In Love by Christmas: A Paranormal Romance

by Nathan, Sandy

  Grandfather’s eyes swept the group. He nodded as he entered the trance state. “People forget that I am a Christian. They see how I look and think, ‘Oh. An old barbarian.’ I am an old barbarian too. I follow my People’s ways. They are my ways.

  “But I am a Christian. Jesus came to me the night I was taken from my family. He stayed with me every moment. Bad things happened to children in the Indian schools. The extent of it is just being acknowledged, but Jesus saved me from it. He is not a comic book figure for me; He is my Savior and my Lord.

  “Diego came to us the day after Jesus’s birth.” He waved at the huge Christmas tree, bristling with ornaments and colored bulbs. “We don’t really know which day Jesus was born, so we agree that it was December 25th.

  “Really, the merchants and store owners picked a day so they could turn it into a sales event and make money. They make us feel—we make ourselves feel—‘I have to get Auntie Trudy a new TV or she won’t think I love her.’ And I must buy everyone else something good enough, expensive enough. Then I can have a good Christmas.

  “What most people celebrate is not Christ’s birthday. What do you call it, Vanessa?”

  “The Teutonic-pagan winter festival.” The old witch smiled.

  “Yes, that is what people celebrate, with their Santa Claus and reindeer and naughty and nice. And that’s what it is—a pagan festival.

  “What we have seen this year is real Christmas. We saw the decent of the dove, of our beloved Ashley, into a new life. That was a miracle. We saw our friend Will forgiven and remade.” He waved at Will in his wheelchair, a brace around his neck and his foot in a cast. “Sometimes, being remade hurts.” Grandfather threw his head back and laughed. All the bells on the tree chimed with his laughter.

  “We have come together for a wedding of two great dynasties. When the time comes, you will have the greatest children, Ashley and Leroy. The greatest! They will combine the best of both of you. Oh, what you will do for the world. You will be so happy.” His eyes rolled toward the ceiling and he chanted a few syllables, lost in joy.

  “You found that this old man, who everyone thought was dead, wasn’t. Here I am. I get to feel the joy of this earth a little longer. Did you know that human joy humbles the angels? They can’t feel what we do in our bodies of flesh and blood. Angels want to feel our human love.

  “And now, tonight, the greatest miracle. They say that the devil, Satan, is an angel who fought with God and got kicked out of heaven.” He flicked his forefinger with his thumb. “Pfft. Sayonara, devil baby.” Grandfather raised his hands and shoulders and looked around in mock dismay.

  “No one ever talks about a demon going the other way,” the shaman pointed his finger upward and spun it in little circles. “Back to God, O fallen one. Back to your real home, O monster.

  “That’s what Leroy did. Who would stand on a street faced by demons that wanted to kill him and save their souls? That’s what Leroy did. He set twenty-one demons free. He made them free to know their true natures, free to know goodness. Free to know God.

  “We all belong to God. You know that, yes?” His eyes scanned the crowd. “We pray for sinners, that they will see their errors and repent. We pray for ourselves, that our petty errors may be erased. We pray for criminals and drug addicts, those who are truly lost.

  “But does anyone pray for demons? Does anyone see a demon ready to kill him and say, ‘You are good?’

  “No one has done that, but Leroy. Diego tore his way out of a sunken airplane and came to Leroy for protection. He called Leroy his father. And he is.

  “We rejoice when the Prince of Peace, the Son of Man, the Lord of Heaven is born, but do we recognize the miracle of a son of evil returning to the light? Do we truly believe in the miracle of redemption? This is a story of Christmas, the real Christmas, the one that beats with your heart and moves with your blood.

  “That’s what I leave with you. The glory of Christmas, the miracle of redemption, and the possibility of a life of exaltation beyond your dreams. That is what the Great One offers, through himself, his Son, and the love that binds us. We need only open our hearts to receive it.

  “As Diego did.”

