Spread the Christmas Joy with Mary Ellis | Day 3

Joy from Mary Ellis

--> When I think back to the Christmases of my childhood, I always smile at one particular memory. For as long as I can remember, our extended family would gather at one of my aunt’s homes (now the homes of my cousins—my generation) on Christmas Eve. We would enjoy a lavish potluck dinner with the host family providing the main course while everyone else brought side dishes and desserts. Afterward, we would mingle to catch up on family news—coming babies, recent graduations or promotions and other milestones, small or grand. At some point during the evening, the families would separate to attend the church services of their own particular denomination. But beforehand, the children would anxiously await the arrival of one special secular guest—Santa Claus. My uncle (who has just recently passed away) would dress up in full costume and arrive with great fanfare down the staircase. (He left his sleigh and reindeer on the roof.) Over his shoulder he carried a velvet sack filled with wrapped gifts for all the good girls and boys from infants through college-aged. Surprisingly, the sack usually contained even a present for me.

Apparently, I was the last child to still believe in Santa Claus after my cousins had abandoned the notion and discovered the truth about the man-in-red.

But my mother and aunts didn’t want anyone to spoil my fun, so they instructed everyone to keep quiet about who really wore that silken beard of white. Since I was the youngest of my generation my cousins played along, and yours truly continued to believe the myth longer than average. However, someone at school or perhaps a neighborhood kid finally burst my bubble and spelled out the truth. Once I overcame my initial shock I thought about how pleased people seemed to be that little-Mary-Jean still believed. And so I played along with their subterfuge, becoming wide-eyed and anticipatory when that jolly man arrived every Christmas Eve. People would watch my reaction from the corner of their eyes, pleased that the deception continued for another year. Finally (perhaps the year before I started college…) when Santa arrived and presented this little girl with her treasure, I had so say “Hi, Uncle Louie. Thanks for the gift.”

Everyone moaned, while my mother looked broken-hearted. But all good things must come to an end. Now that my dear mom and uncle are gone, I will remember the joy they preserved for me because of their love. And because of the unending love of the Father and the gift of His son…once again I have something to believe in. 

Merry Christmas. May God’s blessings rain down on you and your families.

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Mary Ellis has written ten bestselling novels set in the Amish community. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Living in Harmony, book one of her current series won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction. Book two, Love Comes to Paradise has been nominated for a 2013 Lime Award. Book three, A Little Bit of Charm, has just released from Harvest House. An Amish Miracle, a collection of novellas, releases December 3rd from Harper Collins. She is currently working on a three-book historical romance series set during the Civil War. The Quaker and the Rebel releases January 1st, 2014.

She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236

Spread the Christmas Joy and Giveaway | Day 2

Joy from Patty Hall

Every mother worries about their baby at one time or another, especially if that child is born prematurely or had problems at birth. I was no different. Our oldest daughter, Jennifer arrived seven weeks early and extremely ill from an infection, making Danny and I wonder if she’d live or die. So when we got her home, I was more cautious than most, greeting visitors to our home with a thermometer sleeved in plastic. I took medical histories of anyone who dared cough within ten feet of my baby and demanded hand washing from anyone who made a request to hold her. I watched Jennifer like a hawk, keeping a detailed record of her milestones, my nerves grated if she lagged behind for even a day.

Which was what we faced Christmas, 1986. At a little over two months, Jennifer hadn’t laughed, not even a giggle. The nurse in me knew that I was being ridiculous, that with her early birth, Jennifer should have been only a month old. But the mother in me didn’t understand that logic. Every one of my friends’s babies were laughing--was Jennifer missing her funny bone? So we did our best to get her giggling by putting twinkling lights all over the house, stacking mountains of presents under the tree. Her daddy even made up silly Christmas songs with funny faces and sang them to her, but Jennifer didn’t crack a smile. By Christmas Eve, Danny and I were ready to give up. Something was wrong with our baby, we just knew it.

That night, we went to our annual family Christmas get together. Danny and I had been tag-teaming through dinner since Jennifer’s arrival so my dad volunteered to hold her while we enjoyed our dessert. A small package was delivered to Daddy--the great aunts brought little gifts for the kids every year--who held it in front of Jennifer.

