Circumstances forced me to finish writing The Least of These sooner than I intended, leaving unwritten several things I wanted to include in the story. And though I really needed to give my attention to my new work, the unfinished story continued to stalk my thoughts.
And so, when I found a little more time to work on it, I began to write a sequel, The Greatest of These. Michael, my friend and editor down in Australia helped, and I quickly produced the first eight chapters. When I showed them to Dude, and to Tragic Rabbit for comment, they both agreed that these chapters, which I had only intended to use to set the foundation for the rest of the story, actually worked well as a stand-alone piece.
And so, as a Christmas present of sorts, to all those readers who were so encouraging as I posted The Least of These, I offer Part One[1] of The Greatest of These, The New Year.
I hope you enjoy the read. But I do strongly recommend that you read The Least of These first, if you have not already done so. Though I try to reprise the characters, most received their initial development there. And finally, I hope that your holidays are full of joy and pleasure.
I wish to retain all rights to this story. However, I am delighted to grant permission for AwesomeDude, or any other person or entity, to publish this story as long as there is no charge to the reader and as long as no changes are made to the story.
~ Josh
[1] Publisher’s note: It appears that Part Two of The Greatest of These was never completed.
Copyright © 2004-2005 Josh. All rights reserved.
First posted 2004-2005
Updated 4 June 2025