As the top salesperson for
Pfunn Party Supplies, Carol Frost doesn’t exactly know how to have fun herself
these days. Though she wasn’t always such a humbug. Once upon a time, she was famous
for hosting Christmas parties that were filled with everything from laughing
guests and luscious hors d’oeuvres, to artfully iced sugar cookies and
creatively decorated Christmas trees. To top it off, she even wrote a
bestselling book that became the authoritative tome on Christmas party
entertaining at the time—The Complete,
Total, Ultimate, Everything-You-Might-Possibly-Want-to-Know Guide to Hosting
the Best Christmas Parties Ever.
Yet that was long ago, before her life changed and she stashed her tinsel and
twinkle lights away once and for all. And while Carol soon learned to settle
for her boring but comfortable existence, an old friend knows that Carol isn’t
really living up to her potential. An old friend who . . . well . . . now
enjoys her eggnog in the afterlife, you might say. To goad Carol into going
back to her former party-hosting ways, said friend sends three of her specter
pals to pester Carol. Then, much to Carol’s annoyance, she is visited by the
Ghost Hosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future on a plane filled with
plenty of holiday revelers. And though Carol only wants to be left alone, the
Ghost Hosts have other plans.
Instead, they take her on an adventure that wasn’t exactly on her itinerary . .
. or printed on her ticket stub. From that moment on, Carol’s life will never
be the same. Provided, of course, she survives the jingle-bell rollercoaster of
a ride and makes it home in time for Christmas . . .
CINDY VINCENT, M.A. Ed., was born in Calgary,
Alberta, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the
Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective
Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and
Bogey Cat Detective Caper novels and the Daisy Diamond Detective series. She
lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and an assortment of fantastic
felines.
Christmas books are some of my very favorite books to
read, and I try to read a couple each December.
However, I find that I need to start earlier and earlier each year, in
order to read at least one! Does anyone
else feel the same way? The holidays are
lovely, but they can be crazy and hectic.
That is why it is so nice to sit down, relax, and open the pages of a
Christmas story.
My friend Cindy Vincent has written the perfect book
for the holidays, because her story is based on the beloved tale A Christmas
Carol by Charles Dickens. The Victorian
era of literature is my favorite--Dickens was a part of this literary time
period—so I was very excited to see how Vincent created her Christmas book
against the backdrop of a Dickens classic.
Carol lives in a world that does not seem to slow
down. She has so many responsibilities
that take all her time and energy. Yet
she knows she is the only one who can accomplish the to-do list that marks every moment of her day. She is living off the steam
from the previous day, and unfortunately, she has also let the past define her
present. Will her life every
change? Could things really be
better? Even though Carol highly doubts
this to be possible, an unexpected ride in the sky just might change her
mind.
If you enjoy a bit of intrigue in a story, you will
love this book. And if you love
Christmas tales, you will love this book.
I highly recommend adding this novella to your Christmas reading list
this year. Let me know some of your
favorite Christmas books in the comments below.
Happy reading and Merry Christmas!
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the author for my copy.
1. Growing up, can you tell us about one of your
favorite Christmas memories?
It’s really hard to
pinpoint just one special memory, because I have been blessed with so
many! But a favorite moment-in-time
happened when I was about eight or nine years old. One of the parents in the neighborhood
organized a group of grownups and kids to go Christmas caroling. After a couple of practice songs, we all took
off, walking as a group. I remember the
night was pretty chilly, and I had on the whole winter ensemble—coat, hat,
scarf, and mittens. It was enough to
keep me warm so I could enjoy the fresh, crisp air on that clear night loaded
with stars. The group went from house to
house, and I thought it was the most fun thing in the world to ring the
doorbell and wait for someone to answer, whereby the entire group would belt
out the next song on our list. As a kid,
I remember singing my heart out, and I knew every verse of every one of those
Christmas carols. I’m sure I probably
didn’t sound as great as I thought I did back then—Ha!—but it was so much fun,
I didn’t care. I felt like we were
spreading Christmas throughout the whole neighborhood. Afterward, we gathered at someone’s house
where we had hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. It was one of the most fun nights of my young
life.
2. Christmas is truly one of the most wonderful
times of the year, yet what was what the inspiration behind writing a Christmas
novella?
It was the night after
Christmas and all through the kitchen, not a dish was left dirty, not even a
saucepan . . . Okay, maybe that doesn’t quite rhyme, but I think you get my
drift! The idea for Yes, Carol . . . It’s Christmas! came to me a couple of years ago
on the night after Christmas, when my husband and I had just finished eating
dinner. We’d decided to do it up right
and eat in the dining room, using our new Christmas china. And just as I finished drying the last plate
that night, I started reminiscing about a fun Christmas party we’d hosted, and
from there I started thinking about Christmas parties in general. Then I started to wonder, if someone was an expert at hosting parties and they were
in the middle of a Christmas Carol-like
situation, what ghosts would visit them?
That’s when it dawned on me that it wouldn’t be just any old ghost in
that case, but instead it would be a “ghost host.” From there, the story was born.
But I also wanted Yes, Carol . . . It’s Christmas! to be
more than just a spoof on A Christmas
Carol. I wanted it to be a tale
about picking up the pieces and getting back to doing what it is that you love
to do, something that uses your particular God-given gifts. Because we can all get sidetracked from our
calling when bad things happen to us, bad things that are beyond our
control. Sometimes it can be pretty hard
to get back up, scars and all, and return to our intended road.
3. Baking is one of my favorite things to do at
Christmas. Do you have any recipes for Christmas treats you would like to
share?
Here’s a fudge recipe
that I got from a neighbor years ago.
Not only is it delicious, but it’s perfect for passing out to your
friends!
Fantasy Fudge
3 cups sugar
1½ sticks of margarine
2/3 cup of
canned evaporated milk
Combine these three
ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a
wooden spoon. Boil for another five
minutes on medium heat, still stirring.
Remove from heat and add:
12-ounce package of
semi-sweet chocolate chips
Stir until these are
melted. Then add:
7-ounce jar Marshmallow
Cream
Lots of broken,
slightly crumbled walnuts
1 tsp. of vanilla
Stir these in and pour into
a greased 8x8 pan. Let cool and cut into
individual pieces.
Thanks again, Heather,
for hosting me here today. I wish you a
very special Christmas this year. When
you look up at the stars in the sky this Christmas, think of that bright star that
shone above Bethlehem, and know that God loves you now and always! Merry Christmas!
Put together your own
best-ever Christmas party with this fun “party in a box” giveaway! Enter for a
chance to win a package with the following prizes: a signed copy of Yes, Carol…It’s Christmas! by Cindy
Vincent, two Betty Crocker sugar cookie mixes, two cookie cutters, a four-pack
of sprinkles, a strand of Christmas lights, and two glass ornaments. Due to
shipping costs and varying international laws, this giveaway is open to US residents (age 18 or older) only.
Void where prohibited. Good luck!
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