Monday, December 07, 2009

Visiting Christmas Past with Author Inez Kelley and Win a Free Download of Jinxed


Christmas 2003 - The Best Worst Christmas Ever

My twins were born December 6, 2003 at only 30 weeks. They were fragile, tiny alien looking things with wires and tubes and beeping, flashing monitors. We couldn’t hold them. They were in separate NICU rooms in small, see-through isolettes wearing nothing but diapers. Those diapers! Maxi pads were bigger.

Christmas would be spent three hours from home in a Ronald McDonald house with strangers. My then 5 year old daughter was my main concern. Although there was no way I was leaving my babies, she was old enough to have memories and I wanted to make Christmas magic for her even if we were away from home. Her daddy handled the home front while she was in school, putting up a tree and decorating it(his way, even at five she laughed at this). He took her to talk to Santa and they wrote a letter. I prepared by getting a tiny 12 inch tree for our single room and hanging her stocking on the door knob.

December 22, Hubby brought daughter to see the twins and secretly drop off a stash of gifts kindly stored in the neighboring RMH room. He went back home to work and planned to join us Christmas Eve so our family could be together.

December 23 my daughter was admitted to the hospital with an infection. She was on a separate floor from my twins and I could not see them as I had been with her and could have been infected. I spent hours traipsing from one floor with her to the NICU where the nurse’s would wheel the isolettes to the doorway where I could look in at my babies.

December 24 my husband collapsed at work, struck by a debilitating viral flu that landed his butt in the ICU of our local hospital. I panicked. I wanted to be with him, I wanted to be with my babies. I wanted to be with my daughter. I was three hours away with our children in different hospital rooms. Me, I was simply recovering from a premature birth via c-section. I sat in the waiting room and bawled. This Christmas sucked!

Tears never solved anything so I dried my face, slapped on a smile and went to my daughter. The doctors released her and I took her back to the RMH determined to find some way to make some magic for her. I couldn’t have my family together, I couldn’t hold my babies and I felt like crap, but by God, I was going to find something to smile about. For her.

Back at the RMH, families had gathered by the common tree and were visiting with a volunteer Santa. These families were all ragged, exhausted, brought together by tragedy. They understood it wasn’t blood ties that brought us to the same place but sickness and injury. They found joy wherever it was, no matter how small. This night, it was a visit from a fat man in a red suit with a fake beard.

My daughter ached to go see Santa on the most magical night of childhood but she was still sick and I couldn’t risk her being around any of the fragile immune systems of other ill children. We watched from the hallway. Santa saw her and came over. He asked her name and if she had been a good girl. He asked what she would like for Christmas.

My daughter at five years old, ripped from her comfortable house with her familiar toys and bed, with no grandparents around and no special planned dinners, with her family sick and scattered, stunned me and him. She asked to hold her brothers. Santa said that even Christmas Magic can’t make tiny bodies strong enough for that but he’d give her anything else he could. She thought a minute, smiled and said a hairbrush. She wanted a red hair brush.


Santa paused and asked what else, surely there was something else she wanted- A bike or a doll, maybe a computer game. She shook her head and said No, she had brothers and a Mom and Dad and plenty of toys. He could take the presents to other kids who needed them. She just wanted a red hair brush. Santa sniffed, patted her head and told me she was a wonderful child. He said not one child had ever been so selfless in his 25 years of playing Santa. I agreed, wiped my wet eyes and wondered where I could find a red hair brush on Christmas Eve at 8PM.

Late that night, as she slept in our single room, I crept out and brought in gifts, piling them beside our tiny tree. I filled her stocking and worried over a red hair brush that wasn’t there. A gentle knock around 3AM had me scrambling. There was no one at the door but there were two gifts-- a red hair brush with a gold bow and a huge stuffed lion. The note read for “the little girl with the heart of a lion”.

Christmas morning came, my husband was released. I got to hold my twins on New Years and brought them home in February. The lion graces my daughter’s bed to this day. It was the worst Christmas I could ever imagine. She thinks it was one of the best. All she remembers was she got two brothers and a hair brush. I hadn’t known but that was the year she wondered if Santa was real. After that, she knew he was. Santa made magic for her. She made magic for me.

Christmas isn’t in the gifts, it is in believing. Believing makes magic even in the middle of sorrow. That is something my character Frannie learns in the story JINXED. You have to believe to receive.
I hope you all believe and receive your heart’s desires this year. Merry Christmas!

~ Inez


Blurb for Jinxed by Inez Kelley:

When opposites attract, they are screwed three ways from Sunday.

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. Besides, she’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator.

Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming’s lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute—and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She’s more than willing to give in with her body. But she’s barricaded her heart behind castle walls—and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he’s several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he’s determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

WARNING: Includes jelly shoes, a narcoleptic cat, and meatloaf. The steamy sex scenes may lead to fogged windows and wet panties, so proceed at your own risk. Do not attempt to read without the following items: tissues, napkins for spewed beverages, and a booty call on speed dial.


Would you like to win a copy of Jinxed?


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30 comments:

SiNn said...

Id love to win a copy of your book your story braught tears to my eyes its stories like yours that really make me believe in thetrue meaning of christmas and humanity ty for stoping in and telling us

s7anna said...

What a beautiful story Inez...you have got yourself a beautifully sweet daughter and I wish all the best to you and your family.

Happy Holidays
Anna Shah Hoque
s7anna@yahoo.ca

Kim Knox said...

Aww

And now you've made me cry and I'm supposed to ve writing rudeness... ;)

Anonymous said...

Jeez, you made me cry too! What a great kid and what a great story.

JulieDestry said...

i don't usually get teary, but inez, you did it this time! thank you for sharing - wonderful memories, even if they're horrible.

Jeannie Lin said...

How beautiful! Give all your babies a huge hug and happy belated birthday to your boys.

Judy said...

What a great story!! It sounds like you have a lovely family!! I was also teary eyed. I am so glad it came out as a happy ending for your Christmas and New Years.

Anonymous said...

Wow. What a great sorry. I was teary eyed all the way. Thanks for sharing such intimate story. Merry Christmas to everyone in your family.

Sue
okibi_insanity[at]yahoo[dot]com

anna howell said...

I cried but it was a good cry and so sweet. Little ones are so precious and always keep us straight. I would love to have your book. thanks and God Bless
anna howell

Anonymous said...

Such a wonderful story Inez, thank you so much for sharing, it brought many tears to my eyes. I hope your boys had a fabulous birthday yesterday. Happy Holidays!

Heather Howard said...

I'm freaking bawling over here. What a beautiful story.

heatherpens@gmail.com

Louisa Edwards said...

It's too early in the day for me to be all weepy. Darn you!

Maria said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maria said...

I was at work when I read this and I had to run to the restroom to cry. Your daughter could teach us all about believing and about being so self-less. This was truely touching.

maria63303@gmail.com

Sherry said...

You brought tears to my eyes with your story it always amazes me how unselfish a child can be. I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

Andrea I said...

Inez,

Thank you for sharing. Your daughter is an amazing child to think of others at her young age. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year.
I would love to win a copy of your book.

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said...

My soft side came out with that story and I am swallowing really hard right not and trying not to cry at work. Amazing. Thank you very much for sharing that story.

Elise Logan said...

crap. you made me cry too. You're evil.

What a wonderful little girl.

E

Penny Dune said...

Wow, peace. You are one lucky woman. I'm wishing you all the Christmas blessings this year.
With Love,
Penny

mamasand2 said...

Inez, please don't enter me in the contest as I alread read and loved Jinxed. It was fantastic.

I just wanted to tell you that you had me crying over your christmas. I don't know how you held it together and am amazed at your daughter. You must have raised her VERY RIGHT.

Sandie

Anonymous said...

*sniff* You are not supposed to make me cry!

What a beautiful story. So much happening yet a child led the way of showing what Christmas is supposed to be. I'm glad that "Santa" left her a stuffed lion.

Estella said...

What a beautiful story!

Would love to read jinxed.

kissinoak at verizon dot net

iokijo said...

From the mouth of babes..
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story with all of us Inez. Glad you all came thru it alright. Hope this Christmas is one of the Best Good ones.

booklover0226 said...

Thank you for your heartfelt post.

Tracey D

The Scarf Princess said...

Thanks for sharing your story with us Inez-that really is the true meaning of Christmas! Your new release sounds wonderful!

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing Inez! This release sounds great.

chichai_hana at hotmail dot com

Misty said...

Okay, I want to read Jinxed. Sounds like a great read and I love the Warning you posted. Makes me want this book even more.

misty_labean yahoo com

Sharon K said...

Such a beautiful story! What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Good thing this isn't paper, it would have been soaked.

Please enter me into the contest.

Fedora said...

I just wanted to thank you for sharing that story, Inez--you and your family are blessed indeed! Please don't enter me; I've got Jinxed waiting for me in my TBR :)

May this Christmas be truly blessed in an entirely different way :D

orelukjp0 said...

I loved your Christmas story. I don't know how you do it with twins but thank you for the wonderful works you share with us.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas.

I would love to win a copy of Jinxed. Thanks for entering me in your contest.