I'm introducing a new book to you. Don't you love the title? Christmas Passed. Here's the book, but before I tell you about this engaging novel, I want to present the author, Anita Klumpers.
Anita Klumpers is my friend, and she and I have two obvious things in common. We're writers and we both have white hair. We also have husbands and families, but Antia lives way up north, and I live down south.
Anita Klumpers Gay N. Lewis
I asked Anita if white hair, or platinum as I like to call mine, ran in her family as it does mine. Here's her anwer.
Will
you still be my friend if I tell you my hair is actually almost white? Which is
odd because it was always dark brown, like my dad’s.
My mom was strawberry blonde that turned to a delightful silver when she got
older. Instead of going gray, my hair turned mom’s silvery-white color and I am
way too lazy to dye it.
A lot of women spend multiple dollars on hair color. I guess Anita and I are fortunate to have easy hair styles and natural color. We can spend less time with hair and more time on writing.
In her debut book, Winter Watch, she centered her story around a pocket watch. Here's an excerpt from my review.
"...We begin with the timepiece in Galveston, TX, and end with the watch in Russia. Over the centuries, the artifact gets into the hands of nefarious people, and this adds to the mystery and fascination. This book has romance and suspense...."
I asked Anita if she'd ever been to Galveston or Texas. Here's her answer.
I’ve driven through Texas only once, but did spend some time
there for a wedding. It was over 4th of July near Dallas (Plano) and hotter
than blazes, and I loved it anyway! For being a cool weather junkie who loves
rolling hills of Wisconsin, I adored the wide open spaces, the sprawling city,
the beautiful homes—pretty much everything about it.
For couples who've been married for ages, I like to hear what their idea of a romantic evening is. I'm gathering ideas, don't you know? Here's her preference for a romantic night with her hubby.
Well, it can’t be in front of the T.V. My husband is
guaranteed to fall asleep! We like to take long drives with no particular goal,
find a place to eat dinner, go for a walk and explore (if the weather permits),
then talk and talk all the way home. And then fall asleep in front of the T.V.
Here's a bit more about Anita Klumpers.
She is Midwest born and bred, except for a brief and exhilarating few
years in Denver when she was small. She received a teaching degree sometime in
the previous millennium and used it mostly to homeschool her three sons. These
days Anita chases her grandchildren around, waving books at them and suggesting
everyone cuddle up for a good story.
Good stories are her passion,
especially if they are well-written, have a dose of humor, just a tickle of
romance, and a decidedly non-gory mystery. On the other hand, she lists “Frankenstein” and “Fahrenheit
451” as two of her favorite books. Go figure.
Creating skits was Anita’s first foray into
writing. Always up for a challenge and a reason to postpone defrosting the
freezer, she tried her hand at a full-length novel. It only took five years,
but she did it!
Daily (honestly) she marvels at how
much she loves coffee and her husband; her family, friends and church. Even
more, she is astonished at how much she is loved by her Lord and Savior.
Her blog is “The Tuesday Prude” ( https://thetuesdayprude.com/)
and she’s had two books published by Pelican/Prism Books (“Winter Watch” and “Hounded.”)
Christmas Passed is due December 2018 and “Buttonholed” is
contracted with Pelican/Prism Books.
Doesn't Anita sound interesting? So is her book, Christmas Passed. It comes out December 1. I've already ordered my copy and I'm ready to read.
Dinah loves Christmas. She loves history, the
old Wagner House, and the elderly women working to preserve its heritage. She
loves almost everything except Mick Wagner, her childhood nemesis.
But if they want to save the Wagner House and
solve a mystery that's been hiding in the attic for almost eighty years,
they'll have to join forces. And they have to do it quickly, before one of them
dies trying.
Links to Christmas Passed
Barnes and Noble: