Carol James and her new Christmas story

The Unexpected Christmas Gift

Carol Wilson James

White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures, Inc.

December 1, 2019

Holiday extravaganza inspirational romantic novella

113 pp

$3.99

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About the Book

Eli Walker is a fun-loving entrepreneur. His job is to advise and restructure struggling companies. Holly’s mission is to save the company she works for by finding new customers at a trade show in Dusseldorf.

But when she fulfills her promise to her boss to visit the cathedral in Cologne, her quest changes.

Filled with twinkling lights and snowflakes Christmas markets and a romantic Ferris wheel Eli and Holly’s time together in Germany is an unexpected gift. But when they return home Eli must make a decision that could cost him what he wants most in life...Holly.

My review

This sweet little inspirational romance has all the very best parts of holiday reads. I adored it all, the absolutely charming setting of Germany, the sweet characters with their foibles, the love at first scent, and even the disaster of a Jurassic-sized conflict. My inner editor totally went to sleep. I want to be Holly’s parents. They’re so cool. I want to go to…oh, wait. I’m getting ahead of myself.

When two lonely strangers on an international trade show trip accidentally, coincidentally, wind up sharing all kind of marvelous adventures in Germany, of course it’s natural to fall into each other’s arms. Been there!!! It happens. And when they’re both on the same page, reveal their deepest fears and dark secrets and vow to stay in touch when they’re back home in Texas…and everything is going so well…the perfect Bam! threatens to erase the magic. How these two work out the unresolvable problems is a lovely, lovely thing.

Great characters and an adorable storyline will charm the Christmas Grinch. Take a couple of hours and steal away to Germany for a lovely little bite-size holiday read.

About the Author

Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction. ​She lives in Lilburn, a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell “Terrorist” named Zoe. An English/education major, she has taught students as young as kindergarteners and as old as high school seniors. 

Having always loved good stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing as a ministry––to encourage others as she’d been encouraged by the works of other authors of inspirational fiction. 

Retired from her "real" job, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends, volunteering at and serving on the board of a nearby Christian school, and serving in the production department at her church. She is also a soccer fan extraordinaire and keeps her DVR busy recording Atlanta United and English Premier League games. And, most days in the late hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning, she can be found bringing her newest novel to life.

Holiday Read Mistletoe MixUp

Mistletoe Mix-Up

Jody Day

From White Rose, an imprint of Pelican Ventures LLC

A Christmas Holiday Extravaganza novella

$2.99

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About the Book

Mistletoe Mix-up - Evan Edwards faces another lonely Christmas in the dorm. His mom is on her fourth, or maybe it's her fifth, honeymoon. A rain-soaked ad promises free room and board in exchange for holiday decorating. Evan jumps at the chance to spend Christmas in a cozy home. The owners won't even be there until Christmas Day, so he'll have plenty of time to practice their piano for his graduation recital. He heads for Candle, Tx. Across the street, Rise' Larkin, also home from college for the holidays, has some bad news for her widowed father.

As Evan and Rise's friendship grows, Evan wonders if he might have a future with a family of his own. Evan realizes, nearly too late, that he's been living in, and decorating the wrong house! Will this crazy mistletoe mix-up ruin his Christmas, or possibly, even his future?

From the Author

Tell us why Mistletoe is part of your Christmas story.

Honestly, the theme of this story is a super crazy mix-up at Christmas time, and with a hint of romance, Mistletoe was the logical choice.

What would you like your readers to know about Christmas after reading your story?

Evan has retreated into his music to hide from his sad life. Music is the only thing that has never let him down. His one experience with church was a disaster. I hope readers will learn through Evan's experience in this book that God loved him all time, even when Evan didn't know him, and that God has a purpose for his life.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Our family has a tradition of coming over to decorate my tree. Even though all six children have their own households now, they still come, along with 14 grandchildren, to deck the halls. My husband serves his special red hot punch, and jalapeno cheese roll. One day we'll have decorations above the bottom half of the tree, but in the meantime, it's so much fun.

About the Author

Jody Bailey Day writes inspirational fiction from her home in West Texas. She is the author of the

Washout Series from The Pelican Book Group. She enjoys her job at the local library, and when not working or writing, can be found crocheting candy corn action figures to go with her children's book Yellow Bottom Bob, spending time with her grandchildren, or watching silent movies with her husband of 33 years.

Christmas Passed Holiday Read with Anita Klumpers

About the Book

Dinah loves Christmas. She loves history, the old Wagner House, and the elderly women working to preserve its heritage. She loves almost everything except Mick Wagner, her childhood nemesis.

