Regan W. H. Macaulay
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DAY 7: Author Leigh Goff gives us the gift of a short story and a cocktail recipe...

12/19/2022

3 Comments

 
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The Narcissist Who Stole Christmas
by Leigh Goff
 
Last Christmas, I was visiting friends in the small town of Koush Hollow outside of New Orleans. I ran into a woman named Rayna. I’ve known her for a while, although I doubt she would have bothered to remember me. She is a rather miserable, scary energy exec living in a beautiful, scary mansion on a beautiful, scary bayou. She has a teen daughter she’s trying to shape into a perfectly beautiful, scary image of herself. I know her daughter, Jenna, also. She’s too smart and strong-willed of a girl for that to happen…I hope. Anyway, I’m sharing this story about Rayna, and if she minds, that’s too bad since she stars as the antagonist in my latest book, Koush Hollow, and there’s nothing she can do about it.
 
I see Rayna sitting at the bar of a swanky local restaurant, the Ritzy Oyster. The restaurant is fairly crowded and the sounds of jazzy Christmas music float around us. I can tell from the empty bottle of expensive Chardonnay and the half-empty wine glass in front of her, Rayna’s feeling good. She’s looking good, too. Not a day over twenty-nine, when I know she’s edging closer to fifty. As much time as I’ve spent in this town, I’ve noticed she doesn’t usually talk to anyone outside her social circle. She’s known for being the queen of snubbery, but from her expression, I can tell she requires someone’s listening attention and I’ll do for now.
 
I sit down in the tall chair to her right, curious. The bartender recommends a drink to me—the Koush Hollow Christmas Cocktail. I agree with a nod as Rayna starts to talk about a strange dream she’d had the night before. I do listen. What kind of dream would a woman like this have?
 
Her enormous blue diamond pendant sparkles in the dim light and her pricey Louis Vuitton bag occupies the seat to her left. “I dreamed about my dead ex showing up to my beautiful Christmas dinner.” She closes her eyes and puts her hands out as if to stop the memory. “It was absolutely horrible.” She paused and looked at me. “He was horrible. He never complimented me. He never appreciated my attractiveness and intelligence. He only complained about how much I worked and that I wasn’t an attentive mother. He’s dead now, so who’s the more attentive parent? Me, that’s who. And does my daughter Jenna appreciate it?” She sighs and sips her wine.
 
I’m guessing she wants me to say no, but I know Jenna and she doesn’t need any more attentiveness from this woman than is necessary. I decide to steer the conversation in a positive direction. “Tell me about this Christmas dinner?” I’m sure it’s amazing, perfect down to the last detail. I picture a hot, catered meal on silver platters and shimmering crystal goblets filled with the best Champagne. Her circle of friends, dressed in couture and dripping in gems. These women included only the top tier of Southern ladies. They were rich and as eerily youthful looking as Rayna.
 
An evil grin curled across her tight cheeks as she thought about it. “Christmas dinner?” Her mouth puckered as if she had just tasted a bad oyster. “I hate Christmas. Terrible holiday.”
 
A picture of the grinch, green and bitter, flashes in my mind. “Who hates Christmas?”
 
“I do. At the power plant, I instituted a mandatory workday on Christmas, so I had something to do.” She tosses me a frosty look, daring me to argue with her.
 
I take the dare. “What about your employees who want to celebrate with their families?”
 
“That’s not my concern.”
 
Yikes, I thought. I twirl the rosemary sprig in my gin and cranberry drink and sip. The cranberry tartness and hint of lemon quietly delights me. “What if you did host a dinner? Better yet, what if you hosted a dinner for people who really needed a nice meal like the Marais sisters?” The outcast Marais sisters were the lowest women on the Koush Hollow social ladder.
 
She drew back, her face filled with disdain. “Why would I do that?”
 
I took a bigger sip and stared at the cranberries dancing with the effervescent soda bubbles. Here was someone who had so much to give and gave nothing at all. I set my eyes on hers. “Because it’s Christmas. It’s the time of year we’re reminded to be selfless. Look at this way, giving of ourselves to others is like giving a gift to ourselves.”
 
“How can giving to someone else be a gift for me?” Disbelief penetrated her voice.
 
I imagined the tiny heart in her chest barely able to keep up with her.  “No worries.” She turned away and focused on her wine glass again. I finished my delicious cocktail and signaled to the bartender that I wanted the check. I paid for my drink and Rayna’s bottle of wine and gave a big tip. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Rayna watching in silence. Before I left, I tapped her on the shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Rayna.” She set her gaze on me, the ice in her eyes seemed to melt slightly.
 
“Thank you,” she said with a modest nod of her head.
 
