The characters from Debbie De Louise's Cobble Cove cozy mysteries gather in the Cobble Cove library to celebrate the holidays. Each character receives a gift from the author, and Alicia, the main character, reads some excerpts from the first and second books of the series: A Stone's Throw, and Between a Rock and a Hard Place.
Celebrating Christmas with my Characters, a short story by Debbie De Louise, will be a FREE eBOOK on Thursday, December 13 through Monday, December 17.
Get it here and have a very happy holiday: mybook.to/XmasCharacters
EXCERPT:
The festivities started with a toast around the table in the Cobble Cove library’s reading room with the wine that Pamela supplied. Alicia proposed a toast to the author, Debbie De Louise, for bringing her and the other characters to life. Everyone except Sneaky and Fido raised their glasses. Alicia hadn’t forgotten the animals. Sneaky had cream in his bowl; Fido chilled water in his.
Although Sneaky and Fido took down most of the ornaments on the tree and pulled off the ribbon and tags of the gifts underneath, Alicia knew to whom each one belonged. Sneaky played with a golden ornament ball, rolling it around the floor, while Fido chased his tail around the tree, sniffing all the presents for a hint of what they contained.
“When shall we open the gifts?” Mac asked, like an eager young boy, although he was in his eighth decade.
“Be patient, Dad,” John said. “It's not Christmas yet, so we won’t be exchanging for another few weeks. Those presents are from Debbie to her main characters.”
“Debbie is so thoughtful,” Dora said. “I should invite her to breakfast at the inn one day. I’ll make her some of my special muffins.”
“I've been thinking of inviting her to lunch at Dad’s place to sample our special family recipe for PB&J sandwiches like Alicia did early in our acquaintance,” John added.
“Great idea, son. I’ll break out some of my canned preserves for her, too.”
“What about dinner at the diner?” Casey suggested. “I think Debbie would enjoy my juicy cheeseburgers and fries even though she’s dieting. It would be good for her to take a break to celebrate the release of our second book.”
“Dessert would be nice, too,” Gilly interjected. “I know she won't be able to resist the chocolate chip cookies I bake for my three sons’ Boy Scout troop.”
“I’ll serve her drinks,” Pamela offered. “The bar in my home is well stocked. Afterwards, we can chat upstairs in my private home library where I know she’d be comfortable since she’s a librarian herself.”
Edith and Rose, always willing to volunteer for events, spoke up. “I can bake her a cake,” Rose the younger and quieter sister whispered. Edith, the older sister, said, “I can’t cook her anything, but I could crochet her a warm holiday sweater.”
“I make a nice crockpot stew,” Sheila pointed out.
“My sister, Lily and I, like to dip chocolate. We can make some of Debbie’s favorite chocolate cherries,” said Laura. “We can even make them cat-shaped if she prefers since we like cats as much as she does.”
“I know Debbie was once a features editor on her college newspaper,” Andy stated. “I can interview her for a story in the Cobble Cove Courier. I bet she’d like that.
”
“That’s a great idea,” his girlfriend, Kim, agreed fingering her brown ponytail. “I’m a good babysitter; and, although Debbie’s daughter is in middle school, I can still watch her one night while she and her husband go on a date night.”
Angelina appeared lost in thought. “It’s hard for me to know what to get Debbie. She was so sympathetic to my illness. I think maybe she would just enjoy knowing that I’m getting well.”
“I’m sure she would,” Maggie said, her green eyes, darker than Sheila’s, lighting up. “There are so many beautiful trinkets at my mom’s gift shop. I’m sure I can find a cat one for Debbie.”
“What about a nice Italian dinner at La Bella?” Salvatore suggested. “Debbie is part Italian, and so is her husband. I’ll invite the whole family to our restaurant one night.”
“I’d be happy to let Debbie select a dress or pants set from my clothing store,” Chloe added. “I know she’s lost weight recently. I have many nice items that would fit her well and do justice to her new figure.”
“If Debbie’s interested, I wouldn't mind asking my wife to invite her to Christmas dinner,” Faraday announced. “We have turkey, and I do an excellent job carving it.”
Ramsay huffed. “I wish I could throw in some leftover donuts from the station, but I’m dieting, too. Maybe Debbie and I can share a salad or some fruit. What about you, Alicia? What are you getting Debbie?”
She thought a moment. “The best gift we can give Debbie is to help her sell our books by being great characters. The next Cobble Cove Mystery is coming out soon. We can all help her write the next one.”
“Even Sneaky and Fido can help,” John added. “People love to read about pets and their silly antics.”
