The Nativity

Mary, mother of Jesus. My heart can barely grasp what an extraordinary woman she must have been to be chosen the mother of the world’s Savior. I imagine her perfect, without sin. Though this is unlikely, God blessed her above all women. Yet His path for Mary wasn’t easy. To avoid disgrace as an unwed mother, God instructed her fiancée to marry her and to travel together from Nazareth to safety in Bethlehem.

The young couple trekked on unpaved trails for four days along flatlands and over hills, possibly in freezing temperatures. When they reached Bethlehem, no doubt weary, they had to settle for a cave—used to house animals—in which to rest where Mary gave birth.

The least desired place for a birthing mother became the most honored and beloved story of all time. The young couple listened to God, trusted, obeyed, and persevered. Hard as it was—which many of us can’t comprehend just how difficult—God provided for them along the way and when they reached their destination.

I wonder if the world silenced to hear the first cry of the King. If an unidentified light glowed in the dim cave, the moment Jesus entered the world. If the waters rested and the winds ceased. Luke 2:13-14 tells us after shepherds in Bethlehem were told of Jesus’ birth, the angels sang. We will never know the full magnificence of all that took place during the nativity.

What an honor it is to have included the nativity in my novel Dress Shop Miracles. It’s one of my favorite scenes as my characters traveled from a hard path to hope, love, and miracles. I hope you love the story of Molly and Ted as much as I did writing it, and guess what?

I’m giving away one e-book copy of Dress Shop Miracles via Amazon Kindle.

To qualify for the drawing simply: 1) subscribe to my website at diannmarieandre.com; 2) then comment below this article (at my website) that you subscribed via Christmas Blog Tour. The winner will be announced December 24, 2022.

You can read the blurb here:

https://www.amazon.com/Dress-Miracles-Dianne-Marie-Andre-ebook/dp/B0BH1CVXYK/ref=sr_1_1?

I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy a video with my 52-year-old nativity set honoring the birth of Christ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao9h2lbQTgw

Merry Christmas!

Bio:

In addition to writing Christian fiction, Dianne is currently working on a memoir. She is a landscape photographer. Most of her pictures are taken on twenty acres where she lives in California’s Central Valley with her husband, Joe, her adorable rescue dog, Ralphie, occasional steers, hens, sheep, and a bazillion trees. You can connect with her at https://diannemarieandre.com/5039-2/

The post Christmas Blog Tour – Welcome Dianne Marie Andre appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Northern Hearts (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) is my Christmas novella set in the real-life town of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. It’s called the Polar Bear Capitol of the World. I set my entire series there, and my husband and I flew up in 2019 so that I could do proper research on the town and its polar bear research facilities.

I set this story during the Christmas in between Northern Deception (Book 1) and Northern Protector (Book 3). The inspiration for the story came to me out of the blue—I love it when my brain and creativity strikes like that—because I was thinking about family situations and secrets.

I had the vision of a rich young woman with every advantage she could have in her life, but still yearning for more. And her family held a long, dark secret in the past. She’s about to find out about a family member she had never known existed before, and how that person had been following her life from afar.

The hero is the opposite. He’s grown up without a proper family in the foster care system and the unknown family member of the heroine has been a stand-in mother figure for him. When the hero and heroine meet and are forced to work together for thirty days to meet the legal requirements of the family member’s will, they have to examine what their relationships mean to them and learn to work together.

Being a romance, they will fall in love, but I include some real-life festivities that take place in Churchill, and some traditions that I wish I’d done myself over the years. I believe that family traditions keep memories alive and serve the purpose of keeping families intact, especially when children are young and growing up. Once they’re grown up, some traditions need to change to facilitate the changes in the family make-up, for example, adult children marrying and the “family” enlarging.

Like the Sabbath being made for man, not man for the Sabbath, as Jesus taught us, I think that family traditions like every person being present at Christmas dinner when that may not be feasible, need to be looked at in the light of love and common sense. Christmas dinners may need to be done rotationally. Traditions may need to grow and change as the years go by.

That doesn’t mean that our Christmas excitement and celebrations of our one true King shouldn’t take place or be enjoyed. They just may look different from year to year, and that’s all right. The true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus is the Light of the World and our Saviour. I wish you all a blessed Christmas!

