It’s spring in Burgundy. The flowers are out and so are the cardinals! That is, the cardinals of Pope Urban’s renegade papacy, now on the run from the Vatican’s would-be usurper Borja. Fortunately, Urban has help from those indomitable modern West Virginians thrown back in time during the Ring of Fire cataclysm. Urban and his peace initiative are not merely at risk from Borja’s assassins. There is another, deadlier team of professional killers in town, directed by the man who almost killed the Pope before: lethal Spanish mastermind Pedro Dolor. Dolor hasn’t come to confess murder—he’s come to commit a cardinal sin. Several of them, in fact!

How about everything? Literally. Everything you are, right down to your age, gender, and, eventually, your personality, too. Stephen Russ is living a regular American nerdly guy’s life in his early 30s. Working, hanging out, gaming, having the occasional romance. He is unusually brave and decent. But those traits just haven’t come to the fore so far in his life. Then a child's desperate scream leads him to battle faceless winged things that almost kill him. The choice has arrived: continue normal existence, or . . . become Princess Holy Aura, the first of the five Apocalypse Maidens. The world needs Princess Holy Aura again!

In Ryk E. Spoor’s new novel Princess Holy Aura, regular guy Stephen Russ must decide to become the first of the five Apocalypse Maidens, Princess Holy Aura. Well, it’s coming up on the holiday season, and while we don’t need an Apocalypse Maiden, someone’s got to deliver those presents in the case Santa can’t make it. So, what character from science fiction of fantasy do you think would make a good replacement for Santa and why? Let us know in a short paragraph (100 words or fewer) for your chance to win a signed copy of Princess Holy Aura.

Last month we asked you what famous family from science fiction or fantasy you would you like to join for a traditional holiday meal and why. Congrats to Vicky Madaule. Vicky wins a signed copy of Down and Out in Purgatory by Tim Powers.

Read the winning entry here.

This holiday season give the Baen lovers in your life what they really want—more Baen Books! Not sure which books they already have? Head on over to the Baen CafePress store and check out our wide variety of Baen merchandise. With travel mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, and more, there is something for every Baen fan!

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