Ten days to Christmas and you don’t know what to give your loved ones, friends or co-workers? Let The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) help you with this decision.
We have a Holiday Season Showcase jam-packed with books from our members which we are convinced will go on to become some of the best reads of the Festive Season.
And because our members are from across the globe and write in all genres there is sure to be a book (or two) for almost every taste.
Calum Kerr
Christmas
My latest collection is Christmas, a book of 31 flash-fictions about a family and covering 31 hours from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day morning.
Jeff and Maddie are hosting Christmas this year, for their two boys – Ethan and Jake – for her parents, his father, his brother James and partner Gemma, and for a surprise guest. It's a time of peace and joy, but how long can that last when a family comes together?
This collection has 31 flash-fictions covering the time from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, in all its glory.
Calum Kerr is the writer behind the flash-fiction collections Braking Distance, Lost Property and 31. This book is the tenth in the 2014 Flash365 series.
Fenella Miller
The Ghosts at Pemberley a Jane Austen Variation.
Miss Kitty Bennet is travelling to Pemberley in December in order to become a companion and friend to Miss Georgiana Darcy when disaster strikes. Adam Denney, the Rector of Bakewell comes to her aid and is much taken with her. Bingley is hurt in the accident and he and Jane are obliged to remain at The Rectory, whilst Kitty continues her journey.
The coach accident is just the first of many terrifying incidents that occur once Kitty is established at Pemberley. Somehow her arrival has woken the spirits that occupy the East wing and these ghosts are determined to get their revenge on those who trapped them in the spirit world. Elizabeth is in danger and Darcy is determined to keep her safe.
Can the power of God defeat the evil or will Pemberley and its occupants be destroyed?
Christmas at Hartford Hall
(First published by DC Thomson in 2009)
A sweet Cinderella story – perfect for Christmas reading.
When Elizabeth's grandfather died, there was no sign of a will; and, devastatingly, she discovered she was now dependent on his heir. When the new Lord and Lady Hartford and their twin daughters arrived, they reduced her status to that of a servant.
Elizabeth is determined to leave Hartford Hall in the New Year and find work as a governess. But the arrival of Sir James Worthington to make an offer for Lady Eleanor Hartford only leads to her difficulties…
Jan Ruth
An emotive trio of stories with festive themes from the Welsh Mountains of Snowdonia.
Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer
Rick isn't looking forward to his lonely corporate Christmas, but it's the season of goodwill and magic is in the air.
An off-beat love story. It's time Rick wore his heart on his sleeve, or is it too late? Lessons in love from an unlikely source.
Jim's Christmas Carol
Santa and Satan pay a visit. One brings presents, the other an unwelcome presence.
Paranormal reality. Jim's played with fire it's time he got his comeuppance, but from who?
Home for Christmas
Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la-la la-la, la-la la-la. Tis the Season to be jolly…
Romantic-comedy.Pip might accidentally find her true vocation, but the folly of her fibs are about to catch up with her.
jaffareadstoo (top 500 Amazon reviewer): ‘If you're looking for something to ease the burden of shopping for the ubiquitous Brussel sprout and need to escape with a good story and a gingerbread latte, then load these delightfully long short stories onto your kindle and let the writing of this talented author take you Home for Christmas.'
Kristen James
I have four Christmas books: A Cowboy For Christmas, A Spy for Christmas, A Special Ops Christmas, and Christmastime: Stories of the Season
When her estranged brother passes, Missy is suddenly an unwanted co-owner to Ocean View Stables by Florence, Oregon. Missy wants to start over somewhere new after her old boss burned her. She's jobless and has a wrongly ruined reputation, so this works out perfectly . . . until she meets the cowboy running the place. Brent built his dream with determination and his two hands; he's responsible for everything that happens there.
Secretly, he feels responsible that his former partner died. He also doesn't hide his belief that Missy won't stick around. Women tend to take off on him so why would she be any different? They both have a past that can ruin their future. Can he trust her to stay? Can she trust him with her heart?