“You want me to open it for you, sweetheart?” Daddy asked, already tearing into the paper. A couple of tugs at the wrapping revealed a Raggedy Andy doll with his red-yarn hair and crooked smile. “Well, look at that, Jennifer. Isn’t he funny looking?”

Jennifer’s eyes widened, and for a moment or two, I thought she might cry. But then I heard it, this tiny bubble of laughter. Her lips spread out into a toothless grin at the sound, and she giggled again, this time louder until it filled the air around us. Our baby was laughing so we joined in.

That Christmas was the first of many Christmases with first Jennifer, then her younger sister, Carly, each one as unique as our daughters themselves. They’ve given us more joy than we could’ve imagined since that first Christmas as parents over twenty-seven years ago.

___________________________

Patty Smith Hall has been making up stories to keep herself occupied since her parents forced her on boring Sunday drives into the Georgia countryside when she was too young to stay home by herself. Now she's happy to share her wild imagination and love of history with others, including her husband of 29 years, Danny, two smart and gorgeous daughters, and a yorkie that she spoils like a grandbaby until someone decides to actually give her one. She resides in North Georgia. 

You can purchase her novel The Doctor's Bride [here]

For today's giveaway I'm excited to show off these amazing wooden ornaments! They are tiny and light, perfect for the top of a tree. Their intricate detail and special scenes/images are what I was first drawn to. Rules to enter the giveaway are explained below. Don't forget, there are 11 more items coming up in these next few weeks so check back often!

**Giveaway rules: To enter, comment on each the post (or posts) in the month of December that offer giveaway items you wish to win. One entry per person per giveaway item is permitted. All winners will be drawn in January (after the holiday craziness) and will be notified shortly thereafter.

Spread the Chrsitmas Joy | Day 1

Joy from Sharon Srock

I’m not a very crafty person. When it comes to cool, homemade projects, my sister got all of the cross-stitching, oil painting, quilling, and sand sculpture genes God intended for our whole family. Name a popular handcraft that has come on the scene in the last forty years, my sister has done it, and done it well. Me, not so much.

But there was one year when necessity overcame my fat fingers. Our daughters were young and we’d just adopted our son, so I wasn’t working. Money was a little tight and even though we could afford to put gifts under the tree for our three children, presents for friends and the rest of the family just weren’t going to happen.

I went to my sister and asked her to show me, again, the cross-stitch basics. I stocked up on fabric and thread, bought a small book of quotes and got busy. Over the next few weeks, I matched unique quotes to the people on our Christmas list and made personalized samplers for all. As I finished with needle and thread, my husband took over with scraps of wood, saws, and paint brushes, constructing handmade frames for each project.

By the time Christmas rolled around, I had needle pricks and bandaids on all my fingers and a satisfying stack of gifts under the tree. When it came time to distribute those handmade gifts, I’ll never forget the reaction from friends and family. It gave me such joy to see the things I’d worked so hard on, treasured and displayed in their homes. When my mother passed on to be with Jesus several years later, I was blessed to be able to retrieve the one I’d made for her to display in my own home. Thirty years later, those gifts are still out there, and they still generate a hug or two during the holidays from friends who tell me that my piece of needle work was the best gift I ever gave them.

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Author Sharon Srock went from science fiction to Christian fiction at slightly less than warp speed. Twenty five years ago, she cut her writer's teeth on Star Trek fiction. Today, she writes inspirational stories that focus on ordinary women using their faith to accomplish extraordinary things. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Sharon serves her local chapter in the role of treasurer. Sharon lives in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma with her husband and three very large dogs. Her books include: Callie (Women of Valley View) and Terri (Women of Valley View), both of which are currently available. The Women of Valley View: Pam will release in early 2014.









Connect with her at www.sharonsrock.com...

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/SharonSrock
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock

Nano Update | Winter in Full Bloom RE:View | December News

Woohoo! It's time to celebrate!

