Newest Review for MAKING CHRISTMAS AGAIN!

I received a wonderful review for Making Christmas Again from Lynn Goodwin at Reedsy Discovery. She said she, 

"Loved it! 😍 

With a warm tone, well-rounded people, and a plot that won’t stop churning, the author skillfully lets you into the character's lives."

Visit:

 https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/making-christmas-again-penelope-marzec#review

You can read the entire review AND a preview of the book. 

The Galley for Love’s Gift

 

A few day ago, I received the galley for Love’s Gift, my historical romance, which is due to be released in March. I was very excited and told some friends of mine who aren’t authors. They never heard of a galley in reference to a book.

The word galley goes back a long way, from the ancient days of printing. Before computers, printing was done with metal pieces of the alphabet set in lines and placed into a metal pan, which was called a galley. Despite the advances in printing, the word continues to be used.

Since my father was a journalist, I had the advantage of seeing printers using hot lead to set the news stories for the day. It was rather fascinating, but definitely time consuming and working with hot metal type seemed dangerous to me, but that’s how it was done before computers took over.

I think it was a great idea to do away with the hot lead process.  

In today’s publishing world, the galley arrives as a pdf. I read through it, line by line, and make sure there aren’t any mistakes. Unfortunately, there always are things that need fixing. Though at the galley stage, an author cannot make any big changes in the document. When I find an error, I have to record it in a separate document, noting the page number and line number. I cannot make any corrections on the pdf.

After the galley is sent back to the publisher with the corrections, the errors are fixed and the book is ready for publication. So, getting a galley is a huge step toward publication. In fact, you can pre-order the book now at https://www.amazon.com/Loves-Gift-Penelope-Marzec-ebook/dp/B0D49BZ5P4

Reviews for MAKING CHRISTMAS AGAIN!

So far, MAKING CHRISTMAS AGAIN has gotten some very wonderful reviews and I am grateful to those who took the time to write and post their thoughts on this novella. 

A. Klumpers wrote, 

     "'Making Christmas Again' by Penelope Marzec is a heartwarming story, but that doesn’t mean it’s trite or cliche. Before our hearts can warm, they run a gamut of emotions. (Or at least they do if you’re an empathetic reader. If you’re the clinical type who doesn’t jump right into the characters’ skin (or shoes) you can still enjoy a good story told with good writing.)As I was saying—while this is ultimately a tale of joy, it first plunges us into the bleak sorrow of Celeste. Life has thrown her a surplus of grief. Her beloved sister died before she reached her teens. Her father died while still in his prime. And she’s just come home to her ‘lovely, small, unremarkable” hometown because her mother has died. There is nothing for her in Apple Hill, New Jersey. But she’s burned her bridges with her job in Kentucky when she turned whistleblower against her corrupt boss. She is a broken woman and we don’t really know if she has the moral fortitude to get through her grief and anxiety and a man living in her basement.
     Sawyer doesn’t really LIVE in her basement. Just keeps his stuff there and sleeps there when blizzards—which are apparently common in NJ—hit. Sawyer is grieving the loss of his wife, trying to keep his business afloat, and showering love on his adorable little son Glenn. Who, like Celeste’s beloved sister, has Down Syndrome.
     The author has a deft touch with characterizations. Sawyer is a man of faith who struggles with his heartache but is always trying to be the hands and feet of Christ. Celeste is complex—prickly and vulnerable and unreasonable and wise. How Sawyer reconciles his fear of loss with hope for the future, how Celeste finds a strength outside herself that empowers her to be vulnerable, and how the endearing Glenn holds both their hands and hearts makes for a satisfying Christmas story."

C. Revell wrote,

"Celeste returns home in a snowstorm after the death of her mother - to find things have changed without her being informed. For one thing her mother rented out the basement to a stranger named Sawyer and his cute but messy son Glenn, who like her sister has Downs Syndrome. And for another her mother rewrote her will to include Sawyer.

Lots of snow, action and Christmas make this a page turner and a yummy tummy enjoyable read. (Right!)
PS read the book to get the above reference."

