By Hank Phillippi Ryan (with apologies to Clement C Moore.)

‘Twas two nights before Christmas
And all through this site
Not a blogger was working
Not even to write.

Our books were all saved on our cloud files with care
In hopes that bestseller lists soon would be there.
Our new novels nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of royalties danced in our heads.

The Career Authors five–three East, two Midwest
Had just settled their brains for a well-deserved rest.

When in publishing news–There arose such a clatter
We opened our mail to see what was the matter!

Our Brian had gotten a fabulous gig—
He’ll write as WEB Griffin—whoa, that’s really big!

Paula’s new book is sold! With her famed Malinois
Her Mercy books have us applauding in awe.

And Jessica’s new one—hey, Jess, way to go!
She got a fab blurb from one Jodi Picoult.

Hank’s on book thirteen—it’ll come, never fear
And her Murder List ‘warded the BEST of the Year!

And Dana (and Shadow) worked brilliant-ly
To help others’ books be the best they can be.

But what makes us the happiest—keeps every day new?
We knew in a moment—it’s the blogs that we do!

We’re working, we’re writing, becoming your guide
To help you, dear writers, show your work off with pride.

On Commas! On Colons! On word count! And plot!
On Tense! Motivation! (Give us all that you’ve got.)

On Setting! On Character! And genre convention!
And cutting out dashes—our constant intention.

Word count in a cozy? You wanted to know.
How to write in first person—that, too, we did show.

Picking character names, and asking: “what if?”
Your point of view struggles? We fixed in a jif.

Talkin’ fiction, and memoir, and author events
Nix procrastination—let writing commence!

Our guest bloggers, too, boosted everyone’s game.
We cheer and applaud them, and call them by name:

On Clemens, and Brennan, and Laurie R. King
Bell, Blank, and Novak—what skills they did bring!

Wendy Walker was here; Bill Martin was, too
Carol Goodman revealed she knows just what to do.

Jeff Ayers, Arch Mayer, and Kate White (big fan!)
Had all of us writing as fast as we can.

Amy Collins, Boyd Morrison, rock stars for sure
For every book problem, they’ll offer a cure!

Jon Stone keeps us running—newsletters and links
He’s the brains of the op—love the way that he thinks!

DiSilverio (Laura), our founder and star
She and super-Glenn Miller made us all who we are.

We’ve had first drafts, revisions, and tales of our youth
We’ve had outliners, pantsers, and telling the truth.

To the top of the lists! To the top of them all!
We’re writing, and editing, sharing our call!

As dry words before our reviser’s pen fly
When they meet with cliché, and we fix them (we try):

We’re almost at New Year’s, and our thoughts go to you
May you write perfect books, may your wishes come true!

May you waste not a word. Write smart, not confuse.
And fill all your stories with tales that amuse.

But remember: on days when things don’t turn out right
And you wonder if this all was a fraud and a fright…

You have C-A on line—there are five of us here!
And each one is wishing you all-the-year cheer.

And we all say—we love you! ‘Fore you click from our site–
Happy Holidays to All
—and long may you Write!