Standalone Christmas novella within the Julie Cavallo Investigates series

Cozy mystery

Date Published: December 4th, 2020

 

Provençal mayor Victor Jacquet receives a mystifying note.

Then his small town mounts a rebellion.

And then his entire world implodes.

Some holiday season!

Fortunately for Victor, he never believed in the magic of Christmas.

Unfortunately for Victor, said magic still believes in him…

Told from Victor’s point of view, this novella stands alone within the Julie Cavallo Investigates Series.

Read an Excerpt

 

Mayor of Beldoc Victor Jacquet takes his seat and opens the manila envelope in front of him. Efficient as ever, Chantal has prepared enough of them for each attendee to have one. The envelope contains the minutes of the last sitting, the agenda of the current one, and all the relevant documents.

Victor takes the floor. “This year, we’re going to change things up. There will be no Christmas tree on Beldoc’s Place de la Mairie or on any other square.”

The room gasps. Then, shocked whats and whys hit him from everywhere.

“I have a good reason for the ban!” Victor shouts over multiple voices.

The room falls silent, curious to hear it.

“My team and I do not wish to encourage consumerism,” Victor says. “And we want an eco-friendly holiday season.”

“In what way is our cherished Christmas tree an impediment to that?” Sarah asks.

Victor adjusts his tie. “Well, you see the tree encourages compulsive gift buying. People acquire useless items just to have something to put under the tree.”

“Are you going to ban Christmas trees in private homes, too?” Rose asks, her tone laced with sarcasm.

I wish I could!

“Of course not,” Victor replies. “All I want is to make our town greener. I don’t want living trees slaughtered in the name of consumerism! So, whether you like it or not, we’re ditching the Christmas tree.”

“But what about the spiritualism of its meaning?” Rose asks. “To many of us, it symbolizes the birth of Jesus. You aren’t qualified to deny us that celebration!”

Victor glares at his rival.

Really, Rose? You’re a former hippie who believes in karma and never goes to church. You aren’t qualified to talk about Jesus!

He opens his mouth to say just that, when Clothilde butts in. “You know what the Christmas tree also stands for, Victor? Family. Friendship. Human connection. Love. You want to cancel those, too?”

Victor redirects his scowl at her.

What a sucker punch. That was low, Clothilde, even for you!

She knows better than anyone in this room how lonely he’s been since his wife and parents passed. She knows he has no real friends.

“Anyhow, it doesn’t matter what the Christmas tree represents,” he says at length. “There’s no money to pay for it this year. The municipality has used that budget line for… er… a town planning project. Discussion closed.”

Rose claps a hand to her mouth. “You sneaky, scheming, shameless ruffian! You didn’t… Did you?”

She knows. She figured it out, the witch!

Victor chews on his pencil, refusing to respond.

The council members, staffers, and citizens look from Rose to him and back.

“What?” many ask. “What is this about?”

“The urinal,” Rose says without taking her eyes off him. “He spent the Christmas tree budget on purchasing and installing that god-awful public urinal in front of Magda’s shop.”

Something hurtles across the room, like a frisbee, and smashes into Victor’s face. It’s an unopened manila envelope. Victor swears and rubs his sore nose. It doesn’t seem broken.

Like a shark smelling blood, Magda draws her daggerlike, red nails and launches herself at him.

Before she’s had a chance to scratch Victor’s chest, his deputy Blandine slams her purse on Magda’s head. The ladies yelp and grab handfuls of each other’s hair. Magda kicks Blandine’s shin. Blandine steps on Magda’s foot. Bawling, Magda lets go of Blandine’s hair and rips her silk blouse down the front.

“Aaaargh!” Blandine swings to punch Magda. “That cost a fortune, you dumb cow!”

Magda blocks the blow. “Serves you right, thief!”

They grapple with each other and tumble down.

People rush to the pair who are now rolling on the floor. They pull the determined wrestlers apart and drag them to the opposite corners of the room.

Victor rises to his feet. “This council meeting is over! We’ll discuss the remaining two items in January.”

The attendees fidget and wriggle but stay put, clearly too entertained to leave just yet.

Chantal rushes to Victor’s side. “Mesdames, Messieurs, it’s truly over! Please go home!”