Somewhere flying above the Southern United States this morning I hit 50,002 words!!! I'm not quite done with my novel, but I have hit my goal for November and won this pretty awesome badge (above) from the NaNoWriMo.org website. They are great about helping those who've "won" share the excitement. I'm also happy to say my dear friend Corrine also won today!

If you participated, how did you do? (Then again, you still have...7 hours to finish if you're not quite there!)

RE:View | Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman

There is something to be said about a book that takes you to a place you've never been before. For me, that was Winter in Full Bloom by the talented Anita Higman. I was able to visit Melbourne, Australia in addition to getting to know the lovely Lily Winter.

We meet Lily as she takes off on the biggest adventure of her life thus far -- a trip to Australia to find her lost twin sister. After suffering the loss of her husband, an empty nest, and a dark secret revealed to her by her mother, Lily has nothing to loose but her own terrifying fear of flying.

Once in Australia, Lily begins the search for her sister and makes an unlikely friend along the way who could turn out to be the key in discovering her sisters whereabouts.

I couldn't even begin to describe the journey that Lily takes (you must read the book to find out) but it is one of restoration and beauty; love and truth.

I definitely recommend this book as a great read that will keep you entertained to the end. Anita does a wonderful job of creating a story that is not only interesting, but also finds you rooting for her characters. There were a few things that I was surprised to find plotted in, but Anita has a fresh authors voice that doesn't shy away from treating situations with a certain realness. She speaks the language of people and gives her characters a voice that transcends paper and ink to reach deeply into the soul.

You can purchase this wonderful book [here].

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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.   

 

And a look into December...

I could not be more excited for what's coming in December - or, should I say, TOMORROW!

I love Christmas....I mean really love Christmas and, because of that love, I've decided to "Spread the Christmas Joy" with a few of my fellow authors. I've invited 23 author & writer guests to join me on the blog from December 1 to December 24th.

In addition to that, I'll be doing 12 GIVEAWAYS during the month - some books, some fun trinkets, some gift cards. These will be a little different from previous giveaways because you'll have the month of December to leave your comments on the posts with the items you'd like to win. I will be drawing a winner for each item in the beginning of January as well as sending the items then.



The heart behind the whole idea of Spread the Christmas Joy is to do just that - spread the joy of Christmas. I think it's so easy for us to rush through the holiday's buying gifts, worrying about food, traveling, and possibly arguing with those difficult relatives rather than taking a step back to bask in the glory of what this season represents.

With these posts, I want to give you, my dear readers, a small gift. To enJOY Christmas.

Please join me and many wonderful authors as we celebrate the joy that is Christmas!
See you back here tomorrow for the first post by Sharon Srock.

Ada Brownell {Wrtier Wednesday}

A little bit about Ada...

Born into a family of new Christians, hard workers and achievers, Ada Brownell was the eighth child and a reporter almost since she could talk. She was the family "tattletale." She and her husband, who worked for the railroad as an agent/telegrapher, had five children. One of them is in heaven, and all of them have spent time in ministry.


A devoted Bible student, Ada Brownell has written for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life as a daily newspaper reporter at The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado. After moving to Springfield, Missouri, in her retirement, she continues to free lance for Sunday school papers, Christian magazines and write books. She is author of three non-fiction works, one novel, and is critique group leader of Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers.

How to connect with Ada...
 
Website/Blog: http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com Stick to Your Soul Encouragement
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries
Twitter: : @adellerella

Author Interview | Ada Brownell

-->You and Writing
Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
…I became a published writer before I took any writing or journalism courses. Although, after my success, I soon enrolled in a course. I've written nearly all my life like I play the piano—mostly by ear. I do know the basics of music and grammar, but why think about the mechanics when your fingers and your head know how to do it? It was a few years before I learned to edit, and when I finally did, I learned that's where the hard work comes.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
…That's like asking which of my children I love the most! When a person spends hours and hours writing and editing a book, there's emotional attachment. Furthermore, I wouldn't have written the books if I didn't think there was incredible value of my message to the reader—principally, increasing faith.