  ABOUT THE BOOK AND BLOODSONG SERIES FROM AUTHOR SANDY NATHAN

  In Love by Christmas is Book Three of the Bloodsong Series. The way I had the Bloodsong Series laid out in my mind originally, it started with a trilogy about the richest man in the world meeting a great Native American shaman. Their lives intersect at a huge spiritual retreat the shaman holds every year in the New Mexico desert.

  I wrote and published the first two books of the trilogy, and had one more book set at the New Mexico retreat to go.

  But after publishing Mogollon, I read the book again and thought, People will want to read more after they finish this. What can I write quickly so folks don’t have to wait another year for a “big book”?

  I wrote Leroy Watches Jr. & the Badass Bull, a novella, which is the first time I introduced Leroy Watches Jr. The great shaman Grandfather leads the spiritual retreat in the earlier books. Leroy is his grandson. Where did he come from? In my book drafts, I found a three paragraph reference how Leroy became the FBI’s Most Wanted because of that bull.

  Bingo! The Bloodsong Novellas were born. I’m going to write more novellas, featuring the “faces on Bloodsong’s cutting room floor”—Doug Saunders, Janice Coto, Gil Canao, Delroy West, and Marina Selene. I may write about Grandfather and his wife Rebecca. Theirs was the only marriage between soul mates that failed—but that marriage produced Leroy’s mother, and hence, Leroy.

  When I started writing about Leroy Watches Jr., he grabbed my soul. I wanted to find out more about this fascinating man—who is also a hunk. I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas book too. One of those warm, glowing things that made you feel good and had a sweet cover.

  This is that Christmas book—In Love by Christmas, starring Leroy Watches Jr. as he searches for the love of his life. Unfortunately, I am constitutionally unable to write anything soft and fuzzy. In Love by Christmas is the most badass Christmas story ever written.

  In Love by Christmas also rammed all other books on my hard drive out of the way, demanding to be published first. By sheer power and beauty, In Love by Christmas became Bloodsong 3.

  This book is a romance, a biracial romance, and a Christian book. Most of my books contain powerful love stories, but in this book, the love story is a central theme.

  This book is essentially, fundamentally, Christian, as I am, but it treats other religions sympathetically and as equals. One of my friends, a Christian writer who writes to a particular denomination, said it was “spiritual” because of my broad acceptance. OK. In Love by Christmas embodies the feelings and thoughts I have as I contemplate Christmas.

  But what happened at the retreat? Mogollon: A Tale of Mysticism & Mayhem ends on Wednesday night. The retreat is over Saturday, anything could happen—and it does.

  Are all those people are still camping in the New Mexico desert, dodging demons? Will they ever get home? You’ll find out in Eagle’s Flight: A Tale of Mysticism & Miracles, Bloodsong 4, which will be published in 2015.

  When I sat down to write in 1995, I wrote drafts for the original trilogy and maybe seven or eight related novels. Since then, my brain has kept generating stories. I keep popping out books with new characters and locales. Because of that, the original trilogy will probably end up being dozens of books.

  The coming Bloodsong books move. They don’t stay in the Mogollon Bowl, however fascinating it may be. They are set in different places: Silicon Valley, southeastern Oregon, Montana, and Vanessa Schierman’s magical kingdom on top of the Coastal Range in Woodside, California. The tales spin out in Spain, Italy, and Iceland, in addition to the good old USA.

  The cast of characters changes and expands. In addition to our familiar billionaires and Native Americans, future works include socialites with secrets, a poet with a past, assassins, warlocks, lots of witches and demons, a
nd musicians who rock the world.

  And—while you’re waiting for the fourth installment of the Bloodsong Series, I have more for you to read.

  While wrestling with writer’s block over the Bloodsong books a couple of years back, I pumped out another series of books.

  The Earth’s End Trilogy is sci-fi adventure set in a future world, right before we nuke it. The first book, The Angel & the Brown-Eyed Boy is about a young man trying to make sense of a senseless world, and a beautiful alien trying to save her planet.