Without saying another word, she stretches both arms toward the doors on each side, the way flight attendants show the emergency exits during the safety demo.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” she cries as the reluctant attendees shuffle to the doors.

 

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About the Author

Ana T. Drew is the evil mastermind behind the recent series of murders in the fictional French town of Beldoc.

When she is not writing cozy mysteries or doing mom-and-wife things, she can be found watching “The Rookie” to help her get over “Castle”.

She lives in Paris but her heart is in Provence.

 

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Blood & Mud 

by John Baltisberger 

Genre: Jewish Kaiju Horror 

Austin Poet and author, John Baltisberger, (ARTIFICE OF FLESH, THE CONFIGURATION DISCORDANT) makes his St Rooster Books debut with a powerful kaiju novella full of Jewish mysticism, death, and destruction.

When a good man is senselessly murdered during Chicago's Gay pride event, Satan summons a horrifying monster of old, releasing both his anger and the monster in defiance of Heaven and humanity.

BLOOD & MUD includes an essay on Jewish occultism and mythology, revealing the rich tapestry of mystery and history that inspired Baltisberger and this harrowing novella. 

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About the Author

John never thought he would write horror or darker fiction, he was planning on writing fantasy. But something about setting all of the occult and fantastical elements of fantasy just behind the backdrop of the modern world appealed to him, and he wanted to introduce the world to the incredible mythology of mythic Judaism.

He spends his time squirreled away fervently working on the next book or engaging in the 'Obliterate the Globe' project, only taking breaks to record episodes of Madness Heart Radio and Wandering Monster, or to eat, or to play with puppies. John lives with his patient and gorgeous wife Desiree, and maniacal and powerful daughter Aziza. You can find him and the project at www.KaijuPoet.com 

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signed Copy of The Configuration Discordant - 5 winners 

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Today, I have a supernatural horror novella in our book spotlight.  Check out psychological thriller The Bone Cutters, learn about the author & enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

The Bone Cutters 

by Renee S. DeCamillis 

Genre: Psychological Horror, Supernatural Thriller 

Horror, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural, a novella from the 2019 New Bizarro Author Series from Eraserhead Press: 

Dory wakes up in the padded room of a psychiatric hospital with no recollection of how she wound up there. She soon finds out she's been Blue-Papered--involuntarily committed. She gets sent to the wrong counseling group and discovers a whole new world of psychiatric patients she'd never known existed. At first she just thinks they're cutters, all marked by similar scars, but then she finds out that those scars are from carving into their bodies where they chisel and scrape their bones. They harvest bone dust, and this dust is highly coveted and sought after, as well as highly addictive. When they realize she's never been"dusted", Dory becomes their target. After all, dust from a "freshie" is much more valuable than theirs. Frightened for her life, she desperately tries to prove to the psych. hospital staff that she's not delusional about these particular patients wanting to slice her open and scrape her bones. The staff doesn't believe her. They all think she's crazy. Dory ends up on the run, fighting for her life, trying to avoid getting "dusted" by The Bone Cutters. 

Like Girl, Interrupted and "The Yellow Wallpaper", The Bone Cutters is one woman's dark and surreal experience with a madness that is not necessarily her own. 

More Than Love

A Jenkins Family & Friends Novella

by Sharon C. Cooper

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Going from friends to lovers doesn’t come easy…

Corporate Attorney Benjamin Jenkins is one of Cincinnati’s most eligible bachelors, but he’s only interested in one woman—Makena Nichols. Though life took them in different directions, they’ve been friends for over forty years. Now Ben wants more than just friendship. He wants all of her.

Makena compares every man, including her ex-husband, to Ben. He’s her heart. She’s crazy about him, and what they share is more than love. But she’s not willing to risk their friendship for a romance that might not last. However, Ben is persistent, and her stubbornness is no match to his.

When a Jenkins’ family secret shatters Ben’s world, Makena is the one he turns to. But will their friendship survive a roller-coaster of emotions? Or will their eternal love bring them through this challenging time?

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Award-winning and bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, is a romance-a-holic - loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Sharon writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She’s been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of Emma Awards (RSJ) for Author of the Year 2019, Favorite Hero 2019 (INDEBTED), Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES), Interracial Romance of the Year 2015 (ALL YOU’LL EVER NEED), and BRAB (book club) Award -Breakout Author of the Year 2014. When Sharon isn’t writing, she’s hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, visit www.sharoncooper.net

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Wild Hunt: a vampire novella
by Nancy Kilpatrick
Genre: Adult Dark Fantasy

About the Book

A sassy, legally-blind psychic.