Here is a quick excerpt from Chapter 1 of NORTHERN HEARTS:

Wild and dangerous and the town has nothing of significance…

With that ringing in her ears, she grabbed her soft-sided hot pink suitcase and hauled it upright beside her. The clock read 9:45 a.m., so she was right on time. Her ride should be here any minute. Gazing around the tiny, one-room airport, she noticed a twelve-foot-high polar bear skin hung spread out in a wooden display case. The sheer height and width of it gave her pause.

“It’s nothing but snow, ice, and polar bears,” her dad had said. She rolled her luggage over to the huge case and checked out the five-inch claws on the paws of the polar bear skin. Its teeth were three inches, at least, bared permanently in a snarl. The entire fur from side to side had to be four feet wide.

She drew in a breath to calm her nerves and turned to read the huge blue and white sign on the wall.

“Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba–Polar Bear Country,” it read.

“NEVER–

Go beyond a polar bear alert warning sign

Approach or feed a bear for any reason

Walk at night after 10 p.m.

“Always be alert and aware of your surroundings,” said a deep voice from behind her left shoulder.

Adrenaline rippled through her veins. Kali gasped and jumped. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry.” The man who’d spoken loomed over her. His fur-lined green parka hood, which he shoved back out of the way, framed his brown hair and beard scruff. His brown, almost black, eyes didn’t look the least bit sorry. His thick, longish hair poked up in an unruly fashion and curled around his ears. He grinned, showing white, even teeth she couldn’t help but stare at for a second. Handsome. Unbelievably handsome.

“Sorry, that’s the next line on the sign—you are reading the sign, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I mean, I was… I just…” Kali stopped. Get a hold of yourself! You’re babbling.

“The most important thing to remember is that bears can be in town at any time of day or night,” he quoted from the sign. “I’m assuming you’re Miss Kali McIntyre?”

She drew herself up to her entire 5’ 1” height. “You can drop the Miss. And yes, I’m Kali McIntyre.” If this guy was her ride, she’d just hit the lottery.

He drew off his enormous fur-trimmed gauntlet and thrust his right-hand forwards to shake her hand. “Excellent. I’m Jake Miller, from The Great Northern Lodge.”

©Laurie Wood 2019

If you visit my website at https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com and sign up for my newsletter, you’ll receive a gift. Thank you for being with me today.

You can buy Northern Hearts here: https://amzn.to/33CFJeE

Northern Redemption (Heroes of the Tundra Book 4) will come out in 2023.

The post Christmas Blog Tour – Hello from Churchill Manitoba Canada appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Happy Christmas in July! Welcome to the seventh blog in this Christmas in July Reader Giveaway, which runs July 12-23, 2021. At the bottom of each author’s blog post, you will find the secret words. Write them all down and provide the provide the entire answer on this Google form. See below for a list with links of all participating authors!

Note: You must grab all the secret words from every author in the Christmas in July Reader Giveaway to be eligible to win a $400 Amazon gift card. At the end of this blog post is a link to the next blog, and so on, to the final blog post (20 in all). At each blog stop, the author will also give away copy or copies of their featured Christmas book.

My publisher came to me with the idea of doing a special Christmas novella for my Heroes of the Tundra series, because Book 1, Northern Deception, ends in November, with an epilogue at the end of the winter in March. They thought putting a story within my tundra world at Christmas time would be a great idea and I agreed with them, even though I’d never tried to write a Christmas story before – never mind a novella!

I was already writing Book 2, Northern Protector, which is set in the following summer right after Northern Deception. It was a challenge to switch horses and think about Christmas and what that might look like in Churchill, Manitoba, which is a real town. I decided to make it as similar to a Hallmark story as I could, with a simple but interesting timed mystery, and a budding romance. I knew that the town of Churchill does an annual Santa Claus event at their Town Centre so that every child in town receives at least once present for Christmas, so I used that as my ending and wrote backwards.

It was fun to come up with my own twist on Christmas traditions, as I made my hero and heroine complete opposites: Jake Miller is an older chef who’s used to running the business and settled into his career and life in the northern wilderness. Kali McIntyre has dreams of opening her own dessert bar in the big city, and is a firecracker with visions of how to completely re-do everything that’s been “working” for The Great Northern Lodge up until her arrival. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but I had a ton of fun coming up with her wacky methods of changing Christmas traditions that had stood the test of time in the north.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Wealthy socialite Kali McIntyre dreams of opening her own dessert bar, Sassy Sweets, in downtown Winnipeg—until her father crushes that dream when he cuts her off financially. He’s determined to get her to use her law degree to join the family’s high-powered law firm. She’s determined to do anything but that. And when an unknown-to-her aunt dies in Churchill, Manitoba, leaving her an unbelievable inheritance, Kali’s on the next flight up north to make her dreams a reality. Chef Jake Miller has lived in Churchill for the past ten years, working hard to keep The Great Northern Lodge afloat through some tough times. But then his business partner dies unexpectedly, without telling him that she’d changed her will or that she had a niece who is set to inherit everything. Now, Jake and Kali have thirty days to work together and decide—who will stay and who will go—before Christmas rolls around. Secrets, attempted murder, and a new menu all add up to a Christmas unlike any other.