Carol J. wrote,

"Making Christmas Again by Penelope Marzec is a heartwarming Christmas romance. After losing her job because she discovered some financial discrepancies at work, Celeste Greenfield returns to her family home. Because her mother recently passed away, she expects the house to be empty. But she discovers her mother has leased the basement to a single father, recently widowed, and his young Down Syndrome son, Glenn. This arrangement causes all sorts of sweet scenarios. Celeste and Sawyer are attracted to each other, yet are afraid to let themselves begin a relationship. He is working through the loss of his wife, and she is working through her loss of faith. But when the whole town comes together to support them by planning a live nativity to make Christmas again, Celeste’s heart softens. The characters are likable and inspiring. Glenn adds so much warmth to the novella. This is a charming and moving story about two broken people who turn their hearts toward God and toward each other."

M. Jean P. wrote,

"Sometimes you find your future in returning to the past. This point is so beautifully illustrated in Penelope Marzek’s Christmas novella, Making Christmas Again. Celeste is no stranger to loss. At a young age she sustained the loss of her father and her younger sister. She’d recently relocated to Kentucky for her dream job only to have it turn into a nightmare. When her mother unexpectedly passes away, Celeste returns to her childhood home in New Jersey to settle her affairs and discovers a man is renting her mother’s the basement. His presence in the house is an inconvenience to say the least. Celeste had hoped to sell the house quickly and get back to her life in Lexington. She doesn’t want anything to do with the handsome renter – or the God that he claims cares about her. The blow is softened when the man’s adorable special needs son, Glenn, steals Celeste’s heart. (He might just steal yours, too!) The author did a masterful job with these characters. I loved Celeste, Sawyer and Glenn."

Miriam T. wrote,

"A touching Christmas story filled with love. This novella does a great job of showing how difficult loss can be, especially near Christmas, but also the beauty God can bring into our lives after loss if we let Him. Celeste’s struggle to forgive and trust God after experiencing so many losses was heartfelt and relatable. I enjoyed the sweet romance between Celeste and Sawyer, as well as Celeste’s relationship with Sawyer’s son, Glenn, an adorable three-year-old with Down Syndrome. This is a sweet story of forgiveness, second chances, and love."

K. Malley wrote,

"When Celeste travels home to New Jersey after her mother’s death, she’s shocked to find a man and his adorable son in her mother’s basement. Sawyer is doing his best raising his son after the loss of his wife, but his faith in God never wavers. Celeste falls for little Glenn, who has Down Syndrome, as he reminds her so much of the sister she lost who had the same condition. Glenn is a wonderful little boy that you can’t help but smile at whenever he enters the story. Making Christmas Again is an inspirational story of Celeste returning to the God she shunned when she lost her sister. This heartwarming tale makes you root for Celeste and Sawyer to find happiness together. Along the way, they deal with blizzards, power outages, and an accident, all made better with the help of cookies!"

S. Baganz wrote,

"Reading Penelope Marzec's book Making Christmas Again is compelling, because sometimes Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas. Have you ever experienced that?

Celeste has a lot going on. Her mother died so she's gotta leave a challenging job situation to go home to settle affairs. She's the only remaining person in her family which is terribly sad. She also had broken up with a menacing boyfriend/boss and had uncovered his embezzlement and was a whistleblower, only her employer doesn't realize this yet. She also left her mother's faith behind her, focusing more on numbers than the intangible.

She arrives home to find someone living in her mother's basement. Make that two someones! One is a little boy has Down Syndrome which her deceased sister also had, so now she's missing her mom and her sister and there's a snowstorm.

Sawyer is the father to this precious little soul and is also grieving Mrs. Greenfield's death as she had been so helpful to him with his son after his wife died and had encouraged him in his business, even renting her basement space for his work. Celeste hadn't been told. Now he has a new landlord who can't see past her own grief and challenges to trust, much less celebrate the faith her mother held dear.

Death, upheaval, an extra chromosome, snow, and other challenges face these two characters as they find their way through each day to understanding each other and maybe even falling in love. But will Celeste stay in town or will she return to her employer leaving Sawyer's heart broken?

Through all the twists and turns, challenges, and snowstorms, these two people might find a miracle yet and Christmas might once again be cherished and celebrated."

I am so thrilled with the reviews! I hope you'll download the book and find it just as good as these reviewers thought. 

