Amazon IUniverse Category:  Literary Fiction Publisher: Writeous Publishing ISBN-10:  9781450264860 Type: Fiction Pages: 269 Copyright: 2010 Two full-length non-Christmas stories and a wide array of Christmas stories sandwiched in-between. The Now & Later book - read the Christmas stories now and the others later, or vice versa. Excerpt CHRISTMAS PLUS THE MAGICAL, MARVELOUS FERRIS WHEEL DAZE Copyright 2010 by Shirley A. Franklin (Hammond) If Gavin Reid had known the value of what he was giving up, he wouldn’t have let an elderly man in outrageous clothing switch places in line with him. He wasn’t the only one who didn’t know the miracle work of the ancient Ferris Wheel stretched out above and before him. The giant wheel was the tallest thing on the fair grounds. It looked like giant slices of pie in the sky with varicolored meringue on the perimeter. And it held a special secret within its shiny frame. Some of the people behind Gavin probably didn’t know the secret, or surely they would have gotten to the fairgrounds earlier. All of the beloved folk in front of him probably knew that what was about to be loaded with eager fairgoers was no regular Ferris Wheel. Gavin had given up his chance to ride the first spiral of the year, the ride where the wheel moved in reverse, turning back the clock. The ride where every first rider would get a second chance to re-live the entire previous year. The ride where people could make the opposite decision at critical points along the 365 days. It was a rare chance, a yearly opportunity to begin again. And, unbeknownst to him, Gavin had given up that chance hands- down. Gavin, friendly, kind, and good, had agreed to let the gentleman with salt and pepper muttonchops and a handlebar mustache go ahead of him when the man had innocently asked to switch places. Gavin replied, “Sure, after all, it’s only one person’s difference and a few minutes wait. What does it matter?” It was with that much ease that Gavin gave up the very last seat on that year’s first ride. Part of the reason was because he was raised to respect his elders. But the main reason was that he didn’t think it was any big deal whether he rode during the first round or the one after that. There was some important information that Gavin didn’t know. You can bet the dapper gentleman who had lost a fortune in the stock market, and was about to have his house foreclosed, and his fancy cars repossessed - knew it. The elderly man knew for certain that the ride would erase his past year in its entirety. Then he and the first riders would go home, and begin on January 1 again the next morning. But not Gavin, he would be the first to get on board for a clockwise ride, a non-magical, non life-altering ride. The most that twelve-year-old Gavin would have when he got out of his seat during the second ride of the year was a spell of dizziness. But that would pass. As the crowd surged forward, stepping on Gavin’s toes, in vain hopes that the first ride wasn’t full, Gavin sang a little ditty. Ferris Wheel rides Might make you dizzy Dipsy-doodling And keeping you busy. A fun State Fair ride That will give you a thrill Ride it and see, if you will It takes you high Then swings you low While up you can see All the people below. Ferris Wheel rides Might keep you busy Clockwise revolutions That make you dizzy. When he finished singing, he planned his activities for this solo State Fair visit. After this ride, he would buy a deep fried Twinkie or a fried peanut butter/jelly with banana sandwich, and then take a walk down the Midway to check out the exhibits and booths. He’d get an ice cream treat, he’d play one basketball game to hopefully win a stuffed animal, and then watch the parade and laser light show. When those were finished, Gavin was going to ride the Ferris Wheel again and then go home. He’d be satisfied that he got to go on the first day. If nothing else, the inauguration day parade was more spectacular, and the oil the fried delights were fried in was always freshest. Gavin would get his mother a Fletcher’s Corny Dog. When those sleeved wieners were dipped into fresh oil, they released an aroma that was somewhere between pure heaven, and absolute delight. His mother loved them. His best friend, Dale, passed by with his family. Dale, his mom, dad, and little sister were all dressed in purple and burgundy short sets. When he saw Gavin checking out their matching ensembles, Dale turned a shade close to the colors he was wearing. “Hey, Gavin,” Dale yelled. The boys waved, then Dale got permission to go chat with his pal. “You almost got on the first car,” Dale observed, as he watched the operator pull a lever so that the cars would begin their journey upward and around. “Yeah,” Gavin responded nonchalantly. Dale quickly figured out that his friend was clueless. Dale was going to have to break it down. “Dude, do you know that the first ride is a second chance ride? Remember those C’s that got you in trouble? You could have undone those and shot for A’s. Do you recall the time you lost $100 in Christmas shopping money?’ Gavin fervently nodded his head, and Dale continued. “Hello shopping spree. If you had got here one minute sooner, you would be on that ride right now, and able to re-do your whole year.” “You mean…?” Gavin told Dale about the switcheroo with the older gent. He pointed him out. The man was swinging, and rocking in an apple green chair. The man’s very expression was rapture, as he leaned back with his orange sherbet suit, and purple shoes (no socks), and bottle green shirt with a matching hat. “He must have had an awful year,” Gavin observed. Then he got upset, realizing what he’d lost by switching places in line. He hated to know he’d been taken advantage of. In Sunday school they had studied about the brothers Jacob and Esau, and how Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a morsel of meat. Gavin tried to think of the term for people like Jacob, the word his Sunday school teacher had used to describe someone who takes advantage of someone by brokering an unfair trade. “I feel sooo totally stupid,” Gavin told his friend. They agreed to meet later to watch the parade and light show. Then Dale ran to catch up with his family. Gavin stood in line and purchased a deep-fried Twinkie, with its golden coat, and hot moist center. Then he took his first crunchy bite from the tip, and his eyes rolled in delight. “Crazy good!” he yelled, as the snowy white insides melted in his mouth like sugar in hot tea. Gavin took his time savoring the hot, sweet goodness of the treat. While Dale retreated, Gavin decided to do like Esau and strike some fear in the man who had gotten his prized seat on the Ferris Wheel. So he watched as the wheel began to slow, and then come to a clicking, clattering stop. Gavin was fleet of feet, and he ran after him, having the advantage of youth, and lots of track team practice. The man hobbled onward, having noticed that he had a pursuer. Perchance the boy had figured out that he had given up a valuable seat. “Too bad, so sad,” the man babbled out loud, as he scanned the fair grounds for an exit. The boy would have to wait until the next year. “Not my fault if he didn’t check things out before letting me cut-in-sky.”

