Happy New Year, Readers,
The Christmas Card List is now available on Amazon in both digital and paperback format. Thanks to all of you for reading and sharing, and letting me know how this story affected you. People are the best. and you are the best kind of people.
Trailer #1
My talented son Brian put together a couple of trailers to give readers a preview of The Christmas Card List. This one shares some praise for the book from readers.
Trailer #2
This preview is a longer version. It conveys the Christmas feel and romance I wanted to portray.
This is a photo of the marvelous book group I visited this January. These ladies loved the characters in the story, and the theme of forgiveness, among other things. I was honored to spend an evening with them.
The Christmas Card List Launch Party
Thanks so much to all the friends and team members who showed up to launch the book.
Greg, Jessica, Rachelle, and Shem are the best writing group ever!
Sandra gave me courage along with her stellar edits.
Lynda and Linda from book group and the other dear friends who stopped by have all been a great support. Wish I had photos of everyone.
Photos from the book launch
The Smirkers
Shem, Jessica, Rachelle, Me, Greg
First Class Editors
Sandra and Mel
Fellow Writers
Margot and Rosalie
Linda and my #2 daughter Rachel
Florence and Barbara
The Hubby dressed up to support
About the author
In 2018, I was working on a book about a woman who suddenly dies in mid-November, when I faced my own medical emergency.
In mid-November.
Ironic, to say the least.
My heart didn’t beat on its own for a week and I spent three months in the hospital. But fortunately, unlike my character, I lived to tell the tale.
My husband and I reside in Utah. Our six children and thirteen grandchildren are mostly scattered to the four corners of the country. I read, write, tend plants, enjoy long walks, family time, and like just about anything pepperminty.
The Christmas Card List
After her mother’s late November death in Montana, thirty-something Jessica and her sisters come home to find a large box of Christmas cards their mom had prepared but never mailed. Sending them off without explanation seems wrong but throwing them away is out of the question. By reading their mom’s hand-written messages to friends and family and knowing what others sent to her, they keep her alive a little longer. But the Christmas cards do more than that. They end up leading Jessica out of her work-focused life and into romance.
My Craziest Christmas Card
When my second son was in high school (1999-ish) his hair took on a life of its own so he grew it out into an afro that became his trademark until it got too long and hard to take care of.
That year a silly idea turned into our family’s most memorable Christmas card ever. We photoshopped his hair onto everyone’s head and titled our card “Have a Very Hairy Christmas.”
Here’s the poem my husband and I wrote to go along with the card:
‘Twas the night before Christmas
And Nick with his fro
Had just settled down
With dreams it would grow.
When the rest of the family
Got a terrible shock,
Our own heads were sprouting
Some long curly locks.
We jumped from our beds
To look in the mirror
And soon our reflections
Confirmed our great fear
We gazed in despair
‘Til we heard a great thump,
Down the chimney came Santa
Like a red furry lump.
He snatched up our camera
And took this great shot,
Then rose up the chimney
Before he got caught.
He tossed down some combs
On the way to his sleigh,
So we wouldn’t look nappy
On Christmas Day.
And we heard him exclaim
As he flew o’er the arbor
HAIRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
And please find a good barber.