From Coffee Time Romance and More: “A Great Romance for the Holidays and Anytime You Like!
What’s more dangerous? The Oregon wilderness? Hit men? Or the heat in Grayson’s arms?
Robin is flying back into the misty Pacific Northwest for Christmas, which is a bit fitting after her last so-so relationship ended. Alex just wasn’t the right man for her. Things look up when Grayson sits next to her on the plane—he’s hot, charming, witty and very into her. Unfortunately their chance meeting puts her in danger, and suddenly Robin is trapped into spending the holiday with this charming, mysterious man at a secluded mountain cabin.
He vows to protect her with his own life if needed, but the danger isn’t just from the men tracking them down. Robin isn’t sure she can trust Grayson, and yet she’s pulled to his magnetism. Safety is quickly losing the battle to desire…
They were ready to call it quits, but Aiden realizes he can’t let his marriage die this Christmas season. Can he make it home to Vivianne in time to save their love?
Vivianne has been so proud of her husband—a Navy SEAL—but his absence while serving has put a strain on their marriage.
Due to buried hurts and different circumstances in her life, she needs him more than ever now. Aiden proposed in the snow, and Christmas has always been their special time of year. This year, however, looks bleak and lonely. If only Aiden were here, she could share a special surprise.
Christmastime: Stories of the Season (short story collection)
Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? In second chances?
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale
This Christmas collection share stories of family, love, second chances, and the real meaning of Christmas:
Christmas is a Special Time of Year, Scents of the Season, What I Want Most for Christmas, Living in the Christmas Tree, Of Tommy Guns and Trees, The Perfect Christmas, A Christmas Letter, and A Real Christmas Story.
Maggie Lynch
I have an anthology for the Holiday Showcase. The Gift of Christmas Anthology is produced by the Author Cooperative I founded.
All authors in the anthology are indie. My story is one of the stories in the anthology. The print version is through Ingram so it is available to bookstores around the world. .
A former Marine, desperate for employment, takes a temp job that leads to a life-changing decision on Christmas Eve. A family locket with magical powers saves the life of its wearer during the holidays. A doctor’s nonfiction reflection of her father’s cancer diagnosis reveals the spirit of Christmas.
Add in a little dog’s snowy adventure, magic realism, and a touch of mistletoe, and readers will delight in these 12 diverse and heartfelt stories exploring the love, messiness and miracles of Christmas.
Debbie Young
This mischievous explanation for the British tradition of serving turkey at Christmas was inspired by a misheard news report on the radio, and is written in the style of an old-fashioned fairytale.
A standalone short story available on all digital platforms for 99c or thereabouts. “Crisp, clever and fast-paced” says reviewer Ginger Dawn Harman.
This new collection of twelve humorous short Christmas stories, averaging 1,000 words apiece, will delight anyone struggling with their own plans for the festive season.
Unlike many festive books, this collection does not sugar-coat every Christmas experience, and a few of the characters aren't exactly lovable, but they're certainly memorable. But ultimately it's a heart-warming collection and an easy, quick read to be enjoyed by anyone who loves the traditional Christmas. Whether you choose to spread out the stories across the traditional 12 Days of Christmas, or to consume them all in one sitting, once you've read Stocking Fillers, you'll never view Christmas in quite the same way again – and we mean that in a good way!
Available in paperback and ebook form from all good retailers. “If you're looking to put some of the magic back into Christmas, and rediscover the reason for the season, start by treating yourself to this lovely read.” – Tom Evans
Taking a different stance on festive stories, this standalone single makes no mention of Christmas but focuses instead on the winter solstice – the longest night in the northern hemisphere. When Emma, a young English journalist, is required to babysit in a dark country house on the longest night of the year – the winter solstice, 21st December – she must confront both her fear of the dark and her unresolved grief for her much-loved late Great Aunt Sophie.
