An anthology of more than 30 Christmas stories--short and upbeat, set in West Texas or by West Texas writers--that evoke memories of warm and humorous holiday moments.Christmas is our most cherished holiday for many reasons. It tugs at the heart and evokes memories. It''s a time for laughter and joy. Christmas is about faith and family and friendship, about Jesus and also Santa Claus, about giving and receiving, about anticipating and experiencing.And Christmas is about story-telling. Every one of us probably has a Christmas story or two worth telling--the time everything turned out perfect, or not so perfect; the best Christmas ever; a remembered disappointment; a spiritual encounter; a lesson observed and woven deep into the fabric of our own personal quilt of values; an incident so funny we still laugh out loud years later recalling it.The stories here do all of the above--and maybe more. Some may elicit a smile or a chuckle, others may find you wiping away a tear, while others may cause your mind to drift back to moments and memories catalogued deep within your soul. Some are by writers who may be familiar; others by writers you haven''t read until now. Some are fiction, others non-fiction, though in the spirit of Christmas it may not always be possible to separate one from the other.Though diverse, the pieces in this book have a few things in common. Geography, for one--they are either set in West Texas or they are the product of West Texans putting pen to paper or, more likely, fingers to computer keyboard. Length, for another--none of these stories take very long to read. And, finally, all are intended to help make this Christmas a little more meaningful.

A collection of fascinating and colorful stories spanning the history of Abilene, Texas.Although Abilene has long lived in the shadows of the literary limelight, it has not been for a lack of good writing, good writers, or interesting stories. Now coming out of the shadows, Abilene Stories: From Then to Now offers a community scrapbook, a gathering of the civic congregation where more than a hundred friends have stopped by for a visit. The laughter is robust and the smiles broad as stories are told and memories jogged.Pull up a chair next to Katharyn Duff as she relates a few historical chestnuts. Give your attention to Miss Tommie Clack for a ringside seat to the past. Step into the poetry of those who know this place well and a few who just observed it in passing. Appreciate the sharp insight of Pulitzer-nominated Frank Grimes. Listen for the personal element which A.C. Greene wove into nearly all of his writings.The collection begins with stories from before Abilene was Abilene and proceeds chronologically and topically to the present day with such pieces as “Let Them Eat Cactus,” “A Hanging in Abilene,” “Too Much Jazz and Not Enough Jesus,” “How Camp Barkeley Shaped Abilene,” “Alligator on the Loose,” “Howitzer on the Hill,” “Circlin’ Mack’s,” “The Crepe Myrtle Sex Scandal,” and “The Last Day at Harold’s.”If Abilene is your hometown, or ever has been—that place where you feel completely comfortable, where you know the routine and breathe easy, where the sunset is a familiar hue—Abilene Stories: From Then to Now is an invitation to sit down and spend a little time in what A. C. Greene called “The Village of My Heart.”

An anthology of more than 30 Christmas stories--short and upbeat, set in West Texas or by West Texas writers--that evoke memories of warm and humorous holiday moments.Christmas is our most cherished holiday for many reasons. It tugs at the heart and evokes memories. It''s a time for laughter and joy. Christmas is about faith and family and friendship, about Jesus and also Santa Claus, about giving and receiving, about anticipating and experiencing.And Christmas is about story-telling. Every one of us probably has a Christmas story or two worth telling--the time everything turned out perfect, or not so perfect; the best Christmas ever; a remembered disappointment; a spiritual encounter; a lesson observed and woven deep into the fabric of our own personal quilt of values; an incident so funny we still laugh out loud years later recalling it.The stories here do all of the above--and maybe more. Some may elicit a smile or a chuckle, others may find you wiping away a tear, while others may cause your mind to drift back to moments and memories catalogued deep within your soul. Some are by writers who may be familiar; others by writers you haven''t read until now. Some are fiction, others non-fiction, though in the spirit of Christmas it may not always be possible to separate one from the other.Though diverse, the pieces in this book have a few things in common. Geography, for one--they are either set in West Texas or they are the product of West Texans putting pen to paper or, more likely, fingers to computer keyboard. Length, for another--none of these stories take very long to read. And, finally, all are intended to help make this Christmas a little more meaningful.

A collection of fascinating and colorful stories spanning the history of Abilene, Texas.Although Abilene has long lived in the shadows of the literary limelight, it has not been for a lack of good writing, good writers, or interesting stories. Now coming out of the shadows, Abilene Stories: From Then to Now offers a community scrapbook, a gathering of the civic congregation where more than a hundred friends have stopped by for a visit. The laughter is robust and the smiles broad as stories are told and memories jogged.Pull up a chair next to Katharyn Duff as she relates a few historical chestnuts. Give your attention to Miss Tommie Clack for a ringside seat to the past. Step into the poetry of those who know this place well and a few who just observed it in passing. Appreciate the sharp insight of Pulitzer-nominated Frank Grimes. Listen for the personal element which A.C. Greene wove into nearly all of his writings.The collection begins with stories from before Abilene was Abilene and proceeds chronologically and topically to the present day with such pieces as “Let Them Eat Cactus,” “A Hanging in Abilene,” “Too Much Jazz and Not Enough Jesus,” “How Camp Barkeley Shaped Abilene,” “Alligator on the Loose,” “Howitzer on the Hill,” “Circlin’ Mack’s,” “The Crepe Myrtle Sex Scandal,” and “The Last Day at Harold’s.”If Abilene is your hometown, or ever has been—that place where you feel completely comfortable, where you know the routine and breathe easy, where the sunset is a familiar hue—Abilene Stories: From Then to Now is an invitation to sit down and spend a little time in what A. C. Greene called “The Village of My Heart.”