A three centuries-old Transylvanian vampire.

Enemies. Each with their own endgame. Compelled to form a fragile alliance where every encounter crackles with as much attraction as repulsion.

This fast-paced, modern vampire novella vibrates with danger, treachery and Dark Romance. The plot twists and turns, the stakes are the highest, and nothing is as it seems.

Created by master storyteller Nancy Kilpatrick, readers are definitely in for an exciting, fun read.

Let the Wild Hunt begin!


"I enjoyed every drop. "Wild Hunt" is a stand-out tale. Honestly, I would pay much more than I did for that story." -Lydia Peever, reviewer PostScripts nightface.ca

"Nancy Kilpatrick writes with intelligence and depth, her stories both innovative and captivating. What I find most impressive in her tales is how brilliant and emotionally driven they are." -Moonlight (aka Amanda), reviewer Vampires.com

"Vampires from Nancy Kilpatrick's imagination become some of the most wickedly unique I have ever read." Sam Reeves review samreevesblog.blogspot.com

**On sale for 99 cents !!**
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Nancy Kilpatrick is an award-winning author. Her publishing credits include 22 novels, over 220 short stories, 6 collections of her stories, 1 graphic novel, 1 non-fiction book and, as well, she has edited 15 anthologies. She lives in Montreal and her work is published in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and has been translated into 8 languages. These are the genres in which she has published: dark fantasy, horror, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, erotica. Details can be found on her website below.

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The Celebration Series is a 13 Story Novel & Novella Series that takes place in the fictional town of Celebration, Pennsylvania. Each story revolves around a US Holiday.

Tangled in Tinsel
The Celebration Series Book 1 (Christmas)
by Stacy Eaton
Genre: Contemporary Romance

About the Book

Casey Lowe is new in town and hiding from her past. Her next-door neighbor, Thad Wagner, is a sexy police officer who is good with hands, and his lips. But Casey refuses to get involved with a married man, and Thad can’t seem to understand why she keeps pushing him away.

No matter how they try to stay apart, something keeps drawing them together. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Casey’s house the week before Christmas, her future is on the line. Will Thad figure it out in time to save her or will Casey become a co-conspirator to a murderer.

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Tears to Cheers
The Celebration Series Book 2 (New Year's)

About the Book

Linda Maxim is a woman who learned early on how to work hard and succeed. Her only regret is that the man she loved disappeared just days after she got pregnant at the tender age of sixteen.

Ian Dugan was whisked away by his parents and unable to contact anyone from his previous life. Fourteen years later, Ian needs to get away from his life and ends up crashing his car and waking up in the hospital where Linda watches over him.

Can Linda forgive Ian for leaving her alone as a pregnant teen? Will Ian be able to forgive Linda and himself when he learns of the daughter he never knew about? Find out on New Year’s Night if Ian can erase the tears and find something to celebrate.

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Heathens to Hearts
The Celebration Series Book 3 (Valentine's Day)

About the Book

Jason Hayes is a man who hides from his past, not because he did anything wrong, but because he is ashamed of the things that he had to do to make it through nursing school.

Riayn Simmers is new to Celebration Township and unexpectedly runs into Jason Hayes, the first man she ever loved, but walked away from because of how he was living his life.

Can Riayn see Jason as more than the heathen she previously thought he was, or will she leave behind her dreams of owning a small-town bakery?

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Rainbows Bring Riches
The Celebration Series Book 4 (St. Patrick's Day)

About the Book

Dabby Finnegan got roped into being auctioned off for the annual Valentine’s Party, and nothing could have prepared him to face the vibrant and determined Paige Brogan. From the moment she jumps into his arms to collect her prize, his life will change.

Paige Brogan has had a crush on Dabby for a long time, and this auction is exactly what she’s been waiting for to finally catch his eye. When Paige wins a date with Dabby, the only thing she wants to do is spend the day with him working at his tavern.

As Paige and Dabby get to know one another, Dabby has a hard time understanding why this incredible woman would be interested in him. It’s when the rainbows are overhead, and green beer is flowing that Dabby finally realizes what he has and vows to never lose it.