But if they want to save the Wagner House and solve a mystery that's been hiding in the attic for almost eighty years, they'll have to join forces. And they have to do it quickly, before one of them dies trying.

$2.99

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A brief interview with the Author:

Introduce us to the Christmas holiday tradition/festival in your book’s community.

            The Wagner House Winter Wonderland celebration is at the center of “Christmas Passed.” Meant as a fundraiser for a neighborhood historical society in Milwaukee, the extravaganza takes place in the Wagner House, a catalogue home built the early 20th century.

            As Dinah, our bookish heroine says, “Everyone does Victorian Christmas, but I’ve never seen one decorated as it would have been in the thirties.”

            The opening night party features foods that would have been popular in those years just before World War Two. Plum pudding and stuffed olives, sweet potato puffs and spiced applesauce, marmalades and mince pies—does that make your mouth water? I’m in the fence

            Dinah has grand ideas to pipe pre-war Christmas carols through the old kitchen radio, let guests string popcorn and cranberries to decorate the enormously spindly tree, and outfit the wait staff in serving uniforms from the 1930s.

            Dinah’s grand ideas don’t always turn out as she planned. Will the Winter Wonderland celebration be another failure? Maybe…

My Review:

The bane of Dinah Braun’s childhood holds the keys-literally-to a fascinating neighborhood secret two generations old.

Combining two of her passions, Dinah agrees to photograph her favorite local historic home being outfitted for a rare Christmas open house fundraiser. Along the way, she and the grandson of the neighbors she knew, now grown-up college professor Mickey Wagner, realize their teenage misconceptions of each other and maybe themselves are easily overcome by simply taking a step back and not jumping to outlandish convictions.

Mick is in for big surprises, both internal and familial, as he reacquaints himself with his family heritage through the eyes of the girl he once considered an annoying Miss Know-it-all. Realizing Dinah has some rather important qualities he lacks is humbling.

This short, sweet holiday read has a lot of twists amid the sweet sense of discovery. Fun especially for those who enjoy romances and mystery and a little history, Christmas Passed is a single point-of-view tale for the reader of quirky, believable Midwestern sensibilities.

About the Author

            Anita Klumpers is Midwest born and bred, except for a brief and exhilarating few years in Denver when she was small. She received a teaching degree sometime in the previous millennium and used it mostly to homeschool her three sons. These days Anita chases her grandchildren around, waving books at them and suggesting everyone cuddle up for a good story.

            Good stories are her passion, especially if they are well-written, have a dose of humor, just a tickle of romance, and a decidedly non-gory mystery. On the other hand, she lists “Frankenstein” and “Fahrenheit 451” as two of her favorite books. Go figure.

            Creating skits was Anita’s first foray into writing. Always up for a challenge and a reason to postpone defrosting the freezer, she tried her hand at a full-length novel. It only took five years, but she did it!

            Daily (honestly) she marvels at how much she loves coffee and her husband; her family, friends and church. Even more, she is astonished at how much she is loved by her Lord and Savior.

            Her blog is “The Tuesday Prude” and she’s had two books published by Pelican/Prism Books (“Winter Watch” and “Hounded.”)

“Christmas Passed” is due December 2018 and “Buttonholed” is contracted with Pelican/Prism Books.

Mistletoe Mania! and book launch

Celebrating release day for our Christmas Holiday Extravaganza 2018!

Today, the three Happy Holiday stories featuring Mistletoe are highlighted below!

But first, a little about mistletoe.

TODAY - DECEMBER 1 - ONLY
FACEBOOK LAUNCH AND GIVEAWAY
FACEBOOK 10:30-Noon EST, 9:30-11 AM CST

Mistletoe—it puts a picture in everyone’s mind, doesn’t it? Mostly we think of this little plant as a cute holiday decoration put up in doorways or other passageways to encourage a kiss. It’s an ancient plant with over 13,000 species worldwide, many of which are endangered. North America has over 30 different species alone.

So, what is it? Would it change your mind about the cute kissing Christmas decoration if I told you that it’s partially a parasite? It can grow on its own and makes its own food through photosynthesis; it just prefers the easy way out by attaching itself to some kind of tree and eating from it. Those thousands of species come in several shapes and sizes, with different berries. Some types are shrubby with little flowers and white berries that are poisonous; some prefer growing on oak trees, most on apple trees.

