A holiday romance set in 1854 Columbia, California.
Too Old for Christmas, by Zina Abbott.
About the Book:
Irishman Sean Flood
survived the potato famine, crossing the Atlantic, the Mexican-American War,
and wandering the Western wilderness with his mules and freight wagon. But, due
to poor diet and deprivation, his teeth did not fare well. It’s November of
1854 in Columbia, California, Queen of the Southern Mines, a city Sean is
helping to rebuild after the disastrous fire the previous summer. Intense
stabbing tooth pain drives him to see Doc Massey, the local dentist. He first stops
by the mercantile to pick up a bottle of whiskey—for medicinal purposes—and food
he’ll be able to eat when it’s all over. If only the beautiful but aggravating
woman ahead of him who keeps her face half hidden and insists she won’t accept
charity would finish up with her purchase so he can get his supplies, his tooth
pulled and return home to his mules and half-built cabin….
That night, Sean
meets the woman’s two sons, Jesse and Benjy McNair, and learns her secret. He
decides with only three teeth left in his head, he needs widow Ona McNair’s
charity—and he’s willing to pay for it. Sean won’t accept nine year-old Jesse’s
declaration his family’s poverty means the boy is too old for Christmas that
year. Sean is a full-grown man and he’s not too old for Christmas. He not only
plans to come bearing gifts to Christmas Eve dinner with the McNairs, but he
knows exactly what gift he wants for himself.
*Sweet Romance
Excerpt
#3:
A puzzled look crossed
Jesse’s face. “What kind of name is Flood? It
makes me think of that Bible
story.”
 |
| Wagon from Columbia State Park |
“’Tis a good Irish name. Comes from
the old Gaelic tuile, meaning flood
in English. But, aye, ‘twas a kindness my ma and da didn’t go naming me Noah.
Been hearing enough about my name as ‘tis.”
Then, hoping to get an honest answer
by catching the boy off-guard, Sean quickly asked, “How long’s your da been
gone?”
“Since last spring.”
“Your da got sick, then, did he?”
“No. He was mining further up the
river during the heavy spring run-off. But, he fell in and drowned. At the wake
I overheard some of the men say he’d been drinking and got in a fight and
that’s why he fell in, but Ma won’t say.”
“You have a step-da, then?”
“No. Men come around, but Ma’s picky,
which is fine with me. I don’t like most of the ones who’ve showed up, even
when they’ve taken a bath and shaved first.”
Aye,
likely she’d be having no use for an almost toothless Irishman with a bristly
beard to hide it and a mouth stinking like a rotten bog more often than not,
now would she?
“What’s she picky about?”
And
why be you wanting to know, boyo?
Too Old for Christmas is now available on pre-order at Amazon. You may purchase it by clicking HERE. It will be available on Nook soon.
About the Author:
Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels.
The author currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She is a member of Women Writing the West, American Night Writers Association, and Modesto Writers Meet Up. She currently lives with her husband in California near the “Gateway to Yosemite.” She enjoys any kind of history including family history. When she is not piecing together novel plots, she pieces together quilt blocks.
Zina Abbott Links:
