Cozy Christmas Reads: Sharon's story

Excerpt from Sharon Srock's story "Hannah's Angel":

Terri secured the angel to a branch of the tree with its attached ribbon. She tilted her head. That’s weird too. All of the others have red or green ribbons. Why is this one white? She brushed the question aside, blew hard, and fanned it with her hand in an effort to dislodge it. Hannah’s angel fluttered but clung tight to its branch. Satisfied with its stability and confident that someone would pluck it soon—for all the good it would do them—Terri crossed to the toy store where the others waited. She surveyed the glittering stacks of potential gifts, rubbed her hands together, and grabbed a cart. “Come on. This is my favorite part.”

Hannah’s angel faded from Terri’s thoughts as she pushed the basket through narrow aisles crowded with Christmas shoppers. There were four girls and two boys on her list this year. She studied dolls and stuffed animals, tested remote control cars, and read the warnings and specifications on an assortment of skateboards before adding one to the cart. When she rounded the final counter she saw her friends huddled at the end of the checkout line.

Karla’s silver hair glinted under the florescent lights as she shook her head to a question Terri hadn’t heard. Callie’s face held a serious look of suspicion, while Pam gestured at something in Karla’s hand. Terri hurried over. “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

“I’m not sure,” Karla answered. “I was going through my notes to make sure I had everything and…” She shook her head and held out her hand to Terri. “Look what I found tucked inside my notebook.”

Terri lowered her eyes to Karla’s hand and felt her breath catch in her throat. Hannah’s angel stared up at her, ketchup stain and all. “You snuck out and picked that back off the tree.”

Karla shook her head. “That seems to be the general consensus, but”—she sketched an X across her heart—“I haven’t been out of the store.”

“Then how—?”

“Oh good grief, ladies, get a clue,” Pam said. “Someone’s playing a joke on us and we’re falling for it. Where was your notebook?”

Karla motioned to her cart. “I left it in the cart so I wouldn’t have to dig for it every time I wanted to check something off.”

“Well there you go. You know what pranksters our husbands are.” Pam waved at the bustling throng of shoppers out on the walkway. “I’ll bet they’re all four lurking out there somewhere. They saw us put the angel back on the tree and figured they had a chance to get our goats. I, for one, refuse to give them the satisfaction.” She held out her hand. “Give me that thing and watch my purse.” Pam left her basket and marched out of the store.

They watched as the angel was secured to the tree a third time. There were grins all around as Pam tugged on it and brushed against it to insure its firm attachment to the tree. Obviously satisfied, she dusted her hands together and returned to her friends. “Ok, ladies. Let’s finish up in here. We have clothing stores to visit.”

They had a formula they used for each name they drew. A toy, an outfit, and a winter coat with matching hat and gloves. Half a dozen stores later, Terri stood to the side while Callie paid for her final purchase, a purple hooded jacket for a teenage girl on her list. Callie dug in her purse. “Anyone got extra pennies. I really don’t want to break a twenty for three cents.”

Pam reached into her basket and pulled out the sweater she’d abandoned earlier. “I do. I’ve been dropping change in my pockets all afternoon. What the…” She pulled her hand out of her pocket. She had pennies all right. Pennies wrapped up in a winkled paper angel. “I don’t believe this.”

The harried sales clerk frowned as the four friends gathered around Pam.

Karla laughed. “They’re persistent, you have to give them that.”

Pam spread the angel out on the counter and pointed to the red stain on the wing. “Yep, same angel.” Her eyes roamed the crowded store and the corridor beyond. “They’re good. I haven’t seen a hint that they’re following us. Have any of you?”

Headshakes all around.

Callie plucked pennies and the angel out of Pam’s hand, paid for her purchases, and headed out of the store.

“Back to the tree?” Terri asked.

“Nope. Whoever’s doing this has had their fun, but enough is enough.” Callie paused in the middle of the walkway next to a trash can.

Terri frowned at her friend. “Callie, you can’t throw it away. Hannah—”

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Author bio:

Author Sharon Srock went from science fiction to Christian fiction at slightly less than warp speed. 

Twenty five years ago, she cut her writer's teeth on Star Trek fiction. Today, she writes inspirational stories that focus on ordinary women using their faith to accomplish extraordinary things. 

Sharon lives in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma with her husband and three very large dogs. When she isn’t working or writing, she loves to read, cook, and travel. She’s still working on a way to do all three at the same time.

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Book Blurb for Hannah's Angel:

Needed: One Christmas miracle

When Jillian Rishi shared the news of her pregnancy with her boyfriend, Wesley Price, he left the country. Unable to stay away from the woman he loves, he returned five months later to reclaim Jillian and their unborn daughter. Now they’re on the run, hiding from the dishonest lawyer who’s determined to take their baby. And hope is running out…

More than just a girl’s day out.

A leisurely day of Christmas shopping, that was the plan when Callie, Terri, Pam, and Karla went to the mall. They never expected to be embroiled in a mystery, never expected the mystery to turn into an FBI investigation, never expected to deliver a baby in the middle of nowhere in a Christmas Eve blizzard.

Just a simple paper angel.

Hannah’s angel is on a mission from God and paper or not, she refuses to be ignored until her charge gets the Christmas miracle she so desperately needs.

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Review of Sharon's book, Hannah's Angel:

"I love how Sharon Srock's characters come to life. She isn't afraid to tackle the hard trials of life. Her characters are so alive that you end up praying that they find their ever after. I actually love reading about the Women of the Valley and their friendship and faith. If you ever want a book series that you cannot put down until the end, pick up any one of Sharon Srock's novels and novellas." ~Calliegh's 5-star review on Amazon (shortened)

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Connect with Sharon:
Website - www.sharonsrock.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SharonSrock
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock

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