CHRISTMAS BOOK: Madison's Christmas by Carol Ann Kauffman

 

Christmas is Madison’s favorite holiday, but this year is different. She has to face it alone, without her father and her best friend/boyfriend Bob, amid the problems of running her own high-stakes business and dealing with family issues.

Can the spirit of Christmas lift a heavy heart?

Available in both kindle format and paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Madisons-Christmas-Madison-Rand-Book-ebook/dp/B00PSNA7FM/

Reviews:

"Madison's Christmas was a fast passed, easy, fun and such a sweet Christmas story. It's about how one person is all it takes to change how your Christmas can turn out for the better. Very cute!"

"I really love Carol Ann's work! This love story was fun, true to life, a magical romance. I love short stories because they are not drawn out and over done. Carol Ann has a wonderful way to her writing. She makes you feel all the emotions and leaves you feel good inside. This short story will leave a smile on your face and a big "ah" with it as you put two and two together.

All Madison wants for Christmas is to be left alone. She usually has a magical wish for Christmas and enjoying the holiday fun, but not this year. Her Sister talks her into coming over for Christmas. But first she has to deal with a new employee, court and meetings galore. This new guys seems very familiar to her, but she can't put her figure on it. She makes it through the week and heads to her Sisters. Madison and the kids go on an errand and when they return, Madison has the surprise of her life. Christmas Magic!
I enjoyed this book very much. The pace was excellent and the story wonderful. This is a must read for everyone."

"Well-written fast paced short story about a high-powered well-intentioned female boss and her struggles to cope with the merriment of the Christmas season, while facing the recent loss of her father and her best friend. Madison reluctantly promises her sister Susan that she will join the family for Christmas. In the meantime, Kyle, a brand new employee, falls in love with Madison. Through a complicated mix-up, he confuses her with another employee. Madison struggles to hold her feelings in check, knowing that she must soon reveal her true identity. This story presents a realistic portrait of the situations many people face during the holidays. Characters are realistic and well-developed. I was able to empathize with them, feeling both their laughter and pain. Highly entertaining read."

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

“Madison… you ARE coming to Christmas dinner, aren’t you?” Susan anxiously asked her sister as soon as she answered the phone. “You didn’t return my phone calls…any of them.”

“Suze, please, ask me to do anything else, but not Christmas dinner,” Madison said slowly with a sigh.  “I can’t do Christmas this year, not without Dad, not without Bob.”

“Oh, honey, I know. We all miss him.  And I know how much you miss Bob.  But as cruel as it may sound, life goes on, Sis. Tommy and I have to make Christmas a happy day for our kids, and Trina and Scott want their auntie here.  Plus nobody believes in the magic of Christmas like you, little sister.”  

“Not this year, Susan.”  

“Maddie, please come,” she begged.

“I don’t know, Suze,” she said finally, giving Susan hope.

“Come on Saturday.  We’ll bake cookies with Trina and dance around to Christmas music, like we did when we were kids. She’d just love it. We need to make those memories for my daughter. On Sunday, you and I can catch up, get some sisters’ time, and then you’ll be here early on Christmas morning to see the kids open their presents.  It’ll be simple Christmas fun. Nothing about this is going to be easy for any of us, but it’ll be easier if we’re together.”

“Not really,” Madison said with a laugh.  “If I’m not there, I can just pretend that it’s not Christmas.”

“Really?  No radio, no TV, no Christmas carols in the stores?  You can’t escape Christmas, Madison.”

“I have a plan.  I’ll stay inside, drapes drawn.  Piles of DVDs, pajamas, a gallon of Rocky Road, and a spoon.”

“That sounds strangely comforting in a ‘hermit in a cave’ kind of way, but Maddie… I need you here.” Madison knew Susan had a rough year as well, and Christmas with two young children needs to be a magical time. She shook her head.

“All right, all right, I’ll do it.  For the kids,” she said begrudgingly, all while banging her head on her refrigerator, wondering how she could be a such a formidable force at the office and in the community, and putty in her big sister’s hands. 

“I have the best sister in the world,” said Susan.

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CHRISTMAS MOVIE: Feast of the Seven Fishes (TubI)

Being an Italian girl who married who married a non-Italian, non-Catholic man, I identified with this movie. 

My husband, however, embraced the food and traditions and customs of the holiday and my family, only uncomfortable with the decibel level, whispering to me, “Why are they all yelling at each other?”

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CHRISTMAS MOVIES: A Castle for Christmas (Netflix)

 

Brooke Shields and Carey Elwes star in this sweet Christmas movie destined to be a classic. Brooke plays a successful American author who travels to Scotland to get away from it all at home. 

She falls in love with Scotland and this gorgeous castle, and then discovers her father worked in this castle as a young man. 

The castle owner needs to sell it. The bank is pressuring him. 

