For you from Jungle Red: Almost a Poem!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Happy weird week between Christmas and New Years!

I'm doing my holiday cards today. No comment.

And (as always, with my apologizes to Clement Moore and Dr.Seuss) here's a holiday gift poem from your grateful Jungle Reds. And another gift below! 

TOASTING JULIA AT BOUCHERCON!  Next year, we will all be together.

'Twas two days after Christmas

And all through this site

Not a blogger was working

Not even to write.

Our books were all saved on our cloud files with care

In hopes that bestseller lists soon would be there.

Our new novels were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of royalties danced in our heads.

The Jungle Red sisters, (four east and four west)

Had just settled our brains for a well-deserved rest.

But while closing our eyes, what sweet dreams did appear?

All the Jungle Red news that had changed us last year.

There was glory of course, (may her sales still increase)

Farleigh Field sold a billion—applause to our Rhys!

Key West took a hit, though, alas and alack

But with Lucy at keyboard, we know they’ll be back.

Hallie always will rock it, and as we should know:

Her creepy new doll book –won Best Au-di-o!

And Hank’s still applauding, it brought her great cheer

When her book was dubbed a best of the year!

Debs’ Gemma and James wow in book—sev’nteen?

Our Julia’s writing—superfabulous keen!

Plus what to our widening eyes did appear

Two perfect new Reds!

Jenn and Ingrid are here!

  

 But what makes us the happiest—keeps every day new?

We knew in a moment—it’s our blogging crew!

You listen, you chatter, you join in the game

We cheer you, we love you, we call you by name!

Thanks, DebRo! Thanks Edith! Thanks beloved Joan E!

Both Karens, and Lesa, and darling Pat D.

Hail Ramona, and Susan, Gigi and Mare

We hope Jim and Amanda will always be there

Here’s to Reine, and Danielle, and to Mary (there’s two)

To Grace, Mark and Judi—good tidings to you!

Same for Karen (in O), and Gram Cootie as well,

And dear Mary Garrett--the stories she’ll tell!

To Flora, and Marianne, and Keenan (whoo hoo!)

To Coralee, Biblio—we always thank you!

Kaye Barley, we love you, and love to Don, too.

(We know that this year’s been a big one for you!)

Our guest bloggers were stellar:

Fairstein and James

Strawser, Gard'ner and Brennan…hard to list all their names!

To Delia, and Kristopher (king of the list!)

To Kathy B. Reel--consider you're kissed.

Hail to Kait, and to Margaret—hail Ann, of course, too 

Hail “Anonymous” also--love hearing from you!

And all hail dear Ross, we now raise a sweet toast

You brought us all happiness—we all miss you. The most.

We had memories, recipes, tales of our youth

We’ve had jokes, and disasters, and telling the truth.

To the top of the lists! To the top of them all!

We’re revising, and writing, and sharing our call!

As dry words before our reviser’s pen fly

When they meet with cliché, and we fix them (we try):

We’re almost at New Years, and our thoughts go to you

May you write perfect books, may your wishes come true!

May you waste not a word, may you write fresh and new

And fill all your stories with mysteries and clues

And remember: on days that things don’t turn out right

And you wonder if this was a fraud and a fright

You have sisters on line—there are eight of us here!

And each one is wishing you all-the-year cheer.

And we all say—we love you! ‘Fore you click from our site--

Happy Holidays to All

—and long may you Write!

HANK: Here's an alternate ending:
And we all say--we love you! Good new year, indeed!
Much joy to you all--and long may you read!

And to that end: a selection of Jungle Red books to one lucky commenter! Happy holiday week, everyone!