Debbie Lynne Costello's Story for A Cup of Christmas Cheer (2014) Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

A Cup of Christmas Cheer, 2014, Volume 3, Heartwarming Tales of Christmas Past

"The Letter" by Debbie Lynne Costello in Guidepost Books A Cup of Christmas Cheer Collection 2014

Volume 3, Heartwarming Tales of Christmas Past

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

This beautiful short story is set in 1945, after WWII has ended. Savannah residents Benjamin and Sharon Davis have lost their son, Richard, in the war. And their relationship with their daughter-in-law has suffered. They've rarely seen Jennifer and their grandchildren. (I love that one of the children is "Cassie" as I have my own Cassie, now grown!) When Jennifer receives a letter inviting her to visit, she decides to take little Richie and Cassie to see their grandparents, despite the fact that her mother-in-law has always been so cold toward her.

Debbie Lynne is masterful at the subtle nuances in emotion and also in conveying the concerns of both women in this powerful story. It was mentioned that this would make a great Hallmark movie, and I thought the same thing! The Davises seem almost clueless as to the situation their daughter-in-law, a single parent working to support her children, at a foundry.

Sharon, a society matron, looks down her nose at Jennifer and she feels it keenly. But for the sake of the children, she's tried to set those concerns aside for the sake of her children and because of the letter she received. Debbie Lynne does a deft job of helping the reader see inside the head of the mother-in-law and make her objectionable behavior be understandable given her background. Forgiveness is a big theme and trying to understand others.

A very smooth read and one you'll enjoy re-reading in years to come! Kudos to Debbie Lynne!

Purchase your own copy of the Guideposts collection here: http://www.shopguideposts.org/catalog/product/view/id/2084

Giveaway: A copy of the 2014 collection of A Cup of Christmas Cheer.

Where is Carrie Fancett Pagels This Week?

Author Carrie Fancett Pagels

Besides being here on the OWG blog this week, I'm also visiting on Debbie Lynne Costello's blog Sword and the Spirit on Monday and on Friday I have a guest post at Heroes, Heroines and History (Lumberjack days at HHH blog).  There will be giveaways on both blogs.

The Fruitcake Challenge by Carrie Fancett Pagels, Book 3Christmas Traditions Series

Last week, I guest posted on the ACFW blog and my novella, The Fruitcake Challenge, was reviewed on two blogs: Diana Montgomery's Teatime Reviews and Robin Wilson's Books You Can Feel Good About.

Giveaway: Copy of Carrie's new novella and a set of A Cup of Christmas Cheer (Guidepost Books, 2013) hardcover books (which includes Carrie's short story in book one, Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays:  "Snowed In: A Northwoods Christmas") will be given away to someone who comments on this post and on the other two posts this week. Answer this question: In Carrie's short story last year in the Guidepost Books' collection, the heroine Eliza (renamed Elsie by the editor) had something in common with Josephine Christy, the heroine in The Fruitcake Challenge.  What was it?

Carrie Fancett Pagels' Favorite Novellas and Short Stories of 2013

Novellas and short stories--This was the year of a wonderful assortment of both of these types of books and I was blessed to have published both a short story and a novella myself!!!

Here are my favorites for 2013

Short Stories

A Cup of Christmas Cheer collection--All the stories were wonderful. Carla Gade's story particularly moved me because it is set in Michigan's upper peninsula.  It was also beautifully done.  I enjoyed ALL of them!!! Very blessed to be in the company of Susan Page Davis, Julie Carobini, Johnnie Alexander Donley, Anita Mae Draper, Carla Gade, Ginger Kolbolba, Pam Andrews Hanson, Jennifer Collins Johnson, Ashley Clark, Jenness Walker, Marilyn Turk, Linda Clare.

A Cup of Christmas Cheer (Guideposts)

Heaven Is Not Far By Marian Baay. Lovely short story.

Heaven is Not Far by Marian 

Safe House by Kathi Macias, great short story. Sorry no pic yet!

Pioneer  Christmas: 9 Stories of Finding Shelter and Love in a Wintry Frontier by Kathleen Fuller, Vickie McDonough, Lauraine Snelling, Margaret Brownley, Marcia Gruver, Cynthia Hickey, Shannon McNear, Michelle Ule, Anna Carrie Urquhart. All stories were wonderful, and in particular I loved Shannon McNear's because forheaven'ssake it is COLONIAL!!!!  Of COURSE I would love that story!!! So my overall short story winner is Shannon McNear's!

A Pioneer Christmas Collection

NOVELLAS

Kathy Maher's "Bachelor Buttons" Civil War was a beautiful debut novella--she has a gorgeous lyrical voice and is an amazing story teller! My favorite historical (with strong romantic elements!) novella.

