Cover Reveal!

 New Contemporary Wild Rose Christmas Story

Release Date: November 6, 2026

Do you remember Kris? She was the assistant to Alene at Roses & Blooms, the florist shop in Wild Rose Ridge. The modern story was Kyle’s Autumn Blaze and part of the Walcott family tales. Kris insisted that her story be told. So what is a writer to do but tell the story? Introducing her hero, Bruce Miller, a great guy, a great dad and a great encourager.

I thought you might like a preview, so here is the first scene of the book. Enjoy.

“We were here first!”

“Were not! We were here first!”

Kris Rool stepped between her two young sons and the little girl they scuffled with for position in the Ferris Wheel line.

“Boys, this is not how we treat others. Step aside like gentlemen and let this young lady pass.”

The boys shoved fists into their jeans’ pockets. They glared at the girl as she smirked and walked by them.

“Selena, apologize to the boys.” A man caught her arm and turned her around.

Now the boys smirked and Selena glared.

“Selena, it’s almost our turn to get on the ride. We won’t get on it until you apologize.” Now Selena sent a pout to the man and crossed her arms on her chest.

The door to the cage opened and the ride attendant waited. Kris glanced back to the line behind them, noting impatient children.

The man reached to pull the little girl out of the line, but she spat out, “sorry,” and whirled to jump into the cage. The man followed her, throwing an apologetic glance to Kris.

His look jolted Kris. Why was that? Why did it seem like she should know him?

The next car stopped the wheel and the attendant again opened the door. Several small bodies poured out, and he motioned for Kris and her boys to take their place. Her boys, still grumbling, stomped in. Kris followed them, but her gaze was on the slightly swinging cage before them.

The man was watching her, too, and it jolted Kris again. Who was he?

She stepped in and sat, her back to the cage before them.

“It’s unfair,” Luke grumbled. “We were there first.”

“Yeah, why did she get to go before us?” Agreed Caden, her elder son.

It must be hard to be eight and nine years old and feel injustice so keenly. Kris eyed them sternly. She shook her head as they made faces at the cage in front. Selena stuck her tongue out at them.

“Are we here to have a good time?”

The boys squirmed and nodded.

“Then why are you allowing such a small thing to spoil the day?”

“Because we were first, Mom!” Caden’s earnest face nearly brought out a laugh from Kris.

“And she’s a bully at school,” Luke added.

Kris zeroed in on her younger son. “You know her from school?”

“Yeah,” Caden huffed. “She came from another class and makes sure we know she’s better than we are.”

Kris’s heart went out to the little girl. It was hard to be the new kid on the block. Even if it was just from one class to another.

“Let it go. And here we are. Moving up from the ground inside the Ferris Wheel and neither of you have even looked out to see what you can. And you so wanted to be high in the sky to see it. Too bad that one little girl can rob you of such a treat.” Kris commented calmly and made a show of looking out. “Why look over there. You can see Wild Rose Lake and it looks like the cruise boat is out there.”

The boys leaned over to see. When they discovered the cage rocked, they worked to make it shake all the more. Kris was grateful that it didn’t go too far. She loved to ride the Ferris Wheel and see across the lake, to the town of Wild Rose Ridge and across the fairgrounds. But she wasn’t too crazy about shaking and whirling rides. She usually waited while the boys dashed on them and then scurried off. Everybody was happy.

As the wheel crested and started down the other side, Kris saw Selena and the man. It disconcerted her when he waved at her. Should she wave back?

Instead, she pointed out other sites to the boys.

“We’ll go visit the animal barns next. See them over there?” The boys pushed against the cage trying to see over each other and Kris directed them back into their seats. She preferred a steady ride.

Soon their cage swung in place as Selena and the man got off the ride. Then it was Kris and her boys turn to exit. It disconcerted her that the man and his child had waited for them.

Ready to hustle her boys by them, the man stepped in front of her.

“Krissie Adams?”

Kris’s eyes widened and she jerked her gaze up to him. His reddish brown hair glinted in the sunlight. She saw him smile and recognition finally lit in her brain.

“Bruce Miller.”

The kids looked at the adults, then each other and shuffled their feet.

“That’s not your last name,” Luke muttered.

Kris sent him a look. She turned back to Bruce Miller. “It’s Kris Rool now.”

Bruce nodded. “How funny to run into you at the Harvest Fair.” He held out a hand. “It’s been a long time.”

She shook it. “Sort of like an old stomping ground, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Bringing childhood a little closer.”

Kris laughed. Bruce and Tommy Miller had been the first neighbors she could remember. They’d chased each other around the neighborhood, climbed the rocks across the street and their mothers had taken them to Beach Park in Wild Rose Ridge on summer afternoons.

“Dad. Aren’t we going to get elephant ears?” Selena whined and tugged on her father’s hand.

“Of course, sweetheart. Krissie, would you and the boys like to join us?”

Kris started to laugh. “Only if you are safe.”

“Safe?” Puzzlement filled Bruce’s eyes.

“No chicken pox in sight?”

He laughed and held out his hands, Selena’s still in his. “Nope. We’re armored against it.”

“Then, I think elephant ears sound good.”

“Chicken pox, Mom?” Caden rolled his eyes.

“Yes, Mr. Miller used to live next door to me when we were your age. I got chicken pox from him. And when everybody was in the backyard at my house and played a game called croquet, I was stuck inside watching them. I blamed Mr. Miller for a long time for that.”

“Come on, Mom,” Luke did the eye rolling this time. “What’s croquet?” Selena’s disgusted look connected with both boys.

Kris and Bruce shared a smile. Maybe they could hope the budding feud would be over before it began.

“Elephant ears,” Selena tugged her father’s hand and all of them moved toward the booth with the big yellow sign above it. The scent of cinnamon drifted around it.