Yesterday Heather and I got to talking about what our holiday chapbook should be this year. We've done one every year since we got together (except last year -- getting married sorta wiped us out last year!). I'd made a joke a couple of months ago about writing a story called "The Christmas Mummy." Heather brought up the idea at lunch, and we chatted about it, and came up with some funny possibilities. Heather called up Greg van Eekhout and said "Hey, can you draw us a picture of a mummy wearing a Santa hat?" And, because he's a prince among paupers and a frog among tadpoles, Greg agreed, and sent us an illustration this morning. We came home after lunch yesterday and round-robin wrote it in the afternoon. I did the layout last night. The cover is below for your delectation!

Isn't that awesome? We'll send 'em out in lieu of Xmas cards. It's a cute story. It has ninjas and a mummy and a villain and a disreputable uncle and a snarky little girl and at least two or three of the true meanings of Xmas.