Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Get your tissues handy! I’ve got a gift from me to you today, written long before I found publication and was raw with the need to reach and connect and short on literary grace. You may have seen this in previous years, but Ìýit still makes me cry, and like the best gifts, please feel free to share it.

However you celebrate the season, I hope you find joy, warmth, and a feeling of completeness.

Kim, Tim, and the boys

Angel’s Song

by

Kim Harrison

Ìý

Silent night, holy night.

All is calm, all is bright. . . .

Humming, Kaylin held her coat close against the cold, more from habit than anything else as she dodged through the unseeing, evening shoppers. She was anxious to get home. Her work had seemed to stretch forever today, but finally The Boss had let her go. She couldn’t wait to see her daughter–it had been too long since the entire family had been together.

Slipping at the bus stop, she grasped the door to the bus, just making it on behind two tired women as the doors closed. The sound of their money jingling into the box chimed like bells, and the bus jerked into motion. Kaylin stood where she was, gripping the ceiling support as the gears shifted. Her gaze rove over the heads, looking for acknowledgment she existed. There, at the back where the heat didn’t reach, was a smiling face and a beckoning hand.

Though she didn’t recognize him, Kaylin went to sit with the old man. She smiled shyly, the anticipation of her coming evening prompting her to be more bold than usual. “I’m going home for Christmas,� she said by way of greeting as she jammed her gloves into a pocket.

“First time?� the old man murmured, his brown eyes going sad in memory.

She nodded. “Since my accident. I can hardly wait to see everyone together.� Kaylin put her hands in her lap, glad she couldn’t feel the cold anymore.

The man met her eyes. “See that boy up there?� he said, pointing with his chin. “I’m spending Christmas with him. He’s a college student on his way home. He needs all the help he can get, and my family doesn’t miss me anymore.�

Kaylin bit her lip and fussed with the hem of her coat’s sleeve, uncomfortable with the idea she would eventually be forgotten. “I’m sorry.�

“Don’t be. Make the most of the time they remember you. As it’s said, it came to pass.�

She didn’t know what to say. “This is my stop,� she said, glancing out the window to the colored lights.

“Best hurry. The door won’t wait for you.�

Giving him a hesitant smile, she hastened to the front, edging to the sidewalk past the three girls giggling about the presents they had gotten for their boyfriends.

Kaylin’s mood went soft as she took in the familiar street gray with twilight. The curb was jammed with cars. A noisy, joyful reunion on her front steps had the dogs barking. Excitement tingling to her toes, Kaylin waited on the walk, following the last of the children inside.

Her shoulders eased as she stood in the entryway, basking in the cheerful clutter and the too-noisy greetings. She waved as she spotted her grandmother in a corner, deep in the thick of it. The old woman’s eyes sparkled as they met hers. Her fingertips again had a rosy glow, and the blue tint Kaylin remembered was gone.

“Jasmine is in the kitchen!� her grandmother called over the noise. “Go on. We’ll talk later.�

Relieved her grandmother understood, Kaylin followed the smell of heated punch into the kitchen. She stopped in the open doorway as her heart clenched.

Jasmine stood on a chair before the counter, stirring a cup of green frosting. “I can’t do it, Daddy,� she complained, her high voice clear over the excited babble of relatives. “It’s too hard.�

Kaylin’s hands reached out, but she stood unmoving, forcing back the unexpected tears as her husband set aside his dishcloth and went to their daughter.

“Mommy always helped me, Daddy,� the child said around a sniff as his hand covered hers atop the spoon and they stirred together. “I want Mommy. I miss her.�

“Hush,� he said, the pain in his voice causing Kaylin’s throat to tighten. “I miss her too, sweetheart, but look. She’s everywhere, especially tonight.� Eyes bright, the man pointed to the dusty Christmas candles Kaylin had refused to burn, sitting on the kitchen windowsill. “There are her candles, right where she always put them. And the mistletoe above the doorway? She made that just last year. And the bow? Remember her spending an hour on that to get it to look just like the one in the store window? And you can smell her touch in the gingerbread men and taste it in the fruit punch. She’s everywhere.�

“No, Daddy,� the small girl protested. “It’s not the same. I can’t see her at all.�

“But I can,� he said, giving her a hug. “I can see her in you when you cut out your star cookies, I watched her hand move yours when you hung the ornaments on the tree, and I can see her eyes when I look at you. So, Jasmine, she is here.�

“I can’t see her,� Jasmine said, sniffing as she licked the frosting from a finger.

Kaylin ached. The Boss had warned her it would be hard, and she thought she could handle it. But this? This tore at her. Kaylin came close to stand behind her daughter and nudged a cookie, as if she could make the star any less lopsided. Perhaps . . . . Perhaps she could pretend.