Kathleen L. Maher's "Bachelor Buttons"

Melissa Jagear's novella (Bethany) was my favorite romance novella with bibliotherapy element (dyslexia/reading disorder)  so of course I loved that!

Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears

Available FREE on Kindle!!!



















Deeanne Gist's Tempest in the White City--great novella!

Tempest in the White City by Deeanne Gist

GIVEAWAY:  Kathy Maher's paperback or ebook to one winner. Pioneer Christmas collection to a second winner. Answer the question--What was your favorite short story or novella for 2013?

Carrie Fancett Pagels on Debbie Lynne Costello's Blog Today!

A Cup of Christmas Cheer Collection

I am visiting Debbie Lynne Costello's blog today along with Carla Gade and Marilyn Turk. We all contributed to Guidepost Books "A Cup of Christmas Cheer."

There is a GIVEAWAY of a set of the books on Debbie Lynne's blog, so come by!!!


Click HERE to GO

Carrie Fancett Pagels is on Seekerville Today

Today I am visiting on Seekerville.
Click here to go to the site.
Julie Lessman invited me to write about my own journey in Christian fiction.  I'm focusing on the "WHY?" of Christian fiction writing.

There will be a giveaway of the two book set "A Cup of Christmas Cheer" from Guidepost Books, which is already (PTL!!!) in its second print run!  Swing by and say hello for a chance to win!

OWG GIVEAWAY:
Here's a little secret:  One of my OWG Followers who ALSO "Likes" my Author FB page will also be receiving a set of this books which are currently out of stock at Guideposts Books after two print runs (first run over 30,000 copies!!!)  So someone from Seekerville and someone from OWG are going to receive this set of books!

SO--Here's what you have to do:  Go to Seekerville and leave a comment.  Make sure you have liked my FB Author page and be an OWG follower.  Come back here and put S (Seekerville comment), OWG (Follower), and FB (Author FB Follower) and you will be entered to win a set!

God bless you all!

December on Overcoming With God Blog

December is a special month as we celebrate our Savior's birth!

Wow, I can't believe I have my own books to give away this year!  In fact, I had to come back up to the top to add that one Follower will receive a copy of Guideposts Books "A Cup of Christmas Cheer" this month on OWG! My story "Snowed In" is in Volume one. The theme is trusting in God to provide and how God answers our prayers in ways much sweeter than we can ever imagine!

Another Follower will win a signed copy of "Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance" (or ebook if preferred).  The theme of this story is radical obedience to God despite the costs and in being willing to wait on God' timing in one's life.  (Click here to purchase a Kindle copy.)

And one more will find "God's Provision in Tough Times" arriving this Christmas season. I contributed my story of how my health problems affected employment.  Many stories from top authors such as Dan Walsh, Eva Marie Everson, Jim Rubart and others are included in this collection by Cynthia Howerter and LaTan Murphy.  (Click here to order a paperback copy.)

Coming up:

This week we have two reviews of MaryLu Tyndall's latest release and two giveaways of Elusive Hope (click here to purchase on Amazon.) We'll also be giving away a beautiful spun glass schooner ornament to one of our Followers who comments this week.

Later in the month we'll be featuring Tracie Peterson with an interview and reviews of several of her books, and a giveaway.

Because we love devotionals by Liz Curtis Higgs and Murray Pura, we'll be giving away two of those this month, including Liz's new Christmas release (Click here to purchase "The Women of Christmas.")

We'll also be putting up our list of faves for 2013.  Since I know C.J. Chase's February release is on my list, one lucky Follower will receive a copy of "Redeeming the Rogue" (click here to purchase.)

A Cup of Christmas Cheer Blog Hop #5 Carrie Fancett Pagels is on Carla's Blog

A Cup of Christmas Cheer. Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays

Carrie is being hosted on Carla Olson Gade's blog as Hop #5 of A Cup of Christmas Cheer. Click here

Don't forget to visit and comment on ALL blogs to enter for the Grand Prize, worth over $125 and that will include this tea set.

Also, Carrie and Carla are also being hosted on MaryLu Tyndall's blog.

A Cup of Christmas Cheer Blog Hop 3 Johnnie Alexander Donley Hosts Anita Mae Draper

A Cup of Christmas Cheer - Carrie Fancett Pagels' Author Copies

Today, Anita Mae Draper is being hosted on Johnnie Alexander Donley's blog for the 3rd Hop. There is a $10 gift card giveaway.  Tomorrow, Julie Carobini will be on Ashley Clark's blog with another giveaway.

Here's the entire Blog Hop schedule:

Week One

Hop 1 Saturday, November 8th, Right here on Overcoming With God.  Carla Gade was our guest on the OWG Blog!

Hop 2  Saturday, November 9th,   Ashley Clark on Anita Mae Draper's blog.

