The Santa Shop's Hollywood Ending

By Tim Greaton

If you are a fan of The Santa Shop, the first book in Tim Greaton’s “The Santa Conspiracy” series, then you’re sure to love this extended ending to that first novel. Written for one of the major Hollywood Studios, this extended ending revisits Skip Ralstat one year after he and Karen leave picturesque Gray, Vermont, the birthplace of the Santa movement.

This is NOT a stand-alone novel and should NOT be read until you have enjoyed The Santa Shop.

However, if like the rest of us you were buoyed by the original Santa Shop journey, your heart will soar at the unfolding miracle of Skip’s new life—a life salvaged from a tragic past.
Let “Maine’s Other Author”TM take you on a rollercoaster ride once again. Come laugh and cry with the master of emotional stories—Tim Greaton.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Focus House Publishing
• Release date: Jan 29, 2011
• ISBN: 9781612720258

Tim Greaton

I live in Maine with my beautiful wife and three amazing children. We share 7-acres with 1 dog, 2 cats, and a population of ducks that varies with the weather. I'm a full-time corporate writer and novelist. My fiction, non-fiction and advertising work has appeared in forums all around the globe. A few months back, my novel "The Santa Shop ̈ was republished to Kindle and Nook. My pre-release novel "From My Cold Young Fingers ̈ (soon to be final-released as "Ripped From My Cold Young Fingers ̈) is also available on Kindle. "Zachary Pill, The Dragon at Station End, ̈ "Heroes With Fangs ̈ and my horror novel "Ancestor ̈ will also be available on Kindle in the next few months. My brother's publishing company refers to me as "Maine's Other Author TM ̈ but I prefer just Tim :-).

Book preview

The

Santa Shop’s

Hollywood Ending

Important Note

If you have NOT read The Santa Shop, the first book in The Santa Conspiracy series…

PLEASE STOP NOW.

This IS NOT a complete book. It is, instead, an extended ending (additional last chapter with a few minor changes to two previous chapters) that was written for one of the major Hollywood studios. Though movie arrangements haven’t yet come to fruition, we are hopeful that Skip Ralstat’s emotional journey will one day come to a movie theater near you.

If you have already read The Santa Shop, you’re sure to love this modified, extended ending. Like the original book, this companion addition will take you on an emotional journey that will stay with you for years after the last page has been turned.

The

Santa Shop’s

Hollywood Ending

from Maine’s Other Author™

TIM GREATON

ALSO BY TIM GREATON

From Focus House Publishing

The Santa Shop’s Hollywood Ending

Available Now

Under-Heaven

Available Now

Zachary Pill, The Dragon at Station End

Available Now

Pheesching Sector

Available Now

Bones in the Tree

(a 13,500-word, 41 page novella)

Available Now

For the Deposit & Two Other Stories

Available Now

Dustin Jeckle & Mr. Hydel

Available Now

The Shaft & Two Other Stories

Available Now

Heroes With Fangs

2011

Contact Tim at

[e-mail]

Read Tim’s Blog at

timgreaton.blogspot.com

The

Santa Shop’s

Hollywood Ending

An extended ending for the first book in The Santa Conspiracy

from Maine’s Other Author™

TIM GREATON

Focus House Publishing

Wilton, Maine

This is a work of fiction. The names and the characters are fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead individuals or to actual places or events is purely coincidental.

THE SANTA SHOP’S HOLLYWOOD ENDING

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 by Tim Greaton.

The Santa Conspiracy (series) Copyright 2002/2010 by Tim Greaton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, including digital or audio sampling, internet display or download, or any other form of digital or physical display or transfer, excepting only brief excerpts for use in a literary review, without expressed written permission from the author. Original themes, characters, and references to The Santas, The Conspiracy for Good, and The Santa Conspiracy are all under the exclusive ownership of the author.

Maine’s Other Author™ is a trademark of Focus House Publishing.

Published by Focus House Publishing.

Cover concept by Great East Imaging Art.

Cover design by Wizards Prism Art & Media.

The publisher would like to thank Lindy Evans for use of her sculpted Santa image in the creation of this cover.

DEDICATION

To Santa—May you always fly the Christmas skies.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Joan, my love—Life would be dark without you.

To my brother T.J.—I remain humbled by your belief in the work and by the grace with which you live your life. I count myself honored to be among your relatives and friends.

CONTENTS

Chapter Nine – The End Of Everything

Chapter Ten – Moving On

Chapter Eleven – A New Life

CHAPTER NINE

The End of Everything

When the innkeeper knocked at nine, I woke easily and felt rested even though I had only slept a few hours. He knocked a second time.

Thank you, I said loudly.

An envelope came for you, he said. I’ll just slide it under the door.

An envelope for me?

I imagined that the waitress had returned my tip. How she had known I was there I didn’t know, but it was a small town. Probably every resident of Gray knew about me by then. I sat up and swung my legs over the bed, smiling because the ripped sneakers were still on my feet. I hadn't bothered to get undressed at all. Months of living on the streets had made certain cleanliness habits difficult if not impossible to maintain. There had been a time when I wouldn't have gone to bed without pajamas, and not even then until I had brushed my teeth and rinsed with mouthwash. Even though I did carry a toothbrush in the breast pocket of my worn jacket, I had been known to go two full days before finding a bathroom where I could brush my teeth, and my body had not seen the inside of a set of pajamas in almost a year.

Things certainly had changed.

I looked down at myself and knew I would have to give back the loaned clothes. It wouldn't have been right to ruin them at the bottom of the ravine. I started to unbutton the shirt then thought better of it. What would the innkeeper think if I went strolling out into the night in my dirty cloths? At the very least, he would wonder why I was leaving so soon. He might even be suspicious enough to call the police. No, the best way would