Monday, November 30, 2009

TWO WINNERS And a new contest begins




Two grandsons came to play today and while they were here they picked the winners for both contests. The winner of a copy of Stolen Christmas is Elizabeth Morgan. The winner of my regular contest is Jolynn Reads. Please send me your snail mail addresses to bhansen22 at msn dot com and JoLynn, please include a wish list of at least five (more is better)LDS novels you would like and if I have any of the books on your list one of them will be your prize. Winners must notify me by Friday or another winner will be chosen.
A new contest begins today and in keeping with the season, the prize will be a Christmas book.
Choose from the Christmas Jars by Jason Wright, The Christmas Box Miracle by Richard Paul Evans, Christmas by the Book by Beverly King, Christmas for a Dollar (booklet size) by Gale Sears, The Spirit of Christmas by Jennie Hansen, Betsy Brannon Green and Michele Ashman Bell, Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace, or Mysterious Ways by B.J. Rowley.
Christmas isn't Christmas without stories. I about wore out my mother's copies of The Bird's Christmas Carol and The Little Matchgirl while I was growing up and I've found some new favorites in this year's new releases---read my December column on Meridian which will be coming out soon. There are some really great new releases this year. I also found through the years that there are a few Christmas stories I distinctly dislike like Dicken's Christmas Carol.
This contest will center around Christmas stories. Write a paragraph or two about your most loved or most disliked Christmas stories. If you don't have a specific favorite, tell us what kind of Christmas stories you like or which kinds most annoy you. And please don't list the nativity story from Luke, that is most people's favorite including mine, but I want to hear about your favorite fiction stories. (I particularly like the picture book When Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem which is the scriptural account illustrated with beautiful paintings by Joseph Brickey.) So think about it, and let me know how you feel about fiction Christmas stories. The contest begins now and ends December 15th at noon.

6 comments:

Elizabeth Morgan said...

My favorite Christmas story is a picture book Called The light of Christmas. It is such and amazing story. I love how it really focus's on the importance of helping others and not focusing on yourself. The story setting is in the mountains that surround a city named Noel. The light of Christmas is light and starts right in that town. It also talks about the true meaning of Christmas.It is my ultimate favorite Christmas Story and book that is amazing anytime of the year.

Danyelle Ferguson said...

We have two favorite Christmas picture books. The first one is The Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Christian Birmingham. It's absolutely beautiful. It was a gift from my hubby's grandmother & we read it to the kids one week for FHE during the holiday season.

The other is Silent Night, Holy Night: The Story Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carol by Myrna Strasser. It's an account of how and why the carol was written, what inspired the writer - and is written by his family. It was really fun to teach my kids about one of our favorite songs.

The Christmas story I most dislike is The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck. I absolutely loved the book until the end. I grew up with a single mother, who had a difficult time support us. She passed away just after I graduated from high school. So there were many aspects of the book I identified with - and many times I cried through the book. But then, at the end, when the book wakes up and the whole book was a dream - I was so upset, I literally threw the book across the room. I couldn't believe my emotions had been played so thoroughly, to have them squashed by a "convenient" dream. So, that's my least favorite Christmas story.

Jennie said...

Elizabeth, that is a beautiful book.
Danyelle, I too love the books that portray the nativity iin a loving, beautiful way. And I agree with you completely about The Christmas Sweater; it was good until it turned into a fantasy and a sermon which left me feeling cheated too. I really, really detest the sloppy, overly sentimental books that don't even make much sense that always seem to zoom to the top of the list. They feel so phoney to me.

Martha Eskuchen said...

I just found your nice blog. Sorry I missed the Stolen Moments contest. :)
I love your comment on your determining the thoughtful entries!
Okay -hmm favorite or least favorite Christmas story.....
Well I truly love reading "Twas The Night Before Christmas" on Christmas eve but I'm not sure that would be my favorite. I like stories or angels and miracles and forgiveness at Christmas. I recently read Noella's Gift by Donica Covey and it was quite lovely! The review is at You Gotta Read Reviews. I think I would pick that as my favorite - at least for now till I think of more Christmas stories!

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