I waved goodnight and walked out into the warm winter evening, greeted by palm trees twinkling with tiny lights. I hoped my little bit of generosity might spark the same in Rayna. It was the time of year for hope, but that wasn’t the point. Sitting with her for only a few minutes made me realize something. It is important to be kind and generous, even to those you may not think deserve it. It is important to strive to be a better person, whether it is Christmastime or not. That realization was the gift Rayna gave me that night. Then I said a quick prayer for Jenna. That girl was going to need it.

KOUSH HOLLOW CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL
Ingredients:
4 oz. club soda
2 oz. good gin like Bombay
1 oz. cranberry juice
Splash of lemon juice
Cranberries

Sprig of rosemary (for protection against evil stepmothers and energy execs!)
Ice
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker add ice and gin, cranberry juice, and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Stir in soda and add a festive garnish of cranberries. Don't forget the rosemary sprig!

Now read on for more about Koush Hollow and Leigh Goff!

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ABOUT KOUSH HOLLOW:
After an unimaginable family tragedy, sixteen-year-old Jenna returns to the mystical bayou town outside of New Orleans. Her powerful Southern stepmother is a corrupt energy executive who is polluting the local waters, lining the pockets of her elite social club members, and planning to induct the meddling, strong-willed Jenna into her sparkling seductive world where all that glitters is not what it seems. While the dying bayous around them hide their many secrets beneath the murky surface, Jenna will have to find the strength to resist everything she’s always wanted in order to uncover the truth she’s always needed.

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Let me introduce myself…I’m Leigh, a writer from Maryland. I’m represented by Lauren Bittrich at Lucinda Literary. I’m sixteen-years-old at heart, and I’ve been imagining and writing stories since I can remember.

As a kid I craved books with enchanted main characters, however, their real strength wasn’t magic, it was courage, which they’d possessed all along. Doesn’t everyone want to read about heroes like that?

I know I do. And when I write, I want to write for readers looking with a shimmer in their eyes to escape into fantastic worlds; worlds filled with sparkling magic and brave characters. I want readers to get lost in my stories and hopefully find themselves there, too.

When I’m not writing, I’m hangin’ with the ones I love, including a little golden retriever who likes to play hide and seek.

Serious fact – I’m living with type one diabetes and thriving – #T1DLooksLikeMe.

Fun fact – I recently learned that I am the eighth great-granddaughter of accused witch Elizabeth Duncan (Dunkin) of Virginia who went to trial in 1695 for charges including bewitching livestock and causing birds to fall from the sky – I totally love that!

https://leighgoff.com/

3 Comments
Sharon Ledwith link
12/19/2022 01:16:28 pm

Wow, great short story. You pulled off the Grinch/Scrooge character combo perfectly! Love it! Thanks for sharing your holiday drink too, my witchy friend! All the best over the holidays and in the new year, and beyond. Cheers!

Reply
Leigh Goff link
12/19/2022 02:06:08 pm

Thank you, Sharon! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!

Reply
Leigh Goff link
12/19/2022 02:05:22 pm

Thank you for hosting me! Wishing you a wonderful and festive holiday!

Reply

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  • Home
    • Blog
    • Subscribe to my newsletter
    • Free Activities!
  • About Me
    • My Background and Other Projects
  • Children's Literature
    • Picture Books
      • Beverlee Beaz meets Lowree Louise, the Blue Burmese
      • Tamara Turtle's Life So Far
      • Chloe the Unfeathered Parrot
      • Merry Myrrh the Christmas Bat
      • Sloth the Lazy Dragon
      • Dog Band
      • Libby the Lobivia Jajoiana
      • Beverlee, la chatte de Birmanie
      • Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese
      • Mixter Twizzle's Breakfast
      • Picture Books COMING SOON
    • Middle-Grade Novels
      • Peter Little Wing
      • Peter Little Wing and the Bay of Islands
    • Out of Print Editions
      • Chloe the Unfeathered Parrot
      • Merry Myrrh, the Christmas Bat (out of print edition)
      • Tamara Turtle's Life So Far
      • Sloth the Lazy Dragon (out of print edition)
      • Beverlee Beaz the Brown Burmese (out of print edition)
    • Stories and Articles
  • Novels
    • Horror at Terror Creek
    • They Suck
    • Space Zombies!
    • The Trilogy of Horrifically Half-Baked Ham
    • Novels COMING SOON
  • Scripts
    • Horror at Terror Creek
    • They Suck
    • The Aquarium
    • Paradise Lust...
    • Space Zombies...
    • Sketches
    • Watching Mr. Body
    • The Scary Bitch Project
    • The Foreign Film
    • Where are the Birds?
    • Scripts COMING SOON
    • Free Downloads!
  • Short Fiction
    • The Kiss
    • Envy
    • Space Zombies and Felines Unite!
    • The Institute
    • Reuben
    • Free Downloads!
  • Merchandise and Shop
  • Upcoming Events