She wants to buy it. 

Oh, I loved this little Netflix Christmas movie! An author takes a vacation from her best-selling author life and goes to Scotland. She tours a castle where her father worked and discovers it's for sale. 

Miles, the duke who owes the castle, like all good dukes worldwide, doesn't really want to sell the castle and leave his home, but he is being squeezed by the bank.

Gorgeous Scottish vistas and beautiful Scottish music make this film a perfect little Christmas gem.

And it has Carey Elwes in it! 

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CHRISTMAS: Christmas Candy Train

So, you’re not much of a baker? You don’t have much success with flour, sugar, and whatever that thing is the makes the batter rise into beautiful, soft pillows of decadent deliciousness? 

Me, either! I can cook, but my forays into the world of baking were like science experiments gone horrible wrong. I understand. 

Here is a project for you from the lovely people from Taste of Home.

 

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CHRISTMAS SNACK RECIPE: White Chocolate Christmas Trail Mix

 

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SCHEDULE: December 8-12, 2025

Monday, December 8 - CHRISTMAS RECIPE:

White Chocolate Christmas Trail Mix

Tuesday, December 9 - CHRISTMAS CRAFT:

Christmas Candy Train

Wednesday, December 10 - CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

A Castle for Christmas

(Netflix)

Thursday, December 11 - CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

Feast of the Seven Fishes

(Netflix)

Friday, December 12 - CHRISTMAS BOOK:

Madison's Christmas 

by Carol Ann Kauffman 

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CHRISTMAS BOOK: I Need Christmas, An Oakville Family Christmas by Carol Ann Kauffman

 After a depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, successful civil engineer and former All-American basketball star Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the Christmas holidays a depressed and broken women. 

Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but morally decrepate Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first big love, who left her after two years of what she thought was a good marriage for a stripper he met at an office bachelor party for her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty. 

Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their multitude of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like traditions, she knows she needs them in order to heal. 

Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better about herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, throwing her back into the self-destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, and suspision she is trying so hard to escape.

She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé at work, the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him.

So, what’s the problem? 

Betsy feels it’s too soon for her to love again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like herself or what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears she will hurt the sweet, gentle Patrick.

Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season coupled with the many long-time holiday 

customs and Curry family traditions help Betsy to find herself again? Will she be strong enough to lift herself out of her self-induced prison so that she can take another chance on love?

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Need-Christmas-Oakville-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B0193G3RA6

CHRISTMAS MOVIE: Klaus (2024) on Netflix

 

J.K. Simmons is a national treasure. I first remember him as the psychologist in the early Law Order series. Later, he was the insurance guy on TV commercials. 

But this guy has serious acting chops. He can carry the whole show, all by himself. If you have not seen him in the following, you are missing out:

         1. Night Sky*

         2. Being the Ricardo's*

         3. Goliath

         4. The Tomorrow War

         5. Brockmire

         6. 21 Bridges

         7. Counterpart*

         8. The Snowman

         9. The Accountant

        10. La La Land

                    (I have starred my favorites.)

This versatile actor also does one great Santa Claus.

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CHRISTMAS RECIPE: Cranberry Butter Crunch Bars

 

From A Taste of Home

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CHRISTMAS CRAFTS: Mason Jar Snowman Votives

 

From Pinterest

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CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY: ADVENT CALENDAR: Countdown to Christmas

 From Pinterest

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SCHEDULE: December 1-5, 2025

 

Monday, December 1 - CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY:

Christmas Advent Calendar: Countdown to Christmas

Tuesday, December 2 - CHRISTMAS CRAFT:

Mason Jar Snowman Votives 

Wednesday, December 3 - CHRISTMAS RECIPE:

Cranberry Butter Crunch Bark

Thursday, December 4 - CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

Klaus

(Netflix)

Friday, December 5 - CHRISTMAS BOOK:

I Need Christmas

An Oakville Family Christmas 

by Carol Ann Kauffman 

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BOOK: Harper Ross by Carol Ann Kauffman

Harper Ross is a quiet, shy man born to wealth and privilege; not large, not strong, not what you'd call hero material.

Katy Westwind finds herself in danger from the cruel sheriff of Bellwood.

If that's not bad enough, there's a giant monster that flies down into the town once every ten years and devours everyone and everything it finds.

Town council has organized a lottery to choose a man to kill the monster before it awakens.

The lottery is, of course, fixed.