You can find it everywhere!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Christmas-Again-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B0DFD4XM5R

 

Barne&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-christmas-again-penelope-marzec/1146222909?ean=9781522304920

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/making-christmas-again

 

Pelican Book Group: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_41&products_id=1696 (It’s only $0.99 at the publisher’s website until Christmas.)

 

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Guest Post: CHRISTMAS LIGHTS & MOONLIT NIGHTS by Carol James

     My guest today is Carol James, an author of inspirational fiction. She loves creating Redemptive Romance. She lives in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell Terrier, Zoe.
     Carol enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends, and serving in the production department at her church. She’s a Frappuccino and soccer aficionado.
     Her father was a career Air Force officer, and she grew up sitting on the arm of his recliner, watching old military and war movies, reading military fiction. So there’s a special place in her heart for “guy stories.”
     And from those moments, Christmas Lights and Moonlit Nights was born. It’s a second-chance story about two people who met as teenagers, but meet again years later when she’s a successful business woman, and he’s a handsome Navy SEAL. Who wouldn’t like that?

What's it about?

     All Leah Davidson wants is to spend a quiet Christmas with her parents on Palm Island. Her father’s recovering from surgery, so she’s volunteered to take over his decorating responsibilities. Plus, it’s a good excuse to get away from her ex-boyfriend. But then she discovers her neighbors have a Christmas visitor, too. One she has a history with.

     Navy SEAL Jed  Price is spending Christmas with his aunt and uncle on Palm Island. He wants a relaxing time away from the pressures of his work, and the secluded island seems like the perfect escape. Until he sees his aunt and uncle’s neighbor.

     Jed remembers Leah as the snobby girl next door. And Leah remembers Jed as the immature boy who was afraid of the water. But they’ve both changed.

     Can Leah and Jed move past their earlier issues and work together to make Christmas a joyous time of love and forgiveness?

Read the excerpt!
(Leah is returning home to spend a quiet Christmas with her parents. Their neighbors have come for dinner, and they’re bringing their nephew, Jed, whom Leah hasn’t seen since they were kids.)
 
            When the bell rang right at six, Leah opened the front door. The Cobbs stood there smiling. Leah peeked around the doorjamb. No Jed. Mrs. Cobb clasped Leah’s hand and winked. “Jed’ll be along in a minute. His flight got in late, and he’s just about finished cleaning up.”
            As the Cobbs made their way inside, Leah was left to be the welcoming committee of one. She dropped into one of the wicker chairs on the porch and waited. Eventually, footsteps crunched against the gravel roadway, and then she saw him. Her breath caught. He looked nothing like he had fifteen years ago. Certainly, taller than she was. His orange hair had morphed into a rich auburn color, and he sported a scruffy beard. Normally, she wasn’t a beard-girl, but something about his attracted her. It enhanced his jawline and gave his boyish face an air of maturity and mystery. He might have been forty. He might have been eighteen. He would have made a good spy.
            She stood and offered her hand. “You must be Jed. I’m Leah Davidson. Welcome.”
            “Jed Price.” He shook her hand. “I think we’ve met before…maybe in an earlier life?” He grinned.
            “If you consider childhood an earlier life, then, yes.” 
            Jed nodded. “Well, it sure feels like a different life. A lot can change after those years.”
            That was true, especially in his case. “Well, it’s good to see you again.”
            “Good to see you, too.”
            She doubted he truly meant that…unless he’d forgotten how nasty she and her girlfriends had been to him that summer. How they’d teased him about not being able to swim or even enjoy wading out into the water. Kids could be so cruel. An apology loomed in their near future. But now wasn’t the time.
            She sat, and he followed suit. She watched him out of the corners of her eyes.
            He placed his hands behind his head and, leaning back in the rocker, eased backward and forward.  “Nice evening. Hard to believe it’s December.”
            “I know. It feels more like spring.”
            He nodded. “One thing I love about this part of Texas.”
            “Me, too.” She turned to face him. “So where do you live now?”
            “Virginia.”
            “Does it get cold up there? Get any snow in the winter?”
            “Pretty moderate where I am. We might get a dusting of snow in January or February, but it doesn’t usually last. Melts, and then it’s warm again.”
            “And what is it you do in Virginia?”
            Avoiding her eyes, he stared over her shoulder. “I’m in the Navy.”
            “On a ship?”
            He shrugged. “Sometimes.”
            She nodded. “Sounds interesting. Travel much?”
            “All the time.” He jumped up and held out a hand. “Hey, I’ll bet the others are wondering where we are. Better not hold up dinner any longer.”
            As she grasped his hand and stood, she studied his face. Definitely boy-down-the-block cute, but his broad shoulders and muscled arms confirmed he was no longer a boy. His eyes were the rich, golden brown of maple syrup, but instead of being warm and enticing, they were walled off. Distant. Despite his relaxed manner and easy conversation, his words seemed to be carefully chosen. Rehearsed. Almost as if he’d practiced what to say. And his face was unreadable. If he didn’t want to be a spy, he’d make a great actor.

