This is KAM Wyland and you're listening to the 125th episode of the Word Play Podcast. I love the holiday season. I'm not generally

much of one for ceremonies or sentimentality, or winter for that matter, but I love

December's build up to Christmas. The crunchy

crispy smell of snow, the Christmas carols, the

cookies and apple cider, the gift giving,

and of course the time spent with loved ones.

Once again, this year I'm offering some early Christmas gifts of my own to all my favorite word players.

The gifts include a beautiful rustic wood-covered journal,

funky and unique bookends, and a writer's blockbuster in the shape of, you'll never guess, a block.

To enter the drawing for the gifts, all you have to do is download one of my new short story e-books, free.

Two of the short stories are historicals, one set in the last days of the American Civil War, and featuring

three soldiers forced to make a choice between survival and desertion.

And the other set in Victoria and England, and featuring a street urchin on the cusp of recovering her lost memory

when she's dragged into a daring prison break.

The third story is a contemporary tale of a daughter facing the loss of her beloved rancher father to invasive leukemia.

Each of the three books gets you a separate entry for more chances to win.

Winners will be announced Christmas Eve.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the special prices and package deals I'm offering on my books, e-books, CD, and bookmarks.

These special deals are only available through my website K-M-Y-L-N-D, that's W- I L A and D, and only until Christmas.

The December issue of my e letter hit inboxes last week.

It included the usual roundup of inspirational quotes, creativity jump starters,

and helpful links, as well as the article, When Writers Shouldn't State the obvious. And my response

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