  The second book of Earth’s End, Lady Grace & the War for a New World, features the survivors of the Armageddon in the first book. They crawl out from their hiding places and find themselves in prehistoric conditions. Also, the neighbors have mutated and are downright hostile.

  Finally, The Headman & the Assassin is a love story throughout. It’s the lifelong romance of Sam Baahuud and his soul mate. It takes place in a huge bomb shelter and features a new cast of characters, plus a few from the first book, The Angel & the Brown-Eyed Boy.

  COMING NEXT IN THE BLOODSONG SERIES

  They went to hell and back in Mogollon: A Tale of Mysticism & Mayhem, Bloodsong 2. Looks like most of them made it. But the week isn’t over. What could possibly happen next?

  Grandfather’s spiritual retreat, the Meeting, runs from Sunday to Saturday, seven days. It’s Wednesday night when Mogollon: A Tale of Mysticism & Mayhem, the second Bloodsong book, ends. Grandfather has three more days to realize his dream of creating a world where love is king.

  Will Earth become a place where people cooperate and work together with mutual respect? Or will violence and corruption rule the day? Will the flawed humans who messed up creation do their own thing? Or will the Great One take the reins?

  It’s all in the next book of the series, Eagle’s Flight: A Tale of Mysticism & Miracles. The suspense, terror, romance, and miracles you’ve come to expect from Sandy Nathan reach a crescendo as the Meeting comes to a close.

  This is fantasy with a bite, bringing the gifts of insight and awe.

  Coming in 2015.

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  I’ve written two books featuring Leroy Watches Jr., the grandson of the famous Native American shaman Grandfather. These were surprises—Leroy Watches Jr. snuck up on me. I was happily writing my Bloodsong Series, which starts with a trilogy about the richest man in the world meeting a great Native American shaman at a spiritual retreat in New Mexico.

  When the second book in the series, Mogollon: A Tale of Mysticism & Mayhem, came out, I read it again and thought, People will want more after they finish this. What can I do quickly so folks don’t have to wait for a “big book”?

  I remembered some notes I’d written years before describing the zany transformation of a young rodeo participant into the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive—all because of a bull. That young man was the shaman Grandfather’s grandson, Leroy Watches Jr. I elaborated on that tale and Leroy Watches Jr. & the Badass Bull was born.

  Those scribbled paragraphs were the beginning of The Bloodsong Novellas. I’m going to write more “shorter” books, featuring the “faces on Bloodsong’s cutting room floor”—Doug Saunders, Janice Coto, Gil Canao, Delroy West, and Marina Selene.

  But what about Leroy Watches Jr.? In writing the novella and working on the book cover, I’d fallen in love with him. I had to have more. And I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas book. One of those warm, glowing things that make you feel good and have a sweet cover.

  Aha! Why not combine Leroy and a Christmas book? This is that combo: In Love by Christmas, starring Leroy Watches Jr. and the love of his life. Unfortunately, I am constitutionally unable to write anything soft and fuzzy. In Love by Christmas is the most badass Christmas story ever written.

  What genre is it? I describe myself as a writer of visionary fiction, which is a melding of mystical experience and the battle between good and evil. “This is romance,” my husband said. Yeah, it is. All of my writing has romantic elements, but In Love by Christmas piles it on. But this is more than just romance.

  Leroy Watches Jr. has grown up with real hardship. I’ll let the book tell you about it. Aside from everything else he faces, it’s not easy being the grandson of probably the greatest Native American shaman in history. People have expectations. And then there’s Coyote. Heard of him? Also known as the Trickster. This oddball Native American spiritual entity runs all over Leroy, making things turn out not just wrong, but absurdly wrong. Coyote has people laughing at a man as noble and honest as he is beautiful.

  In Love by Christmas is about Leroy Watches coming into his own and claiming the power that is rightfully his.

  This is truly a book about Christmas, the coming of the Christ to illuminate this world of sticks and dirt. This is not specifically a religious book; it treats spiritual experience and several religious traditions. But its focus is the coming of the divine.