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Sweet as Sugar
The Celebration Series Book 5 (Easter)

About the Book

Missy Moresco might be Celebration Police Department’s police dispatcher, but she’s also got her thumb on the pulse of the township. When FBI Agent Casper Princeton shows up in town on a case, Missy and Casper go undercover to protect the real reason he’s there by pretending they are a couple.

With Missy’s snarky comments and Casper’s quick comebacks, these two find it hard to keep a professional distance. When Casper needs to rush home to a family emergency, Missy is torn on whether it’s a good thing or a bad one. Just when she decides it doesn’t matter, Casper shows up on her doorstep with his five-year-old daughter.

Can Missy and Casper keep the fake relationship going while they wait for his case to come to a head, or will his daughter and his job come between them before Easter arrives?

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Making Mom Mad
The Celebration Series Book 6 (Mother's Day)

About the Book

Corrine Wagner is determined to make a good life for herself and her son while hunting for the perfect man to complete her family. Unfortunately, with her crazy schedule of school and work, her patience begins to run thin with her constantly-in-trouble, five-year-old son, Tommy.

Nolan Tigues has lived across the street from Corrine his whole life—and carried a torch for her almost as long. When Nolan tries to help Corrine with Tommy, she takes it all the wrong way. She can’t believe Nolan thinks she’s a bad mom.

Can Nolan find a way to prove to Corrine that he cares about her—and about Tommy—as more than just a friend, or will Corrine push away the man who could give her everything she’s dreamed of her whole life?

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Sparklers or Spankings
The Celebration Series Book 7 (Memorial Day)

About the Book

Harper Reed has run her family owned Bed & Breakfast for three years, and recently turned it into a place for couples to spice up their relationships. Harper has a dream for her business and her future, but recent events might upend those romantic dreams.

When Mason Tidewater arrives at her Inn, Harper believes its fate that has brought them together. While Mason doesn’t believe in fate, things start to happen in Celebration Township that could change his mind. Unfortunately, the reason he’s here in the first place, might destroy any chance he has with Harper.

During the Memorial Day celebration Mason must decide if he’s ready for sparklers or spankings, or perhaps if fate is good, he could have both.

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Raffles to Rattles
The Celebration Series Book 8 (Father's Day)

About the Book

When Sophia Thayer realized that she’d squandered her savings, she decided to take on a second job. She didn’t particularly want to dust off her four-inch dancing shoes and get back into that line of work, but she knew the money would be good, especially if she got the job at Pleasure Your Fantasies.

Scott Allen has had a thing for Sophia since he’d met her, and it wasn’t until she won him at the Valentine’s Day Bachelor Auction that he realized the feeling might be mutual. Although a relationship didn’t initially work out, Scott didn’t give up on a future with her—not until he saw her dancing on stage at a gentlemen’s club and noticed that the owner was staking a claim on her.

When Sophia realizes she’s pregnant with Scott’s child, can the two of them figure out how to move forward and raise the child together—or will her past and present career choices keep Scott from her side?

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Flirting with Fireworks
The Celebration Series Book 9 (Fourth of July)

About the Book

Brandy Nottingham has known Casey Lowe since high school and can’t wait to see firsthand how wonderful Casey’s life is with Thad Wagner in Celebration Township. As Brandy is introduced to some of Casey’s friends, she literally collides with a man from her past.

It’s been fourteen years since Chase Stevens held Brandy in his arms, and while the two of them clean the tray of paint they spilled on themselves, Chase is painfully reminded of how he’d been left on the pier all alone all those years ago.

As Chase and Brandy try to find a way to deal with the painful and embarrassing past, Brandy needs to decide what her future is going to be. If she were to stay in Celebration, she could lose everything she’s ever known—including her family and their money.

Could Chase be enough for her, or will he realize that he could never offer her the life to which she is accustomed?

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Working with Wheels
The Celebration Series Book 10 (Labor Day)

About the Book

Levi Rivers is one of the most protective men in Celebration Township, so when his neighbor passes away, he feels responsible for not having noticed her absence for ten days. His guilt only increases when he finds out that it was possibly suicide, and he had been too wrapped up in his own life to catch any signs of her withdrawal.

