G'morning.

Christmas is just around the corner. The authors and staff at Unique Enterprises wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and the best of New Years!

A couple of announcements, then on to the excerpts from the Winter Wonders anthology.

Winter Wonders will release the week of Dec. 24th, due to technical difficulties. Be sure to check By Grace  next week to order your copy of this wonderful anthology.

This is our last post on this site, BUT, this is NOT the end of our blog! We'll be moving HERE! We are very excited about our new  blog home, as well as our new format. New features include a monthly contest, spotlighting our backlist and a free short-short story read every month on our "E-mag Day."

Muncy Chapman

Outside, the wind howled, while snow and sleet beat against her window panes. Margy put another log on the fire and tried to tune out the raging storm by listening to the peaceful strains of a sonata coming from her radio. Just when she finally felt her muscles begin to relax with the music, her tranquility was jarred by the radio announcer.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a special announcement. Deputies are still searching for the inmate who escaped from the Iowa State Prison on Wednesday. Ralph Dunbar is armed and dangerous. He is thirty years old, six feet tall, with dark brown hair, last seen in the Ames area. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information leading to his capture. Anyone having information as to this man’s whereabouts is asked to notify authorities immediately."

Margy had been hearing reports like this since Wednesday. She wondered why the police had been unable to capture the escaped convict before now. She got up from her sofa and checked the locks on her windows and doors. No one in his right mind would be out on a night like this, but nevertheless, it didn’t pay to take chances.

Settling herself on the sofa once more, she covered her legs with an afghan and turned up the volume on her radio.

Margy was startled out of her musical reverie by a loud banging on her front door. A limb must have blown from the tree in her yard. Lucky it hadn’t landed against one of her window panes. But there it was again! No mistaking the sound this time: someone was pounding on her front door. Whoever braved the elements on a night like this must surely have a real emergency.

c/2007 MUNCY CHAPMAN

www.muncychapman.com

Meg Allison

GWEN'S RESOLUTION

"Table for one?"

Gwen smiled despite the blush that warmed her cheeks. Okay, so this wasn’t always fun, but she’d get used to it. She’d merely forgotten how daunting going solo could be, if you let it.

"Yes."

"Do you have a reservation?"

She stared at the girl in the fifties-era waitress uniform and felt a little like she’d stepped into the twilight zone. "Reservation? This is a diner. I eat here several times a month and I’ve never needed a reservation."

"Well, I know, but it’s New Year’s Eve and you need one tonight. We’re the only place in town besides the Burger Barn." The girl tossed a hand at the bustling room behind them. Sure enough, each and every table and stool seemed to be occupied. "As you can see, we’re full up, so unless you have a reservation I’m sorry, but I can’t help you."

"Oh." The plan was not off to a great start. But Gwen would not give up that easily, surely there was somewhere to eat in town. She turned to go just as a hand grabbed at her sleeve.

"Hey, I can share," a deep voice offered.

Cindy Green

SNOW KISSED

"So," asked Logan, lifting his chin, a real smile moving onto his face now, "what are you up to this afternoon?"

Holly smiled back. "I’m off for a snow walk."

"That’s what so stupid about this…this whole Winter Wonderland Carnival. There is no snow!" He raised both his hands in frustration.

"There will be," she replied with complete confidence.

"How do you know? There’s no snow expected. Cold, but no snow."

"There’ll be snow tonight." She stepped close to him, laying her hand in the crook of his arm while a swirl of pleasure moved around inside her stomach at the contact. "Just breathe," she whispered to him slowly as she took in a deep whiff. "You smell that?"

He shook his head. "What? Burgers from down the street?"

"No," she laughed. He could be so dense sometimes. "It’s the first snowfall." She inhaled another intoxicating aroma of winter air. "It’s coming."

"And what’s so good about snow? It’s just annoying and inconvenient." He pulled his arm away and folded them across his lean frame.

"Snow is beautiful, magical." Her voice came out breathy, the idea of snow making her feel all tingly.

"It’s cold, wet stuff that falls from the sky."

"Then there are the wonderful clothes: hats, scarves, gloves…"

"…galoshes, wool socks," he countered.

She continued, not to be undone by his cynicism. "Fresh baked cookies, hot apple cider, hot cocoa, hot toddies…what is a hot toddy?"

JoAnn Carter

SMUGGLER OF THE HEART

The sleigh stopped and soon the bells followed. Tim grabbed his backpack and their picnic and then hopped down before reaching for her. His hands spanned her small waist, and when he lifted her down, he held her for a little longer then necessary. Samantha licked her lips and wondered if he felt half of what she was experiencing. Tim was special; she had known that for a long time. The difference was, before she was willing to let him go for a dream, but now?

"Follow me." Tim laid out a blanket, sat down, and patted the place beside him. Samantha joined him. The lights from the sleigh cast a dim, romantic shadow over their blanket. "I have something for you." Tim unzipped his backpack and low and behold, there was the chest.

"What…what are you doing with that?"

"Your grandmother gave it to me."

"Do you…do you know the story?"

His eyes sparkled. "I do. I couldn’t let you go again without you realizing what you mean to me." Tim held it out to her. "Here, open it."

It couldn’t be a ring. We hardly know each other anymore. He’s going to be a youth pastor now, and yet it feels as if we never were apart.

She inched the chest up; half hoping it was a ring and half not. Inside a letter rested upon a pile of silk cloth.

Tim smiled. "Disappointed?"

"What is it?"

"Something for you to take back to New Jersey."

It was as if the clock struck midnight and her carriage was now a pumpkin. The reality of life reared its ugly head. Yes, back to New Jersey.

© 2007 by JoAnn Carter