Where will she find the courage she needs to avoid risking an even greater loss? “Lovely story and a great, feel-good ending.” – Christina Courtenay, romantic novelist.
Linda Gillard
Kindle bestseller House of Silence by Linda Gillard
Selected for Amazon UK's Top Ten BEST OF 2011 in the Indie Author category. 101 five-star reviews on Amazon UK. Available as an ebook & paperback – 99p/$0.99
Orphaned by drink, drugs and rock n’ roll, Gwen Rowland is invited to spend Christmas at her boyfriend Alfie's family home, Creake Hall – a ramshackle Tudor manor in Norfolk. But soon after she arrives, Gwen senses something isn't right.
Alfie acts strangely towards his family and is reluctant to talk about the past. His mother, a celebrated children's author, keeps to her room, living in a twilight world, unable to distinguish between past and present, fact and fiction.
When Gwen discovers fragments of forgotten family letters sewn into an old patchwork quilt, she starts to piece together the jigsaw of the past and realises there's more to the family history than she's been told. It seems there are things people don’t want her to know.
And one of those people is Alfie.
“If you like dysfunctional Christmases, snowy gardens, gothic houses, mystery photos, a bit of quilting, attractive Polish gardeners who play the cello, or any combination of the above, get downloading!” Harriet Devine's Blog
Jane Dixon-Smith
The Bookmuse Readers' Journal
You know the sort. He’s always got his nose in a book. She forgets the time because of a story. Their shelves are creaking but they can’t walk past a bookshop.
Natural habitat? The library. Paperback, ebook, cereal packet, doesn’t matter – if it’s got words, they will read.
You know who I’m talking about.
Gift of a Book
For a reader, there is no greater gift than a book. We present the Bookmuse Readers’ Journal, a precious little tome specially designed for booklovers. It’s got everything: quotes on reading, note pages for your to-be-read pile, entertaining genre spoofs, a framework for reviewing, Bookmuse reviews and recommendations, snippets of author interviews and all things bookish.
The perfect stocking filler this holiday season.
Alison Morton
Alison Morton
My Roma Nova books are not essentially written around the festival, but Saturnalia occurs in each one.
Saturnalia was THE most important Roman festival. Heavy on feasting, fun and gifts, it was originally celebrated in Ancient Rome for only a day around 17 December (today!), but it was so popular it expanded into a week or even longer, despite Augustus’ efforts to reduce it to three days, and Caligula’s, to five. Like today’s Christmas, this holy day (feriae publicae) had a serious origin: to honour the god of sowing, Saturn.
But also like modern Christmas, it was a festival day (dies festus).
Samantha Warren
Special happenings are afoot in the household of Jane and Felipe as new guests make the holiday season more interesting than expected.
This short story by Samantha Warren is an accompaniment to the Jane series.
Available on Amazon, iTunes, Nook, and more.
Amy Shojai
Complete Puppy Book
I know there will be many new furry-bundles-of-love this holiday, so hopeful that my will make a great gift for new and experienced puppy owners
The book is available as POD and all E-book formats (via Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Nobel ,iBookstore et al)
Everything Puppies! Your Expert Source for Puppy Health Care, Behavior & Training
Nothing beats a cute puppy for love, but proper puppy care and training prepares you and your new dog for a healthy and long life together. Written by Puppies Expert
Amy Shojai, this up to date new guide provides a “Puppies 101” packed with veterinary facts, health care advice, how-to tips, and fascinating information.
Christine MacKenzie
A Film Star, a Baby and a Proposal – A Ludlow Hall Christmas, is a short, stand –alone Christmas novel, approx. 38,000 words.
It's the time of year for friends and families, love and laughter… and romance. All burned-out film star Mathias Carter wants for Christmas is peace and a quiet place to brood on the disaster of his love-life. But when that disaster in the shape of Eve Langan arrives on his doorstep, Matt finds one kiss rocks his world… and now he has a fight on his hands to convince Eve he's the man of her dreams.
