The Christmas Grumble Butt

We have all known Scroges through our life and found it hard to help them. I liked your book and wish you much luck. Backed Beth Anne

Maybe it's cause I'm so crabby, but I like Frank. First chapter is excellent character building and sets the stage for the story. I will read more of it when time allows. Backed.

I love Christmas and Christmas stories, so I was delighted when a came across this fun packed wonderful tale.
Backed with great pleasure
Dawn,
My Friends and Me / Sammy and the Wise Willow.

This is great fun, and well-written. I love the officers' names too.

Christmas is a niche market, but the best thing is - it comes around earlier every year!

All the best, Lisa (Death And The City)

A beautiful tale, and such a delight to see a Christmas story that is not a mere duplication of what the product marketing is turning Christmas into - an opportunity for a sales pitch...

Congratulations on your great writing skills!

Backed with utmost pleasure,

Johanna Kern
Master and the Green-Eyed Hope

I wonder if you can re-write this as a film script. Something new to watch at Christmas might help us avoid the repeated repeats of past Christmas-themed films. * Your manuscript is very clean of errors, the theme light and amusing. One important one in your pitch, 'preceeding' should be 'preceding.' * Your cover is a generic one, that would be better updated to one that is unique to your story, (even though the generic is quite aptly chosen.) Any Christmas family shot would do for a book-cover. It is not essential to have the title and author. The main thing is that it's not shared with other books.
Many people will enjoy your little story. I wish you luck with it. Marj.

Hi and well done but I'm confused. Yasmin Esack says this is the best children's book on the site, but it's not a children's book, and nor do you classify it as such. Perhaps she only read the title?

Whatever, I read chapter one and enjoyed it, the ref to weather forecasts and skis and women who dance the Polka.
Frank and Bert are good charcters -- funny and well-written,
Barry
LITTLE KRISNA AND THE BIHAR BOYS

Hi Charles, I love your turn of phrase and the way you tell this story. For once a tale that would make everyone chuckle and not cause offence. Backed with pleasure. Hope it does well.
PS Check for the odd typo if you are revising.
Kristen Stone
Kianda Mala - The Monkey Man
The Penhaligan File

So funny and so much fun to read! It made me wish it was December, instead of July. I think this was awesome and it really brightened up my day.

Missy

I like your book, but I was a bit taken back by your opening paragraph. The temperature thing is okay to mention, but not in the opening the way you did. I would open with the man telling his name and who he is (introducing the character) and then getting back to his morning and why he didn't really want to get out of bed. Best of luck with your future writing. I appreciate your support of December Gold.

This is very engrossing and your details are stunning. i enjoyed reading it and i honestly think it is one of the best chidren's books on this site. It considers the mind of the young (very different ones these days) and allows them to be part of a different world.

Backed

A little out of season but the message is one that we should hold in our hearts all year, SUPER!
Backed with pleasure. Good Luck with this!
Frank.
You may also want to approach BJD (a big supporter of Sicilian Shadows) for a further possible backing of your book.

This is excellent. The humour makes it so brilliantly realistic and engaging, like we're all in on the joke. There's sarcasm and delightful characters, so realistic they could be my neighbours, but the message beneath that isn't lost.

Great work, and backed with pleasure!
Abi xxx

This is sooooooo good!!!!
Little things like the reindeer looking with dumb faces when Santa claimed he wasn’t fat make this a brilliant read.
Your characterisation is sublime and the whole story is so engaging. This has been a great read. – Good luck!

Very funny although I wonder does the PC ever stop to take a breath? Backed with pleasure.

Hi Charles, bravo.

Your 'silly little story' is very good indeed. I really like the MC's voice -- so witty and matter of fact. There's lots of very dry humour, too -- the memory of the dream was very funny. There's some digressions -- you might look at that and think of pruning a little to keep the pace moving along.

Backed with pleasure. Good luck.

Barry

Little Krisna and the Bihar Boys

Dear Charles, I got so excited when I saw that you had backed, "He Loves Me." :) Thanks so very much. :) Since I have already "backed" your book, I will also put your book on my "watchlist." Could you please take a moment to "back" my completed unedited memoir version? "Tell Me True Love Stories," which at the end tells of my illness now & 6th abusive marriage. I'd be ever so grateful. :) Thank you. :) Love, Susie :)
p.s. Remember: Every time you place a book on your bookshelf, your recommendation pushes the book up the rankings. And while that book sits on your bookshelf, your reputation as a talent spotter increases depending on how well that book performs. :)
When you back a book, it only improves the ranking of that book, not yours. However, the author whose book you are backing may decide to back your book also, in which case yes, your ranking would be improved...authonomy.