Alesandra Findley moved away from Celebration when she was four years old and was told that her mother had died when she was young. She’s shocked to learn from her brother that he knew their mother had been alive the past twenty-five years and neither he nor her father had shared the information with her.

When Alesandra returns to Celebration to learn about the mother she lost years ago, Levi is there to lend his guidance, support, and encouragement. The two of them immediately connect in ways neither of them expected.

Levi will need to learn to live with his guilt while Alesandra learns the truth about her mother. When it’s time for Alesandra to return to her life in New York City, she’s not sure she wants to leave Levi and all she has discovered in the town to return to the cold world of fashion. But can life with Levi working with chrome and wheels instead of glamour and glitz be enough for her?

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Masquerading at Midnight
The Celebration Series Book 11 (Halloween)

About the Book

Deklan Kelly comes from a family of well-known attorneys, and growing up his parents told him that’s what he wanted to be, too. Privately, he wished he could spend his days sketching and painting the beauty of life instead of wheeling and dealing with dregs of humanity.

Sky Clarke hides behind the walls of her families’ home protecting women and children from abusive partners. She is devoted and passionate to her cause, and will do anything for her clients, even break the law to protect them. What she won’t do is put up with annoying attorneys.

When Sky finds Deklan innocently sketching on her property, the two of them get thrown together into a spiral of events that will keep them both on their toes.

Will Deklan finally be able to remove the mask and be the man he truly wants to be for Sky, or will she run from the passion he wants to give her because she’s afraid to remove her own mask?

Masquerading at Midnight is the eleventh book in the thirteen-book Celebration Series.

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Blessings and Beans
The Celebration Series Book 12 (Thanksgiving)

About the Book

Hope Wells is a lifetime resident of Celebration Township, and lives on coffee fumes and loves stories at her downtown store, Beans and Books. As each one of her friends has found love, she’s been excited but secretly envious. As much as she wants to find a man, she knows that the odds are stacked against her, not with the medical issue she has kept hidden from everyone.

Aaron Findley was born in Celebration but left when he was a boy. A few months back, he returned after his mother passed away, and even the race cars he drives couldn’t get him out of town fast enough. His sister, Alesandra might enjoy the little po-dunk town, but he prefers bright lights and beautiful women hanging off of his arms after he finishes a race.

Six weeks before Thanksgiving, Aaron crashes his racecar and lands in the hospital in serious condition. When he is discharged three weeks later, he finds that he has fewer friends than he originally thought, and a career that went up in flames like his car. His only choice is to convalesce at his sister’s house in Celebration. Grumpy and bored, Aaron finds himself hiding at the small coffee shop for hours as he comes to terms with his new life.

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Velevet & Vows
The Celebration Series Book 13 (Finale- Christmas)

About the Book

The epic finale of the Celebration Series is finally here. Celebrate Christmas once again with the couple that started it all: Casey Lowe and Thad Wagner.

Velvet & Vows starts out twenty days before the wedding and there is a lot to be done. With wedding showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, the final dress fittings, holiday preparations and the last of the details for the ceremony and reception, Celebration is crackling with energy–but it’s not all good.

With a few misunderstandings, many secrets and a serial arsonist running rampant in the town, the days leading up to the wedding are far more stressful than Casey and Thad ever planned for it to be. It will take the entire town to tell this story as we pass from one leading character to another.

Prepare yourself for this one-of-a-kind novel that will bring insight into every character you’ve fallen in love with during the series, and even a few characters you’ve never heard from firsthand.

NOTE: While Velvet & Vows can be a standalone novel, there have been twelve other books in this series before it. This book incorporates all twelve of those couples into one story and might be slightly hard to follow if you have not read the other books.

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About the Author

Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Bestselling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016 due to a second serious concusion. Her last three years on the job were in investigations and crime scene investigation. She now writes full-time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement, and her teen daughter. Stacy also has a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy. She is also very involved in Domestic Violence Awareness and served on the Board of Directors for her local Domestic Violence Center for three years.

Stacy writes a variety of genre's, but mostly romance. She enjoys writing real-life stories that people can relate too with real-life problems, emotions, and solutions.

Her favorites: Classic cars, photography, Disney, music, coffee and her favorite sweatshirt that says, "You are dangerously close to getting killed in my next novel."

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