I would like to introduce you to my book titled Christmas in the City. The town of Pine Tree is a small but growing community. Each building in the town has a purpose. The owners/proprietors of each building are all working to make Pine Tree the “Best Little City in America”. In the book are many different characters that interact with each other as the town readies itself for city hood and for a very special Christmas. There are 35 buildings in town and each has a chapter in the book to tell its part in the story.

A fierce, northern wind blew through ravine and into the town. The wind carried with it the remembrances of where it had been the leaves and debris blew into town with reckless abandon. The wind also carried with it an enigma, the mysterious Marcus Thayer. Thayer stumbled into town early in the morning, just as the small town was springing to life. He quickly hid himself for fear of discovery. Gradually, as the sun rose, more and more of the people emerged from their warm homes to start yet another day. It was a pleasant change from only hours before when the town had been shut up for the night as the people slept. Thayer watched from his hiding place and wondered to himself. “What made this place so special? That was hard to figure. Still, there was something about it that made it a joy to be in. Was it the buildings, the streets, or the region in general? Whatever it was, he could feel a strange calm and solace as he looked on at the town. A snow had fallen on the town during the night. It was an early snow for this part of the country, but that did not matter. The younger children were throwing snowballs at each other, sledding down the nearby hills, making snow angels and otherwise enjoying the newly arrived white blanket. The older children built snowmen of all types and sizes and skated on the iced over pond in the park. The town busied itself for the soon upcoming Christmas season. The first snow usually meant that Christmas was not far away. There was much to do and a short time in which to do it. The chilled breeze in the air did not keep the townsfolk from their appointed tasks and duties. Each had places to go and things to do and people to see. It was a quaint little town, very similar to many towns that can be seen across Americana. The people of the town were very proud of their town. They were especially proud of their latest addition. Just last month, the Northern Central Railroad had completed the addition of the new railroad spur. This gave the town access to the entire line. Though many fought the railroad’s arrival, it was for the most part greeted with cheers of excitement. No longer would the town be isolated from the world. Some of the townsfolk wanted the town to remain isolated. They realized that progress and the railroad were unfortunately, both inevitable. The new train meant prosperity to the merchants of the town and new products to the townsfolk. It also meant that people could both depart and arrive with greater ease and comfort than ever before. Every blow of the train whistle brought a thrill of excitement to the townsfolk both young and old. It did not matter what the train brought in. It was just the fact that the train was now a part of their town. The town had been in existence for nearly fifty years. It started out as an outpost for the early settlers and had developed into a bustling little village as some settlers decided to stay instead of risking all in the unexplored wilderness. As the country extended its borders, many people passed through the area. Some moved on and some stayed. The small village had incorporated as a town just ten years before. Now with the addition of the railroad, the town fathers hoped that the growth would continue so the town could become a city. There are many interesting personalities that make up this town. They set the makeup for the character of the town. The town has many stories to tell that are too precious to be kept a secret much longer. Some of the stories will amuse you and some will amaze you. Many will touch you deeply. Just read on and see. The town had grown up over the years and the town fathers had set out almost from the onset to pattern their town after some of the great towns of the North. In the early years as many buildings began to spring up, these leaders painstakingly planned out the city for growth. They wanted to make sure that there was an organized plan in place that would continue to be enforced in the years to come. The initial design called for a single row of buildings running north to South that would form a “C” shape. It was decided to keep street names simple. The street in front of this row of structures would be called Main Street. Where the buildings turned, the street became North Street on the northern of the town and South Street on the southern side of town. The city was split right down the middle by Central Avenue. While North and South Streets were designed with plenty of room for future expansion; Central Avenue was the Gem of the town. The street was designed as two distinct, wide lanes that were separated by the city park. had been named for. The first snow had covered the Pine trees in a white blanket of snow. The town had many of the usual businesses that any town would have. It was the people in these businesses that set these districts and town apart. The different personalities of these people and those they associated with gave these districts and the town a certain flavor and delight. The Central Avenue Quads were thriving centers of business activity. Just as the town had its own personality, Each Quad also had its own character also. The town had a little bit of everything. Although the train was now bringing in new and different goods from the North Coast, most everything that the town needed could be found in town or could be gotten from the nearby farms and ranches.

Ron Eagle has published many poems over the years. This is his first venture into writing a novel. The story came about while building a Christmas village as part of his holiday decorations for the house. The story was a joy to write and will be a joy to read.