I can’t believe next week is Thanksgiving! Then right on its heels is Christmas.
Last year, I wrote a Madison Creek Township Christmas novella, but I decided not to publish it until this year. (At the time, I didn’t realize I’d have two other Christmas stories also coming out (as part of collections with other authors) at the same time.
I’m not sure how the story idea came to me, but I did know that Leon Jovino, from Secretly In Love, needed his own story. However it came about, I’m really pleased with A Thousand Wishes and I’m excited to share a few things about it with you today.
First off, let me tell you a little about A Thousand Wishes-
A starry night, a whispered prayer and a heartfelt wish, lead to a Christmas romance neither of them saw coming.
The challenge between the Allender siblings begins, and McKenna is determined to sell more Christmas trees than her older brother. The dare is enough incentive, but the bonus makes it all worthwhile especially when she wrecks her car trying to avoid hitting a man who steps out of nowhere into her path.
Leon Jovino is on a sure path until it divides his heart in two. A starry night, a heartfelt wish, and his head in a fog lead him into a collision with Kenna. He’s determined to help her but doesn’t count on the consequences.
Then again, his starry wish just might be behind it all.
This is the fourth book in the Madison Creek Township novella series, Finding Love In Madison Creek. If you’re interested in reading the first three books in one bundle, click here. Or you can see the series page here.
READ CHAPTER ONE AND MEET THE CHARACTERS
Real-life inspiration for this story:
One of my favorite Christmas memories was the year my mother thought we’d lost all our Christmas decorations, including our aluminum tree (yes, we had one) during a move the previous summer. (Later we found the boxes stuffed way in the back of a storage closet, along with some other missing items).
With no tree and no decorations, my mom was worried we’d not have much of a Christmas. She was on a very limited income, so replacing the missing tree was out of the question. But God is good and has a way of surrounding His children with people who have big hearts and generous spirits.
One of Mom’s friends brought over a small tree. A REAL TREE!! My very first real Christmas tree. I didn’t even care that it looked like the one Charley Brown found for the holiday play. It was real and it was mine. Ha!
But there was still the problem of decorating it. Family members gave us a few of their extra ornaments, but they also were limited in what they had. So my mom and I sat down and decided to make our own decorations. We painted pine cones (I still have a couple of them), made soldiers out of clothespins, beaded angels and fairies. Popcorn became our garland, of course. It was so much fun!
And it made that holiday a special memory for me and a reminder that if you have a bit of creativity you’ll never really lack for anything.
So, in A Thousand Wishes, Kenna Allender loves to make ornaments from things she finds in nature. I’m working on a blog post of natural ornament ideas. You can check back here for when that goes live.
A Thousand Wishes is available for pre-order for the sale price of only .99¢. It will be releasing on Thursday, Nov. 21st at the regular price of $2.99.
Do you enjoy making holiday crafts? Ornaments, gifts, etc? Share your favorite thing to make during the holidays and be entered to win a copy of Finding Love in Madison Creek.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving (for those of you who celebrate it).
See you next month,
Jackie Castle
Jackie Castle is the author of The White Road Chronicles a fantasy series, The Sentinel Archives for school-age readers, and newly released Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast romance series. She has also published articles and short stories in numerous magazines. She’s enjoyed many crazy adventures from working as a hairstylist, to her bravest quest: teaching children in daycare and elementary schools. Eventually, she settled down to a somewhat safer pursuit of being a Story-weaver. Now she lives in her comfortable Texas home where she spins marvelous tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild. She looks for the extraordinary in every ordinary day that she experiences.
Hi Jackie! Your book is preordered. This Michigander loves the Madison Creek series. The year has flown by. Working on photo books for the family. Most years I have made some Christmas gifts – ornaments, painted sweatshirts, crocheted scarves, scrapbooks, and now photo books – just to name a few things that I have made over the years. Best wishes.
I got to read the ARC of A Thousand Wishes and really enjoyed it! I look forward to your blog post about making ornaments.
Jackie, your Christmas book sounds great. I enjoyed the first 2 chapters. I’m not making anything for Christmas this year but a tree skirt is on my future list. In the past, I’ve made cross stitch ornaments and little hardanger angel ornaments. I’ve crocheted snowflakes. I’ve quilted bowl holders for warming soup in the microwave as a Christmas gift for my Sunday school teacher. I’ve also made quilted coasters using Christmas fabrics. I gave these to my female family members one year. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s all that comes to mind at the moment.
I usually make every member of my family a new ornament or something, but my daddy has been ill and passed away.
It’s fun. I need to make more time in my schedule for such things. =)
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the story. =)
What a collection! Awesome.
Lucy, sorry to hear that.
Blessings to you.
I’m not much of a craft person. I have some ornaments my kids made when they were little, and I love to put them on the tree each year.
Thanx for the post. Christmas memories are so special. As adults, we need to remember that doing things together as a family is more precious than material things. We made cookies, and sometimes gingerbread houses, with another family. That is a tradition my girls love keeping. We have painted ornaments, made wreaths, and made bath scrubs & gels one year. Last year I made crimped paper angels.
Sounds like a great book I always make homemade candy for my children and their families for Christmas I have special ornaments my children made me throughout the years when they were in school I love hanging them on the tree every year and asking my self where has the years gone too The years fly by Thank you for the amazing chance to win this amazing book! God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving !
growing up we use to make decorations in school a couple were made of paper circles and then stuck together to make big balls. They were normally shiny paper. Then a bit later after I left school and was going to the friendship Centre at the church (2 hours a week were you do craft, chat, play games etc) They made polystyrene balls covered with material. We had them on the tree for ages till they were falling apart. We also made beaded angels which was so fun to do. I like doing Christmas crafts. I use to make more things etc. One year I made some recipe books using a small 2 ring folder and making a cross stitch cover (the front had the cross stitch and the rest calico).
I also do biscuits/cookies and slice type of foods for gifts.
Knowing all the neat stuff you do Merrillee, I doubt you have time. Lol.
Agreed. Thanks for stopping in.
Yes! All those old ornaments always make me smile.
Wonderful. Mr. Castle and I enjoy making tamales for Christmas to give out to friends each year. The past couple of years, we’ve not been able to do that.
Mom and I make our own Christmas cards to send to friends and family. We also make chocolate-covered peanut butter balls to give friends and family. Mom used to crochet ornaments for our Christmas tree, and make other ornaments for the tree, too, while I was growing up. One of my nephews does hand-blown glass, so I have quite a few ornaments that he made. Mom crocheted a purse for me a couple of Christmases ago, and quite a few years ago she made my 3 sisters and I a lot of doilies. I did embroidered pillowcases for my sisters and Mom and Daddy a few years ago, too. Now, it’s mostly down to the cards!
I am definitely not a crafty person, lol! But I still have some ornaments my kids made when they were in school that I have kept & have not fallen apart (yet). I remember the clothespin reindeer and handmade photo frames, those are probably my most favorite. Seeing their little smiling faces on the tree brings warm memories to my heart!
What great memories. =)
I love the ones my kids made at school and also still have a couple that have survived the years.