My wife thinks I don’t like Christmas decorations. The truth is, I do. I find putting them up problematic with my schedule, but the way lights and winter scenes and nativity scenes transform a home into a warmer, more festive environment is welcome. Decorations don’t cover the truth, they reveal it more fully. It’s a new way of looking at your home.

Books are like that.

As I finish the second draft of my latest novel, now ready for polishing and minor improvements, I realize my books are rarely just action yarns. They are identity yarns. They’re about how the events change a person. More than coming of age, my characters discover deep truths about themselves and either come to live with them, change them, or self-destruct. Along the way, the story invites the reader to consider fresh angles and to entertain new thoughts. Don’t worry, I try to make them fun, too, though Trouble with Bees is less funny that my past books.

At Prevail Press, our novels fulfill this function, and our non-fiction is even more on point. Stories matter. I love a good movie, and tend to get lost in TV shows, but there’s something about a book that is precious. It’s a sharper connection between writer and reader than director and viewer. Plus books are a singular experience. Several people can watch a movie, which forces a pace. With a book, the reader determines the pace. They can linger when an idea strikes them without pushing a pause button.

Growing up, my favorite gifts were books. I was a sedentary child. DVDs didn’t exist, VHS was a pain, no video games yet, but a book could transport me to new places and new ideas.

You have time to buy a book off Amazon before Christmas. I hope you’ll consider Prevail Press books, but once a reader discovers the joy of reading, any book may lead a reader to ours, so find that perfect story for your loved ones!

And Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!