ABOUT THE BOOK

Based loosely on a true story, the first chapter centers around a humble man who encounters a crippled boy by the name of Bartholomew selling candy in a bus stop at Christmas time. But there’s more to this boy than meets the eye, and Carl discovers who he is. The next Christmas, Bartholomew is sent by his boss into this same town to learn a lesson. Bartholomew meets some street thugs and is robbed and beaten half to death. He is found by some homeless kids (“Donut” and “Cotton,” Gina, “Bird,” and Sammy,) and is taken by them into their condemned house to be patched up, but Bartholomew’s injuries are worse than these humble kids can deal with. They decide to find a man in the town to take them to Bartholomew’s home. After arriving at Bartholomew’s home later that day, Bartholomew dies from his injuries, and his boss invites those homeless kids to live with him and his wife. He gives Cotton (Manuel Martinez, age 14) his dream job, and Donut (Tyler Harris, age 14) becomes the boss’s apprentice. Each of these children carries a deep, dark trauma that will affect them for the rest of their lives, and the story revolves around the kids as they deal with school, their new families, their work, a murderer in the village, and friends they’ve come to love. Intrigue, murder, court scenes, ghosts, and ghosts of past times entwine in this fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat.

E-book: $3.99  Hardcover: $21.99 Paperback: $15.99