As Christmas approaches all Bronte Ferranti wants is to spend it with Nico and her twins, while she awaits the birth of her third child… everything is going to plan… until her baby decides to be born too soon… is Bronte and Nico's Christmas going to be filled with heartbreak? Or will the magic of the festive season create a miracle?
Meanwhile Rosie is having fun preparing for her first Christmas as Mrs. Alexander Ludlow… she's got everything organised and ready for the festivities… except she's forgotten something crucial… Rosie's going to give Alexander a Christmas he will never forget.
Lee Strauss
Peace & Goodwill – a Christmas Novella
Peace & Goodwill is set in The Minstrel Series world, but can be read alone.
Belle gets the best Christmas present ever, a man in uniform! Ian is a soldier home on leave. Neither of them have any idea how good it will feel to fall in love or how hard it will be to say good-bye.
Anna is spending the holidays alone again with only her faithful dog Angel to keep her company. She can’t afford to pay the rent and her landlord is threatening to kick her out. At least she’s finished with her chemo treatments. She can be thankful for that. Plus, there’s Rhys, the handsome visitor with kind eyes.
One fateful, cold and snowy night a chance encounter changes everything. Love is lost. Love is found. Life will never be the same.
Peace & Goodwill, a Christmas novella in The Minstrel Series, grabs the heartstrings and pulls hard.
Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play | Print
Ann Swinfen
Bartholomew Fair (The Chronicles of Christoval Alvarez Book 4)
Bartholomew Fair is the fourth book in the series The Chronicles of Christoval Alvarez, my Tudor spy series. The earlier books are The Secret World of Christoval Alvarez, The Enterprise of England, and The Portuguese Affair, which cover the period from early 1586 to the summer of 1589.
The new book is based, like the previous ones, on actual events and the activities of England’s first secret service, run by Sir Francis Walsingham. It is available both as a paperback and a Kindle.
When Bartholomew Fair, London’s largest public festival, is threatened in 1589 by five hundred armed soldiers dismissed from service without pay, the authorities act swiftly and decisively to prevent trouble.
Yet other trouble is brewing. Young physician and code-breaker Christoval Alvarez stumbles upon a sinister troupe of Italian puppeteers bent on making mischief, but it soon becomes apparent that more than mischief is in the air.
Sir Francis Walsingham’s agents are baffled by the ill-assorted conspirators, including one of their own men. Time is running out, and a missing cache of gunpowder cannot be found. .
POETRY
John Bird
The poems in this collection are concerned with religion, politics, love, nature, sadness, joy and other matters having a critical bearing on the human condition.
Many of them have appeared in newspapers, magazines and anthologies, been read on the radio, or been successful in competitions. I hope all my readers, whether poetry buffs or not, will find something here to enjoy and ponder.
Orna Ross
Poetry for Christmas: Twelve Inspirational Poems for the Holiday Season
The mid-winter holiday provides the perfect space to indulge the pleasure of poetry and in this pamphlet; you’ll find a poem for each of the twelve days of that holiday season.
All these Christmas poems circle around the story we’ve been telling for 2000 years about what happened in Bethlehem on a certain 25th December. Some of them reassert that story, some challenge it, some see it as purely symbolic — but all are engaged with the deeper questions that underwrite it.
The poets included are: WH Auden, John Betjeman, TS Eliot, Thomas Hardy, Dan Holloway, Patrick Kavanagh, Mary Oliver, Anne Porter, Adrienne Rich, Anne Sexton, Christopher Smart, WB Yeats — and there's a “bonus” poem from Orna Ross (who likes inserting herself among the finest company).
Perfect stocking filler — for you, or someone else!
If you are a member of The Alliance of Independent Authors and you would like to showcase your work on our weekly ALLi Showcase, please send it to [email protected] to reach me no later than the Friday proceeding the Wednesday you would like it published.