Christmas Plus: Delightful. Holiday Fun For The Whole Family
CHRISTMAS PLUS is a wonderful book composed of ten Christmas-themed short stories and two longer stories. The book's primary target audience is children, however it also includes stories that will appeal to readers of all ages.

CHRISTMAS PLUS has everything from stories that appeal to the sense of imagination, such as "Daniel's Musical Pajamas" (a tale of a little boy who discovers his musical talents through the instrument pictures that magically play on his pajamas), to stories that teach children the virtues of kindness and giving, such as "A Chunk of Christmas Pie" (a tale of a woman who shares pie with a homeless man and is blessed for it). There are even stories that address the topic of ethnic minorities discovering the value in their cultural heritage, such as "Mei Ling's Christmas Pajamas" and "The Christmas Stockings". The short stories are all wholesome and written in realistic voices that children can relate to. The dialogue is smooth throughout, the vivid imagery and sensory details accentuate the settings, and the characters are well-rounded and interesting to learn about.

Additionally, there are a handful of stories that would intrigue adults. Franklin tackles an array of issues from a grandmother dealing with the hardships of the economy during the holiday season ("The Christmas Biscuits") to a young wife/mother who discovers how to handle the struggles of marriage ("The Christmas Courage"), to an elderly couple enjoying an intimate moment ("The Christmas Smooch"). Indeed Franklin displays her versatility in writing material from diverse perspectives all across the age spectrum. Her stories reflect not only the idealism and goodwill associated with the Christmas season, but also the sometimes harsh reality of trying to make ends meet in a bustling time of year.

To sweeten the deal, she includes two full length stories ("The Magnificient, Marvelous Ferris Wheel Daze" and "Memoirs Of An Antique Doll") that are extremely creative and imaginative, and remind one of the work of great Children's Fiction writers like Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll. I guarantee your children will be greatly entertained by these tales, but at the same time they will be enriched intellectually. For instance, Franklin often uses higher level vocabulary terms and offers the definition in the same sentence. She is clearly a writer who has an appreciation for the duality between making great art and producing material with an educational slant.

I highly recommend CHRISTMAS PLUS for anybody looking for a nice gift for their children, or even for adults who are looking for something to read that will put them in a cheerful and positive mood.