About the Book
Will Margaret’s prayers for a child of her own be answered
this Christmas or does God have something else in store? After five years of
marriage, Margaret’s prayers for a baby have gone unanswered. When she and her
husband, Thomas travel to Boston to help his ailing father, Margaret happens
upon a desperate young woman, sick and lying in the street heavy with child.
Unable to simply ignore the woman, Margaret makes the decision to take the
woman in. Condemned for her decision to help a woman of ill repute, Margaret
does what she knows is right—even if doing the right thing sometimes has
life-altering consequences.
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My review:
Child of Light is a precious tale of a woman who gives
everything of herself to others, yet is denied her heart’s desire for a child
of her own. In the harshness of rebuilding society after America’s Civil War, Margaret,
a southern girl, spends fall and Christmas of 1870 with her Yankee husband’s
family in Boston, helping them in ways that tear her heartstrings. Her
father-in-law was injured on the job and reluctantly, if cheerfully, accepts
her help, only to remind her of the happy home she left in Texas. Her
sister-in-law is expecting a fourth child and accepts Margaret’s help caring
for the household. Though happy to help, her nieces and nephew remind her of
the emptiness of her cradle. Even the news from home hurts when Margaret learns
her younger newly married sister is going to have a baby.
When Margaret, unlike others on the street, can’t bring
herself to step over a woman obviously in need, she risks her job and the
health of everyone around her with potential contagion by rendering aid. Margaret’s compassion
in offering their home is rewarded in ways she never thought possible.
A brief interview with the Author
Introduce us to the Christmas holiday tradition in your book’s community.
Child of Light takes place in Boston, MA during the
Christmas of 1870. Margaret and her husband, Thomas moves to Boston from South
Texas after Thomas’s father suffers an injury. Everything about Boston is
foreign to Margaret, including the frigid temperatures there. While in Boston,
Margaret and Thomas follow the week-by-week celebration of Advent. I would like
my readers to see that when we face uncertain times in unfamiliar places,
especially during the holidays, keeping up with the traditions we are
accustomed to can be a soothing balm and also helps us to remember to keep
Christ first. And by praying for the hope, love, joy, and peace of advent, we
allow God an opportunity to reveal himself in our lives at Christmastime.
What would you like your readers to know about
Christmas after reading your story?
After reading Child of Light, I would like my readers to
believe that miracles really can and do happen, especially at Christmas. What
better time for a miracle to take place than during the celebration of the
birth of the Christ Child, the King of Kings!
What is your favorite family Christmas
tradition?
Three years ago my family started a new Christmas tradition
of choosing a theme for our celebration. Our first year’s theme was The
Reindeer Games and consisted of fun games, contests and competitions, including
each family member creating their own elf name. The following year we
celebrated Christmas in Mexico. We adorned our home with colorful Mexican
decorations and ate tamales and guacamole with all the works. Last year’s theme
was A Cajun Christmas. Family members wore overalls, and we enjoyed eating
delicious boudin balls and seafood gumbo. I can hardly wait for this year as we
celebrate A Hawaiian Christmas. So…Mele Kalikimaka y’all!
About the Author
Annette O’Hare is
an award-winning author of inspirational historical romance. Her love for
history shines through in her novels. As a member of the Christian Author
Network, American Christian Fiction Writers and ACFW The Woodlands, Annette
desires to reveal God’s love to her readers while hopefully giving them a laugh
or two. Annette and husband Dan of thirty-three years live in Porter, Texas and
enjoy fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast and spending time with their two sons, a
daughter, a daughter-in-law, two lovable rescue dogs, three grand-dogs, and a
Russian tortoise named Frankie.
