Angela lives the first six years of her life in an orphanage. She is abandoned naked on the doorstep of an orphanage on a biting, wintry, January night. By the time that the matron hears her cries she is frostbitten by cold.
At the age of six she is adopted by a con artist. He makes his living picking pockets, breaking in at night and stealing things from people. He teaches Angela how to open a safe when she is still tiny. He teaches her how to get in and out of tight spaces in breaking into homes. He feeds her very little food, just enough to keep her alive, but tiny. He confuses her age. She has no calendar or watch to tell the passing of years. Henry tells her for three years that she is eight. After awhile she has no idea how old she is, or how many years she's lived with Henry Butler.
Angela is caught breaking into the home of Blake Calkin. Blake makes her his legal ward. Henry Butler, the terrible man who had adopted her, is killed cheating at cards.
The first Christmas that Angela experiences is beyond magical to her. She loves everything about Christmas. Yet she is saddened by the plight of her new friend Lily. Angela reminds the Calkin family of the truest of celebration forms...giving to others.
Angela....Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch (Parts One and Two) will be published in 2013! Please look for it next year at Lulu.com for the written book or Nook format, or at Amazon.com for Kindle.
Merriest of Merry Christmases everyone!
