What happens when a millennial takes over the North Pole?

St. Nic, Inc. won 2nd Place in the category of Published Mainstream/Literary Fiction in the 2015 Royal Palm Literary Awards. 

 James Boothe says St. Nic, Inc. is not "the sort of Christmas story one hears in homes on Christmas Eve" and its not "a Christmas story for the little ones." No indeed. It's "a fast paced thriller that explores government overreach, technology, and what it means to 'do good.'" 

 "St Nic, Inc. offers a fresh vision of what modern tools like the Internet and high-speed delivery services might accomplish in the hands of the right Little People" writes Donna Meredith. The lead character is a explicit counter to John Galt of Atlas Shrugged fame, she continues. "Nicole is a compassionate entrepreneur who also has a deep sense of loyalty and duty to family and community." 

Staley... draws on both careers [economist and writer] when describing NP Enterprises, an Arctic software firm and toy distribution network run by one Nicole Klaas. Nicole, the fourth Klaas to run the family business, relies heavily on the skills of the world's little people, for whom the company's polar community is a haven against the discrimination they face down south.

Their cash transactions catch the government's eye, and soon a federal agent is convinced he's found a nest of narco-traffickers. He hasn't spotted any actual drugs, but the pattern looks unmistakable. And then a bona fide War on Christmas begins.

 “St. Nic, Inc., by SR Staley is a magical, innovative, and fresh continuation of the beloved Santa Claus myth. Staley has honored the past while ushering one of the world’s most cherished and inspirational stories into the 21st century. St. Nic, Inc. artfully combines the action of a Tom Clancy novel with the insightful social commentary and multiple levels of experience of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. St. Nic, Inc. is great novel that would make a great movie.”
    —Mark McNees (D.Min), author of Immersion: Live the Life God Envisioned for You and The Six Symbols of the Gospel. 

 “St. Nic, Inc. is a thrilling and imaginative tale of the delusions, intrigues, folly and dangers of government bureaucracies running amuck to stop the secret goings-on at the North Pole. Can Christmas cheer survive the CIA, IRS, DEA, FBI, et al.? Find out in this intriguing and joyous, must-read book by SR Staley.”
     —David J. Theroux, President, The Independent Institute; President, C.S. Lewis Society of California 

 I kept waiting for the story to turn down Fable Lane but instead the plot accelerates up Tom Clancy Drive. This is no kids story with Santa and the Elves and the reindeer. SR Staley has done his homework. The characters are real and so is the action." Michael Whitehead, author of Messages from Babylon.

 Jack Magnus writes "SR Staley's action and adventure thriller is quirky, fun, and very clever" in his 5-star reviews from Reader's Favorite.  

 “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, but I'm sorry to report he's a multinational corporation and the government is out to shut him down! That's the delightful premise of SR Staley's St. Nic, Inc. While protecting the reader's belief in Santa (sort of), Staley challenges our faith that government is here to protect us from evil corporations and asks us to consider our own prejudices toward little people. Well-written with an exciting plot, this is a sure-thing stocking stuffer.”
     —Robert Lawson, Jerome M. Fullinwider Endowed Centennial Chair in Economic Freedom, O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University  

 "Set in the North Pole, the story is adventurous, taking readers through intrigues, follies, delusions, thrills and imagination. It is a gripping story involving a lot of action and the characters and the plot are original, pulling readers into the story. The characters are portrayed well and they complement each other by seamlessly connecting together the sub plots with the main story."  Mamta Mandhaven, Readers' Favorite

 "A children's tale? Not quite. A social manifesto? Perhaps. You'll be scratching your head at the end, trying to decide. One thing's for sure--St. Nic, Inc. is a familiar narrative loaded with symbolism and double meanings. From Staley's witty choice of character names, to the constant juxtaposition of images, it keeps you on your toes. For example, I love the contrasting views of the hospital where Peary, the protagonist, wakes up. Is it a place of healing or incarceration? And the all too familiar dangers of judging people based on physical characteristics, not abilities. When you finish, you realize the author has cleverly woven morals throughout this seemingly innocuous story. It leaves you as comfortable as sitting before a warm fire on a winter night, believing in the triumph of good over evil and once again trusting in the belief that Santa Claus lives within us all."
    —Darryl Bollinger, award winning author of The Medicine Game, A Case of Revenge, and The Pill Game (from amazon.com) 

 “As an accomplished economist, SR Staley is supposed to be a dismal scientist. St. Nic, Inc. confirms otherwise. He’s whipped up a fast-paced tale that will keep you on the edge of your recliner from its opening paragraphs to the climax at its end. If it was a movie, it would be a thriller with a happy ending and egg(nog) on all the right faces”
    —Lawrence W. Reed, president emeritus, Foundation for Economic Education