For your chance to win 3 E-book copies of NORTHERN HEARTS, please leave your family’s favourite Christmas tradition in the comments. Is it something baked? Something decorative? A family activity?

(I’m giving away E-books because I value all of my national and international readers!)

Now, it’s time to for the secret words: the guilty 

Save the secret words, and when you reach the final blog, enter all the secret words on this form for a chance to win a $400 Amazon gift cards!

Thank you so much for visiting! The next author on the tour is Carol Stratton and her Christmas book “The Littlest Bell Ringer” – a middle grade novel . You can find it at this link. Remember, this Christmas in July Reader Giveaway will end on July 23 at 8 PM EST!

Here’s a list of all participating authors with their links, just in case something goes wonky. Enjoy!

1. Sarah Hamakerhttps://sarahhamakerfiction.com/2021/07/10/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway-dangerous-christmas-memories/
2. Jill Kemererhttps://jillkemerer.com/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
3. Dennis Baileyhttps://dennisbaileyfiction.com/2021/07/08/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
4. Peggy Sue Wellshttps://singlemomcircle.com/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
5. Terri Weldonhttps://terriweldon.com/blog/
6. Jennifer Chastain https://jenniferchastain.com/2021/07/11/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
7. Laurie Wood’s secret words: the guilty, (her blog isn’t working right now)
8. Carol Strattonhttps://www.carolgstratton.com/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
9. Terri Reedhttp://www.terrireed.com/2021/07/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway.html
10. Anne Greenhttp://anneswritingupdates.blogspot.com/
11. Pam Greenhttps://pamgreenwrites.com/2021/07/11/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
12. Izzy Jameshttps://enotsilent.wordpress.com/2021/07/11/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
13. Nancy J. Farrierhttps://nancyjfarrier.com/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
14. Dana Mentinkhttps://dmentink.wordpress.com/2021/07/10/christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/
15. Hallee Bridgemanhttps://www.halleebridgeman.com/christmas-in-july
16. Susan Lyttekhttps://sajlyttek.com/blog/1526-Christmas-in-July-Reader-Giveaway?sel=1-0
17. Zoe McCarthyhttps://zoemmccarthy.com/activities/christmas-in-july-reader-give-away
18. Sherry Kylehttps://www.sherrykyle.com/forever-yours-this-christmas-christmas-in-july-reader-giveaway/

The post CHRISTMAS IN JULY READER GIVEAWAY: NORTHERN HEARTS (Heroes of the Tundra Novella) appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Welcome back to the blog, June! Tell us a little bit about your Christmas Novella:

The men in Noel Kendrick’s life have always lied to her. When she accepts her pastor’s plea to head the Christmas nativity scene project, she doesn’t realize the job requires her to work with Carson Shumate, the handsome youth pastor with midnight blue eyes. Despite her efforts to keep her emotional distance, she falls hard after a kiss under the mistletoe.

But Carson has a secret of his own. If he reveals the truth about his identical twin to his church, he fears they will fire him, and he could lose Noel.

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe is the sequel to An Unexpected Family.

What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?

In 2010, the Lord put a story in my mind and heart. I knew then I had to write it though I knew nothing about fiction writing. Since then, I’ve studied tons of how to books, attended writing workshops, and worked with many critique groups. My stories delve into difficult subject matter, and I write from a Christian point of view.

Are you a plotter or a panster?

I’m a plotter. Before I start writing the story, I do a GMC on both the heroine and the hero. Next is my favorite part. I scan the internet to find images of most of the main characters. They must look exactly like I have pictured them in my mind. The only drawback is, it’s difficult to later find pictures for the cover. Then my plotter self goes on to write a short synopsis of every scene all the way to the end. But on occasion, the characters tell me something I hadn’t known before – or they might change things up a little.

What does your family think of your writing?

