"I had stopped believing in Santa Clause long before his powder blue Buick Skylark ripped through a busy intersection in Allentown, Pennsylvania, clipped the back of a pickup truck, bolted over the curb, and slammed into the corner of an abandoned gas station..."

My Christmas card to all the terrific readers (and writers) who made this a great year for me: a 15-minute break from holiday hurry. This week, please enjoy a free download of The Late Great Santa Claus, a little cookie of a short sto...