hall. He's vowed he has no use for friends, much less love. But when a cat falls into his bedroom through the chimney, a baby is left on his doorstep and a damsel in distress needs rescuing from a blizzard, his vow begins to come unraveled. -DECK THE HALLS by Cassie Walder  paranormal suspense While she isn't at all in a Christmas mood, Laura Hall can't say that she's sorry to see this miserable year come to a close. In one short March evening, Laura lost her husband, her father-in-law, mother-in-law, as well as her brother-in-law and his wife. If Laura hadn't been at a trade show several states away, she might have been murdered as well. The police have no clue as to the identity of the murderer. As such, their deaths go unpunished.But Laura values her reputation as a level-headed businesswoman too much to be able to admit to the existence of ghosts.Christmas or no Christmas, the danger isn't over yet. The murderer is still out there. Will Laura be the next target? Not if Jack can help it. -A HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Karen Wiesner  contemporary inspirational romance Craig Stevens is determined to tell Christie of his feelings for her once and for all. But how does a painfully shy man reveal his heart without voicing the words that could lead to rejection?Christie Renata Zondervon grew up being passed from one foster family to another. All she's ever wanted is a family, especially at Christmas-time. When she met Craig's brother, she thought she'd found the man to build that family with, and she was devastated when it didn't work out.