Week Two

Hop 3 Saturday, November 16th, Anita Mae Draper on Johnnie Alexander Donley's blog.

Hop 4  Sunday Nov 17th  Julie Carobini on Ashley Clark's blog 

Week Three

Hop 5 Friday, November 22nd,  Carrie Fancett Pagels is on Carla Olson Gade's blog.

Hop 6 Saturday, November 23rd,  Johnnie Alexander Donley is on Julie Carobini's blog 

Week Four

Friday, November 29th,  Colonial Quills Blog announces Grand Prize winner. Grand Prize winner must have left a comment on each of the Blog Hop blogs.  A $70 porcelain tea set from Yorktown Victory Center, a $10 Amazon gift card, a $10 Starbucks card, $10 Trader Joes card, special cocoa packets, the two-book hardcover copies of "A Christmas Cup of Cheer" and more will be given away.

To order A Cup of Christmas Cheer two-book hardcover set from Guidepost Books, click here.

Review of Carla Olson Gade's "Upon a Christmas Tree Schooner" for A Cup of Christmas Cheer Blog Hop 1

Upon a Christmas Tree Schooner by Carla Olson Gade

Inspired by the real Christmas tree schooners, of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a ship's captain takes his schooner for his last haul of the season upon icy Lake Michigan to return with Christmas trees for the German immigrants in his town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His journey leads to an unexpected surprise of hope and healing for he and his grieving wife with a Christmas gift to treasure for years to come.

My review:  This story is the sixth one in Volume One Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays in Guidepost Books "A Cup of Christmas Cheer" which releases this month. I love the little graphics they did for each story.  Carla's "Upon a Christmas Schooner" has a little schooner ship up top.

Set in 1880 in Wisconsin and in Michigan's beautiful upper peninsula (from whence I am from!) this story about Captain Mathias Grunewald and his wife Rosina is very touching.  The couple lost their only child, a son, on the Great Lakes the previous year.  Mrs. Grunewald has slipped into extended mourning. As her husband prepares to obtain a shipment of Christmas trees to sell in their German community, the couple prepares to start a new beginning.

Mathias encounters treacherous weather on the lakes as he nears the Upper Peninsula and arrives after snow has begun.  Once the crew gets to the lumber camp to take on the trees, Mathias has a providential encounter--with young Luca, an orphan. Although the camp boss asks Captain Grunewald to take the boy to the orphanage in Wisconsin, he refuses--he lost his own son from his schooner the previous year.

Spoiler alert:

Young Luca has his own agenda but almost brings tragedy, yet again, upon Captain Grunewald and his crew. When Mrs. Grunewald sees the young man who has come home with her husband, three lives begin to change forever.

Loved this story!  I think this could really be a Christmas classic story that could be read and re-read.  Having an 11-year-old son, this story did upset me a little to read.  I know how rascally boys that age can be and it is sad what happened to the Grunewald's son.  Carla did a great job of not letting the reader dwell on that sadness, however.  I highly recommend that you read and enjoy this story by a talented author!!!

Carla Olson Gade

BIO

Carla Olson Gade writes adventures of the heart with with historical roots. In addition to her contribution in A Cup of Christmas Cheer, she is a multi-published author of inspirational historical romance. She resides with her family in rural Maine and looks forward to celebrating Christmas with her first grandson.

Carla's Social Media LINKS:

Website  

Blog 

Facebook

Twitter  @carlagade  

Pinterest

Here's the rest of the Blog Hop schedule:

Saturday, November 9th,   Ashley Clark is on Anita Mae Draper's blog.

Saturday, November 16th, Anita Mae Draper is on Johnnie Alexander Donley's blog.

Sunday Nov 17th  Julie Carobini on Ashley Clark's blog 

Friday, November 22nd,  Carrie Fancett Pagels is on Carla Olson Gade's blog.

Saturday, November 23rd,  Johnnie Alexander Donley is on Julie Carobini's blog 

Friday, November 29th,  Colonial Quills Blog to announce Grand Prize winner. Grand Prize winner must have left a comment on each of the Blog Hop blogs.  A $70 porcelain tea set from Yorktown Victory Center, a $10 Amazon gift card, special cocoa packets, the two-book hardcover copies of "A Christmas Cup of Cheer" and more will be given away.

To order A Cup of Christmas Cheer two-book hardcover set from Guidepost Books, click here.

GIVEAWAY

Carla is giving away a beautiful German "Brocade Star" beeswax Christmas ornament made from antique mold, just as the Grunvald family in Upon a Christmas Tree Schooner might have had on their Christmas tree. Isn't this beautiful?

QUESTION:  Have you experienced a Christmas tragedy and had God bring healing in a subsequent Christmas?  Leave your email address and answer/comment to enter.