Hi everyone! And welcome to Monday at Resting Life! We’ve got something special to introduce to you today. Another book of mine released… and you get six other fabulous connected stories with it!
Another Homewood Christmas
By Courtenay Burden, Chelsea Burden, Erika Mathews, Bethany M. Griggs, Rebekah A. Morris, Olivia Godfrey, and Hannah Foster
Come back home to a small-town Christmas through the ages…
From its founding to the present day, Homewood, Minnesota’s open arms always offer a shining Moravian star and a Christmas to remember. Journey with the first family to settle in Homewood as they embark from the East. Stick around when troubles threaten to turn Homewood into another ghost town. Follow a song of hope and an old violin in the aftermath of war. Sit with a hurting couple in need of a Christmas miracle to complete their family. Stay close to a young woman as she struggles to find hope in the midst of rejection. Witness an aunt learning how much family truly means. Visit with a new neighbor who isn’t sure what she is looking for.
Throughout these seven heartwarming stories, watch Christmas light and love transform even the coldest places into a little corner of heaven on earth. No matter what the season may hold, the love of God sent to earth in the form of a human baby always proves abundantly sufficient—and the Christmas stars of Homewood live to testify of His story!
This collection of seven Christmas novellas is presented to you by the Aunties of the King’s Daughters Writing Camp. We’ve been working for almost a year to put together a second volume of Christmas stories set against the backdrop of a nostalgic Minnesota town—and scattered across history from the mid-1800s to the 21st century.
This week, all of us are excited to be sharing their finished collection with all of you!
The Collection at a Glance
Title: Another Homewood Christmas
Authors: Courtenay Burden, Chelsea Burden, Erika Mathews, Bethany M. Griggs, Rebekah A. Morris, Olivia Godfrey, and Hannah Foster
Genre: Clean Christmas Fiction, both historical and contemporary
Theme: Hometown Christmases with Strong Christian Messages
Launch Date: October 23, 2023
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196259566-another-homewood-christmas
EBOOK OR PAPERBACK AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOK RETAILER: https://books2read.com/u/brBkOe
All the Details
Another Homewood Christmas is more than just a collection of Christmas tales. It’s also a holiday treasure hunt that will keep you making surprise connections all the way through. Keep your eyes open for recurring characters, locations, and of course, the special Christmas star that pops up in every story!
To Follow the Star (Courtenay Burden): Stella Quincey had been so sure this was God’s calling—so sure she was following His path. But when the trail flounders to a dead end in the heart of a winter wilderness, Stella finds herself grappling with doubts. Does God lead—only to abandon His children in their hour of need? Or is there a lesson for Christmas of 1831 that Stella has overlooked from the story of the wisemen and the star?
The Star Over All (Chelsea Burden): Unable to forgive himself for a foolish mistake with far-reaching consequences, Reginald Quincey sees a visit to his mother’s family for Christmas 1875 as a way to escape—perhaps forever. But when a snowstorm and a fascinating stranger turn his plans upside down, will Reg be able to see the lesson hidden in a simple Moravian star?
The Christmas Violin (Erika Mathews): With Faith Aldrich’s twin sister and her violin called overseas and troubling complications threatening to silence all music of the 1919 Homewood Christmas celebration, can Faith find the presence of God sufficient joy for a holiday that even her little daughter will remember forever?
Advent for the Orphan (Bethany M. Griggs): Len Wilson and her family are done with foster care and the pain it always brings. But when a tearful little girl stands on their rug in need of a home, what choice does Len have? Will she be hurt yet again or will a Christmas miracle in 1976 complete their family?
The Prince of Peace (Rebekah A. Morris): For Tricia Tally Wilson, Christmas of 1993 is supposed to be a time of family and joy, but will one more rejection shatter her peace? Or will her Prince of Peace work in unforeseen ways to bring a Christmas she’ll never forget?
Simple Gifts (Olivia Godfrey): Surrounded by her niece and nephews, Leah Peters’ aunt Gwen realizes how much she’s missed her family over the years. After helping dig into memories tucked into a leaky shed, she gets lost in the past. Will the family finally come together in Christmas of 2002 and learn that the future is as bright as the Moravian star glowing at the top of the tree?
Friendship’s Gift (Hannah Foster): Perry wasn’t sure what she was seeking when she inherited her aunt’s old house in 2014. Hidden Treasure? Family secrets? Or just simple answers? When her neighbors volunteered their help, she finds something entirely different than what she was looking for. But maybe it was exactly what she needed and more.
Meet the Authors
All seven of the authors who collaborated on Another Homewood Christmas are part of the Aunties Team at the King’s Daughters Writing Camp (www.kingsdaughterswritingcamp.com). Here’s a little personal introduction to each of them:
Courtenay Burden is a homeschool graduate, Victorian fanatic, and author of historical fiction. She loves working with yarn, devouring history, playing the occasional game of chess, and discovering new ways to cook the humble potato. She is passionate about good and great literature—writing that embodies both literary and spiritual excellence for the glory of Christ.
Connect with Courtenay: sawpublishing.com
Chelsea Burden is a homeschool graduate, a first-generation Anabaptist, and a passionate word-lover who enjoys dabbling in etymology (not entomology!) and routinely adds bona fide words to spellcheck! She loves books, people and Jesus—and a lot of other things too, including chickadees, hymns, snowflakes and having a good time with friends. She lives in Canada and spends her days writing and doing whatever else comes to hand in her three-generational home.
Connect with Chelsea: sawpublishing.com
Erika Mathews writes Christian living books, both fiction and non-fiction, that demonstrate the power of God in ordinary people, transforming daily life into His resting life. The author of the kingdom adventure fiction series Truth from Taerna, she’s passionate about encouraging others to intimately know Jesus. She enjoys playing with her children, editing, anything outdoors, being organized, autumn, apple crisp, and sunrises.
Connect with Erika: restinglife.com
Bethany M. Griggs is a writer of Christian contemporary fiction and blogger of simple living, who lives in Texas with her family. She enjoys crafts from paper, coziness, and creativity. Oh, and alliteration! As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, she loves encouraging people through the rough places, rejoicing with them in the good ones, and pointing them to Jesus her Savior.
Connect with Bethany: arubyintherough.com
Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author, and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm, and her bestselling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home.
Connect with Rebekah: readanotherpage.com/blog
Olivia Godfrey was raised in rural Arkansas. With her husband they are thankful to be able to maintain a lifestyle in the countryside for their little ones. As much as she enjoys writing, Olivia also loves card games, learning odd bits of history, otters, and Italian food. You’ll usually find her outside with her kids, reading historical fiction or fantasy, and attempting to keep up with housework.
Connect with Olivia: goodreads.com/user/show/87910387-olivia
Hannah Foster lives in Idaho with her husband. She writes Christian contemporary fiction, using her words and stories to point her readers to the foot of the cross, reminding them of the hope, joy, forgiveness, and grace they have in Jesus Christ. If she is not reading or writing, she may be found baking, working as a barista, watercolor painting, playing tennis with her husband, or thrifting.
Connect with Hannah: hannahfosterwrites.wordpress.com
Hope you enjoy Another Homewood Christmas this season! Don’t forget to pick up your copy today. If you haven’t yet read A Homewood Christmas, grab that for two holiday reads.