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book or what you’re working on currently. Why did you write it?
…I wrote Imagine the Future You because I was concerned about the way our society and educational institutions try to strip faith from our children and grandchildren. If they have a genuine experience with God where they know the joy unspeakable and are full of glory (1 Peter 1:8) and build their lives on the Rock Jesus Christ, we'll be together for eternity. The book endeavors to reveal truth that will lead them to abundant life here and eternal life in heaven.

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
…I have several, but one is an illustration about how difficult it is to break habits. Someone in Vashon Island, Washington, leaned a bicycle against a tree when it was a sapling and left it there. The tree grew around the bike until it became part of the tree and now is several feet off the ground. Habits become a part of us just as the bike became part of that tree.

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
…Joe the Dreamer is a unique person, but some in the book have a few characteristics of people I've met. For instance, the scenes in the mental hospital draw on what I witnessed in a psychiatric institution—in my job… not as a patient!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
…Sit down and do it with a target market in mind. Edit, then get into a good critique group, and then edit some more, polish and then get your work to a publisher.

You

What will you do for Thanksgiving?
… Spend the day with family, eating, playing games, visiting.

What is your favorite food of the Thanksgiving dinner?
…Succulent Turkey and dressing.

What are three things you’re thankful for? …Salvation and God's mercy, our children and grandchildren and that they are serving the Lord; and for God's miracles and His faithfulness.

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Thank you so much for joining me on the blog today Ada! I really liked how you suggested writing with a target market in mind. I think that is so crucial - to really know you are writing for and why you are writing! I hope that your Thanksgiving is filled with a time of peace and relaxation with your family!

Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering | RE:View

Murder, mystery, and the English country side. 

I've had the pleasure of reviewing Julianna Deering's latest release, Rules of Murder (A Drew Farthering Mystery). As the title suggests, this is #1 in a series about armature detective Drew Farthering with book #2 scheduled to release February 2014 (Death by the Book (A Drew Farthering Mystery). As way of explanation it's like "Downton Abbey Meets Agatha Christie". 

Drew Farthering, like any great accidental-detective, wasn't looking for murder, but find it he did. When a body is found on his country estate during a party, the inquisitive nature of Drew and his friend Nick Dennison kick into over-drive in an attempt to help the police who appear to be at a standstill with the case.

Through twists and turns, and the helpful nature and attractive companionship of Madeline Parker, Drew is set on a course to discover the truth behind the murder.

I enjoyed this novel from Julianna Deering and was reminded of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fletcher (from Murder she Wrote) as the novel progressed. I liked Drew and was interested to see how his character would grow throughout the novel. There was more than just mystery afoot as Deering combined romantic and spiritual elements in a very tasteful way.

I would have to say that, for me, the pacing was a little slow. This is not an action-packed, suspenseful type of book but more of a character based mystery. I did enjoy the time period elements immensely and the fact that it was set in the English countryside. I'd definitely recommend as a fun and intriguing read.

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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.  

Did you know? | ACFW Interviews & NaNo Update

So, as promised, this will be another NaNo update but before I get to that I wanted to share something I'm not sure I've shared before.

As most of you probably know, I'm a member of ACFW [American Christian Fiction Writers] Association and every Monday ACFW offers an interview with an author who has recently released a book. You can find the past interviews [here] and the current interview for this week [here].

From Pinterest

Well, if you didn't know, I am an interview-er over there! I have gotten the opportunity to get to know some amazing authors such as Carol Cox, Fay Lamb, and Carrie Turanksy among many other amazing authors. This year will be no different! So, if you are interested in finding out about new authors or perhaps some of your favorites you should check back to the ACFW website often for those posts!

On to NaNo...

I was able to do some catching up yesterday and as of this post (before my word count update tonight) I'm at:

34,312 words

Not too bad for where I was at before... How are you doing? Will Thanksgiving help or hinder your writing?

From Pinterest

And, as inspiration for those of you who enjoy Doctor Who (I've become a HUGE fan) this last picture is for you!! You should be writing...as should I :)

Good luck fellow NaNo-ers! Week 4 here we come!