Naturally such an ancient plant has many legends associated with it. Celtic people of northern Europe, Greeks, Germans, and Scandinavians stories have been passed down through the eons. Mistletoe is revered as a symbol of fertility and emasculation, depending on what part of a king’s reign he finds himself in. The ancient Druids used it in their cult ceremonies. We’re trying to keep it upbeat here, so that’s as far as I’ll go. You can look up more if you want. In various cultures it was considered to ward off evil spirits, put out fires, and bring about peace. Enemies could make peace treaties underneath a ball of mistletoe; in Scandinavia, embattled spouses could make up and kiss under the mistletoe. In France, kissing under mistletoe was once considered a New Year’s Day custom.

In Scandinavian mythology "the Death of Baldur", the plant was sacred to Frigga. She was the mother of Balder, who dreamed that if he died, all life on earth would end. Frigga went to all the elements, air, fire, water and earth, as well as the animals and plants and exacted a promise that nothing on earth or under the earth would harm her son and thus end all life. Unfortunately, she overlooked mistletoe, which grows neither on nor under earth, but in the trees. Loki had an arrow made of mistletoe and gave it to Hoder who killed Balder. Frigga’s tears for her son became the white berries on the plant. Balder was restored to life three days later. Frigga kissed everyone under the mistletoe who came to offer help. Can you relate this tale to the Christian story of Jesus?

Mistletoe’s mythical healing powers are beginning to be studied in modern medicine as a cancer treatment. Although mistletoe parasite growths affects the life cycle of the trees it “infests,” the growth harbors nesting birds, including endangered species such as the spotted owl, as well as small nesting mammals, and butterflies such as various hairstreaks, and bees. The berries are poisonous to humans, but many creatures rely on them during times of scarcity.

So—mistletoe the misunderstood? Mistletoe the romantic? Which side are you on?

Come back and check in on THURSDAY DECEMBER 6 to see the post and review here.
$2.99 eBook
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble

Mistletoe Mix-up - Evan Edwards faces another lonely Christmas in the dorm. His mom is on her fourth, or maybe it's her fifth, honeymoon. A rain-soaked ad promises free room and board in exchange for holiday decorating. Evan jumps at the chance to spend Christmas in a cozy home. The owners won't even be there until Christmas Day, so he'll have plenty of time to practice their piano for his graduation recital. He heads for Candle, Tx. Across the street, Rise' Larkin, also home from college for the holidays, has some bad news for her widowed father.

As Evan and Rise's friendship grows, Evan wonders if he might have a future with a family of his own. Evan realizes, nearly too late, that he's been living in, and decorating the wrong house! Will this crazy mistletoe mix-up ruin his Christmas, or possibly, even his future?

Come back SATURDAY DECEMBER  8 to read the full post and review here.
$2.99 eBook
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble

A former musician, Melody Staff, spends Christmas at a bed and breakfast in the village of Mistletoe Meadows. While everyone sings familiar carols of Christ drawing near, Melody stumbles over misplaced notes. Her recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has scared off her fiancé and thrust her life into a grand pause. Will her heart ever sing again? Quentin Oxford has endured a devastating year. His preteen daughter suffered a stroke, and they’ve grieved his wife’s sudden death, but the Lord coaxes a surprising refrain from Quentin’s heart as God rewrites his and Melody’s score into a love song.

$2.99 eBook

Purchase links:

AMAZON UK 

AMAZON US 

BARNES AND NOBLE 

Ivy has just cause to be wary of men. Her long-time fiancé backed out of their wedding. The slow fizzle of their undramatic relationship leaves her wondering if romance is a myth. Then, Adam, an intriguing new member of her pet organization, catches Ivy’s attention. Unfortunately, his cat Isis, a beautiful purebred Egyptian Mau, prefers to pick on her cat, Memnet. Ivy would like to get to know Adam better, but with her self-esteem in the gutter and feline fights at every turn, she wonders how to proceed.

When Ivy agrees to help a clingy friend find her missing pet, she learns that true love doesn’t need theatrics. There’s hope for Adam and Ivy, if only their cats would approve.

Satisfy your reading Frenzy with CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA!

Pelican Book Group LLC is pleased to announce 2018 Christmas Holiday Extravaganza releases

All of these novelettes release tomorrow December 1, 2018 from your favorite retailer, and through the publisher directly: Pelican Book Group. They are currently in eBook format only and the Kindle links are included below, but check out Nook or other sites. Enjoy handfuls of these little bites of perfect holiday reading, from romance to suspense to mystery, all clean and wholesome. Great as gifts! Fill that e-Reader for your favorite book lover!

Starting on December 1, I will showcase a number of these titles, along with a review. Join us! You might even walk away with a surprise. Tomorrow's Post: All about MISTLETOE!