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♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2006
Little Christmas novels seem to be growing Santa size
By RON BERTH EL
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Elizabeth
Berg’s first Christmas
novella is based on the
Nativity story.
Kinky Friedman’s first
Christmas book, a short
fable, features a talking
Pig-
Berg said she wrote
“The Handmaid and the
Carpenter’’ (Random House)
because she “was always
curious about what it must
have been like for Mary to
come to her fiance and say,
' Uh, Joseph? There’s some
thing I have to tell you,
something you’ll find hard
to believe.’”
Friedman had a differ
ent reason for writing “The
Christmas Pig” (Simon and
Schuster):
“Money,” he said. “That’s
why I wrote it. I wrote it to
pay the rent.”
If either book, no matter
how it was inspired, turns
out to be the author’s first
of a series of Christmas nov
els, it would hardly be _
well, novel.
This Christmas, like
those of recent years, brings
new novellas with themes
of the season, some from
Christmas first-timers like
Berg and Friedman and
others from authors who
have made it a holiday habit
to provide a little Christmas
for readers who can’t wait
for the day to arrive.
Writing a Christmas novel
is nothing new to Debbie
Macomber. This year’s
entry, “Christmas Letters”
(Mira), is her 12th. She has
written one every year since
1995.
“At the time (I wrote my
first Christmas novel) it
seemed all the Christmas
books I read made me want
to cry,” she said. “I wanted
to give my readers a story to
make them laugh and enjoy
the season - a way to help
them unwind and let go of
some of the stress of the
holidays.”
Dave Barry has been
making readers laugh for
years through his syndicat
ed column and many books.
He, too, has entered the
Christmas fiction scene with
“The Shepherd, the Angel,
and Walter the Christmas
Miracle Dog” (Putnam).
Barry said he wasn’t
aware of any growing trend
among authors to write
Christmas fiction: He wrote
his book because Susan
Petersen Kennedy, a long
time acquaintance and “the
big kahuna” - that is, presi
dent - of Penguin Group
USA told him, “I want you
■Cody Mfzell
18 Bonn: Febnuany 14, 'O(S
$3 Son of Samantha &
SCeuen Mfzell -
1 Bnyant BniCtcrin
H Bonn; August 11, 'O6
§3 Son of Amy ft Darn'd
P Hayes
List of Christmas fiction
(AP) - Among other new Christmas fiction:
■”A Christmas Bell for Anya ” (Shadow Mountain) by Chris and Evie Stewart.
The Russian Revolution brings tragedy to a Siberian village just before Christmas
in this illustrated short story accompanied by a dual disc CD/DVD featuring Claire
Bloom’s narration and performances by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
■ ’’The Christmas Bus” (Revell) by Melody Carlson.
When an innkeeper learns that her children won’t be spending Christmas with her,
she invites a mixed bag of strangers to stay for the holiday.
■ ”A Christmas Caroline " (Morrow) by Kyle Smith.
In this dickens of a novel, a snooty magazine editor has a Christmas Eve visitor, a
ghost who advises her to make amends with those she had wronged on her way up
the corporate chimney.
■ ”The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories” (Ecco) edited by Alberto Manguel. Tales by
Ann Beattie, Truman Capote, Alice Munro, Vladimir Nabokov and others.
■ ’’The Great Santa Search” (Tarcher/Penguin) by Santa Claus, as told to Jeff
Guinn.
Santa himself takes readers on a historical tour of Christmas in America, ending
with a TV reality show that threatens to destroy what’s left of seasonal spirit.
■ ’’The Innkeeper’s Wife” (Shadow Mountain) by Lynda M. Wilson.
A colorfully illustrated short story describes the Nativity through the eyes of
Mary’s imagined midwife.
■ ”Slay Bells” (Berkley Prime Crime) by Kate Kingsbuiy.
A British cozy in which a children’s Christmas party is somewhat ruined when
Father Christmas and one of his helpers are discovered murdered.
■ ”Sugar Plums and Scandal” (Avon).
Six “stocking stuffers” of short tales of yuletide mystery and romance by Lori
Avocato, Dana Cameron, Mary Daheim and others.
■ ’’Sugar and Spice ” (Zebra).
Four holiday novellas, including “The Christmas Stocking” by Fern Michaels and
“Twelve Desserts of Christmas” by Joanne Fluke, with a bonus Christmas ornament,
to boot.
■ ”A Very Merry Christmas” (Kensington).
Romance is on the Christmas wish list in this anthology of three novellas by Lori
Foster, Gemma Bruce and Janice Maynard.
to write a Christmas book!”
He reached back into
his childhood for his little
novel in which a 13-year-old
boy tells how his church’s
Christmas pageant is dis
rupted by bats in the bel
fry and how the unexpected
arrival of a dog saves the
fir To ad of our friends, '
We would (ike to thank each of you for your
Cove and support this past year. We wish each
"*•"« of you a very 'Merry Christmas and hope you
nave a great r ffew Yearl
I Logan Joshua Judd
| Bonn: Apart 22, 'O6
Son of Lonfe &
K Tennonce Jad6 fl
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Bonn: Juty 17, 'Otf I
Son of Casey Lauenden 8
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day, amid the innocence of
1960 suburbia.
Another first Christmas
novel comes from Mary
Kay Andrews and features
her recurring character,
antiques dealer Weezie
Foley of Savannah.
In “ Blue Christmas”
Much Love,
THane & Whitney CuCpepper
T.S. This is your Christmas Card!!!
1 Bead Austin Dunn j
5 Bonn: Octobeu 15, 'OO
jjjj Son of Kana ft Jimmy
J Annfka Layla I
Smith
4 Bonn: Febnuany 7, 06
B DaughCen of Mfcbelle
ft Rodney Smith
LOCAL
(Harper Collins), a blue
Christmas tree pin not only
inspires Foley’s prize-win
ning Christmas decorations,
it fuels a mystery involv
ing an old homeless woman
whom Foley tries to help.
See NOVELS, page 6C
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■ Cbnis Taggaut
Happy birthday
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Contributed
Nettie Belle McKown LeVar of Perry celebrated her 90th
birthday with family and friends at the Elks Lodge In
Warner Robins Sept. 23. A native of Grady County, she
married Robert J. LeVar. They lived and reared their fam
ily in Grady County and later in Thomasville. Their chil
dren are Randall LeVar of Hendersonville, N.C., Wendell
LeVar of Warner Robins, Lanett L. Quick of Birmingham,
Alabama and Van LeVar of Warner Robins. After the death
of her husband in 1983, she moved to Warner Robins and
now lives at Colonial Gardens of Perry.
Thank You for a Wonderful Year!
We Wish You a
Merry Christmas!
Hil
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926 Carroll St. • Perry, GA 31069
478-224-8888
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42060
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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
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