A Meeting of Two Renegade Minds: An Odd Society Holiday Story: The Odd Society

By Kari Kilgore

The Spark of a Kindred Spirit

Father William Hall loves his tiny Victorian Era London parish, and helping those truly in need.
But the endless social obligations of securing funding chafe at his rather stubborn and independent personality.
Then a surprising offer appears, tempting enough to risk scandal.
Will Father Hall accept the chance to change his life?

 

Also available in the collection A Tapestry of Holiday Tales: Winter Adventures from the Odds and Endings Bookstore

 

An excerpt from A Meeting of Two Renegade Minds:

The Discovery of a Fellow Independent Spirit
The unusual woman stopped in front of Father Hall, looking directly into his eyes rather than pretending demure postures.
No wonder the bishop had been so sternly disapproving.
"Father William Hall?" she said in a pleasantly deep voice, her French accent strong.
"The very one. How may I be of service to you?"
She blinked, then smiled, transforming her square jaw and pale skin from rather stern to something approaching beautiful.
"I am Dr. Jean Marchér." She pronounced it Zhon Mar-shay, and Father Hall's curiosity took over even more of his mind and customary good sense. "Yes, I am perfectly aware that's normally a man's name. My parents were far more fond of Jeanne than I, so I changed it to suit me. Since they didn't protest, no one else has standing to do so."
Father Hall hesitated for only a second before holding out his hand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spiral Publishing, Ltd
• Release date: Dec 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201880385

Kari Kilgore

Kari Kilgore started her first published novel Until Death in Transylvania, Romania, and finished it in Room 217 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, where Stephen King got the idea for The Shining. That’s just one example of how real world inspiration drives her fiction. Kari’s first published novel Until Death was included on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in a First Novel in 2016. It was also a finalist for the Golden Stake Award at the Vampire Arts Festival in 2018. Recent professional short story sales include three to Fiction River anthology magazine, with the first due out in the September issue. Kari also has two stories in a holiday-themed anthology project with Kristine Kathryn Rusch due out over the holidays in 2019. Kari writes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and contemporary fiction, and she’s happiest when she surprises herself. She lives at the end of a long dirt road in the middle of the woods with her husband Jason Adams, various house critters, and wildlife they’re better off not knowing more about. Kari’s novels, novellas, and short stories are available at www.spiralpublishing.net, which also publishes books by Frank Kilgore and Jason Adams. For more information about Kari, upcoming publications, her travels and adventures, and random cool things that catch her attention, visit www.karikilgore.com.

Book preview

A Meeting of Two Renegade Minds

In celebration of friendships

that begin with an instant spark

A MEETING OF TWO RENEGADE MINDS

AN ODD SOCIETY HOLIDAY STORY

KARI KILGORE

SPIRAL PUBLISHING, LTD.

A MEETING OF TWO RENEGADE MINDS

Father William Hall fully understood why he had to attend at least a few of the social events of the London season, especially so close to Christmas.

His Catholic parish was one of a precious few in the seat of power for the Anglican Church, with one of the most powerful heads of that church on the throne for decades already in Queen Victoria. So every bit of goodwill and familiarity he could build up would only help him and his causes, personal and church alike.

The wealthiest and most generous Londoners could make a world of difference for the vital charity work he wanted to do, with the city’s poor population huge and seeming to grow every day.

The simple dignity of a warm meal and a safe place to eat it could change an out-of-work man’s day for the better, and maybe send him through to a better one.

But that simple meal and the means to provide it wouldn’t materialize from the eager generosity of Father Hall’s heart. And the Church alone didn’t seem to understand how deep the need had become, and that it reached far beyond the men struggling for work.

Women and children needed