Woo hoo! It's finally here. Today, I'm kicking off the Countdown to Christmas {Book} Party, and I'm inviting you to stop by each day to see what's going on! I'll post at least once per day (most days, I'll be posting two or even three times) and share Christmas-themed Blogside Chats with authors, reviews of Christmas books, and lots of giveaways! I'll also throw in a couple of things that I want to share as Christmas approaches, so it should be a ton of fun!
To get things started, I'm so excited to have Tricia Goyer with us for a quick Christmasy Blogside Chat and giveaway! Tricia's newest book is a great Christmas read—A Christmas Gift for Rose. If you haven't read it yet, please check it out! You can read my review and see just how much I loved it!
(Also, be sure to stop by later today for another Blogside Chat (and giveaway) with Ruth Logan Herne!)
i blog 4 books: Welcome, Tricia! What is your most memorable Christmas and why?
Tricia Goyer: That's SO
hard! I love every Christmas! It's my favorite holiday. The first one
that came to mind is when I was eighteen years old. I'd given my heart
to Jesus when I was pregnant and I gave birth to a baby boy right before
my eighteenth birthday (and after my high school graduation!). After I
dedicated my life to God I'd started praying for my future husband, and
God brought me John! So in one year I became a new creation in Christ,
graduated from high school, had my son, turned eighteen years old, and
met a wonderful Christian man and got engaged. I can still feel the glow
of joy that I felt sitting under the Christmas tree, understanding
faith and family more than I ever had before.
ib4b: Wow! That does sound like an amazing Christmas! Name three words that you associate with Christmas.
TG: Jesus, gifts, family
ib4b: How will your family celebrate Christmas this year?
TG: We're
going to have most of our family here with food, games, togetherness,
and then we'll have ALL my kids together in January. The “big” gift for
everyone this year will be a family trip the month after Christmas. I'm
excited!
ib4b: What is the best gift you’ve ever given?
TG: I gave my son Settlers of Catan one year, and it's our family's all time favorite board game!
ib4b: I've heard a lot about that game but haven't played it before. We might have to change that soon. :) Who gave you the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? What was it?
TG: When I was seven years old my grandpa made me a doll house. My mom and grandma furnished it. It was so sweet!!
ib4b: Oh, gifts made with love are the best! Tell me about the Christmas tradition that means the most to you.
TG: Every
year we “act out” the Christmas story. The kids take different parts
and we act out the scene with Mary, Joseph, the angel, etc. It's fun to
see how the production changes as the kids grow . . . and as we add new
ones!
ib4b: How do you keep your focus on Christ during this hectic but wondrous time of year?
TG: I
love to have Christmas hymns playing throughout the day. We also have
Christ-centered decorations around the house that lead to conversation.
And the center is the numerous nativity sets that I have around the
house. I have them at kid-level and let them touch them. I want the
conversation to come up, often.
ib4b: What is your favorite ...
Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life
Christmas song? "Santa Baby." LOL . . . and "Mary Do You Know" for completely different reasons!
Christmas treat? Chocolate-covered Oreos :)
Christmas smell? Cinnamon
Christmas children’s book? The Crippled Lamb
About A Christmas Gift for Rose
Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up
in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is
overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns that she was born Englisch and
abandoned when her family moved West in search of work.
Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up
with her own kind—Englischers? When the man she loves leaves her
behind, Rose is certain he left for good. Yet Rose discovers sometimes
our greatest gifts are the ones we fear.
About Tricia Goyer
Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John.
Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to
find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining
readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A
bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and
has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award
winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee.
She is a beloved author of Amish fiction, writing the Big Sky and Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Series. Tricia is currently working on The One Year Book of Amish Peace: Hearing God’s Voice in the Simple Things and a true Amish story co-written with Ora Jay and Irene Eash (contracted to release in 2013 and 2014 respectively).
Tricia is also the visionary force behind the new website, Not Quite Amish. Inspired by the writing process of her Amish releases, she wanted to create a community where Amish and simple living experts can become contributors. Launched in the fall of 2012, the Not Quite Amish lifestyle blog features daily posts about recipes, repurposing, simple style, beautifying your home, sewing Amish proverbs, and more. In addition to having more than fifteen regular contributors, readers are also encouraged to submit ideas, questions, and posts for topics they’d like to see written about.
Connect with Tricia Online
Giveaway
Tricia is graciously giving away TWO copies of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska, which she co-wrote with Ocieanna Fleiss. I loved this book too! Very unique way of telling a story, intertwining the past and present. The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends December 9. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*** All participants must be 18 years or older. The winner will be contacted
via email. Once contacted the winner has 72 hours to respond with the
required information. If the winner does not respond within the
timeframe specified, another winner will be chosen. I am not responsible
for shipping mishaps. Void where prohibited. ***
To me, you can't make a better movie than It's A Wonderful Life. I love to see that every year.
ReplyDeleteI love Tricia Goyer and really enjoyed this interview! Thanks for the opportunity to win her book, Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
My favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation.
ReplyDeleteWith three little ones, our household Christmas favorite is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas show is Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer. We've been watching this show for three generations.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Thompson
barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com
Christmas on Plum Creek. angelachesnut(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Carol is my favorite movie. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love Polar Express. It was my favorite book as a child and a story I performed in the "storytelling" category for speech competitions.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is It's a Wonderful Life.
ReplyDeleteWhite Christmas...
ReplyDeleteI just watched Christmas with the Kranks over the weekend -- it might just be my new favorite!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any favorite Christmas movies, but my daughter's favorite is Jack Frost, and she makes me watch it regularly.
ReplyDeleteOne Magic Christmas...
ReplyDeleteI love White Christmas and Holiday Inn... a tie!
ReplyDeleteI love lots of Christmas movies but the favorite few are: The Christmas Card, A season for Miracles, Christmas in Connecticut, Bachelor Mother,and White Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThere are several movies that I have to watch every year. One of my favorites is White Christmas.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Shoes. Makes me cry every time.
ReplyDeleteEndless reruns of A Christmas Story keep my family jolly!
ReplyDeleteI am new to your blog. Really nice. My favorite Christmas movie is hard to say, love Mr. Kruger's Christmas, It's a wonderful life and the little Matchgirl is a real old fave!
ReplyDeleteI think It's a Wonderful Life and White Christmas are classics. I love them both. Now, they have a new show on all day one right after the other, and i have seen so many great new movies. would love to be a winner. Thanks for the interview and give-away. MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com
ReplyDeleteFavorite Christmas movie!? My, how does one answer that. Well, I love a classic like White Christmas yet enjoy the newbies such as the programming Hallmark puts out - and I adore The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these fun and awesome giveaways.
I am a sucker for "A Christmas Story" So cute. My husband loves "It's a Wonderful Life" we watch both at least three times each season. :)
ReplyDeleteMiracle on 34th street
ReplyDeleteBrittany McEuen
Polar Express as I teach preschoolers and show that movie every year!! Pajama day!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas movie is The Christmas Card. It's a Hallmark movie and I watch it as many times as I can year after year.
ReplyDeletemauback55 at gmail dot com