I didn’t start writing until after my children were grown, for which I’m grateful. I truly admire people who can write as well as manage a job and a family. When I first started writing, my husband thought it was a hobby that would soon blow over. It didn’t. Now he’s my best support system. He even helps me plot at times.

Are you part of a writing group?

Yes, I just joined Word Weavers, a group of 5 other ladies. We meet once a month. Each member must be a member of the national Word Weavers organization. We critique a chapter or 1500 words for each member using the sandwich method. A positive remark, a helpful criticism, then another positive.

Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book? Since I’ve worked with critique groups from the beginning, I’d have to say each member of my critique group – week by week.

What’s next for you as an author?

Right now, I’m working on a romantic suspense, The Inn at Cranberry Cove, which will be out in December. Ashton Price inherits her aunt’s B&B in Cranberry Cove, Washington. But when an intruder continues to invade her home, she must turn to the handsome gardener, James Atwood, for help. But James, heir to the thriving cranberry industry, hides a secret he can’t reveal.

That sounds exciting! Let’s show our readers your lovely cover for this book:

Share your favorite excerpt from your book:

Twenty feet away, a familiar-looking guy stood to the right of the tree, a woolen cap covering his head and scarf around his neck.

He reached for a slender young woman beside him and pulled her close.

Noel gasped.

Carson? What? She walked closer and peered at his midnight blue eyes, shapely nose, and the lips that had so recently kissed her.

The blond glanced up at him as if he were the most wonderful man in the world and tiptoed to whisper in his ear.

He leaned forward and nuzzled her neck.

Noel couldn’t move, transfixed by the surreal scene before her. Then reality smacked her in the face, stinging her cheeks.

Carson peered down into the eyes of another woman as if enthralled by her presence.

The absurd truth impacted her like a slap to the face. He’d looked at Noel the same way. The facts slowly washed over her. Carson wasn’t who she’d thought he was.

After he released the woman, he glanced in Noel’s direction as if he’d never seen her before.

Noel crept closer, first unbelief, then anger mixed with jealousy, threatened to explode. She dug her nails into her palms until it hurt. How could he kiss another woman after he’d promised he’d never do anything to hurt her? She’d been such a fool to believe him, to trust him. He even acted as if he didn’t care whether she saw him or not.

She closed the distance between him and the girl, fury creating a fireball in her gut, begging to be released. She’d believed him when he’d said he found her overweight body alluring. Ha. He cuddled a woman with an attractively thin shape. A burning tear fell to her cheek.

Noel tried to take a breath, but the effort didn’t force air to the bottom of her lungs.

Now standing no more than five feet from them, Noel glared. There was no denying the man in front of her was Carson Shumate. “I can’t believe it.” The words gushed like water rushing along a rain-swollen river.

Carson’s eyes grew large, and he stared at her. The creep. He never thought she’d spot him in Riverview, no doubt.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your other girlfriend?”

“Other girlfriend?” Carson took a few steps away from the girl. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play innocent with me.” Noel couldn’t gain control. She turned toward the petite woman. “You may want to know your boyfriend is a player. He’s been stringing me along while he’s with you.”

The other woman glared at Carson. “Is that true?”

“No.” He raised his palms like a thief in surrender. “Let me explain.”

Noel puffed a fast breath. Carson had denied dating her.

She wasn’t about to stand for his concocted story, trying to get himself out of trouble. As one last blast of anger shot through her, her hand obeyed the command her emotions ordered. She tightened her fist and punched him hard, under the sternum.

“Arg.” Carson grabbed his stomach and bent forward.

When he straightened, the girlfriend whacked his cheek. ” You jerk. Don’t bother calling me anymore.”

“Or me.” Noel never dreamed history would repeat itself. She marched in the opposite direction, breathing hard. She barely noticed Santa’s sled and his reindeer as she made her way to find Kathleen.

June is giving away an E-book copy of A Kiss Under the Mistletoe to one lucky commentator! Do you read Christmas Novellas? Do you prefer them to watching Hallmark movies? Leave a comment to be entered!

You can also buy the book here: https://amzn.to/2FjUR4a

Please check our June online at these sites:

1. www.junefoster.com
2. https://www.amazon.com/author/junefoster
3. https://twitter.com/vjifoster
4. https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster
5. http://pinterest.com/junefoster
6. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5755395.June_Foster

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written twenty-two contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

The post Author Interview with June Foster & A Giveaway! appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

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