The festivities started with a toast around the table in the Cobble Cove library’s reading room with the wine that Pamela supplied. Alicia proposed a toast to the author, Debbie De Louise, for bringing her and the other characters to life. Everyone except Sneaky and Fido raised their glasses. Alicia hadn’t forgotten the animals. Sneaky had cream in his bowl; Fido chilled water in his.
Although Sneaky and Fido took down most of the ornaments on the tree and pulled off the ribbon and tags of the gifts underneath, Alicia knew to whom each one belonged. Sneaky played with a golden ornament ball, rolling it around the floor, while Fido chased his tail around the tree, sniffing all the presents for a hint of what they contained.
“When shall we open the gifts?” Mac asked, like an eager young boy, although he was in his eighth decade.
“Be patient, Dad,” John said. “It's not Christmas yet, so we won’t be exchanging for another few weeks. Those presents are from Debbie to her main characters.”
“Debbie is so thoughtful,” Dora said. “I should invite her to breakfast at the inn one day. I’ll make her some of my special muffins.”
“I've been thinking of inviting her to lunch at Dad’s place to sample our special family recipe for PB&J sandwiches like Alicia did early in our acquaintance,” John added.
“Great idea, son. I’ll break out some of my canned preserves for her, too.”
“What about dinner at the diner?” Casey suggested. “I think Debbie would enjoy my juicy cheeseburgers and fries even though she’s dieting. It would be good for her to take a break to celebrate the release of our second book.”
“Dessert would be nice, too,” Gilly interjected. “I know she won't be able to resist the chocolate chip cookies I bake for my three sons’ Boy Scout troop.”
“I’ll serve her drinks,” Pamela offered. “The bar in my home is well stocked. Afterwards, we can chat upstairs in my private home library where I know she’d be comfortable since she’s a librarian herself.”
Edith and Rose, always willing to volunteer for events, spoke up. “I can bake her a cake,” Rose the younger and quieter sister whispered. Edith, the older sister, said, “I can’t cook her anything, but I could crochet her a warm holiday sweater.”
“I make a nice crockpot stew,” Sheila pointed out.
“My sister, Lily and I, like to dip chocolate. We can make some of Debbie’s favorite chocolate cherries,” said Laura. “We can even make them cat-shaped if she prefers since we like cats as much as she does.”
“I know Debbie was once a features editor on her college newspaper,” Andy stated. “I can interview her for a story in the Cobble Cove Courier. I bet she’d like that.
”
“That’s a great idea,” his girlfriend, Kim, agreed fingering her brown ponytail. “I’m a good babysitter; and, although Debbie’s daughter is in middle school, I can still watch her one night while she and her husband go on a date night.”
Angelina appeared lost in thought. “It’s hard for me to know what to get Debbie. She was so sympathetic to my illness. I think maybe she would just enjoy knowing that I’m getting well.”
“I’m sure she would,” Maggie said, her green eyes, darker than Sheila’s, lighting up. “There are so many beautiful trinkets at my mom’s gift shop. I’m sure I can find a cat one for Debbie.”
“What about a nice Italian dinner at La Bella?” Salvatore suggested. “Debbie is part Italian, and so is her husband. I’ll invite the whole family to our restaurant one night.”
“I’d be happy to let Debbie select a dress or pants set from my clothing store,” Chloe added. “I know she’s lost weight recently. I have many nice items that would fit her well and do justice to her new figure.”
“If Debbie’s interested, I wouldn't mind asking my wife to invite her to Christmas dinner,” Faraday announced. “We have turkey, and I do an excellent job carving it.”
Ramsay huffed. “I wish I could throw in some leftover donuts from the station, but I’m dieting, too. Maybe Debbie and I can share a salad or some fruit. What about you, Alicia? What are you getting Debbie?”
She thought a moment. “The best gift we can give Debbie is to help her sell our books by being great characters. The next Cobble Cove Mystery is coming out soon. We can all help her write the next one.”
“Even Sneaky and Fido can help,” John added. “People love to read about pets and their silly antics.”
About the Author:
Bio:
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, the Long Island Authors Group, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Ms De Louise lives on Long Island with her husband, Anthony, daughter, Holly, and cat, Stripey.
Her four novels include the three books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series published by Solstice Publishing: A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, and her latest mystery thriller, Reason to Die. Debbie has also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ace, and has written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ
Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com
Bio:
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters-in-Crime, the Long Island Authors Group, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Ms De Louise lives on Long Island with her husband, Anthony, daughter, Holly, and cat, Stripey.
Her four novels include the three books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series published by Solstice Publishing: A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Written in Stone, and her latest mystery thriller, Reason to Die. Debbie has also published a romantic comedy novella featuring a jewel heist caper, When Jack Trumps Ace, and has written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ
Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com
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