Welcome aboard, Charles. This website will improve your writing craft, if you allow it. I'm a bit of a pitch doctor, having read thousands of pitches in my time on this website, so I want to share my insight here with you. You have to think of your pitches as your sales tool to grab the casual reader's eyes. The short pitch TELLS instead of SHOWS. For the long pitch also tells instead of shows. End the long pitch with one succinct question to pique your casual reader's interest. Perfecting your pitches is how you climb in ranking to gather more exposure and comments to better your novel. The writing is good so I am SHELVING you.

Though I have been a very active member for over a year and have the most commented book, I can still use your comments on my book when you get the chance. Every little bit helps. Cheers!

JC
The Obergemau Key

Dear Charles, I love your fantastic Christmas story with "Christ" in it - beautiful. :) God bless you. :) May you write many more stories uplifting Jesus. :) Before I began to read your book, I was prepared by your recap/pitch,which was very well done. :) Your story is good because you create interest by having short paragraphs & lots of dialogue, which makes me want to keep reading to find out what's going to happen next. I'm "backing" your book: When you back a book, it only improves the ranking of that book, not yours. However, the author whose book you are backing may decide to back your book also, in which case yes, your ranking would be improved...authonomy. :) Please "back" my TWO memoir books, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" & my completed memoir unedited version? "Tell Me True Love Stories," which tells at the end, my illness now & 6th abusive marriage." Thanks, Susie :)
p.s. Remember: Every time you place a book on your bookshelf, your recommendation pushes the book up the rankings. And while that book sits on your bookshelf, your reputation as a talent spotter increases depending on how well that book performs. :)

I like your style of writing---it's like the character is just sitting in my living room talking to me. And I love the title. I HAD to read the book with a title like that!

It's similar to, but makes a pleasant change from, A Christmas Carol. The character of Frank is so interesting I can see adults delighting in this book as well as children. Backed. Lynn

I like the lovely, dry, humour in this one.. Frank is a great character, you've described him so well, and allowed his true personality to shine through in the way he sees the world.. it is excellent.. I can't tell if this is for children or adults? I would imagine it has cross- over appeal... charming and uplifting - Backed with pleasure!
Diane
Good Blood

maybe, a bit early for this. still; it's a good tale, and could all other classic christmas stories...on wl.
su dan...read SEASONS...

A fantastically, well crafted title.

Your prose, and character construction, are paced perfectly - Your following will be massive for this title, and future titles.

Wishing you every success - Added to my WL.

stevew
The Ultimate/The Authors Cut

Your curmudgeon of a cop makes me laugh. Great character, great voice. Great retelling of A Christmas Carol.

Your highly descriptive writing style coupled with your whit makes this finely crafted story a pleasure to read. Your work is well paced, well written and your character development is solid. Backed with pleasure.

Cheers,
Andrew Burans
The Reluctant Warrior: The Beginning

Hi Charles, The bumbling detectives and the church burglary evoke a smalltown atmosphere. The way the narrator tells about people, it’s as if they’re well-known there. I was a little confused when Bert came in – maybe more of a lead-up. These burglaries are culminating into something and the style winds around the mundane possibilities, creating humor. Shelved – Katherine (The Swan Bonnet)

THE CHRISTMAS GRUMBLE BUTT:
Great piece of storytelling. Clear and understandable. Some people aim too low or too high when writing for children. I tested your story (the first 2 chapters) on some young friends and they gave it a positive thumbs up!
What more can an old cynic like me say. well done

Rev Raven Scott (Coming, ready or not: My story of faith)

This is a well told tale and presents us with the two 'ski's' as beleivable MCs. It has that 'feel good' factor that is so important in Christmas stories. You have a good way of bringing a message to people who may be hardened to the normal routes.
Good luck with this,
Jim Darcy
The Firelord's Crown

Thanks for the heads up about your book. Very enjoyable. Backed, and I hope it does well.

Connie
Southern Man

Oh my goodness, I so enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the approach you took, too. At first, I was annoyed, because I thought you were talking about you and it wasn't the book. When I realized it WAS the book, I was taken in hook, line, and sinker. It has been a while when I felt like I was hearing a story from a true story teller . . . great. Only correction: you need one space between sentences, not two. FYI . . . blessings, Pam

Backed with pleasure, Sana x

Really, Really good, backed with much pleasure. E.Loraine Royal Blood Chronicles book one Good Luck!

This is a good story with a strong mc voice. Good job!

This is so good! BACKED with pleasure and a smile. I can see a movie like A Woderful Life in your future. A fun romp so far. We need more books like this.

Liz
The Cheech Room

Subtle and amusing, reading this is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Well done. Paula Barrett (Cuthbert-how mean is my valley)

Very nice take on the Midwestern German Lutherans. Indeed, this story does remind one of Christmas reindeer on loco weed. Backed. Marianne (Saint Paddy and the Sundial)