As a devout atheist, the festival of Christmas has little meaning for me. I look at the bright shiny offerings in shop windows, or long, extended cheery advertisements on the television, and say: “Humbug!” Plastic Christmas trees and fake snow, with the sight of a rain-drenched robin, leave me cold.
The only thing coming down my chimney on Christmas Eve will be a light sprinkling of soot.
So why is it (you may ask) that I am suggesting you buy one of my books for one of your loved ones for Christmas?
Money.
Yes, Christmas is a time for spending. And what better way to spend it than by spending money on a book for your loved one?
If your loved one enjoys novels, then I suggest my very short novel I, Chimp. If he or she prefers short stories, then I recommend my large short story collection One Hundred And One Strange Stories. If, like me, you would rather say “Humbug!” then you could spend no money at all and download my short story collection Tall Short Stories for free.
Of course, you could buy your loved one a luxury wrist watch made in the sweat shop of some impoverished country or a tiny, expensive bottle of perfume that has been tested on the eyeballs of defenceless bunny rabbits – or a box of chocolates that will cause your loved ones teeth to decay and fall out.
I’ll leave that decision up to you.
None of these books involved testing on defenceless bunny rabbits.
Humbug!
Little Dog On A Lead 