A veteran of the gas attacks and trenches, Michael Bell has returned home to a city traumatized by war and devastated by an explosion, where he finds work at The Halifax Herald writing about what he sees as the truth, about an age defined only by lawlessness, disease, and disorder.

Then, four days before Christmas, Michael finds his truth-telling efforts challenged by a small, one-legged boy who arrives at the newspaper office with a single, silver twenty-five-cent piece for "the kids." When the boy strangely disappears, the paper's editor, Walter Stone, sees a potential Dickensian story for a city in desperate need of hope. He assigns Michael and new reporter Tess Archer the job of finding the boy and telling his story--all before the Christmas Eve edition.

At first, Michael objects, believing such stories to be dangerous lies in the face of the dark truths. However, after a mysterious dream of his mother leads to difficult questions, he accepts the assignment, if only to prove small acts of generosity are meaningless in the face of a growing darkness. Yet, as Michael follows his leads through an array of the city's desperate people, he is increasingly haunted by the hidden meaning of his dream and soon realizes understanding will only come if he finds the boy. But for Michael and the city, time is fast running out.

Filled with a cast of compelling characters and vivid images, A Halifax Christmas Carol tells the story of a true age of darkness and the transformative power of hope.

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Sleigh Tracks in New Snow is a collection of Christmas stories set mostly in rural New Brunswick 鈥� principally the Miramichi Region 鈥� in a bygone day and age. The stories range from the early 1950s to the 21st century, as Curtis recounts the sweet old Christmases of his boyhood and more modern incarnations of the holiday. In this entertaining book, Curtis honours the deeply held traditions and rituals that made celebrating Christmas such a special time for his family and community.

During the author鈥檚 childhood, Christmas meant sleigh rides with horses and jingling harness bells, fresh cut forest Christmas trees and intense blizzards that blocked all roads for days. Winter in a rural community required hardiness, generosity, and sacrifice, qualities that were intensified during the Christmas season. Curtis tells how a grandmother sacrificed to ensure a happy celebration for her family, about the arrival of his sister while he and his father searched the woods for a beautiful fir tree to be trimmed in their farmhouse parlour, and the efforts of a prodigal son to get home for Christmas after years of absence. The holiday season also included the magic of skating on a frozen river with a bonfire of burning cattails, the excitement of the school concert, and the solemnity of a church service. These stories reflect an innocent time when truth, heart and honesty were always central to the celebration of Christmas. 听

Wayne Curtis was born in Keenan, New Brunswick, in 1943. He was educated in the local schoolhouse and at St Thomas University. He has won the Richards, the Woodcock and the CBC Drama awards and written for The National Post and The Globe and Mail. In 2005 Wayne received an honorary degree from St Thomas University.听He divides his time听between his cabin on the Miramichi and Fredericton.听 This is his sixteenth book. 听

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The celebrated holiday song from multi-talented and multiple-award-winning Halifax-based roots musician David Myles is now available as a bright and fun children's picture book. Young David writes frantic letters to Santa every year, requesting a banjo, but to no avail: "How does he miss / the one thing on my list / in the letter that I sent to him?" Follow the ups and downs of the holiday season with David, his furry friends, and his family, as he pines for his most-wished-for holiday gift.

Featuring illustrations from the animation studio that created the song's well-loved YouTube music video, a special holiday message from David Myles, and original sheet music for those who wish to play along, Santa Never Brings Me A Banjo is sure to inspire many a holiday singalong.

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Using historical records, diaries, and old newspapers, as well as a few fictional short stories, he documents the fascinating narrative of how Christmas in Atlantic Canada has been marked, both religiously and secularly.

Includes 50 images. Features a foreword by Gerry Bowler, author of Santa Claus, A Biography and The World Encyclopedia of Christmas.

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Featuring illustrations from the animation studio that created the song's well-loved music video, a special holiday message from David Myles, and original sheet music for those who wish to play along, Santa Never Brings Me A Banjo is sure to inspire many a holiday singalong.

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From Thomas Raddall's 1910 story of a young widow lost in a snowstorm on a frozen river to Alden Nowlan's retelling of a Mi'kmaw legend about a man who loathed winter, these stories explore every face--good and bad--of the wintry season. A blend of fact and fiction spanning the region, from Labrador to Yarmouth, Winter: Atlantic Canadian Stories brings voices old and new together to celebrate the season of natural storytelling.

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This nostalgic collection recalls Christmas celebrations of the 1930s, '40s, '50s, and '60s, transporting readers to the unheated farmhouse bedrooms, thrilling "big颅city" department stores, and cozy barn stalls of rural Prince Edward Island. It turns out one thing has not changed: the most memorable part of any Christmas cannot be bought and sold.

Includes eighteen non颅fiction stories, collected and retold by scriptwriter, playwright, and historical author Marlene Campbell.

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For years, Bette has delighted audiences with her irreverent and lovable Cape Breton character Mary Morrison. Now Mary is here to entertain readers with her stories and memories of the Christmas season. Mary Morrison's Cape Breton Christmas is a treasury of all things holiday, including Mary's advice for coping with family, gift-giving dos and don'ts, and even her favourite seasonal recipes. This new softcover edition of the popular books is a hilarious and colourful collection of Cape Breton Christmas humour.

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