"A Gift" - A Home for Christmas by MK McClintock - Excerpt
Will six strangers find hope, love, and family at Christmas? A collection of three historical western short stories to inspire love and warm the heart.
A Home for Christmas
"Christmas Mountain"
In search of family she barely knows and adventure she’s always wanted, Katherine Donahue is saved from freezing on a winter night in the mountains of Montana by August Hollister. Neither of them expected that what one woman had in mind was a new beginning for them both.
"Teton Christmas"
Heartache and a thirst for adventure lead McKensie Stewart and her sister to Wyoming after the death of their parents. With the help of a widowed aunt and a charming horse breeder, McKensie discovers that hope is a cherished promise, and there is no greater gift than love.
"Lily's Christmas Wish"
Lily Malone has never had a real family or a real Christmas. This holiday season, she might get both. From an orphanage in New York City to the rugged mountains of Colorado, Lily sends out only one wish. But when the time comes, can she give it up so someone else’s wish can come true?
If you love inspirational romance and heartfelt holidays, then you'll enjoy this trio of stories as we remember the true meaning of love any time of the year.
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"Ms. McClintock has a true genius when writing beauty to touch the heart. This holiday treat is a gift any time one needs to remember the true meaning of love!" —InD'tale Magazine
In the author's words . . .
Christmas is a time when anything can happen, or so my characters always believe. It is a time of hope, love, and miracles. A Home for Christmas embodies three stories about realistic men, women, and children who help others, who seek to find the good in the darkness, and who strive to make every day count. From Montana to Wyoming to Colorado, I hope these tales will warm your heart as much as they do mine. —MK McClintock
Enjoy Excerpts from
A Home for Christmas
From "Christmas Mountain"
Copper Point, Montana Territory—December 1879
Alone now, surrounded by a peace she rarely experienced, Katherine pet Crockett in front of the hearth. The fire flickered, causing the flames’ shadows to dance over the log walls. The scent of yeast drifted from the rising loaves of bread waiting on the kitchen counter. Quiet surrounded Katherine and Crockett as they enjoyed a few moments alone before the others woke.
Katherine had awakened early that morning. At her parents’ home in Boston, she rarely rose before a maid came in to draw back the curtains and bring her a cup of tea. Back home, from morning until night she rarely had a moment alone. Here, she enjoyed the solitude of August and Sarah’s cabin—her sister’s cabin.
Her eyes scanned the room, settling for a moment on each piece of furniture, blanket, and painting. She recognized two of the paintings as the wedding gifts her parents had sent Clara nearly a year after she wrote to tell them about her wedding. Shock had swept through the family, and though Katherine would have wanted to be there for her sister’s wedding, by the time she had convinced her parents not to be angry, Clara was already married. Having met August, Katherine knew they would have approved and welcomed him into the family, despite their initial misgivings. Clara had made a wise choice in a husband.
From "Teton Christmas"
Wickliffe, Wyoming Territory—December 22, 1892
The sun shone from the brilliant blue sky, kissing her skin and brightening the freckles scattered across her nose. McKensie Stewart closed her eyes, breathed in the frosty air, and spread her arms wide. She stood on the side of the snow-covered road where the stage coach had dropped them off and relished in the wonderment. They had finally arrived in Wyoming.
For years, all McKensie dreamed of was to venture west and write stories about the beauty of the landscape and the interesting people she’d only heard and read about. Submitting articles about society events in Asheville, North Carolina, to the Weekly Pioneer hadn’t presented much of a challenge. All of that had changed four months ago, and though McKensie wished the circumstances for her final arrival had been more pleasant, she was determined to look ahead instead of mourning what she had left behind.
From "Lily's Christmas Wish
Cotter’s Gulch, Colorado—December 1868
Dear God. Please help me find a family. Love, Lily. The forged wheels whirred and ground against the iron rails as the small window of the train car opened up to the vast landscape of the American West. Miss Abbott told her the same stories over and over again, promising that a new life waited. She wasn’t sorry to see the dingy city disappear four days ago, and she hoped to never see it again. Those memories she wanted to leave far behind.
Lily believed in her younger years that Miss Abbott had already taught her everything about life, but the teacher promised it would take more than book learning to withstand the laborious life in the West. Lily sat alone on her bench, her eyes absorbing the unfamiliar setting beyond the wooden car. She didn’t need to look to know that the person who sat down beside her was Miss Abbott. The teacher always smelled like roses. Two bushes of red roses grew in the small, unkempt garden of the orphanage. Despite years of neglect, the roses found a way to survive—like Lily.
“We’re almost there.”
Lily slowly nodded and continued to watch as the mountains moved closer and closer. The temperature dropped. Lily shivered and closed the small window. “Are you scared, Miss Abbott?”
“Not even a little scared. This is going to be a better life for everyone.”
“Will you be adopted, too?”
End of Excerpts Copyright (c) MK McClintock. Learn more by visiting the author's website.
"The cold nips at your face and delicious Christmas cake leaves you wanting more." -M. Ann Roher, Author of Mattie
Meet the Author
MK McClintock is a multiple award-winning author of an ever-growing number of novels and short works of fiction. Her stories of adventure, romance, and mystery sweep across the American West to the Victorian British Isles, with places and times between and beyond. When she's not writing or running her businesses, she experiments with new recipes, plays in the garden, explores mountain trails, and takes a lot of pictures. MK enjoys a quiet life in the northern Rocky Mountains. Visit her online at MKMcClintock.com.
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A Home for Christmas by MK McClintock
Genre: Historical Western Romance/Christmas
Type: Collection
Heat Level: 1
Language Level: 1
Violence Level: 1
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One lucky person can win a $25 Amazon Gift Card plus a cozy reading bundle that includes a wool blanket, treats, holiday candle, and mugs.
To enter, use the form below. Earn a bonus entry by commenting on this post and telling us your favorite thing about winter. Closes to entries on December 4, 2020 at midnight. Winner will be randomly selected and notified soon after. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Sorry, but US addresses only for this one. This giveaway is sponsored entirely by the author and hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.
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