CJ Carmichael - What Child Is This?

What would you do if a child in need showed up on your doorstep on Christmas Eve? Say she was around five years old. Dirty. Underdressed for the snow swirling outside. Would you invite her inside?

I guess you would. But what then?

Call the authorities? Or give her a meal and a warm bath? And if you did the latter, what would you think if you noticed her body was covered in bruises?

This is the terrible situation that Amy Gold, kindergarten teacher of Bandit Creek Montana finds herself facing in The Gift—A short Christmas novella I wrote last year. When I was thinking of an idea for a classic Christmas tale, I knew I wanted it to focus on a child who needed a special sort of angel in her life. Someone who would offer more than just a phone call to social services.

I believe lots of us think about children in need at this time of year. I volunteer for a charity that provides gift baskets to families where the mom is struggling with breast cancer while also facing financial difficulties. Wings of Hope, in Calgary, is my way of opening my door to a child in need at Christmas time.  And I’m sure all of you have your own way of helping others, to the extent that you can.

I’d love to give away a kindle or kobo copy of The Gift to 5 random respondents. Please just tell me which of the following covers appeals to you more. The brown cover was the original for this story. The blue-ish one is the revamped cover for this season.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

CJ