MY MOTHER was the queen of celebrations and filled every holiday with fun and laughter. Valentine’s Day meant the house was decorated top to bottom, and dinner was entirely red. Red food, red drink, red desserts. And there was always a little something special for each of us—my two brothers and Dad—at our plates. St. Pat’s brought green and more green. April Fool’s was a day to see who could play the most outrageous prank. I still have some of Mom’s decorations, and they’re almost as old as I am. I still remember putting them up with her, talking and sharing memories as we did so.
It’s no wonder I love holidays as much as I do. And no wonder I was delighted to write novellas celebrating three of my favorite holidays: April Fool’s Day, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day! I wrote these short stories back in the late ’90s. In fact, they were some of my first published works. So you can imagine my delight when Hendrickson Publishers asked if they could release them again in a new collection! I was even more delighted when they allowed me to update them. In fact, they let me completely rework all three stories, connecting them with a new thread. Mission: LOVE!
It’s been great fun to revisit these stories and characters, and even more rewarding to bring new focus and refinement to them. So what awaits you here are three new stories based on those original novellas and threaded together with common and sometimes wacky characters! Stories that celebrate holidays and family . . . and the wonder of love’s surprises.
I hope you enjoy them!
Karen Ball
P.S. I always love hearing from readers, so please feel free to shoot me an email at kb4Him@gmail.com.