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Purchase Links:
Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3BKHaIB

Pelican Book Group:  https://bit.ly/3NxBqEL

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-lights-and-moonlit-nights-carol-james/1146222910?ean=9781522304883

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/christmas-lights-and-moonlit-nights

 

Reviews for Christmas Holiday Extravaganza Books

Pelican Book Group offers new Christmas novellas every year. They call it their Christmas Holiday Extravaganza.  I wrote one this year, Making Christmas Again, but I also read many of the ARCs of other Pelican Book Group's authors. I haven't finished reading all the ARCs, but here are a few. I loved them all. 💗

JUST ANOTHER WINTER'S TALE by Clare Revell

I find it fun to read a book by an English author. The differences in American English and British English are interesting. For instance, a jumper in England is a sweater in America. What the British refer to as a biscuit is actually a cookie in America. It almost gives me the sense I have traveled far across the sea while reading.

     In Just Another Winter’s Tale, Vere Idowu is still mourning the loss of his sister who died in an accident in London. Vere took over his father’s greengrocer business in the small town of Wychwood Cross. It has always been his family’s tradition to give newcomers to the town a basket of produce from his shop. So, Robyn Yardley, an author, finds a basket on her doorstep from Vere. When he learns her oven isn’t working, he offers to fix it for her. He invites her to join the choral society and soon a tender romance grows between them. Robyn’s dog likes him, too. With Robyn suffering from a long bout of writer’s block, Vere even gives her some great ideas to help her with the development of her heroine. Everything looks hopeful until Robyn reveals a story from her past. It is at that point Ms. Revell’s talent for Christian storytelling grabbed me and made this tale a Christmas treasure. 

     I received this book as an advanced reading copy from the author though my opinion is my own. 

     Find it at Amazon.

A KRINGLE FAMILY CHRISTMAS by Miriam Thor

 Bethany Kringle has not celebrated Christmas since her mother died. Then her brother, who is in the Navy, comes home for the holiday with his friend Jay. Her brother expects the full Kringle Christmas experience for his friend. 

     Bethany’s mom made everything from scratch and Bethany struggles to do it all alone. Serving bottled dressing at dinner makes her feel inadequate. But she believes she is easing her brother and father’s grief by doing everything as her mother used to do. 

     Jay grew up a foster child. The Navy is the first place where he felt he belonged, but he isn’t sure about enlisting again. Bethany’s brother is the one who brought him to Jesus and now Jay is quite sure Jesus is leading him to leave the Navy. As a cook in the Navy, he sees the strain all the cooking is taking on Bethany, something her brother doesn’t understand. Jay volunteers to help in the kitchen. Then one day he takes her ice skating. 

Bethany appreciates Jay’s help and the two begin to enjoy each other’s company. Jay understands Bethany is still suffering from  her mother’s death. For himself, Jay fears leaving the Navy. To him it’s like jumping off a cliff.

Filled with conflicting emotions, this is a gentle, but sweet drama showing how a family can grow beyond a loss with the help of faith.

                                                   Find it at Amazon.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS & MOONLIT NIGHTS by Carol James

   The last time Leah saw Jed, he was a pudgy, pale boy. She and her friends teased him mercilessly. But when she goes home for Christmas to put up her father’s lavish Christmas light display, she finds Jed is now a very handsome Navy SEAL whose job takes precedence over everything else. 

