title: Asleep on the Hay: A Dust Bowl Christmas
author: Ben Sowards
description: <i> Ben Sowards grew up listening to his grandmother tell stories of her childhood in the panhandle during the Dust Bowl. Doing puzzles together continues to be one of their favorite activities. <br /> Ben is the illustrator of many well-loved picture books, including <i> A Christmas Dress for Ellen <i>, <i> Seven Miracles That Saved America <i>, and <i> Christmas Oranges <i>. This is his first project as an author. <br /> Ben Sowards teaches others to paint both traditionally and digitally at Southern Utah University, where he has directed the illustration program since 2001. He and his wife, Connie, enjoy life with their six daughters and a son in Cedar City, Utah.
  						    	
  					    	</i></i></i></i></i></i></i>
zlib_text: Biting the Christmas Biscuit
   
   
   
   
  “L�����	 and	 gentlemen,	 we	 will	 be	 landing	 in	 New	 York	 in
  approximately	�ifteen	minutes.	Please	fasten	your	seatbelts.”
  Eli had been gazing out the window at a nebulous nothing for the
  past few hours but now saw what appeared to be a carpet of stars
  rising up to meet them. He glanced at Alec sleeping peacefully beside
  him and wished he had been able to do the same. An open magazine
  rested in his boyfriend’s lap, and his glasses sat atop his head as he
  snored lightly.
  Eli reached over, put the magazine away, and fastened Alec’s
  seatbelt gently enough to leave him undisturbed. He had to smile. This
  man	can	sleep	anywhere.	He turned back to his window and noticed the
  city lights below them appeared even larger. His stomach twisted into a
  knot as he tried to remember why he had agreed to this trip.
  Their friends back in London were either busy with their families
  or �leeing the country to avoid their families. His mother invited the
  two of them