And so she was a silent participant, each moment harder than the previous, a bittersweet mix of memories. She hovered in the kitchen while dinner was prepared, blowing on the gravy to keep it from boiling over until someone remembered it. She watched the rolls brown through the oven window with Jasmine, admonishing the child they weren’t done yet when Jasmine pronounced them finished. She stood in the archway to the living room and worried about the carpet as paper plates overflowing with food were balanced on knees. She sat at the kitchen table while the dishes were washed, catching up on the women’s gossip with her fingers curved around a forgotten cup until it was whisked away.

And then it was done. Kaylin knew the signs: the last swallows of coffee, the slowing conversation, the children collapsing in their mother’s arms. Kaylin sighed. She didn’t want it to be over.

Jasmine was slumped in her frills and white stockings in her father’s arms, too sleepy to be anything but content. Kaylin sat on the arm of the couch beside them, running her fingers unfelt over her daughter’s hair. There was one final tradition as yet undone, her most cherished part of the evening, and Kaylin’s heart fell when the first of the coats appeared. They had forgotten.

“Wait, Daddy.� Jasmine stirred as her father rose to say his good-byes. “We didn’t sing yet. Mommy always sings. Please?�

Kaylin waited, hoping.

“Of course, Jasmine,� her father said, giving her a hug. “You’re such a clever girl for remembering.�

Coats were dropped to the couch in the sliding sound of nylon. Her grandmother beckoned, and Kaylin joyfully edged closer to the piano. Jasmine wiggled down to sit on the long bench before the battered keys, her father standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders. Kaylin could see a glimmer of tears in her mother’s eyes as she took Kaylin’s usual spot before the piano and began to play.

“Silent night, holy night.

All is calm, all is bright.

Tears pricked at Kaylin’s eyes. Her favorite. Voice quavering, she joined her voice to her family’s.

“Round yon virgin, mother and child.

Holy infant, so tender and mild.�

“Daddy,� Jasmine whispered, her face upturned as she pulled on his sleeve. “I can hear Mommy singing.�

Kaylin’s throat nearly closed, and tears slipped down her cheeks. Angels could sing. And on Christmas Eve, they could be heard by those who listened.

Her husband knelt and gave Jasmine a tight, fierce hug. “So can I, sweetheart,� he whispered, rocking her. “So can I.�

“Sleep in heavenly peace.

Sleep in heavenly peace.�

If you haven’t heard, I am sponsoring a read-a-long over at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. Today we officially start FOR A FEW DEMONS MORE, andÌýif you want to join in, come on over! Ìýâ€� Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ â€�!

Even better, there’s a rolling price reduction going on, even if you are not a member of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. So if you can’t find your books or simply want to round out your e-library, this is a relatively painless way to do it. Or even better, get a book for that stubborn reader in your life who just won’t give the Hollows a try.

My hubby Tim and I have two distinct styles to get ready for the holiday season. Because of my work schedule, (and nature) I start shopping early, I wrap early, I bake early, and I usually have three blessedly calm days before Christmas. Tim on the other hand USED to be a last minute man, so bad that he told me he once shopped at a gas station for gifts on the way to a family party.

My calm enjoyment of the last three days before Christmas must have been getting to him, because now he’s almost as bad as me, and while I’m currently scrambling to find two minutes to rub together, he’s decorating in his, ahem, unique fashion.

However . . . for all you holiday shoppers out there beating me to the punch, I have I asked my publisher if they could whip up a gift card for me to make available to you! So if you are of a mind and, like me, think way ahead, you can print out the full color card and stuff it in a stocking or put on the tree, or secret Santa someone you know who loves the Hollows even though the book won’t be out until June. (That seems so far away!)

Just click on the image to go to the high-res copy that you can lift and print for your own use. ÌýHappy Shopping!

And if you’re ready to pre-order to make the card truly legit:

Hi All,

A Fistful of Charms (2006)

In celebration of the upcoming release of AMERICAN DEMON, (Yay, Rachel and Trent!) I am hosting a read-a-long over at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. We’re just about finished with Every Which Way but Dead, and if you want to join in, come on over! Ìýâ€� Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ â€�

If you haven’t heard, there’s a rolling price reduction going on along with the read-a-long, even if you are not a member of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. So if you can’t find your books or simply want to round out your e-library, this is a relatively painless way to do it. Or even better, get a book for that stubborn reader in your life who just won’t give the Hollows a try.

Hi All,

In celebration of the upcoming release of AMERICAN DEMON, (Yay, Rachel and Trent!) I am hosting a read-a-long over at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. We’re just now starting Every Which Way but Dead, and if you want to join in, come on over! Ìýâ€� Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ â€� My biggest surprise when I wrote it was Ceri. Two weeks of plotting on paper down the crapper right from page one. (happy sigh)

Even better, there’s a rolling price reduction going on, even if you are not a member of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. So if you can’t find your books or simply want to round out your e-library, this is a relatively painless way to do it. Or even better, get a book for that stubborn reader in your life who just won’t give the Hollows a try.