     Jed promised to make shelves for his uncle. So, he comes and goes depending upon when he is needed at work. Still, he helps Leah hang the Christmas lights. Leah enjoys his company but he can never tell her where he’s been and it unnerves her to know he carries a gun all the time. When he gives a talk to a classroom of students, Leah realizes how enthusiastic he is about the work he does.

     But as much as Jed enjoys Leah’s company, he plans never to marry because he has seen what happens when other SEALS die and the pain they leave behind for their families. 

Carol James has penned a tender tale about true courage bolstered by faith, a perfect Christmas story.

Find it at Amazon.

THE LADY WITH THE ALLIGATOR CASE by Anita Klumpers

     Anita Klumpers has a knack for drawing a reader into her story. So when Jemma wakes up in a hospital bed, handcuffed to the bedrail, I could not stop reading. Jemma’s car went into a ditch during a snowstorm, but in her car was a suitcase covered with alligator skin in which there were rare illegal orchids. Her grandmother asked her to drop them off to a buyer in northern Wisconsin since Jemma was on her way to reconcile with her former boyfriend in that area.

     Instead, Jemma is stuck in Cadwallader with a non-working vehicle,  no money, no ID, not even shoes. However, the police chief of the small town, Elihu, buys her shoes. In fact, Elihu buys a meal for her, too.

     Jemma’s grandmother comes to her aid as well as a family friend who originally had that alligator case in his attic. Someone tries to take the case away from the family friend by force. As the story moves along, it turns out that not everyone is entirely truthful. 

This is an engaging mystery with interesting characters and lots of snow. Well worth reading in my opinion on a snowy day this Christmas. 

Find it at Amazon.

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Spotlight on THE KEEPER'S SECRET

 If you would like to read another excerpt of THE KEEPER'S SECRET go to:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/the-keeper-s-secret-bs

You can also find out more about me as well as all my social media links. If you buy the book, there's a recipe for peanut butter cookies in it. I love these! 

Sunday Scenes: THE KEEPER'S SECRET

THE KEEPER'S SECRET was released by Prism Lux on October 11, 2024. It is the story of Bryce and Evie. They grew up in the small town of Shucker's Point. She went on to become the park ranger at the lighthouse while Bryce went on to become a state trooper. When Evie's husband goes missing, Bryce believes the worst of Evie. 

Here's a short excerpt from the end of Chapter Three.

     Evie swallowed hard as she stood under the slanting porch roof and knocked. Nobody answered. She shone her flashlight in the windows, but nothing showed other than a dusty floor and walls with peeling paper hanging down in strips. The woozy sensation hit as apprehension wound through her. She put a hand on the doorknob and turned it. Lord, this is where I need

a gigantic dose of courage. Please help me out. Thanks. 

     She pushed the door open. Shining the flashlight all around, it appeared to be a living room with a few beer cans piled in one corner. Evie stamped loudly on the floor as she headed toward the next room. If any animals inhabited the place, they would hear her coming and run away. A dusty table, a refrigerator with no door, and a sink full of beer cans adorned the old kitchen. 

     "OK, the only animals here have been party animals," she muttered to herself.

     Less afraid, she walked into the next room. A filthy mattress was on the floor and right next to the mattress, lay Jack’s flashlight. Dizzy, with a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, Evie sank down beside the flashlight and stared at it. 

     She’d bought it for him for his birthday a few years ago. It still had a nick in the side where it hit the steps when he threw it during one of his angry rages. She glanced at the mattress. Did he meet up with his teenage lover here? Evie closed her eyes. Lord, where did Jack go from here?

     The creak of a floorboard behind her made Evie freeze. Terror rose as she turned, only to be blinded by a bright lantern. She cried out and lifted her arm as a shield.

     A cold, contemptuous voice ground out the question. "Is this where it happened? Is this where you killed him?"

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You can find the book at all the major distributors of ebooks.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213812722-the-keeper-s-secret?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=dLjU29olFY&rank=1

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-keeper-s-secret-by-penelope-marzec?source=link_share

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Keepers-Secret-Penelope-Marzec-ebook/dp/B0D4MKRR93/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-keeper-s-secret-1?utm_source=google_action

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=Xk4JEQAAQBAJ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-keepers-secret/id6502920754