After a busy year Christmas Press has finished on a high note with the upcoming launch of their short story anthology Once Upon a Christmas. 

The book will be launched on November 29 in Uralla at Granny Fi’s Toy Cupboard with members of the public able to have a chance to talk with the authors and listen to readings of the stories.

Once Upon a Christmas features a mixture of short stories from well-known and up and coming authors along the theme of Christmas.

Christmas Press’ Beattie Alvarez said the book’s target audience ranged from “2 to 222”. 

The book features stories by Ms Alvarez as well as children’s author Sophie Masson and writers Theresa van der Krann and Trish McDonald among many others.

Christmas Press’ David Alan and Fiona McDonald also contributed illustrations to the book.

The book proved to be a massive learning experience for Ms Alvarez who laid out and compiled the book.

Ms Alvarez did this with no knowledge of laying out but now says she’s built up a repertoire of skills with InDesign and Photoshop. 

The publishing group has plenty of work ahead of it for next year with their next project being Two Fearsome Fairy Tales from France and after that Two Tengu Tales from Japan.

Once Upon a Christmas has almost sold out of their initial print run of 2000.

The Uralla launch is one of three with the first one being held in Balmain last Friday and another to be held in Beecroft in December.

Ms Alvarez said there were three events to ensure as many authors as possible got to attend a launch.