Hi All,

In celebration of the upcoming release of AMERICAN DEMON, (Yay, Rachel and Trent!) I am hosting a read-a-long over at Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. We’re almost up to 1000 members, and the chatting is good! I love hearing about your favorite quotes and what you are getting out of the books a second time with the gift of foresight. If you want to join in, come on over! Ìýâ€� Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ â€� I’ve been following and answering questions as we went through Dead Witch Walking, and it’s been a lot of fun!

But even if you are not a member of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, you can take advantage of the rolling price reductions that Harper has graciously agreed to. Right now, Dead Witch Walking and The Good, the Bad, and The Undead are on sale, so if you can’t find your books or simply want to round out your e-library, this is a relatively painless way to do it. Or even better, get a book for that stubborn reader in your life who just won’t give the Hollows a try.

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Hi all. Kim here.

Got a favorite Hollows quote? Have a burning question? Guess what? I’m hosting a Hollows read-a-long!

To celebrate (and get ready for) the release of AMERICAN DEMON in June, I’m hosting a read-a-long where you can gush, and laugh, and cry, and commiserate with like minded readers of the Hollows. I’ll also have information on flash sales as they come up, (fingers crossed) and who knows, I might just have a give-away or two.

We’re starting Dead Witch Walking TODAY! And though we’re taking some time for this first one to help get organized and find a large group, I plan on burning through the series pretty quickly. (If you want a slower read-a-long, there’s another going at over on FB.)

I’m structuring this to have one or two sharp breaking points per book where you can talk without the spoiler tags, but I’m counting on you all to start discussions and topics as we go. I have no idea what you want to talk about, so jump in and take part. I’ve always been proud of the way my readers can discuss without arguing, and I’m looking forward to talking with you and hearing your thoughts.

Quick heads up! I’m sponsoring a Hollows read-along over on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ starting next month and running to the release of AMERICAN DEMON on June 16, 2020. And because I know not everyone is on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, I’ll be answering questions here as well but in a much more haphazard format and not as cozy.

Come back on Monday for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ links and the schedule of what we’re reading when, but because there are so many to get through, it’s going to be a book every two to three weeks with a few weeks off in December.

If you want to get a head start, we’re starting at the beginning with Dead Witch Walking.

Happy reading!

–K¾±³¾

Ìý

One of the perks of being an author is having our voices heard, though usually through the lens of our characters and not always understood or clear. And though it’s hard to see it in the text, I’m often working something out in my head and on the page at the same time.

I fully intended today to sit down and write a set of lyrics about Pike, a character I’m developing in THE RULE. He’s a magnificent, wild-card vampire who’s going to get Rachel in trouble, and I thought perhaps Takata, my song-writing oracle, might write something about him. I use all the tools in my box to develop characters, and music/lyrics is my hammer. It busts things open.

So I used my hammer, and Pike is not what came out on my paper. Oh, it started with Pike, but it ended with something far more real, something that I can’t bring out and work through in the Hollows simply because of the established universe I’m working in there. I’ve got another series sitting at rough draft that does, but no one will see it anytime soon because, well, it’s not the Hollows, and I’m seriously okay with that. Time changes all things, and I’ve not given up, just shelved the art in my process until my “art� is what is selling.

I only ask that you be kind and understand that it’s only a few hours old and it will likely be tweaked before chunks of it show up in AMERICAN DEMON or THE RULE. But now you can say you saw it in the raw, and maybe you’ll understand what I’m saying a smidgen more when it shows up between the covers.

It needs a title. I’m thinking BLACK COIN, but I’m open to suggestions.

I’m killing time, till time kills me

No one knows who will succeed

Wealth buys time, till time runs out

Whose to say what it’s all about

When you’re killing time,

Ìý Ìý ÌýKilling time

Ìý Ìý ÌýKilling time

Ìý Ìý ÌýIt’s killing time

Ten thousand years, is the price we pay

Black coin banked under shale and stone

We spent it all, on magic beans

But magic beans don’t grow

Pretty lies and fairy tales

Wrapped in soiled flags

Black coin seeps, like poison creeps

and balance found will fail

(Wake up!)

Species dying

Children crying

State fathers lying

LobbyistsÌýbuying

The earth is frying

Ten thousand years, is the price we pay

Corruption has no shame

Faceless, voiceless, nameless . . .

PAIN!

Peerless, fearless, short-list . . .

SHAME!

Can’t put it back–black coin ill-spent

Ten thousand years, at detriment

Down in the earth, buried deep

Down where the demons sleep

Down where God can’t speek

Black coin spent, our soul to keep

So as you sow, so shall you reap

So as you sow, your children weap

Just killing time, as black coin seeps

Just killing time

Killing time

Killing time

It’s killing time.

–K¾±³¾ Harrison 9-22-19

If I’m quiet, I’m working.