And the Winner of Our Carol Contest Is….

May we have a drum roll, please?

Ahem! The winner of our Second Annual Christmas Carol Contest, with Joy to the World by Nat King Cole, is [trumpet fanfare]–

Hey! You! I asked for a drum roll, didn’t I? Look alive up there, willya? Now where was I? Byron, have you seen that piece of paper with the numbers on it? “It’s right there in front of you, boss. Don’t be so nervous.”

Ah. Yes. Our carol contest winner. Y’know, it was a funny thing. The winning entry was posted on the day after the contest opened, got 25 views that day, and no one ever overtook it. I never expected that to happen. I thought the lead would change hands again and again, leading to unbearable suspense and lots of hyperventilating. But the only one who hyperventilated was Byron the Quokka’s Uncle Ulysses, who always hyperventilates around this time of year anyway.

What? What did you kick me for? Who do you think you’re poking? What’s that? “The winner, boss! Who is the winner?”

Didn’t I say? Sorry! Gimme another trumpet fanfare. [Drum roll] (He sighs. There is nothing to be done about it.)

The winner of our Second Annual Christmas Carol Contest is… Erlene!

That means you get an autographed copy of His Mercy Endureth Forever, Erlene–or any earlier book in the series (except Bell Mountain, I’ve run out of those), or you can wait for The Wind from Heaven, whenever it gets published: sometime this spring, I expect. Anyway, send me your mailing address and tell me what book you’d like to get–we’ll do the rest at our end.

Thanks, everybody, for playing and enjoying our carol contest. We’ll keep on posting Christmas carols for as long as you want them–and don’t forget the comment contest, which has started already!

Happy New Year to all!