Dear Reader:
I know winter doesn’t officially begin until December 21, but I wanted to send out this newsletter early so that some of you might benefit from my giveaway. Maybe I can deliver books to the winners in time for Christmas!
This quarter I’ll be doing a giveaway to lucky members of my launch team and /or my newsletter subscribers. This is my sincere expression of gratitude for everything you’ve done to support my two children’s books launched in 2024 and 2025.
I’ve previously mentioned some of the awesome connections I’ve made while I’ve been on this writing journey. This newsletter giveaway will highlight five of those connections.
In my December blog post, I reviewed two children’s books, Before Christmas Began and Meanwhile Back at the Manger. Both of these great books are published by Ambassador International’s Emerald House, the same publisher that made my Look for the Pink Ribbons dream come true.
While I’ve never “met” Brenda Covert or Katie Smith in person, I feel like we are forever friends because of our connections through this publisher and through social media. Their books and their friendships are treasures.
Last Christmas I gave away a copy of my friend Julie Lavender’s A Gingerbread House. Julie is another connection I have made through the publishing world. This book is published through End Game Press, the publisher of my second book, Max and Her Stacks. While Julie and I have never met in person, we each know people who know people we know. This year I’m honored to give away her latest book Children’s Advent Stories for Bedtime, another wonderful way to help share the true meaning of Christmas with the children in your life.
As I mentioned in my November blog, I became acquainted with author Heather Carter after the publication of my book Look for the Pink Ribbons. A long-time friend of mine mentioned to her neighbor, Heather’s father, that this book might be a comfort to her children after the tragic death of their sibling. Heather and I met in person, and we discovered we had several other connections. It’s such a small world! Most importantly, Heather’s story about the loss of her child convinced me that God had His hand on my book from its inception.
I am also honored to include Heather’s beautiful book Sadie’s Stitches in this giveaway. This book is a great resource for teaching kindness to siblings.
Finally, and in the spirit of Christmas, I want to give away a copy of the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul’s holiday book. I met one of the contributors, Tracy Crump, many years ago at a writers’ conference in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Our paths have crossed numerous times through the years in person and on Zoom. Her story “A Norman Rockwell Christmas” shares the mystery and wonder of the connections we make in life.
While her story stresses the importance of family connections at Christmas, Tracy also shares a seemingly coincidental connection that I believe is divine.
Tracy says she saved the memories of this family Christmas by sharing pictures on her Facebook banner. Months later she says she received a message from a stranger who connected with her because of a comment she had left on another person’s page.
“I love the cover photo of your family,” she said, “especially the grandma in blue and the little boy looking at each other. It gives a Norman Rockwell feeling. Thank you for my smile today!”
Tracy ends her story with this: “Norman Rockwell, the painter who became famous for portraying people going about everyday life, opened our eyes to the ordinary blessings around us.”
Yes! We are blessed every day if we take the time to look around. I am excited to include The Spirit of Christmas in this giveaway!!
All these connections emphasize the importance of Romans 12:5: “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
If you click on the links I’ve included for each of these writers, you can find out more about them and their books. I’m sure they would appreciate your connection!
To be eligible to win a book from this giveaway, you must be a subscriber to my newsletter. I will choose the five winners on Sunday morning, December 7. All winners must have U. S. addresses.
In the words of Herman Melville, “Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads.” If you’ve been disconnected with a family member or a friend lately, Christmas is the perfect time to re-connect. Why not make the first move!
Blessings,
The Literary Lyonesse
Christmas is truly a time for families to be together; if not physically, in spirt. In today’s world where jobs, deployments and well earned vacations to far away places it’s sometimes hard to get all the family in one location. But, though those wonderful inventions; ie “FaceTime”, Internet, telephone and of course Amazon gifts and well wishes can be given wherever folks may roam. The good thing is even though families are miles, time zones or continents apart the one thing that can join them all together is remembering family traditions and their love for each other. More importantly is ensuring everyone remember what binds them together during the holiday season….yes “Jesus is the reason for the season” and that God gave us the greatest gift anyone could receive. That’s the thread Joyce wrote about in the last few lines of her blog!
Thank you, Pete!
Thank you, Pete!
Isn’t it wonderful how God places connections in our lives? It’s in many ways, but how special in the ways you’ve mentioned here. Merry Christmas to you and I pray your blessings are bountiful just as your blogs have bountifully blessed me.
Thank you, Mickie! Merry Christmas!