A New Jersey Christmas Tale (Christmas with Paul John Hausleben, #2)

Step into the blue-collar streets of 1970s Paterson, New Jersey, where the spirit of Christmas seems lost amidst the buzzing factories, and old, but still bustling neighborhoods and a downtown section that overflows with old-time Christmas activities. Meet Absalom Wickham Steed, a bitter and cynical businessman, whose heart has hardened through the years. Just as the holiday season approaches, Steed's selfish and harsh ways threaten to turn his world, and other person's worlds into a bleak winter landscape devoid of warmth and kindness.
In this heartwarming reimagining of Charles Dickens' timeless classic, enigmatic spirits visit Absalom Steed—ready to unveil painful truths and forgotten joys. From the echoes of his past to the promising glimmers of the future, Steed rides along on an unforgettable journey through a tapestry of life in his beloved city. Will he rediscover the magic of human connection and the true meaning of Christmas before it's too late?
Filled with nostalgia, laughter, and moments that tug at the heartstrings, A New Jersey Christmas Tale explores themes of redemption, community, and the power of kindness. As Absalom Wickham Steed learns to embrace the light that exists even in the darkest of times, readers will find themselves reflecting on their own stories of love, forgiveness, and renewal. This holiday season, join Mr. Steed, Wesley Shook, Auntie Marilynn, The Spirit of Christmas, and other unforgettable characters on a transformative journey that will warm your soul and ignite your holiday spirit. Will he break free from the chains of his past, or will he let the lights of Paterson shine in vain? Dive into this captivating retelling and discover how one man's change of heart can ripple through generations.

Way back in time, when the dinosaurs first died off, at the ripe old age of sixteen, Paul John Hausleben, wrote three stories for a creative writing class in high school. Enrolled in a vocational school, and immersed in trade courses and apprenticeship, left little time for writing ventures but PJH wrote three exceptional and entertaining stories. Paul John Hausleben's stories caught the eye of two English teachers in the college-preparatory academic programs and they pulled the author out of his basic courses and plopped him in advanced English and writing courses. One of the English teachers had immense faith in Paul's talents, and she took PJH's stories, helped him brush them up and submitted them to a periodical for publication. To PJH's astonishment, the periodical published all three of the stories and sent him a royalty check for fifty dollars and . . . that was it. PJH did not write anymore because life got in his way. Fast forward to 2009 and while living on the road in Atlanta, Georgia (and struggling to communicate with the locals who did not speak New Jersey) for his full-time job, PJH took a part-time job writing music reviews for a progressive rock website, and that gig caused the writing bug to bite PJH once more. He recalled those old stories and found the old manuscripts hiding in a dusty box. After some doodling around with them, PJH decided to revisit them. Two stories became the nucleus for the anthology now known as, The Time Bomb in The Cupboard and Other Adventures of Harry and Paul. The other story became the anchor story for the collection known as, The Christmas Tree and Other Christmas Stories, Tales for a Christmas Evening. Now, many years and over thirty-five published works later, along with countless blogs and other work, PJH continues to write. Where and when it stops, only the author really knows.
On the other hand, does he really know?
If you ask Paul John Hausleben, he will tell you that he is not an author, he is just a storyteller. Other than writing, among many careers both paid and unpaid, he is a former semi-professional hockey goaltender, a music fan and music reviewer, an avid sports fan, photographer and amateur radio operator.