A holiday romance set in 1854 Columbia, California.
Too Old for Christmas, by Zina Abbott.
About the Book:
Irishman Sean Flood
survived the potato famine, crossing the Atlantic, the Mexican-American War,
and wandering the Western wilderness with his mules and freight wagon. But, due
to poor diet and deprivation, his teeth did not fare well. It’s November of
1854 in Columbia, California, Queen of the Southern Mines, a city Sean is
helping to rebuild after the disastrous fire the previous summer. Intense
stabbing tooth pain drives him to see Doc Massey, the local dentist. He first stops
by the mercantile to pick up a bottle of whiskey—for medicinal purposes—and food
he’ll be able to eat when it’s all over. If only the beautiful but aggravating
woman ahead of him who keeps her face half hidden and insists she won’t accept
charity would finish up with her purchase so he can get his supplies, his tooth
pulled and return home to his mules and half-built cabin….
That night, Sean
meets the woman’s two sons, Jesse and Benjy McNair, and learns her secret. He
decides with only three teeth left in his head, he needs widow Ona McNair’s
charity—and he’s willing to pay for it. Sean won’t accept nine year-old Jesse’s
declaration his family’s poverty means the boy is too old for Christmas that
year. Sean is a full-grown man and he’s not too old for Christmas. He not only
plans to come bearing gifts to Christmas Eve dinner with the McNairs, but he
knows exactly what gift he wants for himself.
*Sweet Romance
Excerpt
#1:
Sean stopped by the Columbia
Mercantile in order to buy a bottle of
Sean shrugged off Mr. Magendie, owner
of the retail store, as the man sought to convince him to buy the newly arrived
cast iron stove he had for sale. All Sean cared to focus on was buying the
whiskey he planned to start consuming as soon as he stepped out the door so he
could face getting his tooth pulled. Sean impatiently waved away the man and
his polite sales chatter.
Sean’s annoyance over his situation
increased as he stood behind the woman talking to the clerk at the counter.
Finish your business, woman, and move on. My patience be
wearing thin.
Through his self-absorption with his
pain, Sean realized that the woman asked for credit for the three small sacks
of goods on the counter in front of her.
“I know I can’t charge to a standing account
until the other matter is settled, but if you can just wait until tomorrow
afternoon for payment, I’ll have made my delivery by then and collected my fee.
I’m owed enough to not only cover this, but I can put some on the other account
as well. I promise I will bring it right in.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. McNair, but Mr.
Magendie has given me strict orders…”
“Give over, man, I’m in a hurry, now,”
Sean interrupted him, realizing the exchange could take longer than he was willing
to wait. “Here…” Sean sorted through the coins he held in his hand in
anticipation of paying for his items. He selected one he felt would surely
cover whatever the woman was trying to purchase and, leaning past her, he slapped
the coin on the counter. “’Twill cover the shortfall, certain. Now, if you
don’t mind…”
The woman rounded on Sean, her eyes
flashing with anger. “I do mind. I’ll thank you to take your money back and
wait your turn. I can take care of my own business and I don’t take charity.”
(Author's note: The Columbia Mercantile at the time of this story was a wooden building. This brick building with iron shutters was built a couple of years later.)
Too Old for Christmas is now available on pre-order at Amazon. You may purchase it by clicking HERE. It will be available on Nook soon.
About the Author:
Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels.
The author currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She is a member of Women Writing the West, American Night Writers Association, and Modesto Writers Meet Up. She currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She enjoys any kind of history including family history. When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.
Zina Abbott Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.