If you’re looking for something different to read, Harper Ross

is a sci-fi western fantasy romance that will fill the bill. It has 

bad guys and romance. It has steampunky inventions and a crooked 

sheriff. It has a historic library and a flying dragon. And it has heart. ♥️ 

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Harper-Ross-Carol-Ann-Kauffman-ebook/dp/B0CG2HZH2Y

EXCERPT:

Prologue

This story unfolds on Belterra, an Earth-like planet set in a time reminiscent of the old American Wild West, around 1880. Long ago, the ancients brought humans to this planet. There were only four tribes: the warriors of magic, the spiritual soul keepers, the brilliant but unscrupulous scientists, and the strong, brutal, but efficient soldiers. However, with decades of intermingling, numbers have dwindled, and only the strongest, most forceful of each tribe have survived. Is it natural selection? Or is it fixed? This story follows the first two books, Belterra and Dark Return. You can blame my father for this sci-fi/romance/fantasy/western mash-up. We used to watch cowboys on TV together. 

Saddle up for something different, Cowboy!

 

Chapter 1

The Invitation

 

 

“Miss Katherine must understand,” bellowed George Powers, Bellwood's large, imposing sheriff. He was a descendant of the old Soldier Guard of Eastwood, the once respected peacekeepers of the territory. Once an elected position, the sheriff’s position is now inherited, passed from father to eldest son. 

“The economy is extremely tight at this time,” the sheriff continued. “Most households simply cannot afford to take in another person. And everybody knows Miss Katy Westwind has quite a reputation. Very outspoken. Overly educated for a woman of her station in life. And extremely headstrong.”

Powers held his head with both hands for dramatic effect. “Who in his right mind would purposely want to assume that kind of headache, responsibility, and aggravation without at least a decent dowry?”

“But because of the failing health of our esteemed citizen and noted healer Barton Westwind, who is loved by all, and in acknowledgement of his decades of service to our community in the healing arts, and the fact there are no other living Westwind relatives left in the area, or maybe anywhere in the world, I am willing to take Miss Katherine into my household as requested by her father. 

“Of course, I do have a few stipulations. I would insist that Miss Katherine resign from all endeavors outside her assigned household duties at Powers House. I would expect her to refrain from her numerous public speaking engagements that do nothing more than rile up our womenfolk and make them irritable, dissatisfied, and hard to handle. And I would also have to insist upon the deed to the Westwind family home. Maybe renting it out would help me offset the cost of having another person to clothe, feed, and house in these lean and bitter times.”

“And where is my very ill, highly esteemed father supposed to live out his days while you are renting out our family home, Sheriff Powers? Under the bridge, perhaps, with the rats and the trolls?” answered the small-framed, fiery blonde Katy Westwind.

“Miss Katherine, is your father not here to speak for you?” blinked George Powers

“Mr. Powers, I think my father may have already spoken too much for me, sir, if he asked you to take me into your household without first discussing it with me.”

“Do you see what I mean?” Sheriff Powers chuckled as he looked around the Council chamber at the other members. “May I remind you, Miss Katherine, you are not getting any younger. Female beauty fades very quickly after fifteen or sixteen. And I do not see any other Council representative here willing to take you in.” 

There was laughter and a low murmur throughout the Council chamber as George Powers puffed out his chest and grinned.

“I’ll take her,” came a voice from the last row. Everyone turned around to see where the voice came from. A tall, slim, impeccably dressed gentleman stood.

“Harper Ross of Ross House, of the Northford Family House of Science. I have known Miss Katherine since primary school. We are the same age, so I don’t feel she’s too old for anything. We were classmates. Katy is indeed very bright and well-educated for any station in life. I do not fear wise women. In fact, I like them.

“Ross House is large with plenty of room. If you, Miss Katherine, would like to come live with me, you are most welcome. You can invite your father to come and live out his remaining days with you, with us, if you wish. Renting out the Westwind House does seem to be a prudent and profitable idea in these challenging economic times. But I would assume no controlling interest over Westwind House. I would leave it in your very capable hands and act only as your advisor when requested.

“I would not ask you to change your habits, schedule, or prominent position in this community as a voice of reason and equality. 

“Miss Katherine, would you consider moving into Ross House, not as a servant, but as my…companion?” Harper asked.

“Thank you, Mr. Ross, for your kind and timely offer. It is very much appreciated. I would like to know what exactly you require of me as ‘your companion’ before I can make a rational decision.”

“May we discuss this in private, Miss Katherine?” A blushing Harper asked as he looked down at the floor before him.

“Of course, Mr. Ross. You may call upon me at Westwind House at your convenience.”

 

Note from the author:

This story began its life on Vella, Amazon’s short-lived but innovative and exciting episodic reading platform, where episodes were released gradually, instead of the whole book at once. Authors could add little notes to their audience as they went along. I kept the author’s notes in this particular story because I realize most of you have not read Belterra and Dark Return. I am hoping these little nuggets of insight will help you enjoy Harper Ross. 

Personally, I enjoyed the Vella platform. It works well in other countries. But sadly, it didn’t work out well here. So, I turned my eight Vella stories into eBooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks.

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