This is just a short, special edition of my newsletter (1) to thank all of you for supporting my writing by subscribing to my newsletter, checking out my rambling blogs, updates, writing suggestions, and reviews, and from time to time buying one of my books or stories, (2) to drop that interview about Kickstarting for Authors I mentioned last issue, and (3) to link to a few special promos in time for your holiday shopping.

This year has, of course, been darker and more dangerous and more stressful and depressing than average, but connecting with good friends on the internet has been one of the better parts of these gray days, and I am thankful for your friendship and support.

Instead of heading this newsletter with a turkey or cornucopia, I've used the cover picture of my collection of Christmas Carol Critiques because this is the time of year in which many, many people sit down and send out their holiday letters or hand-penned notes in Hallmark cards or festively posed photo-snaps. At least, that's how it used to work in days gone by. These days more and more people opt for mass emails because, well, it saves on postage and lets you avoid having to go to the post office--after all, you might be able to drop your cards and letters in the drop-in box, but sooner or later you need to buy some postage stamps. (See my review below about Jean Rabe's mystery thriller Dead of Winter to find out more about the dangers that can be inherent when you don't personalize your greetings.)

If you want to send something more than a ten-second email, but not break the bank, you can consider sending any or all of my Christmas Carol Critiques: Season's Critiquings (about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer), Merry Mark-Up (about Frosty the Snowman), Holiday Workshopping (about Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!), and Santa Clauses and Phrases (about Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer). You can get them individually for less than a buck apiece or grab them all collected in the Christmas Carol Critique Collection volume for less than three bucks. (Kindle Unlimited subscribers can grab any or all of them for free.)

Keep scrolling for more content and promos. Ho, Ho, Ho!

Here's the interview of me by Diann Wilson of the Hawaii Writers Guild about authors using crowdfunding for their novels and anthologies. If you are curious, my old Kickstarters can be found here. Yes, I'll probably do a new Kickstarter for Flash Drive in a month or two. Watch this space.

In a deceptively peaceful county, a murderer hides in plain sight…

Fifty-eight minutes into her first day on the job, twenty-three-year-old Sheriff Piper Blackwell is faced with a grisly murder—the victim artfully posed amid decorations on his lawn. Drawing on former military training, Piper must prove herself worthy of the sheriff’s badge, and that won’t be easy.

Chief Deputy Oren Rosenberg, Piper’s opponent in the recent election, doesn’t like her and wants her to fail. She doesn’t like him either, but she needs Oren to help catch the killer before another victim is discovered. Too late!

As Piper leads the manhunt, another crisis hits close to home. Her father, the previous sheriff, is fighting for his life, and she is torn between family and duty. Facing personal and professional threats, Piper has to weather a raging storm, keep the sheriff’s department from crumbling around her, and reel in a killer during the most brutal winter sleepy Spencer County, Indiana, has experienced.

My Review of The Dead of Winter, by Jean Rabe

Strong Start for a Great New Mystery Series

Award-winning author Jean Rabe does a very good job of creating realistic, flawed, three-dimensional characters and inserting them into realistic, gritty, detailed settings and letting them react naturally to complex situations. The details in the geography, backgrounds, and scenes give the book a credible, at times even folksy, feel that is quite appealing. And the plot, while not overly complex, is refreshingly original--hard to do for a mystery writer. All in all, this is a strong start to what looks to be a great new series from a veteran writer in a wide variety of genres. While you are waiting for her next installment in this series, check out her fantasy, science fiction, and horror titles. You won't be disappointed.

The Axe, by Vaughn Ashby 

Time doesn’t work the way you think it does.

2018 After a successful social justice hack and a sexy night of celebrating, Micah arrives home to a gift left outside his apartment door. An Axe, that when touched causes Micah to lose time and allow other people to use his body. After one of such events, Micah returns to his body, blood covered and holding The Axe, with police knocking on the door. Micah has to use his hacker skills to evade the police and a corporation hell bent on controlling The Axe, all while unraveling the secrets of the gift.

1810 In the woods of western Canada, something is stalking and devouring people. Entire settlements have been abandoned, the residents missing. The people refer to the monsters as Demons. Mehall, a demon-hunting nomad, has returned home, leaving a trail of dead Demons behind her. By her hands and her Tomahawk, she continues killing the creatures even as she begins having visions from the future.

3015 The Circle, an oppressive governing religion, is trying to insight an AI genocide while also releasing a plague on the universe to control its people. Life is as normal as it can be for Miko, a social outcast and data broker. While on a routine data delivery gone bad, Miko is chased to the galaxies edge, where she is confronted by a mysterious ship that leads Miko on a mission to stop The Circle itself.

All three lives are more interconnected than they know.

One thing wants them all dead.

The Infection.

One thing binds them all together.

The Axe.

Click on the cover above to download the story.

Donald J. Bingle is the author of six books and more than sixty shorter works in the horror, thriller, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, steampunk, romance, comedy, and memoir genres. His books include Forced Conversion (near future military scifi), GREENSWORD (darkly comedic eco-thriller), Frame Shop (murder in a suburban writers' group), and the Dick Thornby spy thriller series (Net Impact; Wet Work, and (soon to come) Flash Drive). He also co-authored (with Jean Rabe) The Love-Haight Case Files (a three-time Silver Falchion winning paranormal urban fantasy about two lawyers who represent the legal rights of supernatural creatures in a magic-filled San Francisco; sequel is in the works). Don also edited Familiar Spirits (an anthology of ghost stories).

Many of Don's shorter works can be found in his Writer on Demand TM collections.

Full disclosure: Various links in my newsletter or on my website may include Amazon Affiliate coding, which gets me a small referral fee (at no cost to you) if you purchase after clicking through.