  So, In Love by Christmas is a romance about the coming of age of a marvelous man. It’s about saving lives lost to evil, about social class and racism and their impact on human beings. It’s a travelogue—ol’ Leroy covers ground. It’s a visionary, metaphysical, multi-religious, and Christian fantasy. And sexy as hell, but not too explicit. I’d give it PG-13, and that’s for language.

  This is a powerful book. For starters, In Love by Christmas shoved the final book in the trilogy set at the retreat in the New Mexico out of the way. In Love by Christmas is Bloodsong 3.

  What about all those folks left out there in cactus and rattlesnakes? How does Grandfather’s retreat end up? Jeez, they’ve already been run over by demons. What else could happen? Lots. That’s in Bloodsong 4, tentatively titled Eagle’s Flight: A Tale of Mysticism & Miracles, which will be out in 2015. Cheer the survivors as they claw their way home!

  Is that all? I’ve already got about eight or nine more books in the Bloodsong Series on my hard drive. Given my brain’s perpetual generation of more words, more stories, that trilogy will end up being a couple dozen books, assuming I live to write them all. (I say that not with the expectation of death, but knowing how much work it takes to get a book ready to present to you, my reader.)

  I want to note that this work is fantasy. That means it’s not real. This is particularly true when dealing with the Native American shaman, Grandfather, and his traditions and beliefs. What I say isn’t intended to accurately represent any Native American culture or spirituality.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  About the author portions of books usually are written as though the writer is sequestered on the far side of the moon, leaving an all-knowing narrator to hand out propaganda. I’m going to tell you the real story, heart to heart.

  I was born to be a princess. I was a princess, for a while. My parents overcame the poverty of their youth by becoming extremely successful. My hometown was one of the most affluent places in the country. Giant oaks, old mansions, and flashy cars surrounded me. I spent my time showing horses and water-skiing behind my dad’s obscenely overpowered boat.

  Princess Sandy died when a drunk driver hit my father head-on in 1964, killing him. Those words aren’t enough. My father died of suffocation, as bloods clots from his massive internal injuries broke loose and lodged in his lungs.

  My old life vanished. Through structures and systems I will not describe, I lived at a below poverty level income for a while. What happened in the coming years opened my eyes. I’ve seen and lived the over-privileged existence I describe in the Bloodsong Series. I’ve seen how ephemeral its rewards are and how it warps those who are trapped by it. I’ve seen how it masks mental illness.

  Want to know why a San Francisco-born, Silicon Valley-raised woman is so obsessed with Native Americans? After I’d drafted a few thousand pages of the Bloodsong books, I had this giant Ahah! At least half of the characters were Native Americans. Why? I don’t think I’d ever seen an Indian.

  I realized that they had lived the lite version of what happened to Native Americans. They had the
kingdom—the entire continent—and lost it. I knew how that felt. They were treated abominably for centuries, and had the worst abuse hurled at them. They were asked, “What’s the matter with you? Why aren’t you doing better, you lazy bums?” I know all about that too.

  My writing has a bite. My life has had a bite. Recovering from what happened to me has taken many years. And I have recovered. What was legitimately mine came back to me, along with the fruit of my own labor. If your life echoes mine, you might like to see how I healed; it’s in my books.

  My writing isn’t for everyone. I write about people getting better and the world working out, but it’s not always gentle and nice. A reviewer described my Mogollon as “equal parts horror, spiritual, romance, and action.” If that’s for you, you’re my reader.

  I write visionary fiction, which is about making the world a better place. Why that with the bio above? I have had huge spiritual experiences all my life, as well as gentler ongoing guidance. Whatever is behind them and this earthly life wants me to tell you about them.

  Now for my “regular bio”: I’ve been in school a very long time and have two advanced degrees. I’ve had prestigious careers. My writing has won twenty-six national awards. I’m very happily married; my husband and I have been together forty years. I have three grown children and two grandchildren. We live on our California horse ranch and love it.

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