Book excerpt: Santa Claus’ Sweetheart is a short children’s book by Imogen Clark written and published in 1906. At Terry O’ Connor’s birth it was believed he was blessed by the fairies. But so too had the wicked fairy visited the new-born’s cradle where she wreaked her evil will so that the little child grew to be a man with a happy-go-lucky demeanour but who was known through the countryside as a good-for-naught. On his way home from the tavern one Christmas eve, Terry shivered momentarily under his furs, even though he was so well wrapped up that the cold should have been powerless to reach him. “Hi, there, me byes!” he shouted at his team as he drove his sleigh towards home and warmth and breaking into song. Suddenly he broke off in his song, and his fingers closed tightly over the slack reins; the horses felt the authoritative touch and came to an instant standstill. There in the road in front of him stood a child who levelled her gaze at him. He stared into a child’s eager face. Then she spoke and said, “Are you Santa Claus?” she demanded with bated breath. Before he had time to answer Terry’s life had been changed without him knowing it. But just how had the life of this wastrel been changed this cold Christmas eve? Well you’ll have to download and read this book to find out how! The ideal book for a young reader about to embark on their reading adventure. 10% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities. =============== Keywords/Tags: Santa Claus Sweetheart, Christmas, children’s book, Imogen Clark, magic, wonder, children’s story, Christmas story, sleigh, horses, cold, Santa Claus, Enter, Ride Together, Exit, Christmas Eve, Thornby’s, Peace of God, Christmas Day, sleigh bells, forest, Narcisse, Vélin, Wistar’s tavern, shantymen, shacks, Baptiste, famous, story-teller, Danny, Whitefoot, glee, happiness, joy, Pierre, doctor, Mr. Higgins,