Two California boys, coping with the loss of their mother, find themselves uprooted when their father, a Navy Commander, is transferred to a base in Northern Michigan. With the youngest boy continuously sick, the family must survive military life and the northern elements as they dwell in their little hunter’s cabin on Lake Huron. When the boys’ father must leave prior to Christmas to fulfill his secret mission for the United States Military, the boys are surprised by a chance encounter that saves a life, and reunites a family.
EXCERPT:
Typically, when Johnny wasn’t feeling well, I tried to lift his spirits by telling him stories about mom and dad. The commander, vigilant in his hope to preserve mother’s memory, told many of the tales to me. In our old home, I sat on his lap on many nights while he showed old photographs of their courtship days or read me letters mother had written when the two were briefly apart.
Johnny’s favorite story was about the little game mom and the commander played on me on Saturday mornings – the mornings I knew cartoons were on. Since the television sat up high on top of a dresser, they were the only two who could turn it on. To wake them, I stood at the end of their bed and tickled their feet with a wild turkey feather. When I tickled the commander’s big ugly calloused foot my mother laughed. When I tickled my mother’s smooth petite foot the commander laughed. Every time I told Johnny that story he smiled, even if he had a high temperature.
Before falling asleep, Johnny often asked me about our mother. One time, using my nickname, he said, “Tiger, tell me how purdy mommy was.”
Our favorite photograph of mother was placed on the fireplace mantel. We called it the “Big Rock Picture” since she was standing on a giant rock while taking a break from a hiking expedition in New England. From my viewpoint, Mother was looking directly into my soul. The autumn wind played with her long blonde hair and she was smiling, smiling like she was so sure of herself, so confident, so healthy and vibrant. It was a smile I kissed a thousand times during the tender moments of my dreams.
“See Johnny, see how pretty she was?” Johnny took the picture from me and kissed and held it to his chest.
“Mommy will protect me tonight,” he said to me. Then he added, “Love you Tiger.”
“I love you more ya big dope,” I retorted back.
“You think mommy got on that big rock with a hoptacopter?”
By the time I got around to explaining how mother ended up on the giant rock, Johnny was fast asleep.
READ THE REVIEWS:
“‘For the Love of St. Nick’ may be short, but it is huge on impact. The power of love and wonder of miracles are front and center in this delightful and heartwarming tale.” – April Pohren, Café of Dreams
“This Christmas season, as the snow falls casually outside your front room window, sit in a rocking chair near a fireplace in a lamp lit room and read, ‘For the Love of St. Nick’. It truly will become a memorable and magical experience for yourself, and all those you read it to. – Annette Fielding, Amazon.com Reviewer
“A truly remarkable Christmas tale, ‘For the Love of St. Nick’ is a must read for those who hold family and Christmas close to their hearts.” – The Book Connection
Buy For the Love of St. Nick at Amazon.com today!
Garasamo Maccagnone studied creative writing and literature under noted American writers Sam Astrachan and Stuart Dybek at Wayne State University and Western Michigan University. He is the author of the children’s book “The Suburban Dragon” and a collection of short stories and poetry entitled, The Affliction of Dreams. His literary novel, “St. John of the Midfield” was published in 2007, followed by his “For the Love of St. Nick”, which was released in 2008. Maccagnone expanded the original version of “For the Love of St. Nick” and had the book illustrated for a new release in June 2009.
Garasamo “Gary” Maccagnone lives in Shelby Township, Michigan, with his wife Vicki and three children. You can visit Gary online at www.garasamomaccagnone.com.
To see where Gary stops next on his virtual book tour, visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/. Follow his book tour and be on the lookout for ways you can win a free copy of For the Love of St. Nick.
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