​London authorities are investigating what could be a case of food contamination at The Tavern after an elderly male resident experienced some strange symptoms following a recent meal there.
Ebenezer Scrooge, age unknown, had his usual evening order at The Tavern on the night of December 24th and experienced several hours of hallucinations, remaining somewhat disoriented upon waking the next morning. At nine o’ clock AM Christmas day, he was seen in his bedroom window, still dressed in pajamas and nightcap, hailing passersby and asking them what day it was. 
“He wanted me to buy a turkey,” a young resident recalled, who declined to give his name. “Of course, I said, ’Walk-ER!’ but it didn’t affect him at all. He seemed nice enough: called me a remarkable boy, and paid right up for the turkey when I brought the man around with it.”
Health officials are conducting an inspection of the tavern kitchen for hallucinogenic substances, but Scrooge has declined to press charges if they discover any. 
“I am not the man I was,” he told reporters. “I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob; on my knees!” 
Robert Cratchit of Camden Town, long time employee of Scrooge & Marley’s, admitted that he has found his boss’ behavior altered since the incident. 
“I had a momentary idea of knocking Scrooge down with the ruler; holding him; and calling to the people in the court for help and a strait-waistcoat,” he said, referring to his first experience with Scrooge at the office on the morning of December 26th. “But then he told me he was going to raise my salary and endeavor to assist my struggling family, so I think he has actually come to his senses!” 
Scrooge continues to have mild symptoms which baffle doctors.
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel. I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man,” Scrooge reported.
Medical personnel at the local hospital will continue monitoring Scrooge to grow understanding of his condition.

Treasures of Darkness is now ready for purchase here on the bookstore! Get your copy now, hot off the presses!

I'm so pleased to introduce you to Treasures of Darkness, the long-awaited sequel to Lighten Our Darkness! It is now available on Kindle and in paperback (and coming soon to the bookstore here). If you loved - or even liked - Lighten Our Darkness, this is a book you don't want to miss. Besides a check-up on some old friends, you'll get to meet all sorts of new characters!

Jozef - All right, you sort of know Jozef. Jedrick mentions him several times, and you've 'seen' his photograph with Helen, and heard about his humor and his bravery. But you haven't really met him - until now!
Waclaw - Waclaw is a newbie, even for me! But once I'd found him, I couldn't let him go! He's just such a winsome fellow.
Ignace - That's not Jedrick and Jozef's father, Ignace. This is a blue-eyed, blond-haired little chap who takes a flying leap into the story and just won't leave...
Dorota, Krysia, Lucia, Ela, & Kasia - You've heard about Stanislaw's sisters, but it's time for you to meet them. From steady, dependable Dorota to cheerful Kasia, I think you're going to  love them.
Ludwik - He's central to the story, and you can't do without him. Ludwik, old man, you do you (well, actually, we'd rather you didn't).
And there's so many more! Get your copy today to catch up on all the important happenings in Treasures of Darkness!

​Jozef Ondraski, a first lieutenant in the Polish cavalry during WWII, finds himself without country, family, or home, as Nazi Germany takes over every aspect of life. When he decides to make his way to England to offer his services as a translator to the Polish Government in Exile in London, he must take a perilous journey through enemy territory. Through it all, he makes new friends, suffers from injury and illness, and learns to reach out for the unseen Hand of God. But nothing can prepare him for the unexpected surprises that await him in the bombed and battered streets of London...

I heard a song today. As the sweet strains of 'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms', played charmingly on flute and piano, filled the air, I took a journey down memory lane. I could see the green banks of Polecat Creek and hear the trickle of the water; I could picture a young girl sinking down on the ground, her water-splattered white skirts spread out about her. She was exhausted from her journey over a shaky single log, and tearful with the fright of the crossing, and around her stood a group of embarrassed young men, unsure how to comfort her. It brought a smile to my lips, remembering. I've been going to Polecat Creek regularly for years, always in the company of Martitia Howland and the Gardner brothers, and I've always enjoyed it immensely - despite timid Martitia's distress in having to cross it on a log! 

Is there a Polecat Creek? Well, I don't know. I suspect it is pure invention. But whenever I hear 'Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms', I think of They Loved To Laugh and remember the lovely times I've spent reading about Martitia and the Gardners. It's as if I really visited the creek, or stood on the porch of the hip-roofed house and watched Jonathan stand on his head, or sat in the kitchen and smelled the fresh-baked bread. 

And that's the best part of books. You can travel across the world, or back through time; you can visit a summer creek in the midst of winter, or shiver through a blizzard in the heat of summer. And once you've been somewhere, it becomes part of you, just like a hands-on experience. It stays with you. And all you have to do is smell a scent, or hear the strains of an old, sweet song...

​Do you mean you will accept the position?” he asked hopefully.

“Yes, of course. When can I start?”

His face lit up. “That’s good news! As soon as you like. Today isn’t too early for me, if I only thought we could make that bedroom presentable for you.”

“I’m afraid that’s a little soon for me,” said Margaret, smiling. “I still need to pack up and settle with my landlady. Tomorrow? I can come about nine and get settled in, if you don’t mind a simple dinner.”

“We’ve had so many failed dinners lately, I’m sure the simplest of meals would satisfy us,” Dane answered with a chuckle. “All right, let’s draw up the contract.”

On September 10, 1813, Oliver Hazard Perry won a 'signal victory' over the British Navy on our very own Lake Erie. This is his dispatch, telling the good news to the Secretary of the Navy.